David Matheson

David Matheson (1944-2005). Actor, director and musical director.

Biography

Born in Durban 3 May 1944, died in Cape Town 17 May 2005 after a long battle with diabetes.

He studied music in Durban before furthering his studies at the London Opera Centre and the Goethe Institute in Munich. He then went on to work with opera directors such as John Copley, Ande Anderson and Colin Graham. In 1975 he was invited to direct a season of four operas tor the Mississippi Opera Company in St Louis in the United States. When he returned to South Africa in 1976 he became director of the Vereeniging Civic Centre and later became head of music for the Drakensberg Boys' School and Choir.

In 1978, Matheson was appointed resident director with the CAPAB Musicals and Opera Department at the Nico Malan Theatre (now Artscape). His debut with the organisation was to direct his favourite musical, Fiddler on the Roof, followed by an equally highly acclaimed Show Boat during 1979. His production of Show Boat marked a first in South African musical theatre in that it was the first production with an integrated cast, which was to become a feature of Matheson's future castings.

Fiddler on the Roof was a very special show for Matheson as he had performed in the original production in Johannesburg in 1969, directed by Taubie Kushlick.

He was never too proud to work with amateurs whom he always regarded as "unpaid professionals".

Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance

A Midsummer Night's Dream 1981 singing coach; Twigs dance routine choreography by David Matheson.

As a director

A specialist director of musicals, Matheson worked throughout South Africa. Shows include:

Annie (presented by the Arts Theatre Club, East London in 1990, Cape Town Opera in July 1997)

Annie Get Your Gun (Omni Theatre)

Caesar and Cleopatra (St John’s Ambulance Theatre, 1968)

Camelot (CAPAB and at the Port Elizabeth Opera House, both in 1994)

Evita (Playhouse Theatre 1995, Artscape 1999)

Fiddler on the Roof (CAPAB 1971, 1979, 1984, Playhouse Theatre 1996, State Theatre 1997-1998)

Ghosts of the Castle (at the Cape Town Castle, 1998)

Gigi (1994 and Omni Theatre)

Grease

Guys and Dolls (Durban 1971)

Hair (1993)

Hello, Dolly! (CAPAB Opera, 1987-1988 - in Cape Town, East London and Port Elizabeth)

Into the Woods (Cape Town Opera, 1997)

It's a Girl (Paul Grant Productions from 26 January 1969)

Jesus Christ Superstar (CAPAB Musicals, 1993 and CAPAB Opera, 1996)

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Kismet (CAPAB 1991)

Mame (for PACOFS in 1989, at the Port Elizabeth Opera House in 1990, at the Guild Theatre in 1991, and at the Nico Malan Theatre in 1994)

Man of La Mancha (1986)

My Fair Lady (1981)

Peter Pan (1981 and Nico Malan Theatre 1994)

Show Boat (CAPAB, 1979)

South Pacific (at the Guild Theatre, 1989)

The Birds in Afrikaans (Die Hand Vol Vere) for PACOFS

The Great Waltz (State Theatre, 1987 and NAPAC)

The King and I (CAPAB 1982)

The Sound of Music (at the Port Elizabeth Opera House, 1996, for CAPAB Opera at the Nico Malan Opera House, 1996, and for NAPAC)

The Wiz (Playhouse Company, 1995)

The Wizard of Oz (for PACOFS at the Sand du Plessis Theatre, 1991)

In the late 1990s he began to work with the Bloemfontein Children's Choir and directed huge casts for Eunice Girl’s High School in shows such as The Wiz (1997), The Sound of Music (1998) and Evita (1998).

Awards, etc.

In 1995 he received the Fleur du Cap Lifetime Award for his contribution to the industry.

Sources

[McM, TH].

Tribute written by Michael de Beer and Bruce Sanderson, published in Cape Argus, 8 June 2005.

Tucker, 1997. pp 459, 525.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Go to the ESAT Bibliography

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