The Market Theatre, founded in Johannesburg in 1976 by Mannie
Manim and the late Barney Simon, was constructed out of
Johannesburg's Indian Fruit Market - built in 1913. The theatre
went on to become internationally renowned as South Africa's
"Theatre of the Struggle." The Market Theatre challenged the
apartheid regime, armed with little more than the conviction
that culture can change society. The strength and truth of that
conviction was acknowledged in 1995 when the theatre received
the American Jujamcyn Award. During the past three decades, the
Market Theatre has evolved into a cultural complex for theatre,
music, dance, and the allied arts. Today, the Market Theatre
remains at the forefront of South African theatre, actively
encouraging new works that continue to reach international
stages.
