Children's theatre in South Africa - Revision history

Darryl: /* Key children's theatre practitioners */

2026-05-26T16:23:57Z

Key children's theatre practitioners

Darryl: /* Other organisations */

2026-05-26T15:31:36Z

Other organisations

Darryl: /* Key children's theatre practitioners */

2026-05-26T15:30:53Z

Key children's theatre practitioners

Darryl: /* Key children's theatre practitioners */

2026-05-26T15:30:13Z

Key children's theatre practitioners

Darryl: /* Influence of South African Universities' Drama Departments */

2026-05-26T15:27:08Z

Influence of South African Universities' Drama Departments

Darryl: /* Influence of South African Universities' Drama Departments */

2026-05-26T15:26:11Z

Influence of South African Universities' Drama Departments

Darryl: /* The Performing Arts Councils */

2026-05-26T15:24:09Z

The Performing Arts Councils

Darryl: /* The Performing Arts Councils */

2026-05-26T15:23:49Z

The Performing Arts Councils

Darryl: /* Children's Theatre Incorporated and Theatre for Youth */

2026-05-26T15:21:34Z

Children's Theatre Incorporated and Theatre for Youth

Darryl: /* Key children's theatre practitioners */

2026-05-26T15:18:30Z

Key children's theatre practitioners

@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 * [[Jill Girard]]
 * [[Janice Honeyman]] (1949-)
 * [[Joyce Levinsohn]] (1935-2021)
 * [[Robin Malan]] (1940-2024)

@@ Line 73: / Line 73: @@
 ===Other organisations===
-Finally, a number of societies and Organisations have played an important role in promoting theatre for children and young people by running festivals of theatre. These include [[FATSSA]], [[ATKV]] and the [[Grahamstown National Arts Festival]], as well as the various education departments.
+Finally, a number of societies and organisations have played an important role in promoting theatre for children and young people by running festivals of theatre. These include [[FATSSA]], [[ATKV]] and the [[Grahamstown National Arts Festival]], as well as the various education departments.
 ===Late 20th Century===

@@ Line 85: / Line 85: @@
 * [[Jill Girard]]
 * [[Janice Honeyman]] (1949-)
-* [[Joyce Levinsohn]]
+* [[Joyce Levinsohn]] (1935-2021)
 * [[Robin Malan]] (1940-2024)
 * [[Jackie Poultney]]

@@ Line 87: / Line 87: @@
 * [[Joyce Levinsohn]]
 * [[Robin Malan]] (1940-2024)
 * [[Alfred Rietmann]] (1959-2025)
 * [[Pieter Scholtz]] (1937-2025)
 * [[Eileen Thorns]] (?-)

@@ Line 66: / Line 66: @@
 * [[University of Natal]]
-Perhaps the best example of this comes from the [[University of Natal]] in Durban and the pioneering work of fiery speech teacher and educationist [[Elizabeth Sneddon]] (1907-) and her successor [[Pieter Scholtz]]. Scholtz wrote and directed his first indigenous full-length play with his own company in 1970 (''[[Thurkaari: Demon of the Curry Powders]]'') and in 1979 he received the [[Amstel Playwright of the Year Award]] for ''[[The Amazing Adventures of Tambootie the Puppet]]'', and in 1980, for ''[[Mister Big Strikes Again]]''. Utilizing characters that are loosely based on the Commedia dell'arte prototypes, but essentially modern in conception, Scholtz influenced other tertiary education institutions in Natal, so that children's theatre became comfortably entrenched in that area.
+Perhaps the best example of this comes from the [[University of Natal]] in Durban and the pioneering work of fiery speech teacher and educationist [[Elizabeth Sneddon]] and her successor [[Pieter Scholtz]]. Scholtz wrote and directed his first indigenous full-length play with his own company in 1970 (''[[Thurkaari: Demon of the Curry Powders]]'') and in 1979 he received the [[Amstel Playwright of the Year Award]] for ''[[The Amazing Adventures of Tambootie the Puppet]]'', and in 1980, for ''[[Mister Big Strikes Again]]''. Utilizing characters that are loosely based on the Commedia dell'arte prototypes, but essentially modern in conception, Scholtz influenced other tertiary education institutions in Natal, so that children's theatre became comfortably entrenched in that area.
 * [[University of Cape Town]]

@@ Line 50: / Line 50: @@
 Starting with the same approach as [[NTO]], [[PACT]]'s youth company underwent a radical change in 1974 when [[Robin Malan]] became the director and made [[Theatre in Education]] ([[TIE]]) the basis of their programmes, which now reflected relevant socio-political issues. This emphasis was continued by his successors, [[Peter Terry]] and [[Alwyn Swart]].
-* [[CAPAB Youth Theatre]]
+* [[CAPAB Youth Company]]
 At [[CAPAB]] it was largely the work of [[Eileen Thorns]] who became head of its Youth Drama in 1976, which changed the emphasis from pure entertainment to socially relevant issues. A number of the alternative and independent theatre companies of the 1960-1990 period also offered work for children, and the introduction of the cultural boycott and the politicization of theatre now led to the emergence of a much stronger school of writing in English as well.

@@ Line 47: / Line 47: @@
 In 1962, when [[NTO]] was replaced by the [[Performing Arts Councils]], [[CAPAB]] and [[PACT]] both formed special companies for children’s and school programmes, while [[NAPAC]] and [[PACOFS]] did such work with their main companies. Some of the most innovative children's theatre practitioners initially worked for these companies, individuals such as [[Esther van Ryswyk]], [[Robin Malan]], [[Janice Honeyman]], [[Peter Terry]], [[Eileen Thorns]], [[Alwyn Swart]], [[Annie Barnes]], [[Claire Johnson]] and so on - who all wrote, developed and directed work for children. Like most other theatres in the country, these companies changed their emphasis from pure entertainment to socially relevant issues during the 1970s.
-* [[PACT]]
+* [[PACT Youth Theatre]]
 Starting with the same approach as [[NTO]], [[PACT]]'s youth company underwent a radical change in 1974 when [[Robin Malan]] became the director and made [[Theatre in Education]] ([[TIE]]) the basis of their programmes, which now reflected relevant socio-political issues. This emphasis was continued by his successors, [[Peter Terry]] and [[Alwyn Swart]].
-* [[CAPAB]]
+* [[CAPAB Youth Theatre]]
 At [[CAPAB]] it was largely the work of [[Eileen Thorns]] who became head of its Youth Drama in 1976, which changed the emphasis from pure entertainment to socially relevant issues. A number of the alternative and independent theatre companies of the 1960-1990 period also offered work for children, and the introduction of the cultural boycott and the politicization of theatre now led to the emergence of a much stronger school of writing in English as well.
 ===Other companies===

@@ Line 25: / Line 25: @@
 In 1943, [[Celia Evans]] and [[Mary Tilley]] formed an organisation called [[Children's Theatre Incorporated]] in Johannesburg, with the development of sound artistic standards and a sense of appreciation in children of music and the arts as primary objectives. The organisation was also to provide children with the very best available entertainment, instruction, tuition and guidance in music and the arts. For most of their early presentations, local elocution teachers such as [[Norah Taylor]] and [[Isabel McLaren]] acted as producers, putting on shows such as ''[[Rosemary Ann]]'' (1947) and ''[[The Snow Queen]]''. In order to provide entertainment of a high standard, their policy was to use professional actors only. Evans had a firm belief in the magic of the theatre and thus supported the use of elaborate stage settings and sophisticated stage machinery.
-With Children's Theatre Incorporated firmly established in Johannesburg in the early 1950s, [[Rosalie van der Gucht]] was invited to establish a branch of the organisation in Cape Town. In contrast to Evans's approach, Van der Gucht wanted to harness the educational possibilities to those of entertainment, promoting simplicity of presentation and participation by the audience, rather than passive observation. Van der Gucht's productions (e.g. ''[[Arena Entertainment]]'', ''[[Let's Make an Opera]]'' and Brian Way's ''[[Pinocchio]]'' (adapted by [[Gretel Mills]]) all made use of informal arena-style staging and audience participation which influenced the action of the play. These radically different ideas about the nature and practice of theatre for young audiences and complications in funding the Cape Town branch caused problems and led Van der Gucht to form an independent organisation called [[Theatre for Youth]] in 1956.
+With [[Children's Theatre Incorporated]] firmly established in Johannesburg in the early 1950s, [[Rosalie van der Gucht]] was invited to establish a branch of the organisation in Cape Town. In contrast to Evans's approach, Van der Gucht wanted to harness the educational possibilities to those of entertainment, promoting simplicity of presentation and participation by the audience, rather than passive observation. Van der Gucht's productions (e.g. ''[[Arena Entertainment]]'', ''[[Let's Make an Opera]]'' and Brian Way's ''[[Pinocchio]]'' (adapted by [[Gretel Mills]]) all made use of informal arena-style staging and audience participation which influenced the action of the play. These radically different ideas about the nature and practice of theatre for young audiences and complications in funding the Cape Town branch caused problems and led Van der Gucht to form an independent organisation called [[Theatre for Youth]] in 1956.
 For financial reasons, [[Children's Theatre Incorporated]] had to abandon its policy of employing only professional actors in 1962. This change in standard, together with the difficulty of obtaining plays suited to their preference for spectacle, led to their demise in 1965.

@@ Line 82: / Line 82: @@
 * [[Annie Barnes]] (?-)
 * [[James Ambrose Brown]] (1919-?)
 * [[Jill Girard]]
 * [[Janice Honeyman]] (1949-)