NEWS
NOMINATION OF CANDIDATES TO SERVE ON THE COUNCIL OF THE MARKET THEATRE FOUNDATION
In terms of the Cultural Institutions Act, 1998 (Act 119 of 1998), the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr G Mckenzie invites members of the performing arts (Playhouse/Theatres) fraternity and the public to nominate persons to serve as members of Council of the following Performing Arts Institution (Cultural Institution)
Nominated candidates should possess a broad understanding and experience in the field of performing arts; managerial; financial expertise; legal; marketing and liaison; fundraising; education and cultural/social research; corporate governance, as well as a willingness to render community service. The remuneration of the appointed nominees is in line with the remuneration scheme of the National Treasury guidelines as prescribed in the Cultural Institutions Act as amended.
what's on
current Event
The Market Theatre’s Kippies Fringe Programme Returns With Bold, Urgent Storytelling
26 Jun - 6 Dec 2025
Productions will start running from June through to December 2025, offering artistic vision that platforms storytelling and artistic expression that refuses to play it safe. Audiences will be treated to musical and theatrical performances, alongside the programming of cultural provocations with the power to shift the stage and spark change
upcoming Event
Marabi
29 Jan- 15 Feb 2026
South Africa’s musical theatre classic, “Marabi”, makes a grand return to The Market Theatre, launching the theatre’s year-long 50th anniversary celebrations on a high note. Directed by Arthur Molepo, who was part of the original cast, the play with music that is produced by Mpho Molepo (Molepo Theatre Projects) in association with The Market Theatre runs from 19 Jan – 15 Feb 2026.
Set in the tough Doornfontein yards of the 1930s, “Marabi” tells the story of an ordinary family of first-generation black migrants to Johannesburg who have had to move to the city, leaving behind a peaceful and predictable life. Held neatly together by a wonderful musicality, the play explores love and loss, as well as how music and memory connect the past to the present.
upcoming Event
Blues In the Night
05-22 Feb 2026
Direct from Memphis Tennessee, The Market Theatre in partnership with Hattiloo Theatre bring you a scorching, Tony-nominated musical. This is a soulful journey through love, heartbreak, and resilience. Packed with 26 hot and torchy numbers, the show follows three women as they navigate the sweet, sexy, and sorrowful consequences of a lying, cheating man who does them wrong. Their interweaving stories unfold through legendary songs spanning the breadth of this indigenous American art form, from Bessie Smith and Duke Ellington to Johnny Mercer, Harold Arlen, Alberta Hunter, Ida Cox, and more. It is raw, thrilling, and unforgettable. This show is both an homage to an essential American art form and a timeless reflection on human strength. It is raw, thrilling, and unforgettable.
Age recommendation: PG13.
upcoming Event
Isitha Sabantu
08-22 March 2026
A fictional tale inspired by real-life South African eco-defenders, Isitha Sabantu follows two grandmothers – one elephant, one human – as they fight to protect their families and land from corruption and extravism. Brought to life by the award-winning company, Empatheatre, and featuring an all-star cast and creative team, the work blends research, poetry, puppetry, music and myth to explore courage, community and our deep connections with the land and our ancestors. Empatheatre’s highly anticipated new work, Isitha Sabantu, is a story of courage, interdependence, and the love that binds humans, ancestors and other beings to the land.
Age Recommendation :13 years and above
upcoming Event
under the shade of a tree i sat and wept
09-26 April 2026
This moving and playfully irreverent production pays tribute to the unbreakable human spirit in the face of horror, and the courageous pursuit of forgiveness against bloodshed. Through archival material and newly collected testimonies, artists from South Africa and Europe reflect on the lessons offered by Kosovo’s 1990 Blood Feuds Reconciliation Campaign and South Africa’s 1995 Truth and Reconciliation Campaign.
Coinciding with the 30th Anniversary of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission hearings, this bold international collaboration examines how societies reckon with conflict and forgiveness, asking hard questions about the true cost of reconciliation.
