| The Golden Girls- Celebration of iconic TV show on stage at The Masque Where: The Masque Theatre, 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7950, South Africa When: May 24 to June 1, 2024 Direction and adaption: Wayne Ronné Cast: Gwendolen Ward, Tanya Smith, Katherine Fillmore and Kerith Coulson Tickets: From R120 at Quicket or the Masque Box Office – open 9qm to 2pm on Wednesdays Booking link: https://qkt.io/GoldenGirls Discounted block bookings -more than 10 tickets: e-mail manager@themasque.co.za Wheelchair access: Yes Secure parking: Yes |
The delicious TV sitcom, The Golden Girls is being brought to the stage in Cape Town, at the Masque Theatre, Muizenberg, from May 24 to June 1, 2024. The production is directed by Wayne Ronné. This adaption is by Ronné, working from four episodes of the iconic 80s sitcom. The series was a trailblazer in its approach to giving a platform to older women and did not shy away from mainstreaming issues such as LGBTIQ, HIV Aids. Transcending the issues, the leitmotif of friendship and female bonding, lashed with ribald mirth, moments of over-the-top camp and fabulousness, resonated with audiences of all ages and still does, noting the popularity of the series in repeats and views on YouTube. The series was filmed in front of a live audience in a studio and this layered the punchlines with an immediacy as the protagonists riffed off laughter from the audience. It was not canned laughter. The Golden Girls was the Sex in the City of its time – for mature ladies. Look forward to seeing the series brought to life on stage by Ronné. This is a new adaption – and apparently the first time that The Golden Girls is being devised on stage, in South Africa. There are adaptions being currently staged, internationally but the Masque production is new – a proudly South African evocation of the much loved series. Read on for more. Info as supplied:
Celebration of iconic TV show for The Masque
In a celebration of the iconic TV show, The Masque is presenting THE GOLDEN GIRLS this May!
For the first time in Cape Town, four episodes of the programme have been adapted for the stage. The production will be presented from May 24 until June 1, 2024.
For those who might not know, The Golden Girls is a sitcom from the late 80s and early 90s about four mature women living together in Miami and experiencing the joys and angst of their golden years.
Strong-willed Dorothy, spacey Rose, lusty Southern belle Blanche and matriarch Sophia may occasionally clash but they’re there for one another in the end.
“The people who watched the show will fondly remember its catchy, signature theme tune with the words “Thank you for being a friend”, which encapsulates the essence of this very popular series,” says Faeron Wheeler, Head of Programming at The Masque.
“Audiences will delight in seeing these legendary characters come to life again on stage, in a journey filled with fun, irreverence and poignancy as they navigate their golden years. Ultimately, the show was a celebration of friendship and resilience, an exploration of how diverse characters can live together and still thrive through unity and love. These are themes everyone can recognise and enjoy, whether you are 18 or 80!”
Wayne Ronné has adapted the show and is directing it for the stage. He comments, “Watching the Golden Girls in the 80s was just about entertainment and not realising how much of an impact the ladies had on society. The four ladies really pushed boundaries during their times on screen. I grew to love Rose when I was much younger but realised as an adult, I am Dorothy.”
The production features Gwendolen Ward, Tanya Smith, Katherine Fillmore and Kerith Coulson.
No stranger to The Masque, Wayne Ronné has been a staple figure at the venue since 2008. He has been writing scripts and acting since he was 13 years old and received formal training later in life at the Cape Academy of Dramatic Arts in Observatory. Wayne has written many plays over the years such as Four Chairs (2015) at The Masque and Inertia (2019) at the Baxter Theatre. He was recently in The Masque’s productions of Rapunzel (2023) and Twelfth Night (2023) where he was nominated for Best Actor in a Play (CATA).
The Golden Girls will be performed on:
May 24, 25, 29, 30, 31 and June 1 at 19h30
May 25 and 26 and June 1 at 14h30
Tickets cost from R120. Bookings can be made at Quicket
For discounted block bookings of more than 10 tickets – please contact manager@themasque.co.za
The Masque Box Office is open from 9am to 2pm every Wednesday.
Cash bar and simple snacks are available for sale at the Theatre.
The Masque is situated at 37 Main Rd, Muizenberg, Cape Town, 7950, South Africa.
Parking is available at the venue. Wheelchair Access and Facilities available.
The Masque has a back-up generator so the show will go on, even when there is load shedding!
*Join the Masque community! Become a member and have your say in the theatre. You can also sign up as a volunteer to participate on stage or behind the scenes, from stage management to archiving the wardrobe department!
| The Masque More than 60 years old, The Masque is an iconic venue in the Cape Town cultural landscape. A unique and historic space, it has been home to many amateur theatre societies over the years and was established by local attorney Bertie Stern with the objective of encouraging voluntary participation in all forms of theatre by all people. Stern had a vision to provide a platform for both amateur and professional performers regardless of their social or political situation at that time. When The Masque opened, it was one of the only theatres in Cape Town that was open to people of all ethnic backgrounds. A registered Non-Profit Organisation, The Masque strives to make theatre accessible to all – onstage, backstage and for the audience. Run by volunteers with a focus on community, the theatre showcases all genres of performance and is as widely inclusive as possible. The Masque is wheelchair friendly, has a fully licensed bar and snacks are available before shows and during intervals. In 1993 Bertie bequeathed The Masque into trust for the benefit and growth of community theatre. The theatre was totally destroyed by fire in 1997 and it took two years to rebuild (thanks largely to the generosity of the late Joan St Leger-Lindbergh). The Theatre is still owned by the Stern Masque Theatre Trust and is managed by a board of volunteers. At the helm of the operation is a team with professional theatre experience. Continuing its work into the post-Covid-19 era, The Masque seeks to present high-quality amateur theatre productions, providing a service of artistic engagement with the local community, celebrating diversity and building on the Theatre’s reputation as a sought-after professional venue-for-hire. Join the conversation on social media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/masquetheatresa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/masquetheatresa/ Website: www.themasque.co.za |
❇ Sponsored feature. Featured image: Left to right clockwise Gwendolen Ward, Kerith Coulson, Tanya Smith and Katherine Fillmore. Photo by Christine Kaye. Supplied.
