South African State Theatre

South African State Theatre is a theatre complex in Pretorius Street, Pretoria.

Formerly known as the Pretoria State Theatre and the Spoornet State Theatre.

For information on the history of the complex pre-2001, see State Theatre.

Mission, Values and Vision

Mission

• A vibrant and dynamic arts and culture institution that integrates social and cultural diversity while maintaining a healthy balance between artistic creativity and fiscal stability
• An environmentally friendly and modern theatre complex that provides for the preservation of our heritage and promotion of the arts
• An entertainment destination of choice for inspiration. Education and socio-economic transformation which is underpinned by our unique, engaging and diverse artistic offering that encourages audience growth and an appreciation for the performing arts.
• A financially driven and socially conscious institution that focusses on growth, revenue generation and long-term sustainability
• A prestigious institution with strong collaborations and partnerships with the performing arts sector to drive economic development by creating performing arts works that are commercially viable
• An institution that embraces information and communication technology to enable strategic direction and the achievement of organisational goals.

Values

• Provide access to information to promote society and employee trust in our programmes
• Interact and transact with a good moral character to ensure truthfulness and openness
• Exercise responsibility and be able to account for our actions and transactions
• Practise consistency and uncompromising adherence to strong moral and ethical principles and values
• Encourage the constitutional right, and a pillar of democracy, to freedom of expression, in particular freedom to artistic creativity, in a responsible and un-offensive manner
• Strive to achieve and surpass all expectations in our service delivery

Vision

The prestigious theatre of choice for a distinctly Pan-African experience - “The theatre of Africa”

History

The State Theatre officially re-opened on April 4, 2001 with a core staff of 80 re-employed people (40 technical staff and 40 administrative staff). The re-opening was marked by a multi-cultural musical evening celebrating diversity, featuring the KZN Provincial Orchestra, traditional dance from Welcome Msomi's musical Umabatha, classical ballet from Giselle, gospel music of Family Factory, arias from Cosi Fan Tutte and Carmen, the isicathamiya from the Soshanguve Tycoons and Victor Masondo's Mack the Knife. It was directed by John Kani, at the time chief executive of the Market Theatre in Johannesburg and the National Arts Council, who was also the MC for the evening. The once-off performance for an invited audience cost DACST R740,000.

Upon its re-opening the State Theatre was given special budgetary privileges. This was clearly at the expense of other arts bodies and also given notwithstanding the theatre’s terrible financial track record. Initially it was awarded a supplementary grant of R10 million, which had originally been allocated to the NAC for general distribution. After strong protest from within the arts community and in the media, the decision was reversed.

Up to the re-opening of the theatre the new policy of PACs functioning as playhouses had not been implemented at Pretoria’s State Theatre. The reasons behind this were complex, but in essence could be boiled down to two main issues: the new Constitution prevented the government from obliging the provinces and the cities to support the theatres financially, and there were no no tax incentives for businesses to support the arts. At the time of the re-opening Minister Ben Ngubane announced that the theatre would from then on function as a playhouse, available for rent and supported through private sector partnerships and provincial funding. He also announced that “if the provincial governments don't support the theatres, they will close by the end of this financial year”.

Management

While the investigations into the earlier financial mismanagement of funds, including the investments with Scott Asset Management (SAM), run by Keith Scott of Scott Investments continued, and the arts community kept speculating about the viability of the State Theatre, a new CEO, Michael Lovegrove was appointed in December 2001. He was a former PACT administrator and Sun City producer. Lovegrove immediately declared that what the State Theatre needed was ‘popular’ theatre, musicals and pantomimes and announced that Cats would open in the theatre in February.

Aubrey Sekhabi, 32-year-old Wits drama graduate, playwright and artistic director of the North West Drama Company for the previous eight years, was appointed the new artistic director. Under this new management the State Theatre started offering a wide variety of productions which clearly indicated an intention to reflect, and attract, the new South Africa.

Opening season

For the more conventional State Theatre audience Cats and Madame Butterfly started the year; two operas, Brett Bailey’s African-themed Macbeth and a more traditional Aida, were imported from Cape Town, and the ballet The Sleeping Beauty was staged. For the smaller theatre venues two more Cape productions, Glass Roots and Suip! were imported and, amongst others, Athol Fugard’s Sorrows and Rejoicings (starring Pretoria’s favourite Marius Weyers), Harry Kalmer's double bill of Briewe aan 'n Rooi Dak (Letters to a Red Roof) and The Bitterbek Blues of Ben (Die Breker) Bartman, Janice Honeyman’s Vatmaar, Yael Farber’s He Left Quietly, Bongani Linda's Shaka Ka Zulu (The Gaping Wound), Kgafela Oa Magogodi's Itchy City and King Baabu by Wole Soyinka were put on during the first year.

Venues

There are six theatres in the complex:

• Malombo Theatre (formerly the Studio Theatre)

• Sibusiso Khwinana Theatre (formerly the Momentum Theatre)

• Opera

• Drama

• Intimate

• Arena

SAST TV

In November 2024, the South African State Theatre unveiled SAST TV, a groundbreaking platform streaming a diverse range of productions, podcasts, and exclusive content online.

Sources

https://statetheatre.co.za/about-us/

Johann van Heerden (2008)][1]

Return to

Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page