OY! Theatre

Through Our Eyes directed by Thando Doni | Photo: Simone Tavares

OY! Theatre (Obs Youth Theatre), is a performance-based neighbourhood theatre company for young people between the ages of 12 (Grade 7) and 18 years. The company meets weekly on a Monday and Friday evenings. Run by a dynamic group of professional theatre makers, OY!Theatre is a place of deep experiential learning that gives young people an opportunity to engage with all aspects of performance that include team work, group and individual responsibility, character development, design for stage, publicity and real time fundraising campaigns. This is what making theatre, in all its facets, is about.

If you are a young person who is mad about theatre and would like to find out a bit more about OY!Theatre or would like to join the company, contact Caroline on caroline@theatrearts.co.za

Since 2018, OY!Theatre has presented:

DNA, written by Dennis Kelly and directed by Jaqueline Dommisse (2018)
OY's Line is it Anyway, an improvisation performance facilitated by Megan Choritz (2018)
Through Our Eyes, created with the company and directed by Thando Doni (2018 and 2019)
Holloway Jones, written by Evan Placey and directed by Thembela Madliki (2019)
Tusk, created with the company and directed by Rosa-Karoo Loewe (2019)
Love and Information, written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Jaqueline Dommisse and Caroline Calburn (2021)
The Children's Monologues, created by Dramatic Need and directed by Lesego Chauke (2021 and 2022)
Spoken Well, an evening of poetry curated by Mahlatsi Mokgonyana (2022)
Tweet Tweet Bang Bang, written by Jasmine-Lee Jones and directed by Dara Beth (2023)
Keeping Up with the Drama Kids, an improvisatory performance facilitated by sophie Joans (2024)

In 2019, Through Our Eyes was performed at the National Arts Festival, Makhanda, giving the company an incredible experience of touring a production and participating in a national festival.

In 2022, The Children's Monologues won a Standard Bank Ovation Award at the National Arts Festival, Makhanda.

Love and Information, written by Caryl Churchill and directed by Jaqueline Dommisse and Caroline Calburn | Photo: Simone Tavares

Through Our Eyes at National Arts Festival 2019 | Photo: Mark Wessels

Tusk directed by Rosa-Karoo Loewe | Photo: Tarryn Naude

Holloway Jones written by Evan Placey and directed by Thembela Madliki | Photo: Simone Tavares

OY!Theatre 2022

Tweet Tweet Bang Bang, a SA interpretation of Seven Methods of Killing Kylie Jenner written by Jasmine Lee-Jones, directed by Dara Beth with Sthembiso Sibanda and Nandi Tavares Calburn | Photo: Simone Tavares