Janet Buckland

Part Time Lecturer | Course Coordinator: Directing

Janet Buckland obtained a BA Hons (cum laude) in Drama and History, and a Higher Diploma in Education from Rhodes University. She has worked as a freelance actor, choreographer, dancer and schoolteacher. In 1993 became Director of Arts Education Projects at the Grahamstown Foundation until 2000. She is also responsible for the development of the local award-winning Amaphiko Township Dance Project and for the establishment of the Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company, a full-time professional theater company.

As Theatre Director

Janet’s directing accomplishments include a number of productions that have scooped national and international awards. She has directed “The Ugly Noo Noo” (1988), “Between The Teeth” (1991), “Bloodstream” (1992), “Feedback” (1994), “The Water Juggler” (1998), “Makana” (2000), “Thuthula - Heart of the Labyrinth” (2003), “Fuse” (2004), “Kiss My Boot” (2006) “Breed” (2010)

Awards

Janet has won Three Vita awards for Best Production and for Best Direction as well as three Scotsman Fringe First Awards at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. In 2004 her play “Fuse” was nominated in Edinburgh for “Best Ensemble work” and in 2005 the production received a Naledi Award for “Best Cutting Edge” production. In 2001 she was the recipient of the Eastern Cape Premier’s Award for Directing. Janet was a finalist in the “Elle Visible Difference Award” (2004) and the “Grahamstown Citizen of the Year Award” (2004) and recently was the herald Citizen of the Year in Arts and Culture (2007). IN 2008 Janet became the “Grahamstown Citizen of the Year” as well as the “Shoprite Checkers Woman of the year”. Ubom! itself has won numerous awards – In 2010 Ubom! was nominated for three Handspring Puppet Awards at the Out The Box Festival in Cape Town, winning one. In 2010 Ubom! scooped a Standard Bank Silver Ovation Award for its production of “Breed” at the National Arts Festival and in 2011 Ubom!’s production “Door” was awarded an Ovation Award. In 2008 Ubom! received an Impumelelo Innovations Gold Award in recognition of pioneering approaches to public challenges and poverty relief. In the same year, Ubom! was also honoured with a series of Community Service Awards from the Makana Municipality and the District of Cacadu.

Director| Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company

email | j.buckland@ru.ac.za room | 108