Difference between revisions of "University of Pretoria, Department of Drama"

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The [[Drama Department]] at the [[University of Pretoria]] is a tertiary training institution.   
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The Drama Department at the [[University of Pretoria]] is a tertiary training institution for theatre practitioners and researchers. 
 +
 
 +
Aslo found as [[Pretoria University Drama Department]] and colloquially known as the [[Tukkies Drama Departement]].   
  
Colloquially known as the [[Tukkies Drama Departement]]. 
 
 
   
 
   
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
  
The Department was originally established in January 1965 under the name  [[Departement Dramakunde]] (“Department of Dramatology”)as part of the University of Pretoria's introduction of formal academic training in drama, music and fine arts. The department set out to train theatre practitioners that can make a contribution to the rapidly developing theatre industry of the time. The department further aimed to specifically promote [[Afrikaans]] theatre in the country.  
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The Department was originally established under the name  '''[[Departement Dramakunde]]''', in January 1965 as the second [[Afrikaans]] language drama training institution situated in a University. It was intended to be part of the University of Pretoria's endeavour to introduce formal academic training in drama, music and fine arts. The department set out to train theatre practitioners that can make a contribution to the rapidly developing theatre industry of the time. The department further aimed to specifically promote [[Afrikaans]] theatre in the country.  
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 +
in 1974 the name was changed to '''Departement Drama''' (or '''Department of Drama''' in English) and the focus narrowed to some extent.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
== Staff ==
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 +
The philosopher and sociologist [[Geoff Cronjé]] was appointed as the first professor and Head of Department and was initially assisted by the well-known actress and director [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]]. Prof Pohl retired from service at the University in 1971 and Prof Cronjé followed her in 1972.
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In 1974 [[Louw Odendaal]]  was appointed as the new Head of Department and  after his retirement as HoD in 1998, he was replaced by [[Allan Munro]] in 1999. When Prof Munro resigned, [[Carel Trichardt]] acted as HoD, to be followed by [[Fred Hagemann]] upon his retirement. [[Marié-Heleen Coetzee]] became HoD following Prof Hagemann’s retirement mid-2008.
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Besides the abovementioned lecturers, the staff of the department has over the years included many well known theatre personalities and teachers, such as [[Truida Louw]], [[Neels Hansen]], [[Hannes Horne]], [[Fred Steyn]], [[Betty Hugo]], [[Estelle Zeeman]],  [[Pieter Brand]], [[Johan Visser]], [[Marth Munro]], [[Chris Broodryk]], [[Bailey Snyman]], [[Myer Taub]], and [[Morné Steyn]].
 +
 
 +
Today the Drama Department has 5 full-time academic staff members, of whom 4 are permanent. The Department makes use of 1 teaching assistant and presently 3 tutors appointed from the student body.
 +
 
 +
== Facilities ==
  
The philosopher and sociologist [[Geoff Cronjè]] [[Geoff Cronje]] was appointed as the first professor and Head of Department and was initially assisted by the well-known actress and director [[Anna Neethling-Pohl]].  
+
At first, the Department occupied temporary spaces (a number of old residences) on the University campus on the old Christian Brothers' College grounds. Gradually more permanent theatre buildings were made available: [[Die Masker]] ("The mask") (the old school hall converted to a theatre), followed later by [[Die Bok]] ("The goat")  and [[Die Lier]] ("the lyre", both training spaces).  
  
At first, the Department occupied temporary spaces (a number of old residences). Later on, more permanent theatre buildings were made available: the Masker (a training theatre), and the Bok and the Lier (training spaces). In February 1982 the Department moved to the beautiful old Brethren House, formerly part of the Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) complex. Periodically, the Department received significant donations: The Performing Arts Council of Transvaal (PACT) made theatre material available to the Department, the Heidelberg Teachers’ College donated costumes in exchange for using the Department’s wardrobe, and important collections of photographs and documents were also donated. Prof Pohl presented the Merensky 2 Library with her valuable drama and theatre library as a gift.
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In February 1982 the Department moved to the beautiful old Brethren House, formerly part of the Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) complex. Periodically, the Department received significant donations: The [[Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal]] ([[PACT]]) made texts equipment, costumes and so on available to the Department, the [[Heidelberg Teachers’ Training College]] donated costumes in exchange for using the Department’s wardrobe, and important collections of photographs and documents were also donated. [[Anna Neethling-Pohl|Prof Pohl]] presented the Merensky 2 Library with her valuable drama and theatre library as a gift.  
In 1971 Prof Pohl retired from service at the University, and Prof Cronjé followed her in 1972.  
 
  
 +
Today the Drama Department is located in the drama building on the Hatfield campus comprising of offices, two seminar rooms, three lecture spaces for practical work, a digital media studio (postgraduate) and a radio studio. The Department makes use of a movement studio on the South campus, as well as a rehearsal room and two theatres on the Hatfield campus. The Department makes use of lecture rooms in the Agriculture Annex (next to the theatres) and the Humanities building for theoretical modules. The available rehearsal venues at times struggle to meet the pressure for rehearsal space at peak times. Due to the Department’s approach to integrating theory and practice in many modules and year courses, there is a need for flexible spaces that will allow for this integration to be fully realised.
  
Prof Louw Odendaal was appointed as the new Head of Department and in 1974 the name was changed to Department of Drama and the focus narrowed. Prof L Odendaal retired as HoD in 1998 and Prof Allan Munro became HoD in 1999. Upon his resignation, Prof Carel Trichard became acting HoD and upon his retirement, Prof Fred Hagemann assumed the headship. Prof M-H Coetzee became HoD after Prof Hagemann’s retirement mid-2008.
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==Curriculum==
The Drama Department is located in the drama building on the Hatfield campus comprising of offices, two seminar rooms, three lecture spaces for practical work, a digital media studio (postgraduate) and a radio studio. The Department makes use of a movement studio on the South campus, as well as a rehearsal room and two theatres on the Hatfield campus. The Department makes use of lecture rooms in the Agriculture Annex (next to the theatres) and the Humanities building for theoretical modules. The available rehearsal venues at times struggle to meet the pressure for rehearsal space at peak times. Due to the Department’s approach to integrating theory and practice in many modules and year courses, there is a need for flexible spaces that will allow for this integration to be fully realised.
 
Historically the Drama Department modelled itself as an acting academy that focused on training actors and directors. The Department’s core business was to produce actors and directors for the theatre and television industries who left the Department after completing their BA Drama degrees. As such, postgraduate studies were not a priority. The focus of production work was on works from the Western canon and Afrikaans classics, and Page 16 of 212 – D R A F T
 
similarly the theoretical focus was on Western theatre history and South African theatre history as it pertained to the development of specifically Afrikaans and English theatre. With the exception of the past HoD’s, Prof Odendaal and Munro, the full-time staff’s focus was not on research, but on teaching – in particular on teaching practical skills to serve a performing arts landscape aligned with the demands of the provincial arts councils (also see the Department’s external evaluation report of 2000).
 
In the 1990’s there was a dramatic shift in the country towards training students as theatre-makers rather than solely as interpretive artists and towards locating drama/theatre/performance studies in a more analytical paradigm to expand on the dominantly deductive paradigm in use at the time. The Department’s external review of 2000 noted the tension between the historical approach of the Department and the attempts of the then HoD to move towards the mentioned shifts. With the resignation of the HoD, the Department reverted to its historical position for a number of years under the acting HoD, Prof Trichard. This position was again questioned with the appointment of Prof Hagemann. The residual fragments of the historical ‘dominant’ impacted on the Drama Department at many levels and for many years. The Drama Department’s acknowledgement of the changing landscape of tertiary drama/theatre/performance education was evidenced in the move away from predominately Western canonical texts and performance modes and the development of a range of courses outside of the historical offering as evidenced by the revised 2006 curriculum (which is still in place) and again in the new curriculum (to be implemented in 2016).
 
The Drama Department is currently one of the smaller Departments in the Faculty of Humanities in terms of module enrolments and staffing component. The Department has 5 full-time academic staff members, of whom 4 are permanent. The Department makes use of 1 teaching assistant and presently 3 tutors appointed from the student body.
 
  
 +
Historically the Drama Department modelled itself as an acting academy that focused on training actors and directors. The Department’s core business was to produce actors and directors for the theatre, film and television industries. The focus of production work was on works from the Western canon and [[Afrikaans]] classics, and similarly the theoretical focus was on Western theatre history and South African theatre history as it pertained to the development of specifically [[Afrikaans]] and English theatre. While most of the department's students  left the Department after completing their BA Drama degrees and postgraduate studies were not a priority, the department nevertheless produced some of the early masters and doctoral graduates, often people working on directing or on the history of South African theatre.
  
 +
In the 1990’s there was a dramatic shift in the country towards training students as theatre-makers rather than solely as interpretive artists and towards locating drama/theatre/performance studies in a more analytical paradigm. The Drama Department’s acknowledgement of this changing landscape of tertiary drama/theatre/performance education was evidenced in the move away from predominately Western canonical texts and performance modes and the development of a range of courses outside of the traditional historical offering.
  
 
== Sources ==
 
== Sources ==
  
Article submitted by [[Marie-Heleen Coetzee]]
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The departmental website at https://www.up.ac.za/drama-department
 +
 
 +
Information submitted by [[Marié-Heleen Coetzee]]
 +
 
 +
Go to [[ESAT Bibliography]]
 +
 
 +
== Return to ==
 +
 
 +
Return to [[ESAT Venues U]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[South_African_Theatre/Venues|South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc ]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[The ESAT Entries]]
 +
 
 +
Return to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 05:31, 21 August 2018

The Drama Department at the University of Pretoria is a tertiary training institution for theatre practitioners and researchers.

Aslo found as Pretoria University Drama Department and colloquially known as the Tukkies Drama Departement.


History

The Department was originally established under the name Departement Dramakunde, in January 1965 as the second Afrikaans language drama training institution situated in a University. It was intended to be part of the University of Pretoria's endeavour to introduce formal academic training in drama, music and fine arts. The department set out to train theatre practitioners that can make a contribution to the rapidly developing theatre industry of the time. The department further aimed to specifically promote Afrikaans theatre in the country.

in 1974 the name was changed to Departement Drama (or Department of Drama in English) and the focus narrowed to some extent.


Staff

The philosopher and sociologist Geoff Cronjé was appointed as the first professor and Head of Department and was initially assisted by the well-known actress and director Anna Neethling-Pohl. Prof Pohl retired from service at the University in 1971 and Prof Cronjé followed her in 1972.

In 1974 Louw Odendaal was appointed as the new Head of Department and after his retirement as HoD in 1998, he was replaced by Allan Munro in 1999. When Prof Munro resigned, Carel Trichardt acted as HoD, to be followed by Fred Hagemann upon his retirement. Marié-Heleen Coetzee became HoD following Prof Hagemann’s retirement mid-2008.

Besides the abovementioned lecturers, the staff of the department has over the years included many well known theatre personalities and teachers, such as Truida Louw, Neels Hansen, Hannes Horne, Fred Steyn, Betty Hugo, Estelle Zeeman, Pieter Brand, Johan Visser, Marth Munro, Chris Broodryk, Bailey Snyman, Myer Taub, and Morné Steyn.

Today the Drama Department has 5 full-time academic staff members, of whom 4 are permanent. The Department makes use of 1 teaching assistant and presently 3 tutors appointed from the student body.

Facilities

At first, the Department occupied temporary spaces (a number of old residences) on the University campus on the old Christian Brothers' College grounds. Gradually more permanent theatre buildings were made available: Die Masker ("The mask") (the old school hall converted to a theatre), followed later by Die Bok ("The goat") and Die Lier ("the lyre", both training spaces).

In February 1982 the Department moved to the beautiful old Brethren House, formerly part of the Christian Brothers’ College (CBC) complex. Periodically, the Department received significant donations: The Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT) made texts equipment, costumes and so on available to the Department, the Heidelberg Teachers’ Training College donated costumes in exchange for using the Department’s wardrobe, and important collections of photographs and documents were also donated. Prof Pohl presented the Merensky 2 Library with her valuable drama and theatre library as a gift.

Today the Drama Department is located in the drama building on the Hatfield campus comprising of offices, two seminar rooms, three lecture spaces for practical work, a digital media studio (postgraduate) and a radio studio. The Department makes use of a movement studio on the South campus, as well as a rehearsal room and two theatres on the Hatfield campus. The Department makes use of lecture rooms in the Agriculture Annex (next to the theatres) and the Humanities building for theoretical modules. The available rehearsal venues at times struggle to meet the pressure for rehearsal space at peak times. Due to the Department’s approach to integrating theory and practice in many modules and year courses, there is a need for flexible spaces that will allow for this integration to be fully realised.

Curriculum

Historically the Drama Department modelled itself as an acting academy that focused on training actors and directors. The Department’s core business was to produce actors and directors for the theatre, film and television industries. The focus of production work was on works from the Western canon and Afrikaans classics, and similarly the theoretical focus was on Western theatre history and South African theatre history as it pertained to the development of specifically Afrikaans and English theatre. While most of the department's students left the Department after completing their BA Drama degrees and postgraduate studies were not a priority, the department nevertheless produced some of the early masters and doctoral graduates, often people working on directing or on the history of South African theatre.

In the 1990’s there was a dramatic shift in the country towards training students as theatre-makers rather than solely as interpretive artists and towards locating drama/theatre/performance studies in a more analytical paradigm. The Drama Department’s acknowledgement of this changing landscape of tertiary drama/theatre/performance education was evidenced in the move away from predominately Western canonical texts and performance modes and the development of a range of courses outside of the traditional historical offering.

Sources

The departmental website at https://www.up.ac.za/drama-department

Information submitted by Marié-Heleen Coetzee

Go to ESAT Bibliography

Return to

Return to ESAT Venues U

Return to South African Theatre Venues, Companies, Societies, etc

Return to The ESAT Entries

Return to Main Page