Billy de la Querra

Billy de la Querra(1955-) is a stage technician and professional photographer.

Biography

The son of Willem de la Querra and Catharina Gezina de la Querra, he was born on 6de February 1955, in Durbanville , one of five children, including Carin de la Querra.

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

He has had no formal training, but learnt theatre skills from a young age while working as an assistant to his father.

As a youth he was also cast as a page in a production of Antigone by Fred Engelen.

By 1975 he was part of John Birch's technical team for the touring company of Faan se Trein. In January 1976 he obtained a permanent appointment with CAPAB, becoming an assistant stage manager, working under Martin Crous and Pieter de Swart. In his first year he toured with 9 different productions, the first being Die Belofte ("The Promise"), which toured the Western and Eastern Cape region for three months. Hy was nie almal se gunsteling nie, maar vir ons jong klomp was hy soos goud. Ons het die hele Kaap Provinsie & Oos Kaap vir amper 3 maande ge-toer. Elke dorp met sy unieke stel aanpassings. Wonderlik! Die volgende jaar as ons weer op toer met John Birch se, Faan se Stasie, na Jhb, Pretoria, Bloemfontein, & Mosselbaai. Op 21 jaar oud was ek die 'Verhoog Direkteur'. Soe, in die begin was dit n uitdaaging, maar die tegniese span was gou op dreef. Maar, dit was tyd vir groter dinge. Ten spyte van my sporadiese hakkel, van kleins af, wou ek nog steeds n akteur word. Om my self vertroue op te bou, het ek by Arthur Murray, as n dans instrukteur, aangesluit, n mooi meisie ontmoet, getrou, en kon my pad nie weer terug vind nie. Wat net n tydelike werk in die mat bedryf sou wees, is nou al 35 yaar my beroep! Ek is bly dat ek is darem genoem is, as die beligting ontwerper, in: 'Geleende Vere'