Judy Page

Judy Page (19**-). Singer, cabaret artist and actress.

Biography

Originally from Bulawayo, Judy came to South Africa to begin her career as a band vocalist. In later years she moved from Johannesburg to settle in Plettenberg Bay with her husband, Moshe Ronen. From there she kept performing in the vibrant musical scene in Port Elizabeth.

Career

She worked with many bandleaders, including Dan Hill, George Hayden, Archie Silanski and Doug Finch, eventually having her own group.

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

Judy performed in Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (staged between 1975 and 1983), From Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill (for Kushlick), Seven Deadly Sins, The Sound of Music (1976) and in Chicago (with PACT, 1977).

She starred in Joan Brickhill’s production of Annie, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Oh! What a Lovely War, for PACT in 1980.

Ronnie Quibell presented the comedian Shelley Berman, with Page as a special artist at the Civic Theatre in 1981.

She starred in Taubie Kushlick’s production From Taubie with Love together with Marloe Scott-Wilson at the Market Theatre in 1981, in Oh Coward! in 1982, The King and I (December 1984). It was performed again at the Pretoria State Theatre in December 1986.

She starred in Jerry’s Girls directed by Jimmy Bell for Pieter Toerien at the André Huguenet Theatre in 1986, From Taubie with Love, (August 1986), Sun City’s 1990 extravaganza called Bravo.

Fiddler on the Roof. Joe Stewardson, Jhb Civic, The King and I, Louis Burke, (Dir/choreographer)(Rogers & Hammersteins) Jean Dell, Ann Stradi, Edmund Rahme, Memory Jane, Ben Illeman, Martin Dunne, Justin Hambloch, John Mitchells’ orchestra, Bruno Santini’s designs. Stan Knight’s lighting, The Sound of Music at the Staatsteater, Pretoria in 1995.

When on the bill of Horst Jankowski Show she was so successful that Horst Jankowski wanted to take her overseas to appear in his shows there.

In between these numerous band performances and stage shows Judy has appeared in Cabaret at many top venues in South Africa, Swaziland, Botswana and Lesotho and also performed the final cabaret at the Top of the Carlton in Johannesburg.

In Isn't It Romantic Judy played her first straight acting role for Pieter Toerien, having previously appeared in Side by Side by Sondheim and Oh Coward!.

Television appearances include Pop Shop, Sing, Something's Coming Up, Hey Jude (her own series) and The Danny Bickett Show. She appeared as Adele, a couturier designer in Westgate III for SABC TV.

20**: Premiered her autobiographical one-woman show Page by Page, which was subsequently staged in various venues around South Africa.

Awards, etc

She has won 5 Sarie Awards and in 1973 was awarded the Golden Shure Microphone as the Best Female Vocalist in South Africa. This was the first time the award was made outside of the United States.

She won the Evening Post Showtime Award (best cabaret) for Page by Page, award year 1993.

She has been nominated for three Dalro Awards.

She was awarded a Lifetime Award by Naledi Theatre Awards.

Sources

SACD 1975/76, 1977/78.

Beeld, 12 August 1995.

Tucker, 1997.

Programme of Pieter Toerien's Isn't It Romantic in 1985.

Rapport Gauteng, 15 July 2007.

Various entries in the NELM catalogue.

Return to

Return to ESAT Personalities P

Return to South African Theatre Personalities

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page