B A R N Y A R D T H E AT R E S
BARNYARD THEATRE
From Footlights in a Farm to
Bright Lights Across SA PRODUCTION: Timothy Reeder
Live music in South Africa is famously vibrant and varied, with many venues able to survive and thrive. The power of corporate and fundraising events, meanwhile, has never been stronger and more corporates than ever are investing in event and experiential marketing. At its six theatres across South Africa Barnyard is taking care of the full gamut of live events, growing into the preferred venue for numerous well-known companies and artists.
//
The Barnyard Theatre empire has grown to number six outposts across South Africa: four in Gauteng, one in Cape Town and one in Durban. The full list throws up some of the most famous venues in the country, and will be familiar to both show lovers and major corporations alike; among them are Emperors Palace in East Rand, Rivonia Barnyard in Sunninghill, West Rand’s Silverstar and Menlyn Barnyard in Pretoria. “From its humble beginnings on a dairy farm in Plettenberg Bay to international hit shows, the Barnyard Theatre is a home-grown legend in the making.” In 1996 the first Barnyard Theatre was opened by the Möller family on a dairy farm in the Western Cape. Louis and Sybel had both been involved in the performing arts most of their lives, and the launch solved the conundrum of combining their dual loves of the footlights and the farm. It was a truly ground-breaking concept, and it has clearly worked, as
2 / www.enterprise-africa.net
the Barnyard Theatre now edges toward its quarter-century of success under the bright lights. GROWING PRESENCE Barnyard’s stock is constantly growing, as word spreads of the sensational experiences on offer on such a wide variety of shows. It has been bolstered twice on recent years, and just last month we were greeted with the opening of its new arts destination, the Tyger Valley Barnyard Theatre in Bellville. The lavish opening followed last year’s return to Durban and launch of another new Barnyard venue, this time at Suncoast Casino Hotels and Entertainment. Its opening in December made it the third Barnyard venue to partner with a Tsogo Sun Entertainment destination, and the leading hospitality group’s heritage of 50 years of excellence in variety, quality and trusted service makes it the ideal associate for Barnyard. Durbanites report an excellent
show experience and the same wooden interior and casual seating-style that creates the distinct ambiance unique to the Barnyard Theatre, amplified further by its in-house catering division with pizzas, snack baskets and more available to patrons attending shows. The addition of the Barnyard Theatre to Suncoast forms part of the extensive refurbishments that have been underway over the last year. “Live shows six days a week at the Barnyard Theatre will add a whole new dimension to our already extensive offerings, and promoting
// THE BARNYARD THEATRE PROVIDES AN OLD-WORLD, INFORMAL, YET SOPHISTICATED ENVIRONMENT //
INDUSTRY FOCUS: HOSPITALITY
local talent fits in well with our existing philosophy,” commented Louise Howell, Suncoast marketing manager.
At Bandini Cheese we have an unwavering motto, that is to give customers what they desire, at an affordable price. Customers' requirements have always been paramount in our approach. This has resulted in an offering of excellent quality with service to match and a product range which makes Bandini Cheese a one-stop shop. Our basket caters for restaurants and pizzerias in particular. Please give us a call on
011 433 2355 or email
sales@bandini.co.za to receive a personalised quotation.
4 / www.enterprise-africa.net
VARIETY: THE SPICE OF LIFE “The Barnyard Theatre provides an old-world, informal, yet sophisticated environment. Each venue is slightly different however the general layouts, look and feel of the theatre interior are all similar and resemble the original concept.” The variety and flexibility of personality found in a Barnyard venue matches the range of experiences it houses; it is just as fitting a spot for a corporate event as it is for an evening of live music or comedy. Much has been written and spoken of the transformational power of business events and brand experiences: there is nothing quite so important in building a relationship or presence as meeting a company in person, and the meetings and events industry has a powerful impact on the South African economy. “Live brand experiences are proving their ability to engage audiences effectively in an increasingly noisy world filled with so much digital marketing,” says Jeff Stelmach, president of Mosaic, and Barnyard caters for everything a business could need when it comes to presentations, award ceremonies, product launches and many in between. The Barnyard Theatre also offers
// FROM ITS HUMBLE BEGINNINGS ON A DAIRY FARM IN PLETTENBERG BAY TO INTERNATIONAL HIT SHOWS, THE BARNYARD THEATRE IS A HOME-GROWN LEGEND IN THE MAKING //
BARNYARD THEATRE
(C) Werner Vermaak
// BARNYARD’S UNIQUE CONCEPT; SOCIABILITY, VALUE-FOR-MONEY AND A ONE-STOP EVENING OUT MAKE OUR THEATRES UNRIVALLED // fundraising opportunities as part of a staunch social responsibility to the surrounding community, seeing it offer companies and NPOs a reduced ticket rate to enable them to re-sell at a profit. “Barnyard’s live music shows transcend boundaries,” says the group of its other hosting forte. “They are vibrant, uplifting, highly entertaining, and feature the greatest hits of our time. In addition, we regularly host well-known South African bands, comedians and performers.” It is the complete evening in one place, with patrons encouraged
to arrive early and socialise and enjoy a meal before curtain-up. “Barnyard’s unique concept; sociability, value-formoney and a one-stop evening out make our theatres unrivalled.” What also sets Barnyard apart is a fierce commitment to providing a platform for local and emerging artists, as hinted in its live music brief. “One of the most important factors for developing young talent in Africa is the live music scene,” writes Joe Chialo, senior vice president of A&R Universal Music Central Europe & Africa for IQ magazine. “Especially at the start of their career, artists have to be able to try things out and play in front of audiences so that they can grow creatively. Unfortunately, the infrastructure needed for this, like venues and a solid network of promoters, can’t always keep up with the speed at which the industry is developing.” The Barnyard Theatre is setting out to rectify this, recognising local talent and offering the opportunity to earn a living in the creative space. “The
Barnyard Theatre Production Company owns and produces all the shows and employs all musicians and performers,” it concludes. “The company has produced over 110 shows in 16 years, including Under African Skies which has performed at over 80 theatres in Belgium, Holland, France and Denmark ,where it received rave reviews and achieved excellent ticket sales. “Barnyard shows have also been staged internationally in the Middle and Far East, including multiple sell-out shows at The First Group Theatre at the five-star Madinat Jumeirah resort in Dubai. Our productions have also been seen in one of the entertainment hubs of South Africa, the renowned Sun City.” As the Barnyard footprint continues to expand, it is humbling to see it use its reach increasingly to further the careers of the next South African stars of the stage.
WWW.BARNYARDTHEATRE.CO.ZA
www.enterprise-africa.net / 5
CMB Media Group does not accept responsibility for omissions or errors. The points of view expressed in articles by attributing writers and/ or in advertisements included in this magazine do not necessarily represent those of the publisher. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead is purely coincidental. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained within this magazine, no legal responsibility will be accepted by the publishers for loss arising from use of information published. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrievable system or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the publisher. © CMB Media Group Ltd 2019
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE FOR AFRICA’S INDUSTRY LEADERS
AFRICA
Published by CMB Media Group Chris Bolderstone – General Manager E. chris@cmb-media.co.uk Rouen House, Rouen Rd, Norwich NR1 1RB T. +44 (0) 1603 855 161 E. info@cmb-media.co.uk www.cmb-media.co.uk
November 2019
www.enterprise-africa.net
Prommac Positions Itself at
Forefront of Innovation Exclusive interview with CG Holdings CEO Jason English ALSO IN THIS ISSUE:
Logicalis South Africa / Momsen Bikes / Brights Hardware / Singita
AS FEAT UR ED IN
ENTERPRISE AFRICA
NOVEMBER 2019