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With a large auditorium and an intimate bistro-like venue, Promusica Theatre is well placed to provide a range of arts and entertainment.
THE Promusica Theatre delves not only into opera and classical productions, but also touches on jazz, cabaret and original theatre.
The intimate Basement venue
Situated on the West Rand, at the Civic Centre in Florida Park, Roodepoort, it showcases works by professional and amateur drama groups, dance, music, choirs, singers, actors and world-class performances.
There are two venues at the theatre, which also has plenty of free parking. The auditorium seats 317, with space for wheelchair patrons, and the more intimate Basement seats 80 around tables in a bistro-like setting.
The Basement is ideal for one-man shows, jazz and cabaret. The informal setting allows people to sit at tables and enjoy drinks from the cocktail bar while watching shows.
But Promusica is not only a performance venue. The company also aims to target areas of poverty, to advance and equip disadvantaged people with income-generating skills in performing arts. This is done through community-based workshops and artists taking their performances to less privileged communities.
"The Promusica Theatre offers various tuition schemes as part of its community development programme. Joburg Promusica Theatre has produced such talent and is satisfied that the tuition schemes have become very popular," says Prisha Singh, the company's marketing and communications manager.
"Tuition in brass instruments, dance and [singing] occurs on a weekly basis at various locations. The kids from these schemes are all from less privileged communities and are striving to excel at dance, vocal tuition or brass instruments, which they hope will benefit them in the long run as income-generating skills. All the tuition schemes are facilitated by professional artists."
Two venues
The two venues are available for corporate launches, conferences and company functions. Children are accommodated in a Kidz Club, which has an annual membership fee of R75 and includes discounted tickets for shows. They can also have their parties at the theatre.
The view from the stage
Some of the most notable productions for children that have been staged at the theatre include Rapunzel and James and the Giant Peach.
Singh says one of the company's aims is to actively contributing to youth and child development. To become a central feature of development initiatives in the region is another of its aims.
It provides a platform for the youth to showcase their talents, while making use of the professional services that are provided. It is furthermore a place that provides a space for human creativity and expression.
The theatre endeavours to support, develop and offer original, innovative and relevant programming to residents to discover, expose and develop young talent and to provide services to its clients.
"There is no [other] theatre situated on the West Rand and it affords patrons from the north to attend a professional theatre closer to home. We provide world-class entertainment that caters for all," says Singh.
Shows staged at the venue range from classical and jazz to contemporary and dance.
Up-coming shows
Henriet Fourie, a young up-and-coming South African soprano, performs a range of diverse pieces from the baroque era to Afrikaans art songs on 18 July at 8pm.
Jaco 30 is a one-man Afrikaans show about being gay. It is on 24 July at 8pm in the Basement. The age restriction for this 30-minute show is 16. Tickets are available from the theatre.
Daai Een Met Vlerke is another Afrikaans production that poses the questions: have you ever seen an angel? What would you do if you trapped one in your kitchen? It is a story about angels and the people who come into contact with them. This cabaret makes use of humour and energy to depict how heavenly wishes are intertwined with people's earthly existence. It is on 1 August at 7pm.
An Opera Gala is planned for 2 August at 6pm, and tickets cost R150; they are available from Computicket outlets, on 083 915 8000 or 011 340 8000, or through the Computicket website.
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