The Arts Theatre

There have been two theatre venues in the South African region known by this name.

The Arts Theatre East London (1987-2021)

History

Deriving from the Arts Theatre Club in East London, The Arts Theatre was a small theatre that was created the club's premises were converted into a small theatre in 1987. Further alterations were undertaken in 1991, with the venue reopening on 30th March 1991. The venue was refurbished in 2005.

The venue was sold in February 2021.

Productions

The Arts Theatre Club staged many of its own productions in the venue, particularly music revues. Touring artists also regularly staged their work at the venue, including Patrick Mynhardt, Nataniel, Andrew Buckland.

Sources

'A history of East London’s theatres', Show Me (online), 1 August 2019 (https://showme.co.za/east-london/events-entertainment/east-londons-theatres-and-their-history/)

DispatchLIVE, 18 February 2021.

The Arts Theatre, Windhoek, South West Africa

History

In the 1950s the South West African branch of the South African Association of Arts ( SAAA, South West African Branch), under the chairmanship of the then President, Olga Levinson, actively petitioned for and obtained a civic theatre for Windhoek.

The venue, initially called the The Arts Theatre, contained a theatre and an art gallery, and was formally opened on 3 October 1960 by the then Administrator of South West Africa (SWA), Mr D. du P. Viljoen.

The theatre and gallery were formally managed by the SAAA until 1973, when was renamed the Windhoek Civic Theatre and its management transferred to the South West Africa Performing Arts Council (SWAPAC). It would evenutually become the National Theatre of Namibia in 1989.

Sources

Go to ESAT Bibliography

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