Double celebration as Market Theatre turns 50 in style, and so does June 16
And so as various activities will take place around the country on Tuesday, June 16, to commemorate the the Soweto Student Uprisings, a day that the post-Apartheid Government has set aside as a public holiday called Youth Day. The Market Theatre a onetime home for Protest Theatre is also celebrating its 50th anniversary.
By Edward Tsumele, CITYLIFE/ARTS Editor
As history would have it, the history of the Market Theatre is closely linked to an important event that shaped the struggle for freedom. The student Uprisings that redefined the struggle for freedom, when learners in Soweto took to the street, will on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, be celebrated and commemorated throughout the country for its milestone – its 50th anniversary. And so will the Market Theatre, which was founded also 50 years ago by two visionaries, the late theatre director Barney Simon and the respected theatre producer Mannie Manim.
As it were, the Market Theatre went on to play an important role in the fight for freedom. It became a home for theatre aimed at fighting against oppression of the kind perpetrated by the Apartheid system against black bodies.
It is a role that constantly attracted the attention of the Apartheid enforcers as the authorities became suspicious of the kind of theatre that was put on the Market Theatre’s stages. Those were brave shows that became known as Protest Theatre, and it is said that it was not a surprising phenomenon to be seated next to a stranger wearing dark glasses and a dark suit.
However, such visitors were no ordinary theatre lovers, but members of the much feared Special Branch members of the South African Police. Deployed not so secretly to police the Market Theatre’s stages to enforce the Apartheid laws. You can imagine the feeling being seated to a stranger in a black suit and dark glasses, who is not in the mood for small talk. That must have made theatre experience a test in enduring for legitimate theatre audiences who found themselves in such a situation.
And so, that was that dark past, and now in a democratic, Post-Apartheid South Africa, those who sacrificed their lives to fight the system, such as the students of 1976, some of whom paid the ultimate price, for example Hector Pieterson, their heroic acts are recognized. Likewise, those who turned their entertainment stages into sites of political theatre have every reason to celebrate.
And so as various activities will take place around the country on Tuesday, June 16, to commemorate the Uprisings, a day that the post-Apartheid Government has set aside as a public holiday called Youth Day, the Market Theatre has scheduled this coming weekend as weekend of celebrations, marking the theatre’s 50th anniversary. And so, it is a double celebration in South Africa.
The Market Theatre’s 50th Birthday Weekend: A Celebration of the South African Story
The Market Theatre Foundation is excited to announce The Market Theatre’s 50th birthday weekend celebrations, running from Friday, 19 June -Sunday, 21 June 2026 at The Market Theatre in Newtown. The anniversary festival will comprise a special performance entitled “Let’s Meet at The Market”, exhibitions, surprise appearances, a wall with the names of people who have shaped the Theatre, talks as well as a brand-new play acknowledging the historic week in which the theatre opened in June, 1976.
Each of these activities stand as a touchpoint inviting audiences to feel and be a part of the Theatre’s 50-year-strong internationally renowned legacy.
Tshiamo Mokgadi, Chief Executive Officer at The Market Theatre Foundation, describes the 50th birthday weekend as not just a calendar milestone, but a celebration of 50 years of culture-shifting storytelling, fearless resistance and giving a voice to authentic South African stories.
“As we look back, we reflect not only on the powerful works that have played on our stages, but the people who have turned our space into a dynamic, diverse and truly South African experience. This institution was not built by infrastructure alone; it has always stood on the unbending backs of many individuals, institutions and corporates whose names line the walls on the boards in our foyer.”
Artistic Director, Greg Homann, adds that the weekend programme is framed as a celebration of the South African story, complex and nuanced as it is.
“We have curated the whole birthday weekend experience not only in memory of the past, but as a commitment that The Market Theatre will always be home to the South African story in as authentic a way as possible, told by voices from all backgrounds. This is what has made The Market Theatre so resilient, so agile, and so important for us as a country, and the world, across the decades.”
Below is a full line-up of activities:
Let’s Meet at The Market – John Kani Theatre
Let’s Meet at The Market is a 90-minute multidisciplinary stage production created to celebrate the extraordinary legacy of The Market Theatre. It is a work told through music, movement, spoken word, archival imagery and live performance. Beginning in the old Indian Fruit Market of Newtown, the production journeys across five decades of artistic rebellion, resistance and reinvention, tracing how an abandoned market became one of the world’s most important theatres. The production is directed by Clive Mathibe.
Tickets for this once-off public performance on Sunday, 21 June 2026 are available at R50 from Webtickets. Bookings open on Monday, 8 June 2026.
50 Years Bold – Barney Simon Theatre
A series of five intergenerational conversations under the title, 50 Years Bold, will bring veteran actors, directors, writers, producers, designers, arts administrators and technical personnel into dialogue with the next generation of theatre-makers shaping the institution’s future. Curated by the Artistic Director, with guidance from Vanessa Cooke, Zane Meas, and Nthati Moshesh, the talks will reflect on the Theatre’s radical history, while engaging in conversations around artistic legacy, cultural activism, mentorship, storytelling, production innovation and the evolving role of theatre in contemporary South Africa.
All talks are free, but reserving a ticket via Webtickets is essential. Bookings open on Monday, 8 June 2026.
The Market Theatre Foundation Exhibition – Lindelani Buthelezi Gallery
The Market Theatre Foundation Exhibition in the Lindelani Buthelezi Gallery traces the 50-year evolution of the Foundation, charting its journey from the founding of The Market Theatre in 1976 to the growth of its wider creative family. Through archival material, posters, photography and rare images, the exhibition explores the emergence of The Market Photo Workshop, The Market Theatre Laboratory, and the addition of The Windybrow Arts Centre, revealing how each space and programme now contributes to shaping South Africa’s cultural landscape.
The exhibition is free. No reservation required.
Vision / Voice / Legacy Exhibition
This is a contemporary visual arts exhibition celebrating the icons, voices and cultural architects who continue to shape South Africa’s future. The exhibition brings together sixteen contemporary artists commissioned to create original works inspired by some of South Africa’s most influential cultural figures. The exhibition explores the intersection of legacy, identity, leadership, activism, sport, music, fashion and popular culture while creating an intergenerational conversation between the heroes of today and the dreamers of tomorrow. In partnership with the Riky Rick Foundation, the exhibition embraces the spirit of artivism—the intersection of art, culture and social impact. The featured icons include Ricky Rick, Thuso Mbedu, Anele Mdoda, Trevor Noah, Zozibini Tunzi, Julius Malema, Black Coffee and more.
The exhibition is free and open all day from 08 – 29 June 2026 at The Market Theatre.
RISE ’76 – Mannie Manim Theatre
The Market Theatre has teamed up with the Baxter Theatre to co-produce a brand new play, RISE ’76: The Story of June 16th, that honours the 50th anniversary of the Soweto Uprising – a milestone that coincides with the week in which The Market Theatre first opened its doors in 1976. It is written and directed by multi-award-winning playwright and director, Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni.
Tickets are available now on Webtickets
People of The Market
People of The Market is a wall of names that honours the thousands of individuals who have shaped the life of The Market Theatre over the past five decades. From actors, directors, writers and designers to technicians, administrators, front-of-house staff and producers, the project recognises the many people whose work and presence helped build the Theatre’s legacy. The aim of the initiative is to create the most comprehensive record possible of all those who have worked for or at The Market Theatre across its 50-year history. During the birthday weekend launch and throughout the rest of 2026, digital pads will be available for the public, former staff, artists and collaborators to submit suggested names for inclusion.
The growing installation can be visited during the Theatre’s open hours.
The Market Theatre Tours
Guided tours across the birthday weekend will offer the public a rare behind-the-scenes journey through one of South Africa’s most iconic cultural spaces. Audiences will have the opportunity to explore rehearsal rooms, backstage corridors, dressing rooms, technical areas, and other hidden corners of the Theatre that many never get to see. The tours promise an intimate glimpse into the stories, creativity, and community that continue to define the theatre’s legacy.
Tours are ticketed at R20 on Webtickets and via the Box Office.
For fifty years, our stages have been the home of the South African story, fearlessly centring the rich artistic life that has shaped a nation. Join us for a special weekend-long celebration as we journey across the decades that have forged this iconic space.