Christo Snyman

Christo Snyman is an actor, writer, translator, publicist, and administrator.

Biography

Trained at the University of the Witwatersrand, completing BA degree and a BA Hons degree in Translation. As an undergraduate student, one of his favourite courses was Drama & Film at the Wits School of Dramatic Art, headed at the time by Ian Steadman.

He did a short stint as translator and copy writer for programmes at the Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT) in Pretoria (1994-1996), and then worked for Batseta – Council of Retirement Funds for South Africa, Discovery Holdings and Alexander Forbes – all in Johannesburg.

In 2008 his short story “Bone Meal” made it into the Highly Commendable category of the Commonwealth Short Story Competition. Later, he had two short stories published: “Savings and Discount” in New Contrast (Vol. 39 No. 1 in 2011) and “The life and times of Joseph K” (Vol. 41 No. 4 in 2013).

Now living in the USA, he currently works in employee benefits insurance, looking after the global benefit plans of multinational companies.

Contribution to theatre, film, media and performance in South Africa

He had a brief flirtation with professional theatre in 1993 with PACT Opera, playing the non-singing role of "Herr Zeller" in The Sound of Music (directed by George Kok) and was a member of the chorus (the bass) for Don Carlo (directed by Neels Hansen).

He then joined PACT as a translator and editor of programme notes for opera, ballet, drama and music (1994 to 1996).