Difference between revisions of "Mark Graham"

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(19**-) Actor, drama lecturer and award-winning director.
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[[Mark Graham]] (19**-) is a South African actor, drama lecturer, director and life coach.
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Also known as '''[[Mark-Graham Wilson]]''' or '''[[Mark Graham Wilson]]'''.
  
 
== Biography ==
 
== Biography ==
  
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Born [[Mark Graham Wilson]], he studied acting [[Wits]] and the [[University of Cape Town]], attaining an actor's diploma, before taking up a career as an actor and director with [[CAPAB]] (1984 to 1987) and then became a Resident Director for [[NAPAC]]'s [[Loft Theatre]] and Drama Companies in Durban (in 1988-9). 
  
== Training ==
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He returned to Cape Town in 1990 and in 1991 took up a post as lecturer in the [[Stellenbosch Drama Department]]. For the next number of years he directed a number of acclaimed student productions, while also completing a B. Dram. degree in the Department.  
Studied acting at the University of Cape Town and completed a B.Dram degree at the University of Stellenbosch. (According to one source he was a graduate of UCT and Wits).
 
  
== Career ==
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Towards the end of the 1990s he left academia to follow an enormously profitable professional career as director, working for [[CAPAB]], [[Pieter Toerien Productions]] and a number of other companies on a free-lance basis. In the late 1990s he also turned to directing for television, and at one time was head of the television section of [[City Varsity]] in Cape Town.
He began his career as an actor with [[CAPAB]] drama in 1983 and started directing in 1984. He was a company member of CAPAB from  1984 to 1987 and Resident Director of NAPAC’s Loft and Drama Companies in 1988 and 1989. He returned to Cape Town in 1990. He became a lecturer in the Department of Drama at the University of Stellenbosch (1991-199*). In 199* he left to follow a enormously profitable professional career, working for [[CAPAB]], [[Pieter Toerien Productions]] and a number of other companies on a free-lance basis. In the late 1990s he also turned to directing for television and later became head of the television section of City Varsity in Cape Town.  
 
  
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Moving to Johannesburg he continued working for stage and television, ''inter alia'' working for [[Opdrag Productions]], a company he and [[Jana Cilliers]] had founded, as well as running an Actors Studio from his home.
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Settled in Riebeeck-Wes in the Cape
  
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
 
==Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance==
Acted for a variety of companies, e.g. for [[CAPAB]] in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', [[Maynardville]] (1987) and playing Bouller in ''[[Good]]'' (1990),
 
  
He directed acclaimed student productions at Stellenbosch of ''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' (199*) and ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]'' (19**).
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===As actor===
  
He manipulated puppets in Robert Hewett’s [[Gulls]] which [[Keith Grenville]] directed in 1987/1988.
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Acted for a variety of companies, e.g. for [[CAPAB]] in ''[[Measure for Measure]]'', [[Maynardville]] (1987) and playing Bouller in ''[[Good]]'' (1990), ''[[Skylight]]'', ''[[Indiscretions]]'',
  
He directed ''[[I Was King]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]] at the [[Richard Haines Theatre]] in 1992. He directed Hugh Whitemore’s ''[[The Best of Friends]]'' in 1993. He directed Bob Randall’s ''[[The Fan]]'' in 1994. He directed Giles Havergal’s ''[[Travels With My Aunt]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] in August 1994.
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He manipulated puppets in Robert Hewett’s [[Gulls]] which [[Keith Grenville]] directed in 1987/1988.
  
Since then he has directed many productions for various managements including ''[[The Lisbon Traviata]]'' and ''[[The Best of Friends]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]].
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===As director===
  
As resident director at [[NAPAC]] he was responsible for productions such as ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]]'' and ''[[Kvetch]]''. He directed ''[[Almost the Sound of Music]]'' ([[CAPAB]], 1994), ''[[Travels with my Aunt]]'' ([[Grahamstown Festival|National Arts Festival]], 1994), and ''[[Master Class]]'' and ''[[Love! Valour! Compassion!]]'' in 1996.
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'''THIS SECTION REQUIRES EDITING'''  
  
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The many plays directed over the years include:
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''[[A Midsummer Night's Dream]]'' (199*), ''[[Sweeney Todd]]'' (1989*), ''[[Hamlet]]'', ''[[The Winter's Tale]]'', ''[[The Tempest]]'', ''[[The Comedy of Errors]]'', ''[[The Cherry Orchard]]'', ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]]'', ''[[Kvetch]]'', ''[[Master Class]]'', ''[[Burning Blue]]'' (1996), ''[[Children of the Wolf]]'' (1997), ''[[Taking Sides]]'', ''[[Art]]'', ''[[I Was King]]'', ''[[Travels with my Aunt]]'', ''[[Almost the Sound of Music]]'', ''[[The Best of Friends]]'', ''[[Simpatico]]'', ''[[Love! Valour! Compassion!]]'', ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]'', ''[[The Bloodknot]]'', ''[[Kinkels innie Kabel]]'', ''[[OPDRAG: Ingrid Jonker]]'', ''[[All in the Timing]]'', ''[[Fiela's Child - The Musical]]'', ''[[Kinkels innie Kabel]]'', ''[[Taking Sides]]'', ''[[Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker]]'', ''[[Karnaval]]'' (1995), ''[[Sleepvoet]]'' (1998), ''[[Mozart and Salieri]]'' (both play and opera, 2000). ''[[The American Popess]]'' (2001), ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]'' ([[Tesson Theatre]] and [[Baxter Theatre]] 2008)
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He directed ''[[I Was King]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]] at the [[Richard Haines Theatre]] in 1992. He directed Hugh Whitemore’s ''[[The Best of Friends]]'' in 1993. He directed Bob Randall’s ''[[The Fan]]'' in 1994. He directed Giles Havergal’s ''[[Travels with my Aunt]]'' at the [[Leonard Rayne Theatre]] in August 1994.
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Since then he has directed many productions for various managements including ''[[The Lisbon Traviata]]'' and ''[[The Best of Friends]]'' for [[Pieter Toerien]], ''[[Mozart and Salieri]]'' (both play and opera) for the [[Oude Libertas Amphitheatre]] (2000).
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As resident director at [[NAPAC]] he was responsible for productions such as ''[[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead]]'' (1989), ''[[Kvetch]]''. He directed ''[[Almost the Sound of Music]]'' ([[CAPAB]], 1994), and ''[[Master Class]]'' and ''[[Love! Valour! Compassion!]]'' in 1996.
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He directed ''[[Master Class]]'' (1996), ''[[Burning Blue]]'' (1996), ''[[Children of the Wolf]]'' (1997).
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Directed ''[[All in the Timing]]'', ''[[Fiela's Child - The Musical]]'', ''[[Kinkels innie Kabel]]'', ''[[Taking Sides]]'', ''[[Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker]]'', ''[[Karnaval]]'' (1995), ''[[Sleepvoet]]'' (1998), ''[[Mozart and Salieri]]'' (both play and opera, 2000). ''[[The American Popess]]'' (2001), ''[[Hello and Goodbye]]'' ([[Tesson Theatre]] and [[Baxter Theatre]] 2008)
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===Directing opera===
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Operas directed include ''[[Don Pasquale]]'', ''[[Die Engtführung aus dem Serail]]'', ''[[Lost in the Stars]]'', ''[[Mozart and Salieri]]''
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===Director for TV===
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He has been director on a range of TV dramas and series, including ''[[Going Up]]'', ''[[Fishy Fêshuns]]'', ''[[Sewende Laan]]'',
  
 
==Awards==
 
==Awards==
Starting with the [[Rosalie van der Gucht Prize for New Directors]] in 1991 eh went on to win numerous [[Vita Awards]] and [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]] as best director during the 90s.
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Starting with the [[Rosalie van der Gucht Prize]] for New Directors in 1991 he went on to win numerous [[Vita Awards]], [[Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards]] and other similar best director awards since then.
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Nominated ''[[Les Parents Terribles|Indiscretions]]'', ''[[Skylight]]''.
  
 
==Sources==
 
==Sources==
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''In the Summer of 1918'' theatre programme notes, 1990.
 
''In the Summer of 1918'' theatre programme notes, 1990.
  
National Arts Festival programmes, 1994 and 1996
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National Arts Festival programmes, 1994 and 1996.
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Various entries in the [[NELM]] catalogue.
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''[[Mozart and Salieri]]'' programme, Stellenbosch 2000.
  
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https://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Graham-Wilson/100003996741373/
  
 
== Return to ==
 
== Return to ==

Latest revision as of 15:59, 16 August 2023

Mark Graham (19**-) is a South African actor, drama lecturer, director and life coach.

Also known as Mark-Graham Wilson or Mark Graham Wilson.

Biography

Born Mark Graham Wilson, he studied acting Wits and the University of Cape Town, attaining an actor's diploma, before taking up a career as an actor and director with CAPAB (1984 to 1987) and then became a Resident Director for NAPAC's Loft Theatre and Drama Companies in Durban (in 1988-9).

He returned to Cape Town in 1990 and in 1991 took up a post as lecturer in the Stellenbosch Drama Department. For the next number of years he directed a number of acclaimed student productions, while also completing a B. Dram. degree in the Department.

Towards the end of the 1990s he left academia to follow an enormously profitable professional career as director, working for CAPAB, Pieter Toerien Productions and a number of other companies on a free-lance basis. In the late 1990s he also turned to directing for television, and at one time was head of the television section of City Varsity in Cape Town.

Moving to Johannesburg he continued working for stage and television, inter alia working for Opdrag Productions, a company he and Jana Cilliers had founded, as well as running an Actors Studio from his home.

Settled in Riebeeck-Wes in the Cape

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

As actor

Acted for a variety of companies, e.g. for CAPAB in Measure for Measure, Maynardville (1987) and playing Bouller in Good (1990), Skylight, Indiscretions,

He manipulated puppets in Robert Hewett’s Gulls which Keith Grenville directed in 1987/1988.

As director

THIS SECTION REQUIRES EDITING

The many plays directed over the years include:

A Midsummer Night's Dream (199*), Sweeney Todd (1989*), Hamlet, The Winter's Tale, The Tempest, The Comedy of Errors, The Cherry Orchard, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Kvetch, Master Class, Burning Blue (1996), Children of the Wolf (1997), Taking Sides, Art, I Was King, Travels with my Aunt, Almost the Sound of Music, The Best of Friends, Simpatico, Love! Valour! Compassion!, Hello and Goodbye, The Bloodknot, Kinkels innie Kabel, OPDRAG: Ingrid Jonker, All in the Timing, Fiela's Child - The Musical, Kinkels innie Kabel, Taking Sides, Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker, Karnaval (1995), Sleepvoet (1998), Mozart and Salieri (both play and opera, 2000). The American Popess (2001), Hello and Goodbye (Tesson Theatre and Baxter Theatre 2008)

He directed I Was King for Pieter Toerien at the Richard Haines Theatre in 1992. He directed Hugh Whitemore’s The Best of Friends in 1993. He directed Bob Randall’s The Fan in 1994. He directed Giles Havergal’s Travels with my Aunt at the Leonard Rayne Theatre in August 1994.

Since then he has directed many productions for various managements including The Lisbon Traviata and The Best of Friends for Pieter Toerien, Mozart and Salieri (both play and opera) for the Oude Libertas Amphitheatre (2000).

As resident director at NAPAC he was responsible for productions such as Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead (1989), Kvetch. He directed Almost the Sound of Music (CAPAB, 1994), and Master Class and Love! Valour! Compassion! in 1996.

He directed Master Class (1996), Burning Blue (1996), Children of the Wolf (1997).

Directed All in the Timing, Fiela's Child - The Musical, Kinkels innie Kabel, Taking Sides, Opdrag: Ingrid Jonker, Karnaval (1995), Sleepvoet (1998), Mozart and Salieri (both play and opera, 2000). The American Popess (2001), Hello and Goodbye (Tesson Theatre and Baxter Theatre 2008)

Directing opera

Operas directed include Don Pasquale, Die Engtführung aus dem Serail, Lost in the Stars, Mozart and Salieri

Director for TV

He has been director on a range of TV dramas and series, including Going Up, Fishy Fêshuns, Sewende Laan,

Awards

Starting with the Rosalie van der Gucht Prize for New Directors in 1991 he went on to win numerous Vita Awards, Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards and other similar best director awards since then.

Nominated Indiscretions, Skylight.

Sources

In the Summer of 1918 theatre programme notes, 1990.

National Arts Festival programmes, 1994 and 1996.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Mozart and Salieri programme, Stellenbosch 2000.

https://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Graham-Wilson/100003996741373/

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