It’s the beginning of a new year and theatres are raising their curtains around Gauteng. Tonight makes a quick whip around to see what the performing arts are planning this year. This is just a handful with the rest following next Tuesday.
Joburg Theatre is the home of music shows and they make no secret of that starting with a return of the much-loved Whitney Houston tribute, The Greatest Love of All, starring local singer Belinda Davids, who did such a fantastic job the first time around.
Opening on Thursday and running until February 15, the Mandela will chill with the sounds of the Houston repertoire as Davids, a dead ringer for the songbird, gives it her all.
Fans can then get into the swing with another iconic singer with Elvis the Show, starring Nathan Belt, from February 19 until March 8 who will be rocking with music from the ’50s and ’60s as well as the special comeback performance in Las Vegas in 1968.
Then it’s the Festival of Fame presented by the National School of the Arts from March 10 to 15 followed by a new tradition following last year’s Anthems of Democracy titled 21 Songs for 21 Years of Democracy with a series of shows featuring different performers, the ilk of Johnny Clegg, from March 26 to April 12.
This is followed by a balletic interlude as the classical Swan Lake (April 17 to May 3) sweeps us off our feet to wallow in the folklore of this romantic tale, only to get it on again with The Life and Music of Marvin Gaye from May 5 to 16.
Australian promoters Simon Myers and Moira Bennett’s The Narrative Concerts is a mix of the life stories of the featured artist and the hit songs which brought the artist worldwide success.
The show explores Gaye’s humble beginnings, his troubled relationship with his father, his search for meaning and the music that defined a generation. Songs include I Heard It Through the Grapevine, Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, Gaye’s stunning spiritual masterwork What’s Goin’ On and the Grammy Award-winning Sexual Healing.
The wish of the Aussie promoters is to cast the leading narratives and personas of Gaye and Tammi Terrell/Diana Ross in South Africa. If you want to be in the running, watch out for audition notices.
Ballet jetées right back on May 26 until June 14 with Veronica Paeper’s Spartacus of Africa, the familiar tale of one man’s battle for dignity as he fights slavery to free the men and women around him. This huge production will feature a cast of more than 100 local dancers and some international guest artists to the music of Aram Khachaturian, accompanied by a full orchestra at every performance.
Keeping on their toes with romance firmly in the air, Romeo and Juliette, by the renowned Geneva Ballet, will be next on the programme from June 16 to 21, and then it’s back to music with a bang with the theatre’s BIG musical of the year, Sister Act. It’s the South African première production of the feel-amazing musical and as Joburg Theatre has secured the “non-replica” rights to the show for Joburg, it means that it won’t be a carbon copy from London or Broadway, but a creative collaboration and celebration of South African talent, they promise.
Based on the hit 1992 movie comedy starring Whoopi Goldberg, this one’s a delight which will hopefully offer fantastic chances for young performers with talent whizz Janice Honeyman at the helm (runs July 14 to August 16).
A double return for both Presley and pointes, Private Presley is Sean Bovim’s latest rock-’n’-roll ballet, and the salute to the King features more than 30 hit songs including Love Me Tender, Jailhouse Rock, Blue Suede Shoes, A Little Less Conversation, Hound Dog and many more.
Following the popularity of Queen at the Ballet, this will be packed with timeless classics set to hip-swaying choreography. Runs October 7 to 25.
And then Queen Honeyman again takes a bow with her annual panto party as she sprinkles the sequins with Sleeping Beauty.
With the last one still fresh in the mind of a loyal audience, they will know what to expect as Tobie Cronjé returns as Dame Nora Nursey, Christopher Jaftha takes a bow as Prince Harry Hunkador, Lynelle Kenned will steal hearts as Princess Aurora-Adora, adding Candida Masoma as the Good Fairy Floradora, Michelle Botha as the Wicked Fairy and Khakibos with the delicious Timothy Maloi as Sir Poensface Ponce-a-Lot.
It is destined to knock us off our feet from November 4 until December 30 as it blows out the last candles on the cake.