Passionate part-time actors

While many rush home for a night cap after work, Franklin Players are up and about, cooking up their next theatre production at the Roosevelt Park Recreation Centre.

Franklin Players is a Roosevelt Park based community theatre association that was founded more than 50 years ago. Today, they have over 300 members.

They direct and perform productions from original pieces to popular shows, such as Tom Stoppard’s The Real Inspector Hound, for which they are currently rehearsing.

Director and committee member Nicky Pantland said community theatre was for “people who are passionate about the stage and theatre but have full time jobs”. “They want to participate and be part of the theatre but they don’t have the time to do it full-time, or possibly, don’t have the courage to do it professionally,” she added.

According to Pantland, Franklin Players is the oldest community theatre association in Gauteng and has gained the favour of aspiring theatre actors outside of Roosevelt Park.

“We’ve got members that come through from Brakpan specifically to Franklin because they love Franklin Players. They love the group of people that are part of it and the kind of shows that we put on.”

Franklin Players perform four shows of varying content and genre over a year, some of which are original concepts. Once a year, they host a One Act Festival which encourages community members to submit self-written one-act plays, with an opportunity to direct them. Becoming a member, says Pantland, is as easy as walking through the doors of the Roosevelt Recreation Centre or visiting their website.

The Real Inspector Hound shows are set to take place on 13, 14 and 15 September.

Details: Nicky Pantland [email protected], www.franklin.org.za