Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal

The Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal is one of the four State funded regional Arts Councils (PACs) that replaced the National Theatre Organisation in 1963.

Best known by its acronym: PACT.

(NOTE: "PACT" is also the acronym for The Portsmouth Area Children's Theatre in England.)

The Entry

Origins

A state funded regional Arts Council, it was founded in Pretoria on 3 January 1963, with P.P.B. Breytenbach as first director. It was intended to replace the state-funded National Theatre Organisation, and to take responsibility for the performing arts (drama, dance, music and opera) for the then province of Transvaal (which included the areas of what are now known as Gauteng, Mpumalanga and the Northern Province). It was active from 1963 till 199*.

Management structures

Registered as a society not for gain, it was headed by a policy-making council headed by the provincial administrator and representative of all interested parties, including the province, the city municipalities of Johannesburg and Pretoria, the department of national education, the business sector as well as representatives of the various performing art forms. Their function was to provide provide artists and artisans with a secure career option, to develop and promote drama, ballet, music and opera by offering audiences in the province with regular professional productions.

The first director was followed by Eghard van der Hoven (197*-198*), Gerrit Geertsema (198*-198*), Dennis Reynecke?* (198*-199*), ***. Starting with a small staff of about 80 (artists, technicians, cleaners and all), it gradually developed a large administrative and technical infrasturcture, and had a large number of permanent companies, including four drama companies at one time. In the 1980s the administration kept growing, though the artistic staff gradually dwindled to be replaced by ad-hoc contracts rather than permanent companies. The administrative and artistic leadership included Eghardt van der Hoven, Mannie Manim, Francois Swart, **, ** and **.

Restructure (1996)

Alan Joseph, previously executive director of the Civic Theatre in Johannesburg and before that GM of the Market Theatre, was appointed CEO of PACT in January 1996. Joseph was also confronted with the restructuring of the State Theatre following the adoption of the White Paper on Arts, Heritage and Culture by the Department of Arts, Culture, Science and Technology in 1996. As pointed out above, in terms of the White Paper Pact was to become a “playhouse”, stripped of its resident performing arts companies and orchestra, with the government no longer primarily responsible for its funding. The changes brought about by the White Paper would result in the Windybrow Centre for the Arts becoming autonomous with its own board of directors and members of PACT’s permanent drama company being retrenched.

Facilities

Founded in Pretoria on 3 January 1963, with P.P.B. Breytenbach as first director, it inherited all the physical assets of NTO, which it replaced, including the National Theatre in Moerdyk Street and the Marais House in Rissik Street, which served as its first office building. The offices and workshops later moved to Weavind Park, on the outskirts of Pretoria and in 198* it all moved to the administration wing of the State Theatre Pretoria. It was registered as a society not for gain, with a policy making Manangement Council, chaired by the provincial Administrator of the Transvaal. Its initial aim was to provide a stable working environment for artists and to present the public of Transvaal with regular productions of drama, ballet, opera and music. Funding was by the State, the Province and the Cities of Pretoria and Johannesburg. PACT: PACT - Pact workshops, Kilnerton, The Breytenbach Theatre, The Aula, The City Hall, The Musaion, The Civis Theatre, JHB, The Arena, Rosebank, The Alexander Theatre, JHB, The Arena, Doornfontein, The Queens Hall, JHB, The State Theatre, PTA. PACT OFFICES IN PRETORIA AND JOHANNESBURG Pact Pta first home was 616 Park St, S/side & later the manor house of the Marais family in Rissik St. Breytenbach Theatre, previously known as The National Theatre. Pact Jhb, First place: Tremarton Place, Parktown. Then the ballet compny moved to the Fever Hospital, later known as Queens Hall. Opposite Civic Theatre. Drama division in the Trap de Jeugd School, The Alambra Theatre, The Alexander & the Civic. 1971 moved into a house in Doornfontein, The Arena, for experimental theatre. Afterwards to The Arena-house in Rosebank Primary School. 1986 to Windybrow. PERFORMING ARTS COUNCIL TRANSVAAL (PACT/ TRUK). Pretoria. Eghard van der Hoven was the director (from 19** to 19**). The artistic director of drama was Francois Swart (from 19** to 19**), and the head of drama was Louwrens Snyman (from 19** to 19**).

PACT companies

PACT Opera

For information on operas produced by PACT, see PACT Opera.

The PACT Youth Company and PACT Playwork

A continuation of the NTO Youth Group (NTO Jeuggroep), was transferred to the newly formed PACT and existed from 1963 till 1974. Initially run by Eghard van der Hoven , with members of the former NTO company, as such as Cobus Rossouw, Jannie Gildenhuys and Carel Trichardt.

They were funded by a grant from the Transvaal Education Department and other educational authorities to do theatre for schools.

When Robin Malan became head of the group in 1974, he renamed PACT Youth Company, calling it PACT Playwork. Theatre in Education (TIE) now formed the basis of their work. In programs for schools the objectives lied beyond the retelling of the story and socio-political issues were highlighted.

In a program on Romeo and Juliet with Peter Terry as director, for example, the text was used as a springboard to explore the notion of prejudice in South Africa by including easily identifiable scenes which were scripted by the actors to center on the friction in Northern Ireland and the parallels, and differences between Northern Ireland and South Africa were debate by the audience. Other TIE-productions included All in a Tangle, about factory workers, The Lamont Case, about the tarring and feathering of an Afrikaner dissident and Going on at Dingemalerie-Donag-Dell of which only half the play was scripted and the rest changed from one performance to the other, depending on the audience’s reaction.

After Malan left in 1978, having clashed with the authorities about his work, Alwyn Swart took over as director of PACT Playwork. He devised and directed socially pertinent programs based on Afrikaans literature and extended TIE to nursery schools. In addition to its TIE work, PACT Playwork also presented at least one children’s theatre production each year. Swart was replaced by Peter Terry in 1988??*.

For more information

See also National Youth Theatre, PACT and PACT Youth Theatre

For more information

See also National Youth Theatre, PACT and PACT Playwork

Performers, artists ant technical staff

Among the numerous local actors kept in steady employment by PACT productions were Siegfried Mynhardt, John Whiteley, Ronald Wallace, Arthur Hall, Kerry Jordan, Maureen McAllister, Shirley Firth, Schalk Jacobs, Carel Trichardt, Petru Wessels, Wilna Snyman, Sandra Prinsloo, Jana Cilliers, Marius Weyers, Louis van Niekerk, Don Lambrecht, Tobie Cronjé, Pierre van Pletzen, George Ballot, Annalise Weiland, Woutrine Theron, ***, ***, ***

PACT productions

They offerred 484 plays, with 18 957 performances and an attendance of almost 4,5 million people between 1963 and 1981, many of them first productions of original new work or new translations, as well as many of the major works of the classic and modern international repertoires.

The first year they put on 723 performances of 27 programmes, with 229 000 theatre-goers attending. In the period 1963-1981 they did close on 30 000 presentations, spread throughout the province. In terms of theatre, the first fifteen years or so was a period of spectacular artistic achievement, based on the remarkable ensemble of acting and creative talent they brought together, led by innovative managers, directors, designers and the like.

Among the most significant South African work premiéred by PACT over the years have been ***, ***, Pa Maak vir my 'n Vlieër Pa (Barnard), Taraboemdery (Barnard) Kinkels in die Kabel (Shakespeare/Brink), Nag van Legio (Du Plessis), Mattewis en Meraai (Mikro/Du Plessis), Siener in die Suburbs (Du Plessis), 'n Seder val in Waterkloof (Du Plessis), Fallstaff (Shakespeare/Ferguson), Christine (Smit), Die Keiser (Smit), **. PACT: Formed in 1963. Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal. P.P.B Breytenbach was a director. The REPS/Alexander, later became home to PACT. Sam Moss served on the board of PACT. Hugh Masekela returned to post-apartheid South Africa, and became the deputy director of PACT. John Fernald directed Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard at the Alexander, starring his wife Jenny Laird, Siegfried Mynhardt, Patrick Mynhardt, Arthur Hall, Estelle Kohler and Fiona Fraser in 1963. Victor Melleney directed John M. Synge's The Playboy of the Western World at the Civic in 1963. Siegfried Mynhardt directed the famous Ben Travers farce, Rookery Nook at the Civic in December 1963. Taubie Kushlick staged C.P. Snow’s The Affair at the Civic for PACT in 1963. Joan Brickhill and Louis Burke staged Molièr’s The Miser for PACT in 1964. This play, starring Siegfried Mynhardt, ran for twenty weeks. They produced Hamlet at the Civic, directed by Margaret Inglis, starring François Swart, Reinet Maasdorp, Joan Blake and Joe Stewardson in 1964. They also staged Anouilh’s Ring Round the Moon, directed by Ricky Arden, and William Douglas-Home’s West End comedy, The Reluctant Peer, directed by John Hayter in 1964. They staged Rashomon, starring Patrick Mynhardt and directed by Joan Brickhill in 1965. Louis Burke and Joan Brickhill staged the folk tale Dark of the Moon for PACT in 1965. They staged an Afrikaans translation of The Italian Straw Hat which François Swart directed at the Intimate in 1966. Ricky Arden directed Bartho Smit’s Die Man Met ‘n Lyk om Sy Nek and Frank Wedekind’s The Love Potion for PACT at the Intimate in 1966. Victor Melleney directed an adaptation of War and Peace and Peter Ebert directed John Whiting’s The Devils at the Alexander for PACT in 1966. François Swart directed the Restoration comedy classic The Beaux Stratagem and Truida Louw directed N.P. Van Wyk Louw’s Die Pluimsaad Waai Ver at the Brooke Theatre in 1966 for PACT. Among the local actors kept in steady employment by these PACT productions were Siegfried Mynhardt, John Whiteley, Ronald Wallace, Arthur Hall, Kerry Jordan, Maureen McAllister and Shirley Firth. Leonard Schach came back to direct Shaw’s Heartbreak House for PACT at the Alexander in 1967. It starred Joan Blake, Siegfried Mynhardt, Alec Bell, Elizabeth Meyer, Kerry Jordan, François Swart, Frank Lazarus and Maggie Soboil. James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter was staged at the Alexander for PACT in 1967. It was directed by Taubie Kushlick with Joe Stewardson and Marika Mann in the cast. PACT’s Afrikaans company staged Uys Krige’s Die Ryk Weduwee and C.J. Langenhoven’s satire, Die Laaste van die Takhare in 1967. In collaboration with the Reps, they staged Tom Stoppard’s Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead in 1967. It was directed by Leonard Schach. They presented the Salzburg Marionettes at the Civic in 1967. Roy Sargeant directed Pinero’s The Magistrate starring John Hayter for PACT at the Alexander in 1969. Robert Mohr directed King Lear, starring Joe Stewardson and Hadrian VII starring Siegfried Mynhardt for them at the Alexander in 1969. Leonard Schach directed A Month in the Country, starring Vivienne Drummond, Erica Rogers, Kerry Jordan and Siegfried Mynhardt at the Alexander in 1969. Together with CAPAB and the Phoenix Players, they staged Athol Fugard’s Boesman and Lena and People are Living There, both directed by Fugard and starring Yvonne Bryceland and Glynn Day in 1970. François Swart directed A Winter Vacation by Don Maclennan for PACT at the Arena in 1970. They staged P.G. Du Plessis’ Siener in die Suburbs starring Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo and directed by François Swart in 1971. They staged Much Ado about Nothing, starring Helen Bourne and Patrick Mynhardt’s A Sip of Jerepigo in 1971. They also presented two Leonard Schach productions: the Paul Zindel play The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds, starring Marjorie Gordon and Janice Honeyman, and The Case of J. Robert Oppenheimer starring John Hayter in 1971. Langford-Inglis and Hymie Udwin’s Academy Theatre Productions collaborated with PACT to present Max Adrian’s one-man show of readings from George Bernard Shaw at the Alexander in 1971. In 1972 PACT/TRUK, under directorship of François Swart, staged Shakespeare’s Richard III directed by Ken Leach, John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves, directed by Taubie Kushlick, John Hussey’s production of the Peter Shaffer double bill Black Comedy and White Liars with Ruth Oppenheim and Eckard Rabe, and Truida Louw’s Afrikaans production of Schiller’s Maria Stuart, all of which took place at the Alexander. Barney Simon directed Jean Genet’s The Maids with Molly Seftel, Barbara Itzler and Maya Obel for PACT at the Arena Theatre around 1971. At this stage Eghard van der Hoven had become director of PACT already. They leased a new space from the Technikon in Doornfontein and on 15 July 1971 a new theatre opened its doors with the Afrikaans production Die Hand vol Vere. PACT took on the lease of the Alexander long-term in 1972. The Best of Brel, an adaptation of Eric Blau and Mort Shuman’s Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris was staged in 1983 for PACT by Taubie Kushlick. They staged Donald Howarth’s A Lily in Little India and Three Months Gone at the Alexander in 1973, starring Helen Bourne, Barbara Kinghorn and Frantz Dobrowsky. Jack Klaff starred in the latter. Kismet was the first PACT musical to be staged. It was directed by Anthony Farmer who also designed the sets, Neels Hansen did costumes and Lawrence Folley, Gé Korsten, Barbara Veenemans, Kerry Fordan and Iris Chapple starred in this musical at the Civic in late 1973. Diane Wilson was directed by Brian Murray in Twigs for PACT in 1974. Robin Maugham’s Enemy, directed by Robert Mohr, was staged by PACT at the Alexander in 1974. Mohr also directed Elizabeth I for PACT at the Alexander in 1974. John Hussey directed Noël Coward’s Hay Fever with Shelagh Holliday and Hussey himself, and Shakespeare’s Troilus and Cressida with Eckard Rabe, Annelisa Weiland, James White and Siegfried Mynhardt for PACT in 1974. Sandra Prinsloo starred in an Afrikaans translation of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler directed by François Swart, and Aubrey Berg’s Story Theatre starring Frantz Dobrowsky, Janice Honeyman, Paul Slabolepszy, Richard Haines and Eckard Rabe was also staged in 1974. They also staged Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, directed by Hussey, choreographed by Geoffrey Sutherland and starring Richard Loring, Bruce Millar and Alvon Collison at the Alexander in 1974. Sybrand van Niekerk was PACT’s chairman circa 1974. PACT’s Arena Theatre company moved to its new premises in Rosebank in 1975. The opening production was Ken Leach’s production of The Duchess of Malfi with Leonie Hofmeyer and Bill Flynn. Michele Maxwell and Dorothy Ann Gould starred in Frank Shelley’s production of Shaw’s Major Barbara for them in January 1975. Barney Simon directed Arthur Miller’s The Crucible for PACT starring Marius Weyers, Patrick Mynhardt, Michael McCabe, Aletta Bezuidenhout and Michele Maxwell in 1975. They revived Miller’s Death of a Salesman, directed by Ken Leach and starring Joe Stewardson, Diane Wilson, Bill Flynn and Richard Haines in 1975. They staged François Swart’s Afrikaans production of Othello with Louis van Niekerk, Sandra Prinsloo and Marius Weyers in 1975. Ken Leach directed The Story of an African Farm, adapted by André Brink from Olive Schreiner’s novel starring Annelisa Weiland and Robert Mohr directed The Tempest with Patrick Magee, Michael Richard, Bill Flynn and Paul Slabolepszy at the Alexander for PACT in 1975. François Swart’s production of P.G. du Plessis’ ‘n Seder Val in Waterkloof starring Johan Malherbe, Annette Engelbrecht, Don Lamprecht, Franz Marx and Wilna Snyman was a huge success for PACT in 1975. PACT staged Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at His Majesty’s in 1975 and again in 1976 with Alvon Collison replacing Richard Loring as the Narrator and Tim Rice, on a visit to South Africa, stepping in as Pharaoh. Together with Brickhill-Burke they revived The Sound of Music at His Majesty’s in June 1976. Direction and choreography were taken care of by Brickhill and Burke, the latter of which starred in this production together with Diane Todd, Jarmila Tellinger, Terry Lester and Judy Page. Ian Ferguson’s Falstaff with Richard Haines was staged by PACT at the Alexander in 1976. Thornton Wilder’s Our Town, directed by John Hussey and starring Diane Wilson, Danny Keogh and Michael McCabe was also staged at the Alexander in 1976. Session, which was workshopped by company members and directed by Richard Haines was also staged by PACT at the Alexander in 1976. Ken Leach directed Feydeau’s A Flea in Her Ear with Frantz Dobrowsky, Dorothy Ann Gould, Diane Wilson, Richard Haines, Paul Slabolepszy, Michael Richard, Annelisa Weiland and Lesley Nott, and Pieter Fourie’s Conspiracy, starring Patrick Mynhardt for them at the Alexander in 1976. Leach also directed Frank Wedekind’s Lulu plays for PACT at the Rosebank Arena in 1976. They revived the musical Stop the World I Want to Get Off, with Diane Wilson and David Gilchrist in 1976. They staged the musical Chicago in January 1977 at the Alexander Theatre. Direction and choreography were done by Geoffrey Sutherland, it starred Annabel Linder and Judy Page and Hazel Feldman did publicity. The Market Theatre was leased to PACT in February 1977 for a revival of Journey’s End, directed by Norman Coombes with Dale Cutts, Frantz Dobrowsky, Richard Haines, Michael McCabe, John Rogers and Norman himself. Athol Fugard directed a revival of Hello and Goodbye and Annabel Linder starred in Edith Piaf, No Regrets at PACT’s Arena in 1977. They presented Simon Gray’s Butley, directed by François Swart with Michael McCabe at the Alexander in 1977. Leonard Schach’s production of an Afrikaans version of The Diary of Anne Frank with Elise Hibbert and the 19th-century comedy London Assurance directed by and starring Michael Atkinson were also staged by them at the Alexander in 1977. Ken Leach’s production of the musical Fangs with Michael Richard, Paul Slabolepszy, Annelisa Weiland, Lesley Nott and Bill Flynn was staged by them in the same year. Professor Rosalie van der Gucht directed Coward’s Blithe Spirit for them in 1977. Taubie Kushlick directed Keith Grenville and Michael McCabe in Anouilh’s The Director of the Opera in 1977. They presented a revival of My Fair Lady with Evette Davis and Michael Atkinson in December 1977. They staged an Afrikaans translation Die Wonderwerk (The Miracle Worker), directed by Leonard Schach and starring Diane Britz and Trix Pienaar in 1978. They also staged the Afrikaans translations Die Vader (Strindberg’s The Father), Saterdag, Sondag, Maandag (Eduardo di Filippo’s Saturday, Sunday, Monday), Jôli- Jôli (by Letraz, retaining its original French title) and a revival of Die Dagboek van Anne Frank, all directed by Louis van Niekerk in 1978. Robert Mohr directed Michael Richard in Hamlet for PACT in March 1978. They staged Robert Kirby’s one-man revue Quodlibet at the Arena in 1978. They staged Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the Civic in May 1979 with its original cast. They staged the Afrikaans translations Die Kersietuin (Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard) directed by Robert Mohr with Wilna Snyman, David van der Merwe, Rika Sennett and Carel Trichardt; ‘n Maand op die Platteland (Turgenev’s A Month in the Country) directed by Leonard Schach; and a translation of Becket starring Marius Weyers in 1979. They staged Chris Barnard’s Die Swanesang van Majoor Sommer which was directed by Louis van Niekerk, Shaw’s Misalliance, Lili Lamont, and a revival of Dear Liar in 1979. François Swart directed Terence Rattigan’s Ross with Michael McCabe for PACT in 1979. Schlengemann’s Die Drie van der Walts starring Don Lamprecht, Wilna Snyman and Errol Ross, and John Pank’s Windmills of the Mind with Kerry Jordan, Michael McCabe, John Hussey and Bobby Heaney were also directed by François Swart for PACT in 1979. They staged a revival of Coward’s Present Laughter, directed by John Hussey and starring Hussey, Shelagh Holliday and Erica Rogers in the same year. They staged a revival of El Grande de Coca-Cola with direction by Michael Richard and starring Elizabeth Rae, Wilson Dunster, Gillian Harris, Etienne Puren and Alan Goldstein at the Arena in 1979. They staged The Archon, directed by Geoffrey Sutherland at the Civic in 1979. They staged Macbeth with Ron Smerczak and Sandra Prinsloo, and directed by Leonard Schach at the Alexander in 1980. Leonard Schach directed Harold Pinter’s Betrayal starring Helen Bourne, Michael McGovern and Michael McCabe for PACT in 1980. Roy Sargeant directed Sheridan’s School of Scandal starring John Hussey, Erica Rogers, Richard Haines and Bobby Heaney at the Alexander in 1980. Geoffrey Sutherland’s production of Joan Littlewood’s Oh! What a Lovely War starring Judy Page, Michael Richard, Gay Lambert, Michael McCabe, James White and Erica Rogers was staged by them in 1980. Arthur Miller’s After the Fall was staged by PACT for their opening production at the Pretoria State Theatre, starring American Brian Murray and Erica Rogers in 1981. They revived Kismet, The Great Waltz and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with Richard Loring and Alvon Collison for the opening season at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1981. They staged Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, directed by William Egan and starring Ron Smerczak, Sandra Prinsloo and Thoko Ntshinga in 1981. They staged State Theatre Overflow Show starring Michael McCabe, James White, Pamela Gien and Peter Terry with direction by Nigel Vermaas at the Arena Bistro in 1981. They staged William Gibson’s Monday After the Miracle, the sequel to The Miracle Worker starring Sandra Duncan and Pamela Gien with direction by François Swart at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1982. Roy Sargeant directed Peter Shaffer’s Shrivings with Joe Stewardson and John Hussey for them in 1982. Michael Atkinson directed a revival of The Lady’s Not for Burning which he also starred in together with Sandra Duncan in 1982. Some of the highlights of PACT’s 1982 included Christopher Hampton’s Savages directed by François Swart with Michael McCabe and Frantz Dobrowsky; Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, directed by John Hussey and starring Ralph Lawson, Andrew Buckland, Dorothy Ann Gould, Gabrielle Lomberg and Shelagh Holliday; Aubrey Berg’s production of Tennessee Williams’ Cat on a Hot Tin Roof starring Lena Ferugia, Ron Smerczak and Victor Winding. This play opened at the State Theatre before moving to the Alexander. François Swart directed an Afrikaans translation of James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter called Die Leeu in Winter starring Wilna Snyman and Louis van Niekerk in 1982. Yvonne Bryceland came to the University Great Hall in 1982 with a one-woman show. William Egan directed an Afrikaans translation of The Taming of the Shrew called Die Vasvat van ‘n Feeks starring Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo at the Pretoria State Theatre in February 1983 and then went to the Alexander in March. They presented Sheridan’s The Rivals starring Pauline Bailey, John Hussey, Wilson Dunster, James White, Pamela Gien and John Lesley directed by Michael Atkinson at the State Theatre in March 1983. They presented John Osborne’s The Entertainer starring Michael Atkinson, Helen Jessop, Stuart Brown, Kate Edwards and Gina Benjamin at the Alexander in June. William Egan’s production of Tennessee Williams’ Night of the Iguana starring Eric Flynn, Sandra Duncan, Annabel Linder and Anthony James was staged at the Alexander in 1983. Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue starring Michael McCabe and Erica Rogers and directed by Ken Leach was staged at the Alexander in 1983. Eghard van der Hoven was succeeded by Gerrit Geertsema as director of PACT with Dennis Reinecke as deputy in April 1983. Pieter-Dirk Uys’ The Rise and Fall of the First Empress Bonaparte starring Jacqui Singer, Ron Smerczak and Michael McCabe was directed by William Egan and staged by PACT at the Alexander Theatre in August 1983. They revived Die Swerfjare van Poppie Nongena starring Nomsa Nene and directed by Marius Weyers in August 1983 at the State Theatre and then the Alexander. Taubie Kushlick staged The Best of Brel for PACT at the Pretoria State Theatre in 1983 before it moved to the Leonard Rayne. Louis Burke directed Barnum for PACT starring Mark Wynter and Paul Ditchfield alternating the lead role at the Civic in 1983. They staged The Merry Widow starring Roberta Palmer and Gé Korsten and directed by Neels Hansen at the Pretoria State Theatre in December 1983. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? starring Michael McCabe, Jacqui Singer, Andrew Buckland and Carol-Ann Kelleher and directed by William Egan was staged at the Alexander Theatre by PACT in May 1984. Anthony Farmer directed Showboat starring Bess Arlene, Mayo Miza with Ed Barrett and Pieter Niemann alternating the role of Gaylord Ravenals. It was staged by PACT at the Pretoria State Theatre in December 1984.They presented Louis Burke’s productoin of The King and I starring Joe Stewardson and Judy Page at the Civic in December 1984. They staged David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross starring Bill Flynn, Wilson Dunster, Anthony Fridjhon and Dale Cutts under Bobby Heaney’s direction at the Alexander in 1985. They staged Joe Orton’s Loot starring Michael McCabe, James Borthwick, Michael Richard and Aletta Bezuidenhout under Terrence Shank’s direction in October 1986. Godspell, again directed by Des and Dawn Lindberg and starring Sam Marais returned to the Civic for PACT in May 1986. They staged The Student Prince starring Taubie Kushlick at the Civic in December 1986. Geoffrey Sutherland directed The Pirates of Penzance starring Clive Scott, Julie Wilson, Edwin van Wyk and Colleen-Rae Holmes for NAPAC which was brought to the Civic by PACT in December 1986. They presented 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 under Dawn Lindberg’s direction in 1986. It won the Vita Award for best production. Together with the new Drama Playhouse they presented Malcolm Farquhar production of James Roose-Evans’ adaptation of Cider with Rosie as the opening production at the Drama Playhouse before playing at the Alexander in February 1987. Stan Knight and Andrew Botha converted the old B.G. Alexander Nurses Home hall into the Adcock-Ingram Auditorium for PACT in 1987. It opened with a production of Euripides’ The Women of Troy which was directed by Dieter Reible. Bobby Heaney directed The Maids for them at the Windybrow in 1987. They revived Look Back in Anger, directed by François Swart, and presented Mark Rozovsky’s Strider, directed by Terrence Shank at the Alexander in 1987. They staged their first pantomime, Janice Honeyman’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, also directed by Honeyman at the Alexander in 1987. Together with the other three performing arts councils they staged The Great Walt for their Christmas production in 1987. Together with Moyra Fine’s Volute Production they staged Robert Hewett’s Gulls which Keith Grenville directed in 1988. Bobby Heaney’s production of Tom Stoppard’s adaptation of Largo Desolato was staged by them in 1988. Bobby Heaney directed Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale in 1988. Dieter Reible revived The Lion in Winter; Terrence Shank directed Alan Browne’s Beirut; Athol Fugard’s The Blood Knot directed by Barney Simon was staged in 1988. Together with PACT the Lindberg’s staged King Africa at the Standard Bank Arena in 1988. Together with the other three performing arts councils they staged Singin’ in the Rain for their Christmas production in 1988. Janice Honeyman wrote and directed their pantomime Aladdin in 1988. Dieter Reible directed Die Storm (The Tempest) for TRUK at the Alexander in 1989. François Swart directed As You Like It in 1989. Janice Honeyman directed Charles Dickens’ Hard Times for PACT at the Windybrow in 1989. Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes and Genet’s The Blacks was staged in 1989. Deon Opperman’s Stille Nag, directed by the author was staged at the Adcock-Ingram Theatre in 1989. They staged Tom Stoppard’s Hapgood at the Alexander in 1989. Janice Honeyman presented their annual pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk, in 1989. Together with NAPAC and PACOFS they presented Lerner and Louwe’s Camelot at the State Theatre in 1989. They staged an Afrikaans version of King Lear at the Pretoria State Theatre and the Roodepoort Civic in 1990. They staged Macbeth under Dieter Reible’s direction in 1990. Together with PACOFS and NAPAC they staged My Fair Lady for their Christmas production in 1990. Their annual pantomime was Janice Honeyman’s The Sleeping Beauty at the Alexander in 1990. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was a combined performing arts council’s production which ran from 1990 to 1991. Moira Blumenthal presented Ghetto in association with PACT in 1991. In association with Joyce Levinsohn Productions they presented Tales of Beatrix Potter and Oliver! at the Windybrow in 1991. Their annual pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs was staged at the Alexander in 1991. They presented Wole Soyinka’s Death and the King’s Horseman at the Grahamstown Festival and the Alexander in 1992. They presented Romeo and Juliet at the State Theatre and the Alexander in 1992. In co-operation with Radio 702 they presented Grease at the Alexander in 1992. Together with the Johannesburg Civic Theatre Association, CAPAB and NAPAC they presented A Chorus Line in 1992. Together with DALRO they presented the Windybrow Arts Festival which featured Jozi Jozi Guide in 1993. Their production of Buddy was staged at the Civic in 1993. Together with People’s Theatre they staged The Wizard of Oz in 1993. They presented George Bernard Shaw’s Pymgmalion in 1994. They presented John Chapman’s Key for Two, Fiela se Kind at the State Theatre and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in 1994. Their production of Tony Kushner’s Angels in America: Millennium Approaches was staged at the Alexander in 1994. TRUK: (see PACT) Richard Daneel directed a translation of Jean Anouilh’s Romeo and Jeanette, and Victor Melleney directed Lokval Vir ‘n Man Alleen (Trap For a Lonely Man) for TRUK in 1963. Patrick Mynhardt directed Die Blinde Vegter for TRUK in 1965. They presented Elektra at the Civic, starring Anna Neethling-Pohl and directed by Costis Michaelides in 1965. They had a great success with Pa, Maak Vir My ‘n Vlieër Pa at the Intimate in 1965. They staged Die Drie Van der Walts, directed by François Swart, and an Afrikaans translation of The Merchant of Venice directed by Anna Neethling-Pohl, starring Carel Trichardt in 1969. In 1972 PACT/TRUK, under directorship of François Swart, staged Shakespeare’s Richard III directed by Ken Leach, John Guare’s The House of Blue Leaves, directed by Taubie Kushlick, John Hussey’s production of the Peter Shaffer double bill Black Comedy and White Liars with Ruth Oppenheim and Eckard Rabe, and Truida Louw’s Afrikaans production of Schiller’s Maria Stuart, all of which took place at the Alexander. They staged Kom Terug Klein Sheba (Come Back, Little Sheba) starring Babs Laker in 1980. Bobby Heaney directed an Afikaans translation of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons called My Seuns starring Louis van Niekerk, Johan Engelbrecht and Lida Botha at the Alexander Theatre for them in 1984. Bobby Heaney directed Die Trem se Naam: Begeerte, an Afrikaans translation of Tennessee Williams’A Streetcar Named Desire starring Marius Weyers and Brumilda van Rensburg for them in May 1985. Marius Weyers and Sandra Prinsloo starred in an Afrikaans translation of Hamlet for them at the State Theatre and the Roodepoort Civic in 1987. They staged Die Sakeman van Venesie at the Alexander in 1991. **** [TH, JH]

Sources

Gosher, 1988; Van der Hoven, 1985; Tucker, 1997; SACD 1973, 1974

Johann van Heerden (2008)][1]

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