District Six – The Musical

District Six – The Musical is a musical play by David Kramer and Taliep Petersen.

Also found written as District Six. The Musical, District Six: The Musical or simply District Six.

The original text

A sensationally popular and award-winning musical play lamenting life in, and destruction of, the Cape Town suburb called District Six, it was co-written by Kramer and Petersen.

The text is unpublished.

Translations and adaptations

An indirect spin-off of the play is District Six - Kanala[1] by David Kramer, written and produced as a tribute to the people and artists of the suburb. It opened in the Fugard Theatre, Cape Town, on 11 February 2016, precisely 50 years after the district had been declared a white group area on 11 February 1966.

Performance history in South Africa

1987: First performed in the Baxter Theatre from 11 April, under the direction of Fred Abrahamse, presented by The Baxter Theatre and Blik Productions, and had a number of runs there. Musical direction by Taliep Petersen.

1988: The play toured the country (e.g. playing at The Market Theatre in February and the Edinburgh Festival Edinburgh Festival).

April 28, 1988: The Baxter and Blik Productions presented District Six - The Musical, written and directed by David Kramer and Taliep Petersen at the Opera House, Port Elizabeth.

1990: The play finished its first run at the Joseph Stone Theatre, Cape Town.

2002: Revived at the Baxter Theatre by Kramer in 2002, winning the authors a Fleur du Cap Award for Best Contribution to a Musical or Revue.

2017: Performed by The National Theatre of Namibia (NTN) under its Premier Project in 3 and 4 March. Directed by Tanya Terblanche, with Adriano Visagie as Cassiem, Patrick Sam as Nines, Severiano Willemse, Gift Uzera & Jeanne Januarie as Sexy Boys, Romulus Pieterse as Henry, Johne Louw as Hester, Bianca Heyns as Galiema, David Ndjavera as Damaka, Steven Afrikaner as Sophia, Jesaya Namamlemo as Archie, Heather Dennis (Miss H) as Broertjie, Roya Diehl as Sandy, Mervin Claasen as Pang, Danielle Gilbert as Mary, Chantelle Uiras, Peo Baitsile & Michelle Namases as Delphonics, Anathi Hans as Barber, Terrence Husselmann as Policeman, Don Stevenson as Goldman & Charl Botha .

Sources

District Six – The Musical theatre programme, Baxter Theatre.

District Six – The Musical theatre poster, Port Elizabeth Opera House. undated.

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