Dawn Lindberg

Dawn Lindberg (1945-2020) was a singer, actress, director and theatre entrepreneur.

Biography

Born Dawn Silver in Durban on 19 April 1945, educated at Parktown Girls High and was an AFS Scholar in Detroit, USA (1963-4), then obtained a BA (Fine Arts) University of the Witwatersrand; Diploma Etching (Urbino, Italy), Stage Design (Salzburg).

Dawn met Des Lindberg in 1962 and they married in 1965. They began performing together as Des and Dawn Lindberg. They collaborated on a number of projects, under the banners of Folk on Trek Productions, The Soirée Society and CAT Productions.

For further information on these projects, see the entry Des and Dawn.

For Des Lindberg's biographical and career information, see the individual entry under Des Lindberg.

She was at one time President of Soroptimists International (the Highveld branch), produced the Double Gold: "Fat Off" fitness tape, co-authored: How Did I Begin? (a book on the facts of life for kids) and delivered motivational talks on topics such as Every Night is an Opening Night and Unfreeze Your Speaking Assets.

The couple have two sons, Adam and Joshua Lindberg.

Dawn died of a COVID-19 related illness on Monday 7 December 2020 .

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

As theatre producer

The Lindbergs produced a number of theatre productions.

For further information on these, see Des and Dawn.

As actor

Dawn appeared in a number of productions.

Des and Dawn Lindberg joined Robert Kirby in his show 8 Birds at the Labia Theatre in 1970. They helped convert the Carlton Cinema in Von Weilligh Street into a small theatre which opened with Birds of a Feather (a revised version of 8 Birds), also about 1970.

She performed in The Shrew (1975, 1980).

She had the lead role in I'm Getting My Act Together and Taking It On The Road (1980-1981).

Together with Des, they performed Sex, Tango and Everything Else in the State Theatre Arena (2001).

She performed in The Vagina Monologues (2002-2003).

As director

Dawn directed a number of productions, including Godspell (1973 and several subsequent productions), Pippin (1975), The Shrew (1975, 1980), The Black Mikado (1976), Gloo Joo, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1979), Lennon (1981).

She directed the PACT production of Every Good Boy Deserves Favour which was a collaboration of Tom Stoppard’s text Every Good Boy and André Previn’s music starring Danny Keogh, Michael McCabe, Michael Richard and Lynne White in 1986. It won the Vita Award for best production.

She also directed When I Was a Girl I Used to Scream and Shout (1987), The Vagina Monologues (2002-2003) and The Good Body (2007).

As choreographer and designer

She was contracted in 1965 by Taubie Kushlick, the producer, to do choreography for The Wizard of Oz, her Children's Theatre production, while Des Lindberg was to write extra music and lyrics. Keith Blundell was the musical director, Nina Campbell-Quine did décor, while Heather MacDonald-Rouse did costumes. It was staged at the Wits Great Hall in 1965.

She also choreographed and designed their production of Pippin in 1975.

As Arts administrator

Besides her own work as producer (she directed and designed most of the corporate and stage productions for CAT Productions), she also held many management positions in the industry at various times, including being secretary and treasurer of the Theatre Managements of South Africa (TMSA). Dawn Lindberg’s greatest achievement has been the creation and nurturing of the internationally recognised Naledi Theatre Awards, which has honoured over 300 artists and theatre makers, and awarded over 60 Lifetime Achievement Awards.

As writer

Dawn wrote Sex, Tango and Everything Else (2001).

Awards, etc,

Des and Dawn Lindberg were named Living Legends by Minister of Arts and Culture Nathi Mthethwa in 2015.

She was presented with the Women: The Real Architects of Society Awards (WRASA) Drama Excellence Award to acknowledge and honour her 51 years in theatre and show business in 2017.