Barnyard Theatres
Contents
Origins
The concept of the Barnyard Theatres came about when the media couple Louis Möller (co-founder and producer of, Carte Blanche) and freelance actress and TV presenter Sybel Coetzee decided to opt out of the media world in 1989 to raise their family on a dairy farm just outside Plettenberg Bay. After a few years of farming they sought a way to combine their two interests, theatre and farming. The result was the birth of the original Barnyard Theatre in 1996.
The Barnyard Theatre , Knysna
The original Barnyard Theatre, it was devised and built by the husband and wife team of Louis Moller and Sybel Coetzee. to be run as a venue for visiting artists.
A number of theatres were subsequently built for schools (e.g. Summerset College, near Somerset West and *** near Franschoek). Out of this developed the idea of a franchised series of theatres throughout the country, called The Barnyard Theatres.
The Barnyard Theatres franchise
A series of of franchised theatres, devised and built by the husband and wife team of architect Louis Moller and actress Sybel Coetzee, for mainly musical and dinner theatre. Starting with the original wooden Barnyard Theatre, Knysna in 1996, they franchised the idea and formed a company to build specialised dinner theatre venues across the country, in a variety of settings (schools, shopping malls, etc.), all called The Barnyard Theatre. There are such theatres in Durban, Hilton, Johannesburg, Somerset West, ***
In 1996 the first Barnyard Theatre was opened by the Möller family on a dairy farm just outside Plettenberg Bay. Louis and Sybel had both been involved in the performing arts most of their lives, Louis as co-founder and producer of, amongst others, Carte Blanche, and Sybel Coetzee as a freelance actress and TV presenter. In 1989 they took stock of their hectic lives with two young boys and decided that family comes first. As a result they decided to open a dairy farm close to Plettenberg Bay. After a few years of farming they longed for a way to combine their two loves – the footlights and the farm. Then 1996 saw the birth of The Barnyard Theatres. Why Barnyard? Louis had built a beautiful, rustic American-style wooden barn on the farm, which Sybel and Louis converted into a theatre with an old-world atmosphere, heavy wooden beams, a horseshoe gallery, big tables with welcoming lanterns and wood chips on the floor.
The Barnyard Theatre Production Company
In 2003 Louis Moller joined forces with the South African musician Duck Chowles to form The Barnyard Theatre Production Company. Chowles directs and produces all Barnyard Theatre Productions.
Sources
http://www.barnyardtheatre.co.za/
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