Children’s theatre takes centre stage

Although it has become an integral part of Joburg, the Peoples Theatre has had a long and sometimes difficult history.

The theatre, which is based in Braamfontein where the Civic Theatre once stood, is one of less than five theatres in Joburg that is not sponsored and relies on its own funds to keep running.

This makes running operations quite challenging. But because the organisation is dedicated to providing children with great quality stage shows, there is always the motivation to keep productions going. It started off as a travelling theatre and was opened by Jill Girard in 1990.

“Peoples Theatre moved to the Joburg Theatre in 2000, but before that, I ran it at a different location, so it has been open for almost 27 years.”

Explaining why she opened the theatre, she said, “[When] I moved to Joburg there was nothing. There was no theatre for children. I started children’s theatre and we used to travel to schools, and then we went to the Intimate Theatre. I had a partner but later took it over myself.

“Keith [Smith] and I then joined up and our biggest goal was to make theatre of the highest possible calibre, and [just] because it’s children it doesn’t have to be inferior.”

Girard and Smith are well-established in the theatre industry and have a number of impressive notches on their belts – the perfect pair to start a theatre of this type. The theatre opened with a production of Alice in Wonderland and has since staged many plays, productions and workshops – and even acquired the rights to Disney productions which have, in recent years, been on show at the children’s theatre.

“When we started Peoples Theatre we used to run workshops. Now we’ve started again.” Hosting workshops and encouraging the youth to be part of each production and to attend plays, is not just a means to get children active and social, but also to develop youth that will become avid theatre goers and support theatre – a lesser appreciated art form in South Africa.

Auditions have begun for Winnie the Pooh, but there are still three productions for which children can audition later this year, so it’s time to get your children involved.

Details: www.peoplestheatre.co.za

Read: Magic carpet ride at Peoples Theatre