Erica Rogers

(****-****). Actress. (19*-) Actress. * ROGERS, Erica. Capetonian who studied at RADA. She enjoyed West End success in London. She starred in Arthur Miller’s After the Fall which Leon Gluckman and Leonard Schach produced in 1964. Leonard Schach directed this play with Leon Gluckman playing the lead role. It was staged at the University Great Hall and then at the Luxurama. Schach directed four more productions of After the Fall]: In Israel, Brussels, London, where Rogers played again, and once more in South Africa in 1981 as PACT’s opening production at the Pretoria State Theatre, together with American actor Brian Murray. She starred in Frank Shelley production of The Anniversary together with Ian Hamilton at the Alexander in 1966. They also starred together in How's the World Treating You? and Forever April before finally getting married. She starred in A Month in the Country, which Leonard Schach directed for PACT at the Alexander in 1969. It also starred Vivienne Drummond, Kerry Jordan and Siegfried Mynhardt. She starred in Rex Garner’s production of Boeing-Boeing, together with Diane Appleby and Ken Smith, for the Academy in 1972. She starred in A.R. Gurney’s Children with Sandra Duncan and Kim Braden at the Intimate in 1974.She starred in Leonard Schach production of Robert Patrick’s Kennedy’s Children together with John Higgins, Bess Finney, John Rogers and Lynn Hooker for The Company at the Chelsea Theatre in 1975. She starred in Taubie Kushlick and Don Hughs’ production of Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music, Kushlick also directed Eric Flynn, Hal Watters, Maggie Fitzgibbon and herself in this play which opened late October 1975 at His Majesty’s. She starred in Barney Simon’s production of Chekhov’s The Seagull at Upstairs at the Market in June 1976 with Vanessa Cooke, Sandra Prinsloo, Bill Brewer, Marius Weyers, Danny Keogh, Lindsay Reardon and Bess Finney. Together with Rex Garner she starred in the Academy production Fringe Benefits in 1977. She also starred in Rex Garner’s production of a musical version of Not Now Darling called Once More, Darling with David Morton, Derek Royle and Patricia Sanders for the Academy in 1977. She starred in Brickhill and Burke’s production of the Broadway hit I Love My Wife by Michael Stewart, together with Michael McGovern, Tobie Cronje and Jessica Jones at His Majesty’s in 1978. She starred in a revival of Coward’s Present Laughter for PACT in 1979. It was directed by John Hussey and also starred Hussey and Shelagh Holliday. She starred in Roy Sargeant’s production of Sheridan’s The School for Scandal together with John Hussey, Richard Haines and Bobby Heaney for PACT at the Alexander in 1980. She starred in Geoffrey Sutherland’s production of Joan Littlewood’s Oh! What a Lovely War together with Michael Richard, Gay Lambert, Michael McCabe, James White and Judy Page for PACT in 1980. She starred in Brickhill-Burke’s production of Michael Stewart’s I Love My Wife circa 1982 at the Civic together with Tobie Cronje, Eddie Eckstein, Bartholomew John and Sharon Lynne. She starred in Neil Simon’s The Prisoner of Second Avenue together with Michael McCabe and directed by Ken Leach for PACT at the Alexander in 1983. She starred in Anyone for Denis? together with John Lesley which Keith Grenville directed for the Baxter at the Academy in 1983. She starred in Terrence Shank’s adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel The Grapes of Wrath together with Michael McCabe, Sean Taylor and James Borthwick, directed by Terrence Shank in 1986. She starred in Shirley Firth’s production of Barry Creyton’s Double Act at the Windybrow in 1988. She starred in John Chapman’s Key for Two in 1994. *** She played the role of Arkadina in The Seagull which opened the Upstairs Theatre in 1976.

Performed in Kiss me Kate (as “Bianca”), As you Like it (as “Rosalind”, directed by Peter Dews), Kennedy’s Children (“Carla” (Marilyn Monroe), The Seagull, A Little Night Music (as “the Countess” in Johannesburg, Cape Town and London), Fringe Benefits (as “Isobel”), Once More Darling (as “Claudette), I Love My Wife (as ‘Monica”), Present Laughter (as “Joanna”), Happy Birthday (as “Bridget One”), Confusions, The School for Scandal (as “Lady Teazle”), After the Fall (as “Maggie” for which she won a Gallery Club Award for Best Performance) Faith-Healer by Brian Friel and directed by Bobby Heaney.

Plays in the West End include: Bonne Soupe; The World of Suzie Wong; the musicals No Strings and Little Night Music.

British TV performances: Four episodes of the Saint series with Roger Moore; played the lead opposite Jack Hedley in the mini series The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene; the role of Queen Victoria in Shaka Zulu.

Other theatre highlights in SA: 4 comedy characters in Alan Ayckbourne's Confusions, Lady Gay Spanker in London Assurance - all portrayals earning her best actress nominations in the Cape; Monica in Brickhill-Burke's wife swapping musical I Love my Wife; the ghost in Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit; Margaret Thatcher in Anyone for Dennis.

Directed Billy Liar for NAPAC and Til Debts Do Us Part by Ken Marshall.

Sources

See Schwartz, 1988; Tucker, 1997; (SACD 1975/76) (SACD 1977/78) (SACD 1978/79) (SACD1979/80) (SACD 1980/81)

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