Curriculum Vitae
Dion Theo van Niekerk
E-mail: uszozo@yahoo.com
Address: 72 Donald Murray Avenue
Bloemfontein
Cell number: 0724775863
Academic Qualifications
Matriculation Dawnview High School 1983
A-aggregate Germiston
BA in English and Drama Rhodes University 1991
Grahamstown
BA(Hons) in Drama Rhodes University 1992
Directing
Theatre History
Applied Theatre
Voice and Speech Training
Dramatic Literature
MA in Drama (with distinction) Rhodes University 2002
Papers: Theatre Studies
Contemporary Performance
Applied Theatre
Thesis (supervised by Reza de Wet)
Theatre and Science, with specific reference to Shelagh Stephenson’s An Experiment with an Airpump
MFA in Theatre and Dance Tulane University 2006
New Orleans, USA
Scenic and Costume Design
Theatre History
Directing
Viewpoints
Periods and Styles
Employment History
Lecturer (Full Time) University of the Free State (Current)
Bloemfontein
Project Officer (Full time) National Arts Festival (2012 - 2015)
Grahamstown
Resident Director (Full Time) Ubom! Eastern 01/11 – 12/11
Cape Drama Co
Professor of Practice (Contract) Tulane University 07/08 – 07/09
Theatre and Dance
New Orleans, USA
Replacement Lecturer (Contract) Rhodes University 01/10 – 12/10
Drama Department 07/07 – 12/07
02/02 – 06/02
09/97 – 08/98
Teaching Assistant (Contract) Rhodes University 08/02 - 08/03
Drama Department 02/99 - 09/99 P.O. Box 94 02/96 - 06/97 Grahamstown, 6140
Education Officer (Full Time) Grahamstown Foundation P.O. Box 304 08/94 – 08/95
Grahamstown, 6140
Experience in Education
I taught at Rhodes University, both full-time and part-time, from 1994 – 2003 and again from 2006-2007, and for 2010. My duties as teaching assistant and replacement lecturer included the following:
Course administration and supervision
Undergraduate Voice and Speech
Undergraduate Applied Theatre
Honours Applied Theatre
Undergraduate teaching:
Dramatic Literature Theatre in South Africa Theatre History Stage Management
Applied Theatre
Postgraduate teaching:
Honours Theatre Studies Honours Design
Honours Applied Theatre Honours Dramatic Literature
MA Theatre Studies - Contemporary American Theatre
Examining:
Internal examiner for Rhodes Drama Department
External examiner for Rhodes Drama Department
External examiner for Midrand University - undergraduate
External examiner for Wits University – Masters and undergraduate
As Professor of Practice at Tulane University, my teaching assignments included:
Undergraduate teaching:
Theatrical makeup
Postgraduate teaching (at MFA level):
Periods and Styles
Designing for other Media
Theatre semiology
Supervision:
MFA Thesis work
I am currently teaching as a Junior Lecturer in the Department of Drama and Theatre Arts at the University of the Free State. I teach in the following fields:
Undergraduate:
Acting Theory and Practice
Voice and Speech Theory and Practice
Voice for Radio
Acting Realism
Acting Shakespeare
Set and Costume Design
Applied Theatre for actors
Postgraduate:
Theatre making practice
Acting
Developing research proposals
Applied Research in the Performing Arts
Areas Of Specialization For External Examining And Article Review Purposes:
- Scenography
- Dramatic Literature
- Directing
- Theatremaking
Theatre Experience
Nonprofessional performance
As a student and teaching assistant I performed in over 40 productions for Rhodes University and two for Tulane University. I also directed 5 productions for Rhodes.
Professional performance: National
He in God and Fetish Engineering by Stacy Hardy 1994
Directed by Stacy Hardy
Produced by Red Couch Productions
The Judge in Whose Life is it Anyway? 1994
Directed by Rohan Dickson
Produced by Not-too-shabby Productions
Winnie-the-Pooh in Winnie-the-Pooh adapted from the books by A.A.Milne 1994
Directed by Kalmia Hayes
Produced by Doggone-it Productions
Sigmund Freud in A Portrait of Dora by Helene Cixous 1996
Directed by Christo Doherty and Stacy Hardy
Produced by Red Couch Productions
The Father in Planetmachine by Kevin Fell 1998
Directed by Kevin Fell
Produced by Fellt Theatre
Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare 2003
Directed by Paige Newmark
Produced by ISEA
Hamlet in Hamlet and Corin in As You Like It by William Shakespeare
2007
Directed by Paige Newmark
Produced by the Shakespeare Society of South Africa
Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare
2011
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
I performed as an improviser in Imprv-oh-ccasion
2016
Co-directed with Thys Heydenrych
Performed at Vrystaat Kunstefees, Bloemfontein
Kilo in Suiker by Hugo Claus
2016
Directed by Nico Luwes
Performed at Vrystaat Kunstefees, Bloemfontein
(I received the award for Best Actor at the Vrystaat Kunstefees for this performance)
Jaap in My Liewe Meneer Malan
2017
Written and Directed by Nico Luwes
Performed at Vrystaat Kunstefees, Bloemfontein
Popeye in Is die Bar al Oop?
2017 and 2018
Written and Directed by Nico Luwes
Performed at Inniebos Festival, Nelspruit and the Vrystaat Kunstefees 2018
Dunlop in Sarah by Jan Brink
2017
Directed by Stephanie Brink
Performed at Vrystaat Kunstefees, Bloemfontein
(This play received the award for Best Vrystaat Production at the Vrystaat Kunstefees)
Meneer Grootkop in Tambootie die Pop
2018
Directed by Gerben Kamper
Performed at Studio 2, PACOVS, Bloemfontein
Professional performance: International
I was employed by the SFT, a Shakespeare repertory company in New Orleans, for two seasons and played the following roles:
Richmond and Brackenbury in Richard III by William Shakespeare 2004
Directed by Aimee Michel
.
Macduff in Macbeth by William Shakespeare 2004
Directed by Aimee Michel
Antonio in The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare 2005
Directed by Aimee Michel
Brabantio in Othello by William Shakespeare 2005
Directed by Aimee Michel
The Duke of Milan in Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare 2005
Directed by Gary Rucker
Directing
Directed An Experiment with an Airpump by Shelagh Stephenson
1999
Lead performer: Andrew Buckland
Produced by Rhodes University
Directed Blood Wedding by Federico Lorca 2002
Produced by Rhodes University
Directed The Lorax by Dr Seuss 2003
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Directed Big Love by Charles Mee 2006
Produced by Rhodes University
I was resident Director for Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company for 2011. During this time I worked on the following theatrical projects:
Devised and Directed The Land of the Cranes
2011
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Directed Romeo and Juliet: Remixed
2011
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Devised and Directed Phases
2011
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Devised and Directed Carol’s Christmas
2011
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Directed opening ceremony for Scifest 2013 and Scifest 2014
2013, 2014
Produced by Scifest Africa
Directed Gouelokkies by Karen Combrink
2015
Produced by PACOVS
Co-director of Improv-oh-ccasion
2016
Performed on the Vrynge at Vrystaat Kunstefees
Directed The Lover by Harold Pinter
2016
Performed at the Scaena Theatre, UFS
Produced by the UFS Drama Department
Directed The Birthday Party by Harold Pinter
2016
Performed at the Scaena Theatre, UFS
Produced by the UFS Drama Department
Directed Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw
2017
Performed at the Wynand Mouton Theatre
Produced by the UFS Drama Department
Directed Tok Tok
2017
Performed at the Vrystaat Kunstefees
Produced by Missing B Productions
(This play won the award for Best Vrynge Debut at the Vrystaat Kunstefees)
Directed The Hate Crime Project
2017
Performed at the Scaena Theatre, UFS
Produced by UFS Drama Department
Directed The Bald Diva by Eugene Ionesco
2018
Performed at the Scaena Theatre
Produced by the UFS Drama department
Writing and Collaboration
Co-writer for Journey to Fez 2002
Directed by Juanita Finestone
Produced by Rhodes University
Writer and performer for 16 Kinds of Emptiness
2006
Directed by Juanita Finestone-Praeg
Produced by First Physical Theatre Company
Costume design and performance for Oh! The Places You’ll Go…
2007
Directed by Juanita Finestone-Praeg
Produced by Rhodes University
Co-writer and co-director for Inner Piece
2009
Directed by Juanita Finestone-Praeg
Produced by First Physical Theatre Company
Co-writer of Amended Desire
2013
Directed by Michellene Botes
Produced by South Paws Drama Company
Design work
Set design for River Runs devised by the cast 2004
Performed in Room 300, Tulane University, New Orleans, USA
Produced by Tulane University and the Riversphere Project
Set design for Chekhov’s Wild Ride devised by the cast 2004
Directed by Obie Award winner, Kathy Randells
Performed at Bank One Arena, New Orleans, USA
Produced by Artspot/Moving Humans
This production was nominated for several The Big Easy Awards
Set design for Two Gentlemen of Verona by William Shakespeare 2005
Directed by Gary Rucker
Performed in the Lupin Theatre, New Orleans, USA
Produced by SFT
Set Design for The Fastest Clock in the Universe by Philip Ridley
2006
Directed by Awelani Moyo
Performed at the Rhodes Theatre, Grahamstown
Produced by Rhodes University
Set Design for Wet Feet by Tanya Surtees
2006
Directed by Tanya Surtees
Performed at the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown
Produced by Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company
Set Design for Gouelokkies by Karen Combrink
2016
Performed at Sand du Plessis Theatre, Bloemfontein
Produced by PACOVS
Community Projects
Below are selected examples of community projects that I have been involved in:
Cast member of Shredded Shakespeare, a school setwork programme for Eastern Cape matriculants
Co-devised and performed in Playing for Time, an interactive theatre experience exploring interpretations of Eastern Cape history
Cast member of Inyani, an environmental awareness production
Co-devised and performed in Dances with Words, a poetry collage for matriculants
Facilitator of Project X, a Theatre of the Oppressed experience for the National Schools’ Festival
Adjudicator for regional finals of the Surf Drama Festival
Drama curriculum advisor for the Grahamstown Foundation Eisteddfod
Consultant to Lovedale Community College’s Drama Department
Consultant for the Eastern Cape DramAide project
Co-devised River Runs with the Riversphere Project of Tulane University in New Orleans, a program investigating the dangers of hurricanes in relation to the Mississippio River
Mounted an exhibition Theatre and Science for the Sasol SciFest
Narrator of audio-books for the S.A. Library for the Blind
(Received S.A. Library for the Blind’s Narrator of the Year Award for 1995)
Narration of presentation video for CUADS, UFS.
I have taught courses and conducted workshops for the following:
National Schools Festival Acting, Text work, Theatre Sports
The President’s Award Scheme Drama and Communication
Toyota (S.A.) Communication Skills
First Physical Theatre Company Drama (for the Professional Development Programme)
2018
Director of Reality Check by Nico Luwes. This play was commissioned by NICRO, a community based anti-crime project.
Workshops on Theme Programmes for Grade 12s, presented to local teachers and learners.
Conferences
National:
SAADYT (SA Association for Drama and Youth Theatre) 1997
Grahamstown
Conducted a workshop: “Using Drama in the Classroom”
EEASA Environmental Education Conference 1999
Grahamstown
Presented a paper/workshop: “Drama Methodology in Environmental Education”
ILLITHA Arts Education Conference 2000
Grahamstown
Conducted a workshop: “Images and Debates”
International:
4th World Congress of the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association 2001
Bergen, Norway
Co-authored a paper: “The Skeleton in the Basement: Educational Drama, Science and Ethics”
“Saving Ole Miss”: The Riversphere Conference
2004
New Orleans, USA
Collaborated on a theatrical presentation: River Runs
Publications
Accredited Journal:
2002. “The Skeleton in the Basement: Educational Drama, Science and Ethics”. Playing Betwixt and Between: The IDEA Dialogues 2001. IDEA Publications: Brisbane.
School Text Book Chapters:
2002. “Shaking up Shakespeare”. Arts and Culture Today, Grade 8. Maskew Miller- Longman: Cape Town.
2002. “Shaking up Shakespeare: Teaching Guide”. Teacher’s Guide to Arts and Culture Today, Grade 8. Maskew Miller-Longman: Cape Town.
Book Reviews:
2003. Review of The Plays of Miracle and Wonder by Brett Bailey. Wordstock: Grahamstown.
2003. Review of Dark Outsider by Anthony Akerman. Wordstock: Grahamstown.
Editor for:
2006. Rhodes Drama Review (ed.). Cadar: Port Elizabeth.
2007. Rhodes Drama Review (ed). Cadar: Port Elizabeth.
2013. Scifest Africa Programme (ed). Valmac: Port Elizabeth
2014. Scifest Africa Programme (ed). Cadar: Port Elizabeth
Event Management Experience
As Project Officer for the National Arts Festival, and Manager of the National Science Festival (the largest on the continent), I have gained experience and expertise in the following:
Event planning
Financial administration
Office administration
Data base management
Computer competency
Staffing
Safety and Security
Ticketing systems
Contracts and payments
Staff management
Media and marketing
Proofreading and editing
Training
Travel and Accommodation
Banqueting
Entertainment