The Market Theatre Foundation announces Greg Homann’s first programme as Artistic Director
The Market Theatre Foundation is pleased to announce the appointment of Greg Homann as its Artistic Director. The choice of Homann for this important role signals the ambition of the Foundation to position itself at the apex of artistic performance. Homann brings a wealth of experience as a director, writer, mentor and cultural historian to this role.
The Play Development Programme is a major focus of the announcement, aimed at developing and harnessing the talent of the next wave of South African playwrights. The call-out for applications are for Workshop Collectives, Scripts, Associate Playwrights, and Writers. This includes the offer of mentorship and masterclasses from some of South Africa’s most established and celebrated playwrights, including the likes of Fatima Dike, Craig Higginson, Phyllis Klotz, Smal Ndaba, and Paul Slabolepszy.
Homann said, “We will be selecting 12 Associate Playwrights and 8 writers for this first cycle, with a focus on supporting women writers and writers who have experience in mediums other than theatre. We are also inviting workshop collectives to make use of The Market’s space and resources leading to showcases of their new work.”
The Artistic Director is inviting writers who already have unproduced full-length plays to submit them for consideration and feedback. Homann added, “As part of this call-out, we are looking for fresh and compelling scripts that showcase a unique South African voice.” Up to 60 plays will be selected to receive a Reader’s Report.
Homann has bold plans for the Market Theatre and has indicated that he intends to hit the ground running. “Soon after taking up the role, I want to initiate a multi-pronged new plays development programme aimed at writers, playwrights, and theatre-makers of all experience levels. Let’s invest time and energy into preparing our untold stories for future production.”
Homann has deep respect for the history of the Market Theatre Foundation and he has expressed his desire to tap into this deep well of historical goodwill. “For almost 50 years The Market Theatre Foundation has served as an unflinching platform for the very best actors, performance artists, directors, playwrights, theatre-makers, designers, and visual artists in this country. It has given our most socially engaged and politically conscious storytellers a voice. I believe a significant part of the job is to open the door to the next generation of such artists,” adds Homann.
Prior to his appointment at The Market Theatre Foundation, Homann brought his decisive leadership style to institutions such as The Wits School of Arts and AFDA Johannesburg where he was the Head of the School of Live Performance. Homann was for a time Resident Dramaturg at The South African State Theatre.
In the USA he has served as dramaturg on Syracuse Stage’s 2021 production of Athol Fugard’s ‘MASTER HAROLD’…AND THE BOYS and has more recently been working with San Jose Stage in California on the world-premiere of L. Peter Callender’s STRANGE COURTESIES.
His past productions at The Market Theatre are LORD OF THE FLIES, BROTHERS IN BLOOD, DELIRIUM, FLORENCE, and THE LESSON. Other career highlights to date include A VOICE I CANNOT SILENCE, a five-man version of THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE, PTERODACTYLS, SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER, AIDA ABRIDGED, OEDIPUS @ KOÖ-NÚ!, and creating IN OUR SKIN under commission as Associate Artist at the Midlands Arts Centre (MAC) in the UK which drew on verbatim interviews to depict the lives of gay men living in Birmingham and Johannesburg.
In 2014 Homann was awarded the Standard Bank Young Artist Award for Theatre. His productions have been nominated for over forty awards, winning two Standard Bank Ovation awards, and twelve Naledi Theatre Awards including Best New South African Play and two for Best Cutting-Edge Production.
For interviews and more images contact:
Lusanda Zokufa, Acting Brand and Communications Manager 072 367 7867 or lusandaz@markettheatre.co.za