CITYLIFE/ARTS pays tribute to an iconic theatre producer Zodwa Shongwe
In a nutshell – the artistic director dreams and the producer implements and monitors the dream-Zodwa Shongwe.
By Edward Tsumele
Those who would like to say their final words and good wishes to the departed theatre producer Zodwa Shongwe will have an opportunity to do so on this Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the Market Theatre. Shongwe, the long serving theatre producer passed on, on April 14, 2025 at her Johannesburg home, and since the news broke out it triggered an avalanche of messages of shock on social media from mainly those in the creative sector whose paths crossed with hers over the years.
The iconic Market Theatre, situated within the Newtown Cultural precinct is therefore inviting friends, colleagues and well-wishers to the memorial services which will be held in the John Kani Theatre from 11am to 1pm, to offer a grieving creative and cultural industry an opportunity to say their final words to a theatre producer who touched many a thespian’s life as a long serving producer who worked for years first at the then windybrow Theatre before it lost its theatre status in the 2000s and got incorporated into the Market Theatre Foundation as one of its business units, and later at the Market Theatre, where she held the forte as a behind the scenes person who made sure that productions and the life of playwrights ran smoothly. She held that job and shined the light on the theatre. Being a producer is a demanding job that needs one to have special skills that make sure that productions run smoothly, skills that Shongwe had in abundance.
Zodwa in her career at both institutions worked with various artistic directors and Chief Executive Officers who came and left her at both institutions, such as Vuyo Maphela as Chief Executive officer at Winybrow and Jerry Pooe as Artistic Director at the same institution. When Wyndybrow became part of the Market Theatre Foundation, she was transferred to the Market Theatre where she held the same position till her death, seeing her work with a number of senior theatre executives, including Annabell Lebethe, (currently Chief Executive Officer of the Southern African Music Rights Organisations-Samro) Ismail Mahomed (the current Director of The Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal) and the current Chief Executive Officer Tshiamo Mokgadi, as well as working alongside then Artistic Director James Ngcobo (who has since moved on to become Artistic Director of Joburg City Theatres) and Greig Homann, the current Artistic Director at the Market Theatre Foundation.
And therefore, Zodwa has had a sometimes rocky, but a distinguished career in theatre as a producer, making her one of the most experienced theatre producers in the country with a wealth of experience behind her name. Zodwa Studied Drama at University of Durban Westville – UDW.
And just to shed further light about Zodwa’s experience and nature of her job, below we reproduced an interview I had with her in 2020, during the height of the global pandemic, Covid-19, published on this publication:
CITYLIFE/ARTS Women’s Month Special Features Market Theatre
Up Close and Personal with Zodwa Shongwe
Producer at the Market Theatre Foundation
In Today’s edition of the series marking Women’s Month, focusing on women leaders at the Market Theatre Foundation, CITYLIFE/ARTS editor EDWARD TSUMELE (ET) speaks to ZODWA SHONGWE (ZS), Producer at the Market Theatre Foundation.
ET You have varied experience in theatre, ranging from finance to project management, and of course, producing? How are these varied skills helping you in your current position as producer?
ZS: These are critical skills for planning and budgeting. As a producer, the crux of my responsibilities lies with understanding the Rands and Cents. Being able to allocate funds appropriately to the different production costs items. Understanding industry benchmarks and trends and aligning those to our budgets. The creatives that will be involved in a production and their experience and expertise that they will bring to a production. To be realistic in allocating for the various line items and consider the possible return on investment. This speaks directly to the revenue generation and numbers. I term this the “emotion-less creativity”. Focusing on what is financially realistic whilst enabling creativity to thrive.
The other aspect is understanding public finance management, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency. These are key responsibilities in a public funded institution. Whilst there is a need for redress and providing access to performance spaces, this should be carried out in an effective and efficient manner that is financially prudent.
ET: From outside the arts people tend to be confused about the role of a producer and say, that of artistic director? What are the roles of a producer?
ZS: Planning, evaluating, and monitoring. These are big words that loosely define your role as producer: –
– Looks after the finances and manages how the budget is spent
– Negotiates and issues contracts
– Organises and manages technical, administration, and other support activities
– Agreeing to project and identifying possible funding sources, whether internal
or external
– Agreeing to production timelines
– Setting ticket prices and influencing the marketing strategy
– Holding regular meetings with directors, creative teams and artists
– Ensuring legal compliance such as copyright law, insurance liability, and other
factors.
– Reporting to relevant stakeholders
– Creating a storyline that supports the artistic vision
In a nutshell – the artistic director dreams and the producer implements and monitors the dream
ET: .The Market Theatre per year produces a lot of shows and that should be demanding on the producer, who needs to make sure that everything runs smoothly, and contracts are signed, and people get paid on time. How do you make sure that you copy with this kind of workload?
ZS: Passion for the work that we do. Commitment to the cause, understanding the various role-players, their responsibilities and their different dynamics,
Communication on a regular basis and being a team player. I look forward to each day as the creative space is constantly changing, most of all, the acknowledgement that this is not just a job, it is a calling.
ET: The work of a producer is not as glamorous as that of say, an actor or a director, but the role is at the centre of a theatre institution. What advice would you give to young females graduating from our universities who probably would not want to be a director or an actor, but exploring producing?
ZS: Be focused, pay attention to detail, understand and love the craft. Be clear about all aspects of production. Acquire finance skills, project management, communication skills and the ability to listen. Listen, ask, interrogate, understand, and see the bigger picture, the final product. In our case, it is not tangible, it is emotional, and it takes a lot to fulfil the soul, which is our role. Most of all enjoy the process.
.This except was published on citylifearts.co.za as a special feature commissioned by the Market Theatre Foundation to mark Women’s Month in 2020.