There is a common misconception that “those who can, do and those who can’t, teach”.
Teachers teach for the love of young people and education. There are those teachers who teach what they do and do what they teach.
Darryl Spijkers, the new dramatic arts teacher at Parel Vallei High School, along with English teacher Yanou Pienaar are two such teachers. Both have a passion for theatre and are actively involved in the Playhouse Theatre in Somerset West and Hottentots Holland Dramatic Society.
Spijkers is the chairperson of the society and well-known director of community favourites such as Shrek, Grease, The Wizard of Oz and Calendar Girls.
Pienaar has recently earned her director’s ticket to direct plays at the local theatre.
Both teachers were honoured at the annual Cape Amateur Theatre Awards (Cata) recently held at the Masque Theatre in Muizenburg. The prestigious awards were initiated by the Cape Times more than 30 years ago, in a bid to recognise and honour excellence in amateur productions of many theatres and societies in and around Cape Town.
Among many awards for the wildly successful Shrek, staged last year, Spijkers received awards for artistic contribution, best director of a musical, and the production won best musical overall. He also played the role of Johnny in the 2017 production of Athol Fugard’s Hello and Goodbye, whcih was directed by Pienaar. His performance in the play earned him a best actor nomination.
Hello and Goodbye also won the awards for best actress (Annelie van Zyl), best director of a play and best play. Pienaar also received the award for best new director.
