Committed to theatre
SPLITBEAM: SPONSOR OF NALEDI THEATRE AWARDS TECHNICAL GEAR
One of the men behind the magic that is theatre.
In these tough economic times, sponsorships are vital to help keep the arts in South Africa alive. Corporates in this country often prefer to fund sport as their brands can be seen on television by millions of people.
Few take up the challenge to support live theatre, but one company that has done so is Splitbeam. This company is a technical supplier to the theatre industry and it recently signed a threeyear deal to sponsor all technical equipment for the prestigious Naledi Theatre Awards.
Alistair Kilbee, pictured, managing director of Splitbeam, said: “Our focus has always been on the theatre because we are part of that community and always will be. So it was only natural to be the technical supplier for the Naledi Theatre Awards and to be a sponsor of the event.
“Theatre has a very important place in my heart and we want to help the current generation and next generation to have worldclass theatre on their doorstep. When I started the company, I made it clear that I did not want to do ‘soulless’” work.”
Over the last 15 years, Kilbee has served as technical director for most of the major theatre productions in South Africa and toured with them around the world. He has worked on 25 major productions including Chicago, Jersey Boys, Cats, Evita, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Beauty and the Beast, Mamma Mia, The Sound of Music and Dream Girls.
His main aim, he said, was to uplift the industry and assist to make South African theatre crews world class. “They are right up there with the best in the world,” he said.
Splitbeam was started in 2010 by Kilbee in partnership with Gearhouse South Africa. It understands the challenges of the theatre and long-term rental market and their goal is to provide the best tools and technology for theatre production designers at “theatre-friendly” pricing.
Kilbee began his career working as a teenager in 1989 for Richard Loring at the now defunct Sound Stage in Midrand. “I quickly got a taste for theatre.” he said, “At the time there was not much theatre around due to funding problems with the arts councils.”
Asked for his thoughts about the state of the entertainment industry in South Africa, he replied: “I must be honest, my opinion changes from day to day. Sometimes I feel we are perfectly placed to take on the world and become the theatre powerhouse for the foreseeable future and then on other days I feel like it’s all just slipping through our fingers.”
He added that the South African theatre community needs to unite and fight harder to become a force.
“We currently have amazingly talented actors, musicians and technical crews. But there is no real common goal and there are big gaps between arty and commercial theatre. Everyone wants to produce amazing theatre, but some have no budgets, no funding, no government assistance and no Lotto money.”
He called on South Africans to visit their local theatres, help theatre makers share their art form with others and make South African theatre stronger.