Why Strelitzias Cannot Fly

Why Strelitzias Cannot Fly is a musical play for children by Geraldine Aron and Debbie Lan.

Often also called Why Strelitzias Can't Fly.

The original text

A musical play for children by Geraldine Aron and Debbie Lan. Based on Aron's own children's book Why strelitzias cannot fly : a South African folk tale which was published by Tafelberg Publishers in 1982 with illustrations by Cherylle Hayden.

Translations and adaptations

The original novel was translated into Afrikaans as Waarom strelitzias nie kan vlieg nie (published by Tafelberg Publishers, Cape Town, in 1982) and into Tswana as Go reng ditereletsia di sa kgone go fofa (published by Via Afrika, Cape Town, in 1985).

The novel was adapted as a stage musical by by Geraldine Aron and Debbie Lan, and first performed by CAPAB in 1983.

Translated into an Afrikaans version by Johan Esterhuizen, (Waarom Strelitzias Nie Kan Vlieg Nie) and first performed by the Stellenbosch Drama Department in 2001. The text is unpublished, but the performance text is held by DALRO.

Performance history in South Africa

1983: First performed by CAPAB in the Nico Malan Arena in December 1983, directed by Johan Esterhuizen, with Marthinus Basson, Lynita Crofford, Margaretha Fischer, Terry Greyvenstein, Greg Latter, André Roothman, Diane Wilson, Marlene Winberg. Decor and costumes Penny Simpson, lighting Malcolm Hurrell.

2001: Performed in Afrikaans in the H.B. Thom Theatre by students of the University of Stellenbosch, directed by Johan Esterhuizen, assisted by Gilliam Johan Winckler. The cast consisted of [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]], [[]],

Sources

Sydney Paul Gosher. 1988. A Historical and Critical Survey of the South African One-act Play Written in English. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. Pretoria: University of South Africa.

Material held by NELM.

Stage manager's prompt copy of the Stellenbosch production in 2001, found in the Stellenbosch Drama Department's archives in 2022.

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The original text

Based on Aron's own children's book Why Strelitzias Cannot Fly: a South African folk tale, which was published by Tafelberg Publishers in 1982 (with illustrations by Cherylle Hayden), the musical was written by .

1983: First performed as Why Strelitzias Cannot Fly in the Nico Malan Theatre, Cape Town, by CAPAB in 1983.

The play was translated into Afrikaans as Waarom strelitzias nie kan vlieg nie

See Why Strelitzias Can't Fly