Joan Brickhill
Joan Brickhill (b. 06/03/1924 - d. Johannesburg, 15/01/2014). Actress, singer, dancer, director and producer.
Contents
Biography
Originally from Durban and for much of her life based there. She was married to Louis Burke. They founded the successful Brickhill-Burke Company. They also opened the Brickhill-Burke School of Speech and Drama in Durban in 1959.
When they divorced after 25 years and Burke went to New York, she remained in Durban to continue mounting productions. She died in Johannesburg on Wednesday 15th, January 2014.
For further information on their joint work, see the entry on the Brickhill-Burke Company.
For Louis Burke's biographical and career information, see the individual entry under Louis Burke.
Training
Career
Brickhill was a child prodigy, making her stage debut at two. She later worked as a drama teacher. For a while was an Executive Entertainment Producer at Sun City.
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
In the 1960s and 1970s, she was the leading lady of the grand musicals in South Africa, mostly staged with her husband Louis Burke for their company, the Brickhill-Burke Company. Involved in more than 50 productions over the years, as producer, director and actress.
She and Louis Burke led the fight to save the His Majesty's Theatre in Johanesburg, which they used as the base for their big musicals.
As director/choreographer
1963: Oklahoma! (with Louis Burke)
1964: A Midsummer Night's Dream (with Louis Burke)
1965: Dark of the Moon (with Louis Burke for PACT)
1967: The Owl and the Pussycat (with Louis Burke)
1968: A Phoenix too Frequent (with Louis Burke for Tavern Theatre)
1969: South Pacific (with Louis Burke for JODS)
1969: Robert and Elizabeth (with Louis Burke)
1970: Non-Stop Minstrel Scandals (with Louis Burke for ACT)
1974: Meropa, the Drums of Africa (with Louis Burke and Clarence Wilson)
1974: Minstrel Follies (with Louis Burke)
1975: Gypsy (with Louis Burke)
1976: Follies Fantastique (with Louis Burke)
1976: The Sound of Music (with Louis Burke for PACT)
1977: Grease
1978: I Love my Wife (with Louis Burke)
1979: Annie
1980: They're Playing Our Song (with Louis Burke)
1980: Last of the Red Hot Lovers (with Louis Burke)
1981: Bedazzled (with Louis Burke, Sun City)
1982: I Love my Wife (with Louis Burke)
1988: Double Act (for Shirley Firth, Christopher Seabrooke in association with PACT)
As actor
Stage
Joan appeared in several Follies-type productions, including The Minstrel Scandals (1966), Follies Spectacular (1972), Follies Fantastique (1976)
She also appeared in a number of musicals and plays, including: The Beggar's Opera (1965-66), Annie (1979), Dolly in Hello, Dolly! (1980), Mame in Mame (1982), Brighton Beach Memoirs (1986).
In June 2003 she staged a one-woman show.
Film
She also starred in some movies, including Nor the Moon by Night (1958) and Follow That Rainbow (1979).
Awards, etc
She was nominated for a Tony Award for her choreography of the Broadway production of Meet Me in St Louis, 1989.
She was awarded a honorary doctorate from Tshwane University of Technology in 2005 for her contribution to South African theatre.
The Joburg Theatre named one of the their venues The Brickhill in memory of Joan Brickhill.
Sources
Wikipedia [1].
https://brandsouthafrica.com/113683/uncategorised/lights-dim-on-south-africa-s-stages/
Artslink.co.za Headlines - Week 03 - 16/01/2014 08:45
De Beer, 1995;
Toffoli and Silber, 1989;
Tucker, 1997.
SACD 1973.
Beeld Plus, 2 June 2001.
Report written by Adrienne Sichel published in The Star, 15 May 2007.
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