René van Zyl

René van Zyl is a journalist, pedagogue and children's worker, as well as a novelist, playwright, theatre director.

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Biography

Born René Joubert in Pretoria on 26 February 1965, she attended Baillie Park Laerskool and the Hoër Volkskool Potchefstroom (1972-1982) then attended the Noordwes University (1983 – 1986), completing a BA Communications (Hons) specializing in media studies and journalism.

She began her professional life as a journalist/ public relations officer for various companies (1987-1997), then settled in Hartebeespoort where she began to work with children at the Hartbeespoort NG Church (1998-2008), continuing with these activities at the Kuierkerk in the same town.

In 2006 she created Bybelboekwurm, an association that creates curricula and games for children's churches and the training of youth workers, and in 2008 she started the production company: Christian Musical Theatre (CMT)[1]., for which she wrote and co-directed various plays/musicals.

In April 2008 she attended a Masterclass in Story, Style, Structure, Substance, and the Principles of Screenwriting with Robert Mc Kee at Westminster University, London. This led to a career as novelist, beginning with the children's tale The Wee Monk’s Tale, The Secret of Immortality (self published in 2009) and leading on to more than 20 published books, among them two conspiracy novels, Die Alfadokument and Die Omegakomplot as well as various romance novels and two adventure novels for the teenage market.

In 2016 and 2019 she attended two ATKV/LAPA writers workshops (the romance novel and the youth novel)

Married to Anton van Zyl, minister at Kuierkerk, an informal and independent Christian Church in Hartbeespoort, the couple have three children, Michelle, Chantal and Sean-Jacques.

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

She has been active in Christian puppet theatre, seeing it as a way to teach small children about the word of God and began writing interdenominational Christian musical plays with a humoristic twist. The musicals have been performed annually at the Kuierkerk by the Christian Musical Theatre in Hartebeespoort and are done as community theatre events, utilizing biblical themes, but incorporating modern-day features and contemporary music.

Among them have been:

Mamma Mia, a Child is Born, (December, 2008)

Joseph and his Amazing Blue Suede Shoes (April, 2009)

Mamma Mia, Here We Go Again (December, 2009).

A New Day Has Come, a Passion Play (April 2010)

Samson, the Lion of God (April 2011)

King David and his Eight Wives (April 2012)

Esther, Queen of Persia (May, 2013).

Daniel, the Lion of Babylon (June 2014)