The Playhouse Company in Durban will present a 90-minute programme, specially devised for school teachers, to be staged in the Playhouse Drama from October 26 to 28 at 11h00. The event will highlight excerpts from three productions that the Playhouse Company plans to stage next year as part of its schools education and development programme.

The first half of the presentation will comprise a 20-minute scene from Phenduka Dance Theatre's recently created stage work, Traces, aimed at senior primary schools; and a 20-minute extract from Shakespeare's tragedy, King Lear, to be directed by Garth Anderson of the Actors Co-operative for high school audiences.

After interval a 45-minute extract will follow of a new dramatisation for high schools of the Zulu set work novel, Umthathe Uzala Umlotha. Commissioned by the Playhouse Company, the stage dramatisation of this work will be directed by Thami Sikhosana and performed by Action Space Theatre Company with Sduduzo Kawula, Bheki Kabela, Bhekani Shabalala, Sifiso Makhanya and Thami Sikhosana in the cast.

The presentation will include a light lunch as well as lucky draw prizes. The Playhouse Company encourages Durban and KZN schools to delegate at least two of their teachers to take advantage of this valuable opportunity of catching a glimpse its schools productions for 2006. This will greatly facilitate their advance bookings for these upcoming productions.

Teachers interested in attending should contact Margie Coppen on 031 266 7892 (phone/fax), 083 251 9412 or e-mail margie@thinktheatre.co.za