Drummond Marais
Drummond Marais (1950-2012). Actor, singer.
Contents
Biography
Drummond was born on 17 October 1950 in Zimbabwe, then Southern Rhodesia. He settled in Johannesburg in 1983. His spare time was taken up with painting, sculpting, piano playing and developing his writing skills in drama. He passed away in Johannesburg on 25 December 2012.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
His debut in Johannesburg was the role of Ito in Mame followed by two seasons with NAPAC in Winnie the Pooh and Julius Caesar. This was followed by the title role in the Children's Theatre production of Jack and the Beanstalk, Conversations for PACT's 1984 Pot Pourri Festival, and the Merlin Players' production of Lunatic and Lover at the Market Theatre.
Drummond directed and played in Egypt in Eastcheap at the 1985 Grahamstown Festival for Setwork Theatre.
He starred in House Guest, Black Coffee, The Runner Stumbles and Equus.Two Into One in 1986, William Finn’s March of the Falsettos at the Adcock-Ingram in September 1989, Sweeney Todd (1990), La Cage aux Folles (Civic Theatre, Johannesburg), Little Shop of Horrors (1999), The Graduate (as Mr Robinson, 2001), Blithe Spirit (2004), In Chicago: The Musical (Jhb 2005), My Fair Lady (as Prof. Higgins, 2006).
He also played in Above the Wind (1987), Antony and Cleopatra (NAPAC 1987), Falsettoland, A Little Life Like This (1992).
He directed The Harum-Scarum Girl at the Rosebank Theatre, Johannesburg in 1992.
His television work in South Africa includes SATV's Last of the Dinosaur, the role of Gerald in Man in a Sidecar, and some musical variety and educational programmes.
Awards, etc.
Nominated Vita Award (Natal region) 1992 best lead actor Falsettoland.
Won Vita Award (Natal region) best supporting actor for his role as Judge Rurpin in Sweeney Todd, 1990.
Won a Naledi Award 2004 Performance in a musical, male.
Sources
Tucker, 1997. p. 515.
Programme notes of Two Into One in 1986.
Business Day, 13 May 2005.
IMDb [1].
Database: South African Studies.
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