Performing Arts Council of the Orange Free State

One of the four provincial Performing Arts Councils, founded in 1963 to replace the National Theatre Organisation with its offices in Bloemfontein. After 1994 it became the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State (PACOFS)

History

1963-1993

Founded in 1963, as part of the new dispensation that followed the dissolution of the National Theatre Organisation. Rex Hugo was appointed first director.

PACOFS operated on an ad hoc basis before establishing the first ever permanent opera company in South Africa. The Sand du Plessis Theatre opened in 1985 (becoming the permanent residence for PACOFS) and was the best equipped theatre with modern technology in Africa. PACOFS operated as a section 21 (non-profit) company until 2003. PACOFS became the first arts council to collaborate with other arts councils, co-producing productions with PACT and CAPAB such as Carmen by Bizet in 1989 funded by the largest sponsor from the private sector at that stage, South African Airways.

1994 -

In 1996 PACOFS became a section 21 (non-profit) company with reduced state subsidy and a management board appointed by the minister of Arts Culture, Science and Technology. It later became an agency of the Department of Arts and Culture, and was renamed the Performing Arts Centre of the Free State, thus retaining the acronym PACOFS .

In April 1997 the new PACOFS closed their drama department and over a period reduced their total staff from 300 to 91 started functioning primarily as a playhouse for productions in the Sand du Plessis Theatre, the André Huguenet Theatre and the Civic Theatre in Bloemfontein and the Ernest Oppenheimer Theatre in Welkom. In December 1999 Pacofs severed ties with the city council of Welkom, who were the managers of the Oppenheimer Theatre, as result of bad debts of about R1,2 million. The theatre’s staff was retrenched and the doors closed.

When PACOFS closed their drama department, in contrast to the professional theatre artists in the other provinces, those in the Free State took the initiative and under leadership of Gerben Kamper, artistic director of PACOFS, formed the Free State Ensemble, based at the Sterrewag Theatre (Observatory Theatre) in Bloemfontein.

Jerry Pooe was acting artistic director for a while, with Teboho Macholo as acting CEO. In 2014 Teboho Macholo became the CEO and Jerry Mofokeng the new Artistic Director.

(JvH)

Management

Registered as a society not for gain, it was headed by a policy-making council chaired by the provincial administrator and representative of all interested parties, including the province, the city municipality, the department of national education, the business sector as well as representatives of the various performing art forms. Their function was to provide provide artists and artisans with a secure career option, to develop and promote drama, ballet, music and opera by offering audiences in the province with regular professional productions.

PACOFS Opera

For information on operas presented by PACOFS, see PACOFS Opera.

Productions

Imported productions

Together with the other three performing arts councils they staged The Great Waltz for their Christmas production in 1987 and Singin’ in the Rain for their Christmas production in 1988. Together with NAPAC and PACT they presented Lerner and Louwe’s Camelot at the State Theatre in 1989. Together with PACT and NAPAC they staged My Fair Lady for their Christmas production in 1990. Seven Brides for Seven Brothers was a combined performing arts council’s production which ran from 1990 to 1991. Together with CAPAB and NAPAC they presented Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! in 1993. **** PACOFS/NAPAC Loft Comp. Herman Charles Bosman: The storyteller. Adapted for stage: Val Rosenberg; Dir: Michael Swinton; with Roger Dwyer & Stephen Gurneuy, Philippa Gutridge & Bruce Young. Sand du Plessis Theatre, 1985

Sources

Percy Tucker, 1997

Van Heerden,

PACOFS steps into the future with first-ever Indaba - 5 April 2014 in Artslink.co.za News[1]

Antoinette Johanna Olivier. 2014. 'Exploring contributions to opera by The Black Tie Ensemble: a historical case study'. Mini-dissertation submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master‟s in Music at the Potchefstroom Campus of the North-West University.

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