Roodepoort Civic Theatre

The Roodepoort Civic Theatre is the original name of a publicly funded theatre in the city of Roodepoort in Gauteng.

Later known as the Roodepoort Theatre, then became the Pro Musica Theatre (or Promusica Theatre).

History and management

It opened on 14 February 1981 with Weiss Doubell as the first director of the theatre. It was later renamed simply the Roodepoort Theatre, and then became the Pro Musica Theatre (also found as Promusica Theatre).

The Promusica Theatre is a theatre venue in in Florida Park, Roodepoort

Situated at the Civic Centre in Florida Park, Roodepoort, the theatre is involved with the surrounding community and development of the theatrical arts. The Theatre is responsible for : community theatre with professional and amateur drama, dance, choirs, singers and actors from Gauteng and the production of world class performances. Their goal is to uplift and develop new South African stage and musical talent.

The Roodepoort Civic Theatre was founded in 1980. The theatre operated as a 328 seater auditorium and an 80 seater box theatre. On the initiative of its first director, Weiss Doubell, the theatre became, apart from a receiving theatre, also a producing theatre with its own production units – the Pro Musica Orchestra, Opera Company and Opera Chorus.

The name of the theatre was later changed to the Pro Musica Theatre. The Theatre was initially subsidised by the Roodepoort City Council (later the City of Johannesburg). Sponsorships had to be found to help finance its enterprises, projects such as audience development, and productions, to ensure sustainability. Up until 2008, Pro Musica presented 400 opera performances and 500 symphony concerts.

In 2014 the City of Johannesburg, as part of its ongoing Institutional Review, resolved that the two civic theatres, the Joburg Theatre and Roodepoort Theatre be integrated into a single theatre management company, Joburg City Theatres (JCT), to manage the functions and services of the two theatres.

In 2014 the JCT would also take over management of the newly established Soweto Theatre.

Productions

Popular for symphonic music and opera, the well equipped theatre was also used for amateur and professional theatre productions. It did not have its own company, but hosted many companies over the years.

Productions have included:

In 1987: Hamlet (in Afrikaans), Die Koggelaar (Pieter Fourie).

In 1993 in collaboration with PACT:The Sound of Music.

Sources

Percy Tucker, 1997

"Soweto Theatre seeks Marketing Manager" Artslink 06/11/2014[1]

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