Celeste Matthews Wannenburgh
Celeste Mitzi Karin Matthews (born 1961) is a South African actress, playwright, and City of Cape Town local government official elected to the City Council[1] in 2021.[2][3][4] She is best known for her roles as Gertie Cupido[5][6] in kykNET & kie's Arendsvlei (a telenovela)[7] and Auntie Hester[8] in David Kramer and Taliep Petersen's award-winning 2002[9][10] revival of District Six: The Musical (1987).[11][12] Vincent Colby[13] of the District Six Museum cites the musical play as the material which steered a pivotal discussion held in 1994 at the 'old church hall' in former District Six to establish a dedicated museum.[14]
Celeste Matthews | |
---|---|
Born | Celeste Mitzi Karin Matthews 1961 (age 61–62) Cape Flats, South Africa |
Nationality | South African |
Alma mater | University of Cape Town, and the Cape Peninsula University of Technology |
Occupation(s) | Actress, Municipal Councillor (metropolitan municipality), and Radio Personality |
Years active | 1995–present |
Spouse | Alf Wannenburgh (m. 1992; died 2010) |
Children | 1 |
Parents |
|
Awards | Fleur du Cap Theatre Award |
Personal life & education
Matthews was born in Klavier Laan (lit. "piano lane"), Steenberg to Anthony Alexander Matthews, a public servant, and Lorraine Ruby Gordene Mentoor.[15] Her childhood home was opposite the Rahmaniyah Masjied (Steenberg Mosque). Matthews’ ethnic background is matrilineally Batswana and Khoekhoen — descending directly from the ‘controversial’[16] 18th century slave,[17][18][19][20] Mento(o)r van Mozambique (1792) of Quelimane at Oudebosch.[21][22][23] According to the Matthews family's oral history, her father's family are of Bantu, St. Helenian, and early Afro-American extraction.[24]
She matriculated from Rosebank's Progress College in 1992, whereafter she obtained her Teaching Diploma from Hewat Teachers Training College (1996);[25] followed by an Advanced Certificate in Education (ACE) with a major in Science from the University of Cape Town (2003–2004); and completed her B.Ed. Honours degree in Education Management with the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (2016).[26] She is the second wife (1992–2010) and widow of the South African author and anti-apartheid activist, Alf Wannenburgh.[27][28][29] The couple have one son. While enrolled at Hewat, she joined the Belhar Players in 1995.[30]
Awards
In 1999, she won a Fleur du Cap Theatre Award for 'Best Supporting Actress' as 'Sophie' in Heinrich Reisenhofer's Suip! (lit. "drink!") and received a First National Bank (FNB) Vita Award[29][31] nomination for the same role in early 2000.[32][33][34] The play and cast also won an additional Fleur du Cap Award for 'Best New Indigenous Script' (1999) that same evening.[35]
Political career
Matthews participated in the 2021 South African municipal elections as a candidate[36] for Minister Patricia de Lille's Good party[37] and subsequently joined the Cape Town City Council as a proportional representative[38] (PR) municipal councillor (raadslid) on November 9, 2021.[3][39][40][41][42] She is, therefore, one of the 115 PR members that make up the City Council's total membership of 231 councillors.[1] Between 2005 and 2021, she served as a commissioner[43] for the Western Cape Cultural Commission (WCCC),[44] at the invitation of the then minister Pallo Jordan,[45] and as a board member and adjudicator/advisor on several departmental agencies at provincial and national levels under South Africa's Department of Sport, Arts and Culture.[33]
Original plays/works
Her own plays, Sandra se Erfenis (first performed by Hewat Drama Group with a student cast at the Grahamstown Festival) — was performed with a student cast at the Grahamstown Festival; and Sonne Skaamte was staged as a 'performed reading' in 2004 at the PlayGround venue at the Baxter Theatre Centre.[46][47][48]
Theatre productions
2018: Tjieng Tjang Tjerries at US Woordfees, Stellenbosch[47][49]
2017: Die dans van die watermeid (“The dance of the water maiden”) at the Baxter Theatre, Cape Town[50][51][52]
2012: Saying Goodbye to Amelia as 'Nora' at the Catalina Theatre
2008: Kroes as 'Aunty Maggie'[53] (presented at the 2008 Suidoosterfees)[54] at Artscape, Cape Town and Oude Libertas Amphitheatre, Stellenbosch
2007: Shirley, Goodness and Mercy at the Baxter Theatre[55]
2006: Truth in Translation (2006) at the Market Theatre and repeated at the Baxter Theatre in 2007 (music composed by Hugh Masekela)[56]
2002: District Six – The Musical as 'Auntie Hester' at the Baxter Theatre (recording released to DVD in 2007)[57]
1999 to 2001: Suip! as 'Sophia' (Aardklop Festival; Perth International Arts Festival [2001] and Octagon Theatre, Crawley, Western Australia [1999?];[58] Klein Karoo Festival; Baxter Theatre; Grahamstown Festival; Opera House, Port Elizabeth; International Arts Festival, Zanzibar; Knysna Theatre)
199*/200*: Moenie Try Nie at Grahamstown Festival[59]
1998: Mix Masala at Artscape[60]
Filmography
Year | Film | Role | Genre | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | Angeliena | Angeliena's mommy | Netflix Movie | [61][62] |
2021 | Atlantis | Taxi passenger | Movie | |
2021 | Swirl | Unknown | Shomax Movie | [63][64] |
2018–present | Arendsvlei | Gertie Cupido | Afrikaans TV Series | [31] |
2017/2018 | Sara se Geheim | Debbie | Afrikaans TV Series | [65][66] |
2016 | Twee Grade van Moord | Nurse 2 | Afrikaans Movie | [67] |
2016 | Vinkel & Koljander | Neesha Solomons | Afrikaans TV Series | [68][69] |
2013 | Lenteblom | Vanessa | Afrikaans Movie | [70][71] |
2013 | Mad Dogs (British TV series) | Kaela (in episode #3.2) | British TV Series | |
2012 | Oupa en Ouma Sit op die Stoep | Patience Daniels | Afrikaans TV Series | |
2009/2012 | Montana | Mrs. De Villiers (S1) &
Bonteheuwel Good Samaritan (S2) |
Afrikaans TV Series | |
2011 | There Are No Heroes | Neighbour | Short Film | |
2006/2010 | Stokvel | Lynette Isaacs (S4) &
Sister Plaatjies (S7) |
Afrikaans TV Series | |
2007 | Der Mann von gestern | Unknown | German TV Movie | [72][73][74] |
2007 | Geraldina die Tweede | Matron Firestone | Afrikaans TV Series | |
2006 | Home Affairs | Lizzie (S2) | TV series | |
2006 | Orion | Mrs. Otto | TV series | |
2005 | Known Gods | Mara Horing | TV series | |
2005 | Scandal! | Guest star (S1) | TV series | |
2005 | Einmal so wie ich will | Nelly | German TV Movie | |
2005 | Kein Himmel über Afrika | Guest star | German TV Movie | [75][76][77] |
2004 | Forgiveness | Petra | Movie | |
2003 | Das Licht von Afrika | Amy | German TV Movie | |
2003 | Dissonances | Gardienne | French Movie | [78] |
2002 | Fishy Fêshuns | Flower seller (S2) | TV series | |
2000 | Backstage | Guest star (S1) | TV series |
References
- "City of Cape Town Link". City of Cape Town. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
- "Celeste Matthews - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- "Councillor details. Celeste Wannenburgh". City of Cape Town. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- "Ontorio for a Forgotten Youth". Cape Times. 2 June 2016. p. 11. Retrieved 2022-08-12 – via PressReader.
- "'Arendsvlei' se Gertie vertel oor rol as matriarg". Maroela Media (in Afrikaans). 2019-02-21. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Campaigning on a budget". Weekend Argus. 12 December 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-08-13 – via PressReader.
- "Almal rou hierdie Desember – Arendsvlei". Arendsvlei - Almal rou hierdie Desember – Arendsvlei (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Matzke, Christine; Hoven, Lena van der; Odhiambo, Christopher; Roos, Hilde (2020). African Theatre: Opera & music theatre. 19. Boydell & Brewer. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-84701-257-9.
- "District Six – The Musical - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
- Kruger, Loren (2019-11-28). A Century of South African Theatre. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 978-1-350-00802-1.
- Forays into Contemporary South African Theatre: Devising New Stage Idioms. BRILL. 2019-11-11. p. 297. ISBN 978-90-04-41446-4.
- Harrison, Philip (2005). Arts & Culture. New Africa Books. p. 37. ISBN 978-0-86486-565-6.
- The Big Issue, Cape Town. Big Issue Cape Town. 1999. p. 6.
- TDR (The Drama Review): the journal of performance studies. MIT Press [for the] New York University/Tisch School of Arts. 2004. p. 140.
- "Anthony Alexander Matthews, of Punts Estate". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Anderson, Clare; Frykman, Niklas; Voss, Lex Heerma van; Rediker, Marcus (2013-12-19). Mutiny and Maritime Radicalism in the Age of Revolution. Cambridge University Press. p. 67. ISBN 978-1-107-68932-9.
- Van Riebeeck Society Publications. The Society. 2005. pp. xii & 608. ISBN 978-0-9584522-3-6.
- Worden, Nigel; Groenewald, Gerald (2005). Trials of Slavery: Selected Documents Concerning Slaves from the Criminal Records of the Council of Justice at the Cape of Good Hope, 1705-1794. Van Riebeeck Society, The. pp. xvi. ISBN 978-0-9584522-3-6.
- Emien Wood. 2019. "’n Genealogiese analise van ’n enkele familie as verteenwoordiging van ’n kultuurgroep: ’n ondersoek na nuwe perspektiewe." PhD Thesis (Stellenbosch University). Stellenbosch: SUN MeDIA. p. 2. (available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/196259554.pdf).
- Schoeman, Karel (1996). Verkenning (in Afrikaans). Human & Rousseau. p. 88. ISBN 978-0-7981-3591-7.
- Preez, Ingram Frank Du (1987). From Mission Station to Municipality. Municipality of Pacaltsdorp. pp. 278 & 314. ISBN 978-0-620-12780-6.
- "Genealogy - Geni - private profile - Genealogy". www.geni.com. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- Emien Wood. 2019. "’n Genealogiese analise van ’n enkele familie as verteenwoordiging van ’n kultuurgroep: ’n ondersoek na nuwe perspektiewe." PhD Thesis (Stellenbosch University). Stellenbosch: SUN MeDIA. pp. 364 & 403-404. (available at: https://core.ac.uk/download/196259554.pdf).
- "Anthony Alexander Matthews, of Punts Estate". geni_family_tree. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "The Hewat Teacher Training College in Athlone is set alight in solidarity with the UWC students on a boycott | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "About Us – Rosebank Progress College". Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Genealogy - Geni - private profile - Genealogy". www.geni.com. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Writer and activist Alf Wannenburgh dies". Cape Times. 20 December 2010. p. 3. Retrieved 2022-08-13 – via PressReader.
- Sias, Chrislynn (15 September 2022). "Anties Neem Aksie". Kuier Magazine. p. 9. Retrieved 2022-09-09 – via PressReader.
- "Nico Malan Theatre - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Sias, Chrislynn. "Theresa Sedras en Celeste Matthews Wannenburgh woeker op TV". Netwerk24 (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Celeste Matthews | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- "Celebrating Celeste Matthews Wannenburgh – National Arts Council". Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- Graan, Mike Van; Ballantyne, Tammy (2002). The South African Handbook on Arts and Culture 2002/2003. David Philip. p. 277. ISBN 978-0-86486-506-9.
- "Suip! - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). 2021 Municipal Elections Candidate List (Western Cape [WC]). https://www.elections.org.za/pw/Documents/CandidateLists/WC.pdf
- "GOOD - Political Party". For Good. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Electoral Commission : How to contest municipal elections". www.elections.org.za. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
- "GOOD joins hot metro contest". Weekend Argus. 3 October 2021. p. 2. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Felix, Jason. "GOOD adds lawyers, business owners and an actor to its election arsenal". News24. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Aunty Pat's GBVF campaign says don't shut up, speak up". Cape Argus. 10 August 2022. p. 4. Retrieved 2022-08-13 – via PressReader.
- Sias, Chrislynn (15 September 2022). "Anties Neem Aksie". Press Reader. Kuier Magazine. p. 8. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "New Western Cape Cultural Commission". Western Cape Government. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Payi, Bulelwa. "GOOD adds flames to hotly-contested metro". www.iol.co.za. Retrieved 2022-09-19.
- Sias, Chrislynn (15 September 2022). "Anties Neem Aksie". Press Reader. Kuier Magazine. p. 10. Retrieved 2022-09-10.
- "APM". Artistes Personal Management. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Celeste Matthews - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Sandra se Erfenis - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Jolyn Phillips Wins 2018 Humanities and Social Sciences Award for Tjieng Tjang Tjerries". Pen South Africa.
- "Powerful story of simplicity". News24. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Mayne, Jane (2017-11-07). "Review: 'Die Dans van Watermeid'". WeekendSpecial. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Enchanting Afrikaans drama at the Baxter". www.news.uct.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Aangrypende Kroes by Oude Libertas op die planke". www.argief.litnet.co.za. 2008-03-06. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Kroes - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Lategan, Herman (2007-01-24). "New play at Baxter takes you into the nostalgic heart of South Africa". www.argief.litnet.co.za. LitNet-argief. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Truth in Translation - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- University of Wisconsin–Madison Library. 2007. David Kramer & Taliep Petersen's District Six (Videos, Slides, Films). https://search.library.wisc.edu/catalog/9911222555702121
- "Issue 42 (Apr-May 2001)". Trove. RealTime. p. 24. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Moenie Try Nie - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Mix Masala - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "Celeste Matthews | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- "SPOTLIGHT | New Venom movie; DC Fandome global event; & local film 'Angeliena' on Netflix". SowetanLIVE. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Landie, Candice (2021-03-31). "A Love Letter To Hair On The Cape Flats". Koesister. Retrieved 2022-08-13.
- Cohen, Robyn (2021-03-25). "Film review: SWIRL, directed and written by Quanita Adams". The Cape Robyn. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- Tremeer, Amanda (2021-01-14). "Getting schooled in Arendsvlei". Showmax Stories. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Sara se Geheim | Full Cast | Season 1 | TVSA". www.tvsa.co.za. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Twee Grade van Moord (2016) movie posters". MoviePosterDB.com. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- Hill, Saskia. "Vinkel en Koljander: Die splinternuwe sitkom op kykNET". Huisgenoot (in Afrikaans). Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "kykNET Uitgawe 2 - 2016". Joomag. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- Grundling, Mauritz (2013-08-27). "Lenteblom by die kykNET Silwerskerm-fees 2013". LitNet. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Lenteblom - ESAT". esat.sun.ac.za. Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- "Celeste Matthews". csfd.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- "Der Mann von gestern (2007) pełna obsada". Filmweb (in Polish). Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- "Celeste Matthews - Serien, Sendungen auf TV Wunschliste". TV Wunschliste (in German). Retrieved 2022-08-12.
- "Kein Himmel über Afrika: Folgen mit Celeste Matthews". TV Wunschliste (in German). Retrieved 2022-09-09.
- KG, imfernsehen GmbH & Co, Kein Himmel über Afrika: Cast & Crew (in German), retrieved 2022-09-09
- Není nebe nad Afrikou (2005) (in Czech), retrieved 2022-09-09
- Dissonances (2003) (in Czech), retrieved 2022-09-09