Review: LAMTA – ‘Encore!’

MUSICAL THEATRE/CAPE TOWN: LAMTA – Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy presents Encore! – celebrating 18 years of South African musical theatre at Theatre On The Bay, November 27 to December 7, 2019

Review: Encore!

Performers: students of LAMTA, Cape Town

Guest artists: South African musical theatre stars: Bethany Dickson, Edith Plaatjies, Sven-Eric Müller and Loukmaan Adams.

Junior guest artists: Emma-Rose Blacher and Lilla Fleishmann

Direction: Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander.

Music direction: Anton Luitingh

Choreography and staging: Duane Alexander

Costume design: Niall Griffin
Lighting design: Faheem Bardien

Sound design: Mark Malherbe

Tickets: R150 at Computicket https://tickets.computicket.com/ or at Theatre on the Bay

Thoroughly enjoyed LAMTA’s festive season show, Encore! It is fun, exuberant, energetic; beautifully staged with striking lighting (Faheem Bardien), sumptuously detailed costumes (Niall Griffin), dynamic choreography and staging (Duane Alexander).

People were walking out smiling and singing the praises of the young and talented performers of LAMTA – the musical theatre academy, operated by Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander on the premises of Theatre on the Bay.

LAMTA opened its doors for its intake of students on January 27, 2019). Only 11 months into the course and we get to see the results as the students demonstrate their mettle as “triple threats”: dancing, singing and acting.

A huge amount of work has gone into assembling Encore! An inspired move was to include musical theatre stars, Bethany Dickson, Edith Plaatjies, Sven-Eric Müller and Loukmaan Adams in the programme -to share the stage with the LAMTA students. In addition to singing, they also banter between numbers. It is also a treat to see Emma-Rose Blacher and Lilla Fleishmann – who have dazzled us in blockbusters like Annie and Matilda. They have been gracing the musical theatre stage from when they were children. I hesitate to call them “child stars”. They started young and are still young. Fleishmann recently entranced us in Matilda – the National Theatre production produced by Toerien in SA.

Director Anton Luitingh has done a sterling job in creating this celebration and tribute to 18 years of South African musical theatre and more specifically the blockbuster musical theatre productions brought to SA by Pieter Toerien.

In 2001, Toerien brought out the internationally praised production of CATS to our shores. This was a ground-breaking moment in South African musical theatre as the production featured an all-South African cast. We had same sets, costumes of the international production, with our own talent – rather than imports from abroad. Toerien put his trust in the creative industry here and that ignited the industry.

Currently there are five international touring productions which feature South African artists. Matilda is touring internationally at the moment and receiving rave reviews, under the banner of Pieter Toerien and GWB Entertainment’s International Tour.

In addition to the epic sized productions, Toerien has also staged smaller scale bonsai versions of the big musicals at his Theatre on the Bay in Cape Town and Teatro, Montecasino in Johannesburg.

Some PTP musicals have been produced in large scale and bonsai formats. Evita is an example. The latest PTP production, The Rocky Horror Show opens on Friday (December 6, 2019) at Artscape Theatre Centre, Cape Town and runs until January 20, 2019. It then transfers to Teatro, Montecasino in Johannesburg, from January 17 to March 1, 2020. This production of The Rocky Horror Show is being produced by Toerien and Howard Panter (UK) and is constructed around the footprint of a revival London production (now touring), overseen by Richard O’Brien. So, we will get same sets and costumes as in London but with a South African cast.

Innovation and excellence is key to Toerien and those core values are key to LAMTA, under the tutelage of Luitingh, Alexander and an impressive teaching staff. All of the lecturers have been active in the musical theatre industry. They are bringing their extensive experience to a new generation of musical theatre artists. Check out the results in Encore!

Congrats to LAMTA for its first year in showbiz and to Toerien for providing a home for the academy on the premises of Theatre on The Bay with its glorious location on the Camps Bay strip and sea views.

If you are reading this and Encore! is over- no worries. LAMTA will be staging shows in 2020. A dance production is scheduled for June 2020.

By the way LAMTA’S Encore! is not be confused with Encore – a musical-cabaret-comedy which is on at The Kalk Bay Theatre And Restaurant, until January 4, 2020. Both shows are fun and entertaining but they are different shows. That’s a head-up for booking purposes. When inputting Encore into the search bar, make sure which Encore you want to book tickets for.

Theatre/musical theatre academy/travel ✈ advisory: LAMTA

✔ LAMTA: 1 Link Road, Camps Bay, 8005 (on premises of Theatre on the Bay – upstairs).
Entrance into LAMTA – by auditions. Around 20-25 students will be accepted per intake.

✔ Migrating to LAMTA: Students who have completed a year or more at other institutions, may audition to join LAMTA 2 (second-year curriculum).

✔ Students with skills of excellence may be invited to audition for LAMTA 3 (final year curriculum).

✔ LAMTA Launchpad is a semester programme, tailored for artists who already have degrees/musical theatre experience and who want to upskill and/or brush up on aspects of their practice.

Info https://www.lamta.co.za/

Theatre on the Bay: 1 Link Road, Camps Bay, 8005

2️⃣ One stage – 251 seats. Two enclosed boxes (open at front) with seating for four in each box.
Sidedish Bistro – upstairs and excellent coffee and nibbles (muffins) from Sidedish booth in foyer https://www.pietertoerien.co.za/

Bookings through: http://www.computicket.co.za/ or through the theatre box office on 021 438-3301.

Theatrics Club: subscribers receive 50% discount on tickets- choose out of six shows over a season, exclusive offers to productions.