For more than three decades, Joyce Levinsohn has been the leading light in children's theatre, putting on fantastical productions and bringing some magic to the lives of young Joburgers.

JOYCE LEVINSOHN nearly closed the National Children's Theatre in 2007, but then the Lotto money came through and it was saved.

"Closing would have been dreadful, like losing a baby - God forbid!" she says now. She visited several corporates and managed to get small amounts to keep going. Her staff of four went on half-salary; she took no salary. Three months later the Lotto money came through, and the theatre was saved.

Levinsohn is a short, attractive woman of 73. She exudes warmth and sincerity, and spirituality. Fifty years ago she began working in the theatre, beginning in 1954 as a co-director of a speech and drama studio. In 1976, she established Children's Theatre Productions, taking it from its original location in her house in Morningside, to the Sandton Field and Study Centre, to the YMCA in Rissik Street, and then to its present location in two historic houses in Parktown.

Levinsohn has brought theatre to the children of Johannesburg, and along the way has found fulfilment, immense pleasure and enjoyment for herself.

Awards and accolades
Her contribution to children's theatre has been recognised nationally. Probably her highest accolade has been the Arts & Culture Trust Lifetime Achievement Award, given to her in 2001. She joins a number of other theatre people who have received this award: theatre director Gibson Kente; storyteller and actress Sophie Mgcina; the late academic and writer Es'kia Mphalele; artist Esther Mahlangu; the late theatre critic Percy Baneshik; dance director Sylvia Glasser; and playwright Ronnie Govender.

There have been other awards - Life Vita Award for her distinguished contribution to the growth of quality children's theatre; the Naledi Lifetime Award; and a finalist for the Shoprite Checkers 2004 Woman of the Year arts and culture award.

Her staff would probably give her awards too. Hazel Brown, her bookkeeper, has worked for Levinsohn for 16 years. She says she loves her job, describing her relationship with Levinsohn as great. "She's a true artist."

Sydwell Koopedi, her marketing director, who been with the theatre for four years, says: "It's a joy to work with Joyce."

Theatre in Parktown
Ridgeholm is where she and her staff have offices, dressing and costume rooms and the actual theatre. The rambling, ramshackle house has costumes decorating its walls, together with bits of stage props from the State Theatre in Pretoria.

Ridgeholm in Parktown, the home of the theatre

Rich red velvet curtains hang in the deep green passageway outside the original lounge, which has been converted into a theatre that can accommodate 150 children. Its walls and wooden floor have been painted black, and it is stacked with chairs at the back. The small stage is covered in a spider's web for her Christmas season show, Charlotte's Web.

She walks through several storerooms stacked with costumes and hat boxes, and lovingly pulls out individual costumes, some donations, others from the collection of PACT at the State Theatre. She runs her hands over the beautiful handiwork of lace-trimmed collars and cuffs, buttons and beadwork on velvet bodices and jackets, enjoying the craftsmanship.

"We recycle everything," she says, referring to the costumes being used and adapted for several productions.

A child actor
Levinsohn began her career as a child actor for Taubie Kushlick, but soon moved on to teaching drama herself. Hundreds of actors in Joburg have been trained by her.

"I'm very lucky my work is my passion," she says, "I love people, I respect people."

Her Saturday morning dance, singing and drama workshops have been going for 30 years. She bubbles with stories of meeting some of these children as successful adults, who recount tales of how those classes gave them the confidence to reach beyond themselves and achieve more than they dreamed they could.

"When actors have worked at the theatre, they have a very good reputation for work elsewhere."

Levinsohn puts on four children's musicals each year, and Joburg's children have delighted at her productions of Beatrix Potter, Tom Sawyer, Cinderella, Aladdin, Oliver Twist and others.

Outreach programme
In addition, she has an outreach programme that has over the years reached thousands of Gauteng schoolchildren. Her Songs and Tales under African Skies has been running for more than 20 years.

"The idea is to preserve African story-telling tradition and culture, with an environmental message thrown in," she says. The show has just completed a month-long tour of Gauteng schools and townships, with two shows a day.

She also has an Aids drama for children, called Picture This. Another show, Little Bear, deals with child sexual abuse, and has been running for 20 years but has been on hold for the last three years.

"It's a difficult subject and the only way it can be treated is through theatre," says Levinsohn. The actors get the message across through animal characters.

Another show on bullying, called I'm a Special Person, was briefly part of the outreach repertoire.

Mothers who've taken their children to the shows describe them as "fabulous for the children", "a bit of magic", "perfect for little children, it's very close and very intimate".

Children have enjoyed the shows too: "it's very fabulous so far", "everything was perfect", "I enjoyed the show, I learned a lot, will come again". The theatre bubbles with excitement after the shows, as children talk about the characters and the story.

In the mid-1970s, when Soweto was in flames, Levinsohn was phoned by the children who were attending her Saturday morning workshops. Not keen to drop the classes, they persuaded her to take them home with her, and they lived with her for several months.

A good teacher
What makes her a good teacher, I ask? "I am passionate about my work."

After 50 years, is she thinking of retiring? "It's time now, I want it," she says. But stepping out of something that has been her whole existence is not easy. It's not just the theatre skills that her replacement needs to have, it's running the whole theatre, something that Levinsohn has honed over many years.

It might need two people to take her place. Negotiations with a replacement have started, she says.

She is considering having different directors for different shows. "It is a tremendous responsibility on my shoulders with every production - it's got to be better than the last production."

This, she says, has always been a worry - how can she make each new production better than the last. But she has a secret method. "I often sit, and don't know what to do next. Then suddenly, I get an idea, and then," she looks heavenwards, "Thank you, Lord.

"It's always like that, and I'm going to cry." Levinsohn says, wiping her eyes. She says she's had spiritual things happening to her.

When she retires what will she do at home? "It worries me, what am I going to do? I am not a shopper," she laments, saying she will spend more time with her family, particularly her grandchildren. "I know I want to give up here. I have worked so hard to get established."

She is also concerned about her staff of four. "They are totally dedicated," she says.

But perhaps she can just sit and ponder her contribution to children's theatre in Johannesburg, and smile contentedly.

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