Maralin vanrenen

MARALIN VANRENEN

Initially concentrating her career on acting she played many leading roles: in Shakespeare, Farce, Drama , Cabaret, Musicals and in Experimental Theatre Projects. Although she picked up numerous Acting nominations along the way, Maralin’s main focus of attention, in recent years has been on Writing and Directing

In 1986 Maralin attended a script-writing course at the renowned Australian Film And Television School in Sydney.

Maralin returned to South Africa in 1980.

 

Since then Maralin`s career as a director has been prolific. At one time she had five different productions running at the same time in various parts of the country. She has worked for all the major theatre managements in South Africa.

And for Television as a writer and Director.

 

Directorial Highlights :

1980-1983 Cape Town

The Baxter Theatre [Cape Town]

Sam Shepard's "Seduced" starring Henry Goodman, incidentally Maralin, Henry Goodman and the then Director of The Baxter Theatre, John Slemon, formed a production company called S.R.O. which amongst other things saw Henry starring as Groucho Marx in a South African season of “Groucho At Large” directed by Maralin.

Steven Berkoff's "West", starring Sean Taylor, Nicky Rebelo, Joanna Weinberg and James Whylie.

The Nico Malan Theatre [ Now Artscape Cape Town]

 

"Up 'n Atom", a nuclear nightmare musical, written and directed by Maralin transferred

to the Baxter Theatre for a second season and was brought up to Johannesburg by Pact to play at The Alexander Theatre.

The New Space Theatre

"Lunatic and Lover", the life story of Strindberg dramatised by Michael Meyer, was directed by Maralin.

From 1984 Maralin has been based in Johannesburg, with a break in 1986 when she

The Market Theatre [Johannesburg]

"The Dumb Waiter" and "Dock Brief" starring Dale Cutts and CharlesComyn.

"Groucho at Large" starring Franz Dobrovsky, Gaby Lomberg and Greg Latter.

"The Weekenders, written by and starring Ian Roberts with Neil Mc Carthy, Gaby Lomberg and Ramalou Makene.

 

She directed and co- wrote "Have you seen Zandile?" with the two starring actresses Gcina Mlophe and Thembi Mtshali. This production had two seasons at The Market Theatre before it transferred to the Edinburgh Festival, where it earned a much coverted "Fringe First" award. It also played in Chicago where it earned a "Jefferson Award".

“Have you seen Zandile” has just been revived and enjoyed a season at the Catalina Theatre in kwa Zulu Natal in September 2005.]

 

"A Tribute to Janis Joplin", written and directed by Maralin starring P.J. Powers, earned a Vita nomination for Best Production and played at the Grahamstown Festival, PACOFS as well as a season at Richard Loring's Sound Stage and at

The Market Theatre.

 This production was up-dated and re-staging at Ceasar’s in 2002 and was called "Get It While You Can"

Colin Law

“A Life in Song” a musical history of PJ Powers staged at the 7 Arts in Zimbabwe.

Peter Toerien Productions

 

Musicals:

Maralin earned praise when originally cast as the Mother Superior in "Nunsense".

She also directed the following productions:

"The Cocktail Hour" with Sean Taylor and John Hussy.

"The Sum of Us" which earned its star, Clive Scott, a nomination as best actor.
" In Praise of Love" starring Rex Garner and Jana Cilliers, which won Jana a Fleur du Cap Award as Best Actress and Maralin a nomination as Best Director.

"Family Secrets" starring Michelle Maxwell which had an extensive tour around South Africa and earned Maxwell a nomination as Best Actress.

"Love Julie" and "Visiting Mr. Green" starring Rex Garner and Robert Fridjhon which enjoyed 3 re turn seasons.

She has also directed "Full Gallop", "Song at Twilight", " Now Who's Talking",

"Four Hands Two Pianos" with Tobie Cronje and Kevin Feather.

" Nijinksy's Last Dance" with Gavin van den Bergh and " The Judas Kiss starring Michael Atkinson and Theo Landy". Also earning a string of nominations and awards.
Since then Maralin has also directed the stage version of “The Graduate”, the award winning “Stones In His Pockets” and a new look "Private Lives" by Noel Coward' which by public demand had a return Cape Town season.
 For a year ending October 2002 , Maralin was the Resident Director on the International touring company of "Cats"

Most recently for Pieter Toerin and Hazel Feldman “Menopause the Musical”

 
 

The Performing Arts Council of the Transvaal (PACT)
Maralin directed the Stage version of the highly successful TV Musical program

"Pumpkin Patch" and directed and adapted Janice Honeyman's "Snow White and The Seven Dwarves".

More Panto work saw her assisting the director and appearing in "Aladdin’s African Adventure", "Jack and the Beanstalk" (playing The Good Fairy ) and "Sleeping Beauty" (playing The Bad Fairy) for which she received a nomination for Best Actress in a Musical.

In 1992 Maralin worked again with Janice as her assistant on the Panto “Sinbad’s African Adventure,” and appeared on stage as Blue Blugaloo the Cannibal Queen of the Tropical Jungle.
 

The Civic Theatre

Maralin put the new order of Stand Up Comedians on the map when she started The Punchline Pub at the Civic in 1995.

Here she directed and assisted new Comedians with their writing. More seasoned and experienced Comedians had highly successful appearances here.

The Punchline Pub developed as a result of Maralins ground breaking production of "Swopping Comics", which had a sell out, extended season at the Civic Youth Theatre.

Maralin's production of "My plunge to Fame" revived Gaynor Young’s career after her horrific accident, earning Young several nominations and extensive tours around South Africa including the Grahamstown and Hilton Festivals. This she has performed for 10 years since 1994.

Other productions for the Civic include:

"Pigs with Attitude" a satirical musical revue, starring Kate Normington and Gaby Lomberg.

 

"Too many Cooks.…..?" a South African farce directed by Maralin and co-written with the cast that included Alyn Adams, Fezile Mphele and Val Donald Bell .

 

"The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in The Universe", the Lily Tomlin Broadway hit starring Gilda Blacher.

 

"Waiting for Godot", which received critical acclaim for the director and cast,James Ncgobo and Russel Savadier, Chirstopher Kindo and A.J. van der Merwe

Theatre on the Square

Maralin was chosen to direct the opening production of this brand new theatre in 1997 with the Musical, "I do I do".

Two more productions followed in 1998.

"Shopping and Schtupping" followed penned by Barbara Rubin and Gilda Blacher who both chosen to represent South Africa in the prestigious Montreal Comedy Festival in 1999.

She also directed "Play it Again", a Musical Revue of Gershwin, Porter, Berlin etc. Starring, Annabel Linder, Sam Sklair and James Ncgobo.

Thereafter, Maralin directed, the homegrown “Rootz” a one woman show written by the actress Nazali George.

In December 2005 Maralin directed “Ladies Night” and most recently Maralin directed Harry Sideroppolis’s musical review with the Nu Cool, “Three Minutes Past Love”
 Corporate Theatre

Maralin has also directed and written numerous Corporate Productions for various Industrial Theatre Companies. Raintree, (Aids and safety programmes.)

“Cinderella a Rock Panto” at Innesfree Park for the Hamlet Foundation was a sensational combination of the traditional Panto that included many of South Africa’s top rock and stand up comedy acts. Little Sister, Prophets of the City, Just Jinger, PJ Powers, Soli Philander and Basil Appolis amongst many others.

For Combined Artists, at Theatre on the Track wrote and directed the launch for Estee Lauder’s Beyond Paradise perfume, in March 2004.

Work with Janice Honeyman on The Standard Bank Young Achievers Awards at the Vodadome was voted one of the Top Ten Events of the year by Gwen Gill for 2004.

Her corporate work also includes Corporate Video Scripts for example Telkom.

Most recently for Telkom in Sept. 2005 an audio / visual script for the farewell tribute to their outgoing CEO Sizwe Nxasana.
Most recently, starting off the year 2006 in the Corporate world Maralin wrote and directed a Cabaret for FPM’s launch of their new Pride Plus Policy.
Songwriting 

In addition to the lyrics Maralin has written for all her musicals.

She has also worked as a lyricist and with P.J Powers on hit songs like "Woman of Africa", "Sithandazela, a Prayer for Peace", " Welcome to Africa",

"Sing Children Sing" and the ANC’s campaign song in the first Democratic Election in South Africa " Now is the Time." Commissioned by the President's Office to increase awareness of the Childrens Freedom Charter Maralin wrote the lyrics for "Take the Time."

TELEVISION WORK

In the last 7 years Maralin has also branched into television, writing and directing for three major sitcoms, "Going Up", "Streaks" and "S.O.S"

 In 2000 a collaboration with Blue Moon, M- Net and China's Central Television engaged Maralin to stage and direct a multi media musical show at Sun City, filmed for an International Television viewership “Hands Across the Rainbow”

 Again for Blue Moon and SATV 1 she staged and scripted the lavish, live –broadcast of the MISS SA TEEN 2002 pageant.

In 2003 one of the first local make over T.V. programme sensations, "Looks To Live By" had its title song written by

Very exciting for Maralin was the Staging of the 2004 Inauguration of Pres. Thabo Mbeki and celebration of 10 years of Democracy,.

This Musical variety show at the State Theatre, featured some of South Africa’s greatest performing talent was broadcast for TV 2 on that same night.
General Doings

Maralin co wrote and directed Val Donald Bell, of Madam and Eve, fame on her eagerly awaited One Woman Show, “Madam on Leave.

She also enthralled audiences and critics alike in Cape Town when she had a season at The Baxter in July this year 2005.

And has subsequently been nominated for a Fleur du Cap Award.

The Christmas Panto beckoned once more and after 13 years Maralin rejoined her friend Janice Honeyman when took up the task of Resident Director on “Cinderella” at Civic Theatre.