Astrid Schwenke

Astrid Schwenke (195*-) is a cultural researcher and one time theatre researcher and archivist.

Also known as Astrid Schuler in some references.

Biography

Born Astrid Schuler in Stellenbosch, where she also studied.

Contribution to South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance

A trained dancer, she did also did degree in museology and archival science before joining the Centre for South African Theatre Research (CESAT) in 1979 as head archivist. While here she reorganised and focussed the collection of more than 400 000 documents and handled hundreds of enquiries from across the country and the globe. Wrote a variety of articles on theatre matters and was co-compiler of the Source Guide on Athol Fugard (198*). A key project in 198* was the encompassing exhibition she compiled on the history of South African theatre, shown at the opening of the State Theatre in Pretoria, the Grahamstown Festival, and (in revised form) for the opening of the Natal Playhouse in 1986. In 1986?* she left CESAT to become a free-lance researcher.

In 2018 she obtained a D.Phil. Cultural History from the University of Pretoria with a thesis on Die evolusie van die historiese marmerfries in die Voortrekkermonument, Pretoria, 1932 tot 1952 ("The evolution of the historical marble frieze in the Voortrekker monument, Pretoria, 1932-1952").

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