Farouk Valley-Omar
Farouk Valley-Omar (1945-). Actor, director, teacher.
Also found as Fahruq Valley-Omar
Contents
Biography
Born Farhuq Ismael Valley-Omar in Worcester in the Western Cape in 1945, he matriculated at an early age and went on to train as a teacher at the Hewat College in Athlone. His teaching career started as an English teacher at the Esselenpark High School in Worcester.
In 1963 he saw a brilliant performance by South African performer Bill Curry in Archibald McLeish's J.B.at the Little Theatre in Cape Town, and that first inspired him to enter the theatre industry. As a result of this he registered for a teacher's diploma in drama at the University of Cape Town in 1968, the only person of colour in the course at the time. This was followed by a BA Drama degree at the same University.
Training
BA (Drama) at UCT, . He studied directing at the British Theatre Association in London.
Career
Contribution to SA theatre, film, media and/or performance
He acted in The Royal Hunt of the Sun, 1969; Skyf 1984 and 1998; The Boys Next Door 1986; Fiela se Kind 1986; Die Asjaspassie 1987; District Six – The Musical 1988; Just Like Home (as Gupta) 1990; Salaam Stories 2004.
Other productions include Toorberg, Die Verminktes, Antjie Somers, Hamlet, As You Like It (Maynardville 1999).
Directed and acted in Die Verminktes (year?)
He directed Dialogue With a Dying Man, 1987
He was on the first steering committee of the Cape Town Theatre Laboratory, 1998
Awards, etc
Sources
See sources of various productions.
Die Burger, 18 August 1986.
Prisma 3(8), October 1988.
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