Difference between revisions of "Cecilia Sonnenberg"

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(Created page with "(1901?**-2000) Actress, director and theatre entrepreneur. Born and raised in Johannesburg (??), she was an aunt of actress Helen Suzman. Began her career working back stage ...")
 
 
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(1901?**-2000) Actress, director and theatre entrepreneur. Born and raised in Johannesburg (??), she was an aunt of actress [[Helen Suzman]]. Began her career working back stage and on stage??** with the [[Johannesburg REPS]] . ** [When she replaced to Cape Town ] she appeared in [[André van Gyseghem]]’s production for the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] of ''[[Man and Superman]]'' at the [[Little Theatre]], Cape Town in 1937 and **. In collaboration with her friend [[René Ahrenson]], she created the [[Spotlight Theatre]] during the second world war and they held numerous play readings in the [[Electricity House Theatre]] in Strand Street. In 1957 she and Ahrenson founded the [[Maynardville Open-Air Theatre]] in Wynberg, Cape Town.  There she appeared in and directed numerous productions, including  ****. Later she also became a founder member of [[The Company of Four]], the last of the four original members to pass away in 2000. In 1998 she received the [[Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award]] for her contribution to the industry. SONNENBURG, Cecilia. In charge of props for the [[REPS]]’s [[Anna Christie]], 1942. Later founded the [[Open Air Shakespeare at Maynardville]] with [[René Ahrenson]]. Aunt of actress [[Janet Suzman]] (?). Also member of the [[Company of Four]] with [[Leonard Schach]], [[Donald Inskip]] and [[René Ahrenson]]. [[Leslie French]] became a regular director of Shakespeare for Sonnenberg and [[René Ahrenson]]’s [[Maynardville]].
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[[Cecilia Sonnenberg]] (1913-1999) was an actress, director and theatre entrepreneur.  
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Her first name is sometimes written "Cecelia" for some reason. However the family records (e.g. the Diemersfontein Website[https://www.diemersfontein.co.za/about-diemersfontein/]) and other official documents (e.g. the genealogical website GENi [https://www.geni.com/people/Cecilia-Sonnenberg/6000000007339085461]) have the spelling as “Cecilia”. 
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'''THIS ENTRY NEEDS EDITING AND EXPANSION'''
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== Biography ==
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Born Cecilia Goodman on June 6, 1913 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, the daughter of Hyam Goodman and Rebecca Goodman. She married Richard "Dick" Sonnenberg, and was the mother of David Sonnenberg and an aunt of actress [[Janet Suzman]].  
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She died in 1999.
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== Career in theatre ==
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Began her theatrical career working back stage and on stage??** with the [[Johannesburg REPS]] . ** Moving to Cape Town in the mid 1930s,  she appeared in [[André van Gyseghem]]’s production for the [[Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society]] of ''[[Man and Superman]]'' at the [[Little Theatre]], Cape Town in 1937 and **.  
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September 6 - 11, 1943: Starred in [[Arsenic and Old Lace]] which was produced by the [[SAWAS]] of Command 14 Entertainment Unit (Benoni) at the [[Standard Theatre]], Johannesburg. Directed by [[René Ahrenson]] of Cape Town. Proceeds from the concert went to the [[SAWAS]] Red Cross Prisoners of War Fund and Command 14 Entertainment Welfare Work.
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In collaboration with her friend [[René Ahrenson]], she created the [[Spotlight Theatre]] during the second world war and they held numerous play readings in the [[Electricity House Theatre]] in Strand Street. In 1956 she and Ahrenson initiated and went on to manage the Shakespeare productions at the [[Maynardville Open-Air Theatre]] in Wynberg, Cape Town.   
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There she appeared in and directed numerous productions, including  ****. Later she also became a founder member of [[The Company of Four]], the last of the four original members to pass away in 2000. In 1998 she received the [[Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award]] for her contribution to the industry. SONNENBURG, Cecilia. In charge of props for the [[REPS]]’s [[Anna Christie]], 1942. Later initiated the [[Open Air Shakespeare at Maynardville]] with [[René Ahrenson]]. Aunt of actress [[Janet Suzman]] (?). Also member of the [[Company of Four]] with [[Leonard Schach]], [[Donald Inskip]] and [[René Ahrenson]]. [[Leslie French]] became a regular director of Shakespeare for Sonnenberg and [[René Ahrenson]]’s [[Maynardville]].
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
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See: De Beer, 1995; Tucker, 1997; Inskip, 197* [FdV, TH]
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[[The Women's Auxiliary]], September 1943, pg 39.
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De Beer, 1995;  
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Tucker, 1997;  
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Inskip, 197*  
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"Cecilia Sonnenberg" on the GENi  website[https://www.geni.com/people/Cecilia-Sonnenberg/6000000007339085461]
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https://www.diemersfontein.co.za/about-diemersfontein/
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''Cape Times'' 15 June 1999.
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[FdV, TH]
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== Return to ==
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]]
 
Return to [[ESAT Personalities S]]

Latest revision as of 11:29, 31 January 2022

Cecilia Sonnenberg (1913-1999) was an actress, director and theatre entrepreneur.

Her first name is sometimes written "Cecelia" for some reason. However the family records (e.g. the Diemersfontein Website[1]) and other official documents (e.g. the genealogical website GENi [2]) have the spelling as “Cecilia”.

THIS ENTRY NEEDS EDITING AND EXPANSION

Biography

Born Cecilia Goodman on June 6, 1913 in Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa, the daughter of Hyam Goodman and Rebecca Goodman. She married Richard "Dick" Sonnenberg, and was the mother of David Sonnenberg and an aunt of actress Janet Suzman.

She died in 1999.

Career in theatre

Began her theatrical career working back stage and on stage??** with the Johannesburg REPS . ** Moving to Cape Town in the mid 1930s, she appeared in André van Gyseghem’s production for the Cape Town Repertory Theatre Society of Man and Superman at the Little Theatre, Cape Town in 1937 and **.

September 6 - 11, 1943: Starred in Arsenic and Old Lace which was produced by the SAWAS of Command 14 Entertainment Unit (Benoni) at the Standard Theatre, Johannesburg. Directed by René Ahrenson of Cape Town. Proceeds from the concert went to the SAWAS Red Cross Prisoners of War Fund and Command 14 Entertainment Welfare Work.

In collaboration with her friend René Ahrenson, she created the Spotlight Theatre during the second world war and they held numerous play readings in the Electricity House Theatre in Strand Street. In 1956 she and Ahrenson initiated and went on to manage the Shakespeare productions at the Maynardville Open-Air Theatre in Wynberg, Cape Town.

There she appeared in and directed numerous productions, including ****. Later she also became a founder member of The Company of Four, the last of the four original members to pass away in 2000. In 1998 she received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award for her contribution to the industry. SONNENBURG, Cecilia. In charge of props for the REPS’s Anna Christie, 1942. Later initiated the Open Air Shakespeare at Maynardville with René Ahrenson. Aunt of actress Janet Suzman (?). Also member of the Company of Four with Leonard Schach, Donald Inskip and René Ahrenson. Leslie French became a regular director of Shakespeare for Sonnenberg and René Ahrenson’s Maynardville.

Sources

The Women's Auxiliary, September 1943, pg 39.

De Beer, 1995;

Tucker, 1997;

Inskip, 197*

"Cecilia Sonnenberg" on the GENi website[3]

https://www.diemersfontein.co.za/about-diemersfontein/

Cape Times 15 June 1999.

[FdV, TH]

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