The Playmakers

The Playmakers can refer to several theatre groups in South Africa, as well as a statue.

The Playmakers

This refers to one or two dramatic organisations that were active in Johannesburg and Pretoria between the 1930s and 1980s. Also referred to as the Johannesburg Playmakers.

Productions staged by them include:

1938: Counsellor-at-Law (at the Library Theatre)

1939: You Can't Take it With You

1949: Cockpit (at the Library Theatre)

1974: Straight Up (at the Breytenbach Theatre and on tour)

1979: Life is a Web

1980: Ant, Bee and and Co., Storytime (at the Arena Bistro Theatre, Rosebank)

Gilyan Franceso’s Playmakers

Gilyan Francesco’s Playmakers (Pty) Ltd was a theatrical company, specialising in clowning and children's theatre.

For more information, see Gilyan Franceso’s Playmakers.

The Playmakers Statue (Joburg Theatre)

The Playmakers is a bronze cast sculpture of three women in a circle holding hands and leaning back. The sculpture stands in water with little fountains sprouting towards it at approximately 3m high and 2m diameter. The sculpture was commissioned in the context of the construction of the Johannesburg Civic Theatre (now known as the Joburg Theatre). It is located at 163 Civic Blvd, Braamfontein, Johannesburg. The German born sculptor, Ernest Ullman, moved to South Africa in 1935 and rapidly established himself as an artist of significance in Johannesburg.

For more information, see Joburg Theatre.

Sources

https://arts-culture-heritage.joburg/public-art-inventory/the-playmakers/

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