Skouspel Cape Town 2014 #BehindTheScenes

Huisgenoot Skouspel! - an annual must-see on many Afrikaners' calenders and usually an event of epic proportions!

Earlier this month FADCreationS was in beautiful Cape Town for a whole week to work behind-the-scenes for the #Skouspel2014 event at the Grand West Casino.

Husband Ferdinand Gernandt is the Stage Director for the event and 'calls' each moment of the show's running order from the auditorium.
Myself and Roelien Prinsloo are the Assistant Stage Directors, who make sure it all runs smoothly in the wings on either side of the gorgeous Skouspel stage. (Unless we're working on our silly-selfies somewhere)

Check out the gorgeous stage...

 

 

Here are some pics of outside the Grand West casino and hotel.

It was lovely to catch up with the gorgeous Nadia Beukes at Skouspel and especially with it being her first time MC'ing for the big event. She looked incredibly beautiful in her Vesselina Pentcheva gowns, lucky girl!

Some of my favourite artists this year were Joshua Na Die Reen's Jacques (above), with his wonderfully gentle, soulful spirit; the fresh new ADAM trio with Kyle Grant added into the mix and the gorgeous newcomers - 3 glamorous girls of BlackByrd (Tarryn, Tammy and Axene).

Personally I also have huge respect for the great material, performance value and work ethic of Nadine, Emo Adams and Chris Chameleon.
One of my favourite numbers in the line up was a comical operatic number delivered by Emo, Chris and the wonderfully talented Louis Loock.
I won't give too much away!

The Heuwels Fantasties are just on a whole other level, I really dig their sound and love to listen to them live. Other big names were Kurt Darren, Laurika Rauch, Karen Zoid, Andriette Norman, Elvis Blue, Snotkop, Heinz Winkler and Joe Foster. Also Adam Tas, Ray Dylan, Ricus Nel, Manie Jackson, Belinda and Rouchelle were popular Afrikaans artists on the coveted Skouspel line-up.

It was especially special to see maestro Eddie Clayton again (we worked together on The King And I some years ago), who made his debut of conducting at Skouspel this year, having arranged and played for several Skouspel events in the past. Bravo Eddie!







A big congratulations and thank you to Frontline Productions for the highly efficient and streamline way they run the whole of Skouspel's operations, rehearsals, admin and performances and also for hosting us so wonderfully.
It is a privilege and a pleasure every time!!

I am really looking forward to the #Skouspel2014 Sun City weekends in October! Sun and Summer!


Hope to see many of you there!!

Speak soon,

Buy Smart - Enterprise Lifestyle Commercial #BehindTheScenes

I had such a fun day on set of the commercial shoot I did a week ago for Buy Smart - Enterprise Lifestyle. And it was completely surprising and lovely to have several familiar faces on the team as well as fabulous new people to meet.

It was a real blast from the past to find out my 'husband' would be played by my friend Dean Roberts, who was my colleague and fellow 'bohemian' in the South African and touring musical theatre production of We Will Rock You (also read We Will Rock You - A Tribute) some years ago! Deano is an absolute scream, he has the best sense of fun and humour to have around on set and wow he's so great with kids! What an absolute pleasure angel!

I got to play #mommyforaday and had the most gorgeous-looking family!

Just look at my gorgeous little girl Amika and cute dimple-face boy, Levi. (So this is what my offspring would look like if I married a blonde!) And lemme tell you, the camera looooooves Levi! There's something to be said for the pure innocence of kids that age, they have absolutely no limits, fears or airs. Almost oblivious to the camera he just 'is', his whole little being speaks of joy and freedom of spirit. It's magical and inspiring!

I met Aileen Joubert at our wardrobe fitting at the Wardrobe Studio and we were chatting about my sharing the Joubert surname (maiden name) and having lived in Northcliff, but I never quite put two and two together.

On set she was telling me about having worked with primates earlier in life, and I got all excited telling her about this lady who was my neighbour in high school who also rehabilitated monkeys and how my sister and I did school projects on them. After a great pregnant pause, she announced "That's me!"

Well, I could have hit myself! Of course she was! I don't know how I missed it before, I mean her name should have rung a big bell! What a wonderful 'coincidence'! And what a good-looking on-screen mom to have, go-figure - we do look like we could be family!!

I just adored my beautiful red dress and styling by The Warderobe Studio and enjoyed the pleasure of working with Nerine Pienaar and her team once again, feeling familiar and well looked after in their hands. Fianca Barnard was attentive on set all day, making sure I looked fabulous.

And the lovely Bianca Pelser who did hair and make-up was a gem, and it was just as fascinating to realize we have so many friends and connections in common.

It was a wonderfully smooth day of filming and I enjoyed the slightly more improvisational style director Andrew Cleland used to get the best performances out of the kids. As an often behind-the-scenes crew member myself, I always pay attention to and try to honour the unsung crew heroes who actually make it all happen at the end of the day. It was an immense pleasure to work with the great AD Darryl Fuchs, DOP David Pienaar and their teams.




I must also compliment the catering by Anton from Aquarius, who made the most yummy and mouth-watering coconut-covered, jam-pocketed, cereal-flaked, impossible-to-decline dessert. (no other way to describe it!)








Well, in a blink it was all over and I had enjoyed such a joy-filled, love-what-i-do day.
It's heaps of gratitude that spill over and await the next time I can walk onto a film set and enjoy telling you all about it!









Chat Soon Peeps!