Difference between revisions of "Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom"

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'''GROOTBOOM''', Mpumelelo Paul "Cosmo" (1975-), writer and director for stage and television.
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[[Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom]] ("Cosmo") (1975-), writer and director for stage, film and television.
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'''''(Not to be confused with the actor [[Mbulelo Grootboom]])'''''.
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
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Born in 1975 in Meadowlands, Soweto.
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Paul was born in 1975 in Meadowlands, Soweto.
  
 
== Training ==
 
== Training ==
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After school studied medicine and the arts at University of Witwatersrand. Did not graduate. While at university met [[Percy Langa]], playwright and television director and producer, who taught him to write film scripts. While under Langa’s wing, he was introduced to [[John Rogers]], who trained him to write for television. His next mentor was [[Barney Simon]].
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After school he registered for a BSc at [[University of the Witwatersrand]] but soon decided to embark on a career that straddled his passions for film and writing instead. While at university he met [[Percy Langa]], playwright and television director and producer, who taught him to write film scripts. While under Langa’s wing, he was introduced to [[John Rogers]], who trained him to write for television. His next mentors were [[Aubrey Sekhabi]] and [[Barney Simon]].
  
 
== Career ==
 
== Career ==
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Was appointed to the position of Development Officer at the [[State Theatre]] in 2002.
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He was appointed to the position of Development Officer at the [[State Theatre]] in 2002.
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
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As playwright, titles include: ''[[Not With My Gun]]'' co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi (1998), ''[[Urban Reality]]'' (1998), ''[[Cards]]'', a re-writing of [[Mothusi Mokoto]]’s script (2002 & 2004), ''[[Relativity: Township Stories]]'' (2005), ''[[Telling Stories]]''(2007), ''[[Interracial]]'' co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi (2007), ''[[Maru]]'', an adaptation of the [[Bessie Head]] novel (2008), ''[[Foreplay]]'' ,an adaptation of [[Arthur Schnitzler]]’s ''Der Reigen/La Ronde'' (2008) and ''[[Welcome to Rocksburg]]'' (2009).  
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His first work for the stage, ''[[Enigma]]'', was commissioned by the [[North West Arts Council]].
  
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As playwright, titles include: ''[[Not With My Gun]]'' co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi (1998), ''[[Urban Reality]]'' (1998), ''[[Cards]]'', a re-writing of [[Mothusi Mokoto]]’s script (2002 & 2004), ''[[Relativity: Township Stories]]'' (2005), ''[[Telling Stories]]''(2007), ''[[Interracial]]'' co-written with [[Aubrey Sekhabi]] (2007), ''[[Maru]]'', an adaptation of the [[Bessie Head]] novel (2008), ''[[Foreplay]]'' ,an adaptation of [[Arthur Schnitzler]]’s ''[[Der Reigen]]/[[La Ronde]]'' (2008) and ''[[Welcome to Rocksburg]]'' (2009).
  
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As theatre director productions include: ''[[Urban Reality]]'' (1998), ''[[A Midsummer Night’s Dream]]'' (2001), ''[[King Lear]]'' (2002), ''[[Cards]]'' (2002–2008), ''[[Hamlet]]'' (2003), ''[[Julius Caesar]]'' (2003), ''[[In this Life]]'' (2004), later re-directed and re-titled ''[[Relativity]]'' (2005), ''[[Township Stories]]'' for a tour in the UK (2006), ''[[Telling Stories]]'' (2007), ''[[Interracial]]'' (2007), ''[[Maru]]''(2008), ''[[Foreplay]]'' (2008), and ''[[Welcome To Rocksburg]]'' (2009).
  
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Television writing includes episodes in: ''[[Young Vision]]''(1994), ''[[Suburban Bliss]]''(1995), ''[[Isidingo]]''(2000), ''[[Soul City]]''(2000), ''[[Orlando]]''(2001), ''[[Mponeng]]'' (2005) and ''[[Healside]]'' (2005).
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He began his career as a writer for stage and television and continues to juggle his theatre work with writing for television in programs like Generations and Zone 14. His other TV writing credits include “Young Vision”(1994), “Suburban Bliss”(1995), “Isidingo”(2000), “Soul City”(2000), “Orlando”(2001), “Mponeng” (2005), and, “Healside” (2005).
 
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He has directed theatre plays like “Urban Reality” (1998); “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (2001), a Shakespearean comedy; “King Lear” (2002), a Shakespearian tragedy; “Cards” (2002 – 2008); “Hamlet” (2003), a Shakespearian tragedy; “Julius Caesar” (2003), “In this life” (2004), which he later re-directed on a professional scale and re-titled as “Relativity” (2005) and “Township Stories” (2006) when it was on a 3 months UK tour; “Telling Stories” (2007); “Interracial” (2007); “Maru”(2008); “Foreplay” (2008), an adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s “Der Reigen” / “La Ronde”; and, “Welcome To Rocksburg” (2009). He has also ventured into the world of Television directing, helming three (3) episodes in the second 39 episodes season of the Medical TV Drama, “Hillside”.  
 
  
 
== Awards, etc ==
 
== Awards, etc ==
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Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama (2005).
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[[Vita Award]] (Gauteng region), best play ''[[Not With My Gun]]''  1999; [[Standard Bank Young Artist Awards|Standard Bank Young Artist Award]] for Drama (2005).
 
[[Naledi Award]] for Best Director, for ''[[Relativity : Township Stories]]'' (2006).
 
[[Naledi Award]] for Best Director, for ''[[Relativity : Township Stories]]'' (2006).
 
[[Herald Angel Award]] for Best Fringe Production at the [[Edinburgh Theatre Festival]] (2006).
 
[[Herald Angel Award]] for Best Fringe Production at the [[Edinburgh Theatre Festival]] (2006).
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http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mpumelelo-paul-cosmo-grootboom  
 
http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mpumelelo-paul-cosmo-grootboom  
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Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
  
 
Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
 
Go to [[South African Theatre/Bibliography]]
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== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==
  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities  N]]  
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Return to [[ESAT Personalities  G]]  
  
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]
 
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Personalities|South African Theatre Personalities]]

Latest revision as of 06:50, 14 June 2024

Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom ("Cosmo") (1975-), writer and director for stage, film and television.

(Not to be confused with the actor Mbulelo Grootboom).

Biography

Paul was born in 1975 in Meadowlands, Soweto.

Training

After school he registered for a BSc at University of the Witwatersrand but soon decided to embark on a career that straddled his passions for film and writing instead. While at university he met Percy Langa, playwright and television director and producer, who taught him to write film scripts. While under Langa’s wing, he was introduced to John Rogers, who trained him to write for television. His next mentors were Aubrey Sekhabi and Barney Simon.

Career

He was appointed to the position of Development Officer at the State Theatre in 2002.

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

His first work for the stage, Enigma, was commissioned by the North West Arts Council.

As playwright, titles include: Not With My Gun co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi (1998), Urban Reality (1998), Cards, a re-writing of Mothusi Mokoto’s script (2002 & 2004), Relativity: Township Stories (2005), Telling Stories(2007), Interracial co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi (2007), Maru, an adaptation of the Bessie Head novel (2008), Foreplay ,an adaptation of Arthur Schnitzler’s Der Reigen/La Ronde (2008) and Welcome to Rocksburg (2009).

As theatre director productions include: Urban Reality (1998), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (2001), King Lear (2002), Cards (2002–2008), Hamlet (2003), Julius Caesar (2003), In this Life (2004), later re-directed and re-titled Relativity (2005), Township Stories for a tour in the UK (2006), Telling Stories (2007), Interracial (2007), Maru(2008), Foreplay (2008), and Welcome To Rocksburg (2009).

Television writing includes episodes in: Young Vision(1994), Suburban Bliss(1995), Isidingo(2000), Soul City(2000), Orlando(2001), Mponeng (2005) and Healside (2005).

Awards, etc

Vita Award (Gauteng region), best play Not With My Gun 1999; Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Drama (2005). Naledi Award for Best Director, for Relativity : Township Stories (2006). Herald Angel Award for Best Fringe Production at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival (2006). Naledi Award for Best Director, for Foreplay (2009). Naledi Award for Best Script, for Rivonia Trial, co-written with Aubrey Sekhabi and Mandla Dube (2012).

Sources

http://paulgrootboom.com/

http://www.sahistory.org.za/people/mpumelelo-paul-cosmo-grootboom

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Go to South African Theatre/Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities G

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page

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