Station Theatre
The Station Theatre is a theatre venue located at 46 Minaar Street, Pretoria, a block away from Bosman Bus and Taxi Stations.
Contents
Founding
The theatre was originally an infrequently used hall in what used to be Pretoria’s Bosman Fire Station, later styled, The Tshwane Arts Hub. Founded through innovative thinking and in partnership with a network of collaborators: TX Theatre Productions (run by Mongezi Mabunda and Mxolisi Masilela), Blankpage Entertainment (run by Sibusiso Khwinana alongside Thato Vejah Moeng, James Sithole, Lehlogonolo Xauka and Thandeka Khwinana) and Black Ink Productions (run by Ronald Manganye).
The Station Theatre managed to host, with very limited resources, multiple annual festivals each with a number of original works created by young South African theatre makers. Prominent shows have included:
- Tswalo by Theatre Duo
- JBobs Live by Jefferson Tshabalala
- The Cursed Vagina by Paul Noko and Hannah van Tonder
- Boy Ntulikazi by Thobani Nzuza
- Flamebook by Xolisa Ngubelanga.
The Station Theatre gave a space to Tshwane based theatre-makers and those from other parts of the country an opportunity to stage work that was rejected by, or on a convoluted journey to the mainstream stages. This resulted in a deeply rich offering of work that was able to grow through having a space to be developed without the constraints of stifling deadlines or creative controls that could suffocate a work that needs time to breathe. Many of these shows then went on the perform at mainstream festivals throughout the country, after receiving a much-needed period of gestation at The Station Theatre.
Festivals
The venue hosted the 012 Theatre Festival as well as the 012 Monologue and Duologue Festival in 2017, and second 012 Theatre Festival in 2018.
Sources
Katlego Chale. 'The Consciousness of an Independent Theatre Maker'. Culture Review. 30 December 2019.
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