The extraordinary life of Themi Venturas

THE legendary theatre god and well loved Durban man, Themi Venturas, was recently diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but his diagnosis has not taken anything from his larger than life personality.

Themi is the CEO and Artistic Director of Themi Venturas Productions (TVP), Festival Director: Durban International Blues Festival,Chairperson: Dance and Theatre Network of KZN (DATNET-KZN), Board member: Alliance Francaise De Durban and the Ambassador: Arts and Culture Trust of the president among other things.

After his diagnosis in April, his cousin in Perth, Australia, recommended a chemotherapy drug, Abraxane, a cancer treatment drug that is not yet registered for use in South Africa but the treatment costs R60 000 for a full cycle and he will need more than one cycle.

Name change

Themi was born in Mutare, Zimbabwe in 1958, the youngest of four sons to the Lostroms. His original birth certificate had his name listed as Michael George Lostrom.

His name was changed in 1963 to Themistocles Venturas when he was adopted by his aunt and uncle at the age of five.

“My aunt Evangelia Venturas had a stillborn child, and it would seem, or that is what the doctor’s told her, that if she had a child living with her she would overcome her fear of pregnancy and fall pregnant again. After the year was over, my aunt did not fall pregnant. By then, off course, they were in love with me so they begged my parents to let them adopt me.

“After much deliberation my parents agreed and I was adopted at which point I was reborn as a South African citizen with a new birth certificate registered in Port Elizabeth, this time and with my new name, Themistocles Venturas,” he said.

Themi, who attended the Catholic school Marist Brothers College, wrote his first play in Grade 9 called The Passion of the Christ. “As a result of my successful passion play, I was immediately regarded as the drama guy

“Prior to that I had won several beachfront talent contests. My first win was as Elvis (age 5) where I sang Teddy Bear with full hip gyrations. ,” he said.

According to Themi theatre was not an acceptable career at that time and his parents sent him to university to study a “proper degree” and he opted for Quantity Surveying

While studying QS he carried on doing as much theatre as possible and found that the degree courses of cost accounting, economics and applied mathematics (at which he excelled) were to be very useful in his later performing arts career.

Theatre work

“In 1984 I attained a QS Honour’s Degree cum laude. I became a drama student leader and we instituted a Drama Theatre Camp for high schools on campus called DRAMART which was to be the catalyst to the careers of Michele Constant (SAFM presenter and CEO of Business and Arts South Africa) and Megan Power (consumer journalist).

“It was during my student days at UKZN that I became a student activist and joined the marches around campus,” he said.

In 1985 he started working at and headed the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre Company (EST) and established the EST Workshop group where classes were given to township youth mainly from Lamontville.

“In a small room in the back of my home, TVP came into being in 1993. At the time I was the only independent professional theatre company in Durban, if not in KZN,” he said.

Themi has directed and produced many local, national and international productions the most memorable of which was Princess Magogo kaDinuZulu the first Zulu opera which, after several successful SA performances and tours, went to the USA, Netherlands and Norway.

“I directed the premiers of many other South African works. Nothing excites me more than being the primary creator of a new work.

With the news of Themi’s diagnosis and funds dilemma, friends of the theatre director have begun raising funds and a GoGetFunding account has been opened.

Durban comedy big shots John Vlismas, Aaron McIlroy and Jem Atkins have joined forces for a fund-raising show.

“I’m deeply moved by the generosity of my friends in supporting me through this difficult time. I hope they will get the support they deserve as they are masters of comedy and now chemody,” said Themi.

To support Themi visit the following Go Get Funding link https://gogetfunding.com/medical-costs-for-themi-venturas/ and make a donation.