The Learning Theatre's Press office on Bizcommunity

There is a misconception that actors (or any creative person, for that matter) are no good at business. They are perceived to be flighty with short attention spans and with limited business knowledge. But let's examine these perceptions... 14 Aug 2012 Read more >>

As experts within the change management industry we are often faced with clients whose employees are unhappy, bored, anxious and frustrated within the workplace. Since we get to experience a company's culture from the outside we can quickly ascertain the reasons for their seeming distressed state. It is not surprising that oftentimes the reason for these feelings directly links to the individual's experience of the organisation. Why, you ask? 6 Aug 2012 Read more >>

This is the story of Sweet Missus Sue. She loved her life, her job and everything true. 31 Jul 2012 Read more >>

It's heart-warming to read that the current Chamber of Mines Vice President and Anglo Gold Ashanti CEO, Mr Mark Cutifani, plans to establish a team whose sole purpose is to focus on 'eliminating fatalities' on SA's mines. This stems from the heart-breaking statistics made public last week that SA has suffered 63 fatalities on our mines for the first half of this year. 27 Jul 2012 Read more >>

We get bombarded with information every single day. Technology allows us to be accessed at all times, whether on the road or in the shower. We read emails, text messages, agendas, traffic signs, billboards, menus... and all day long information filters through our brain into our subconscious. This wealth of information often tires us out, so by the time we as consumers look for something to buy, we want to go in, get it and get out... 11 Jun 2012 Read more >>

When confronted with issues that need to be communicated to workers, managements are stuck in a rut of posters, emails or possibly company-wide meetings at which members of the management team struggle to reach the hearts and minds of their workforce. 4 Jun 2012 Read more >>

To many managers, managing people is one of the most problematic areas in their skills set to acquire. And in South Africa with our diversity of people and cultures a manager needs to have hair on his, or her, teeth to cross the cultural minefield without stepping on toes or alienating half the workforce and causing a riot or a strike through some inadvertent remark. 16 May 2012 Read more >>

There is a fine line between entertainment and edutainment. For an industrial theatre intervention to be really successful, the practitioners need to understand the needs of the company, the workforce and the community within which the intervention must take place. 15 May 2012 Read more >>

Advertising practitioners spend grand sums and many manhours to try and touch the pulse of the societies into which they try to sell their clients' products. A whole new vocabulary has sprung up around social networks to describe this phenomenon - "trending" is the Nirvana for any adman worth his salt. If you can create an ad that will "trend" on Facebook, Twitter and all the others then you have made it. Your client gets gigantic exposure for their product, you get the kudos and your reputation is made. 9 May 2012 Read more >>

When The Learning Theatre plans an Industrial Theatre Intervention the casting of suitable actors nearly always leads to a debate between client and service provider. The reason is simple. Client would like to see some famous faces in their production and who can be more famous than South Africa's myriad "soap" stars? 25 Apr 2012 Read more >>

Often when touring with an Industrial Theatre production, the cast is required to perform in less than ideal spaces. Crew from The Learning Theatre have had to perform in parking lots on the back of trucks, at taxi ranks, on a conveyor belt in a sawmill, underground in a gold mine, on an aeroplane, in buses, in boardrooms and in canteens. On occasion they have even performed in real theatres! 18 Apr 2012 Read more >>

Industrial theatre is the use of drama and related methodologies as a tool for training employees in companies large and small. Industrial theatre works at its best when employees can identify with the characters on stage and in order to help this process the actors used in the production need to resemble the demographics of the company in question. And that is where the problem starts! 21 Feb 2012 Read more >>

The Learning Theatre has been providing top of the range dramatic solutions to all sorts of business problems since 1996. As a company they have been at the forefront of the development of many new products and techniques on the Industrial Theatre front. 10 Feb 2012 Read more >>

There are many very talented actors in South Africa who make a good living by doing only one thing, namely Industrial Theatre in all its various forms. They are often unknown, seldom famous, but always dedicated. And very often they are deemed to be somehow less worthy than "real actors" who appear on television daily. 26 Jan 2012 Read more >>

Roleplays have been a mainstay of customer interface training for a long time. It is used as a tool by many training professionals in a variety of guises and formats. So what makes the Learning Theatre unique in this regard? 19 Jan 2012 Read more >>

Promotheatre is an exciting concept developed and implemented with great success by The Learning Theatre. 14 Nov 2011 Read more >>

We learn from stories, whether the message within is something we should either stop doing or start doing. This is especially true when you look at the way The Learning Theatre uses storytelling within Industrial Theatre to propel change. With World Aids Day around the corner it might be wise for companies to communicate the message in a different way. Here is a look at how we approach topic. 7 Nov 2011 Read more >>

During August 'The Learning Theatre' performed a special show at a scientific research company, in lieu of their Women's Day celebration. We designed a brand new one-woman show in which the character shares the trials and tribulations women are faced with on a daily basis. 25 Oct 2011 Read more >>

It seems that Industrial Theatre in South Africa often is a topic for debate. Some companies may feel that it is a value adding partner; other companies could feel that Industrial Theatre have grown into a billion rand educational rip-off industry. It is then highly appreciated when sceptics congratulate you as a practitioner on a job well done. 17 Oct 2011 Read more >>

It is no secret that South Africa's mining industry is greatly affected by fatal accidents. In May this year the Business Report published an article stating that the fatality rate on our mines already increased by 27 percent compared with the same period last year, ranking South Africa among the worst in the world. 7 Oct 2011 Read more >>

We recently had a meeting with a rather sceptical prospect. Sceptical in terms of whether or not industrial theatre can add value in terms of learning and behavioural change. Our prospect, let's call him Mr Not Convinced, argued that industrial theatre only serves to communicate social messages such as HIV/Aids awareness to the masses. Mr Not Convinced also expressed that even when communicating such messages industrial theatre will only portray these issues and can't really motivate anyone to change. We politely smiled and answered Mr Not Convinced with: nothing could be further from the truth. 30 Sep 2011 Read more >>

At the end of the year we are all suffering from Novemberitus...but on 30 November 2010, The Learning Theatre Organisation had no such excuses - it was a big day on the LTO calendar! 17 Dec 2010 Read more >>

1 December 2010 was a World Aids Day that will live on in the hearts and minds of the staff at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for a long time to come! Dr Rachel Chikwamba opened the gathering by introducing Dr Hoffie Maree to welcome the audience members. Several presentations and speeches followed, all equally enlightening and informing. Then, at approximately 12:30, the highlight of the morning was introduced: The Learning Theatre's generic HIV/Aids production entitled The Red Knot started with a bang! The music filled the auditorium and the two actors, Sanku Bokaba and Carol Behane came dancing in from the back and proceeded to the stage to continue the disco-style dancing! 15 Dec 2010 Read more >>

It was a wonderful sunshine day when six individuals got together. They got together to create something special. The wildlife of South Africa has always had the ability to bring something to the fore that over the years have boggled the minds of mere mortals. 19 Oct 2010 Read more >>

Anglo Gold Ashanti's Mponeng Mine prides itself in being the deepest mine in the world. However, it is a well-known fact that even the best can be improved on. A new Business Process Framework (BPF) has been introduced at the mine to enable the mine to proactively deal with variation and wastage. The BPF process is designed to promote proactivity through effective planning, scheduling, resourcing and finally execution; and to facilitate the process by means of effective communication. At the end of the day, it's all about doing the right work, at the right time, in the right way. 13 Aug 2010 Read more >>

The 12th of August was a sunny Wednesday morning and the University of Pretoria's campus was buzzing with students. On this particular morning The Learning Theatre and the university's Human Resources Department were preparing for the theatre workshop - Birds of a Feather - to come to life in the Sanlam Auditorium. Birds of a Feather is one of The Learning Theatre's brand new generic Diversity Management products. 5 Nov 2009 Read more >>

In the previous version of the “Ignorance is Bliss?” trilogy, I have answered the most FAQ of all time is: “Is Industrial Theatre expensive?” This time I want to open by confronting my own ignorance in asking this question: Is it fair of me to expect people to know more about Industrial Theatre? 23 Oct 2009 Read more >>

In the previous version of the “Ignorance is Bliss?” trilogy, I briefly discussed the basic questions that I get during informal get-togethers. This time I continue to attack the ignorance by dealing with the most frequently asked question of all time - and I will deal with this question head-on. 14 Oct 2009 Read more >>

It was a clouded Saturday and I was at an informal get-together with HR and industrial psychology colleagues of mine when the topic of Industrial Theatre arose once again. Although I enjoy sharing about the subject matter, I am always gasping at the ignorance associated with the phenomenon. It becomes all too clear with each misguided question or misinformed comment. A typical conversation looks something like this: 7 Oct 2009 Read more >>

By the beginning of 2009, the Department of Home Affairs was in the middle of a massive turnaround strategy aimed at improving overall service delivery. These changes included a new, faster document processing system (six weeks as opposed to the previous turnaround time of six months); and office refurbishments. 6 Aug 2009 Read more >>

The Mintek Employment Equity and Diversity Forum decided to make 7 May 2009 Diversity Day at Mintek! The idea was to create a general awareness around diversity in the workplace. 21 May 2009 Read more >>

At Engen they love it when a plan comes together! After months of planning, the team at Engen, in collaboration with The Learning Theatre, embarked on a four-week road show across the country. In an effort to communicate their Big 5 Values, Engen decided to use a 30-minute Industrial Theatre Intervention entitled The Dream. 3 Mar 2009 Read more >>

The Quadrennial Congress of UASA had a gala evening with an agenda that would have any person begging for more. With a punctual start at 19:00 on Tuesday, 21 October, the master of ceremonies, the inimitable Riaan Cruywagen, welcomed everyone to the start of an eventful evening. 5 Nov 2008 Read more >>

As the sun warmed the cool breeze on the morning of 6 September 2008, the crowd of 5000 slowly filtered through the gates and covered the stands of the Harry Oppenheimer Stadium. This day was organised to celebrate one million fatality-free shifts at the Moab Khotsong Mine, one of the Mines in the AngloGold Ashanti stable just outside Orkney in the North West province. 20 Oct 2008 Read more >>

After the opening of the two-day Powertech-IST conference at Emperors Palace, the Palace will never be the same again! The Learning Theatre combined forces with Powertech-IST to create an awesome Industrial Theatre show that had the audience gasping and giggling all through the introductory session. 12 Aug 2008 Read more >>

The GO 4 GR8 campaign is something that the personnel at Sasol Oil are very passionate about. In fact, a four-day road show was organised to spread the word, and the passion, to every last staff member from Randburg, to Alrode and all the way through to Secunda. The Learning Theatre was there to delight and instruct with a hilariously funny comedy that conveyed the key messages of the GO 4 GR8 campaign. 9 Jun 2008 Read more >>

The Standard Bank Client Care personnel quietly entered the auditorium. There was no sign of the chirpy conversations that echoed in the foyer just moments before the doors opened. Nobody was in the mood for a boring presentation on a Friday morning at 07:30 – management must have gone off their rockers completely! Who would have thought minutes into the so-called presentation, they would be laughing themselves silly...?! 9 Apr 2008 Read more >>

With all the restructuring going on at O.R. Tambo International Airport as ACSA races to meet growing air travel demand, including preparing for the thousands of soccer fans who are expected to visit our shores in 2010, there are bound to be serious changes. One institution to feel these changes in its core business was Ekaya Restaurant. 18 Feb 2008 Read more >>

As the hot sun came blazing down unto the FOSKOR community centre in Phalaborwa, the inside of the centre looked like an ant farm. Everywhere you turned there were people rushing around to get everything ready for the long awaited Environmental Awareness Day. 5 Dec 2007 Read more >>

World Environmental Day is on the 5th of June each year and this year FOSKOR in Richardsbay (Kwazulu Natal) decided to prepare for a whole day of celebration! The aim was to celebrate the privilege of having Mother Nature in our company daily, and on this day, joining forces to rejoice in her uniqueness and unconditional giving. The focus was not only on Mother Nature as a privilege, but also on the responsibility that is associated with such a great privilege. 5 Nov 2007 Read more >>

It was six o'clock on a Thursday evening and the Monsoon Lagoon was buzzing with worn out Scorpions ending off their three-day national conference. The ‘grand finale' was a Learning Theatre Production about a day in the life of a Scorpion... 24 May 2007 Read more >>

The Learning Theatre was recently approached by a large international petrochemical company to help them with the implementation of SAP. 6 Sep 2006 Read more >>

We're going to Tanzania! These words galvanised the directors of The Learning Theatre into frantic action. There was little time and a lot of work to get the project on the road. 24 May 2006 Read more >>

Recently the Learning Theatre was called upon to provide corporate theatre for the Corporate Benefits division of Liberty Life during a special communication session held at the Wits Great Hall during March. 19 Apr 2005 Read more >>

Promotheatre is an exciting concept developed and implemented with great success by The Learning Theatre. 1 Mar 2005 Read more >>

Most of the interventions pertaining to HIV/AIDS have been aimed at the worker and the intent has been to try and convince people to make life style changes in order to avoid infection. Many companies embarked on training interventions and information sessions in an effort to make a difference. Very little information was given to managers on the effective management of HIV/AIDS. 25 Jan 2005 Read more >>

The nations largest supplier of pathology testing, Ampath, recently called on The Learning Theatre Organisation to help with the training of their call centre staff. 28 Nov 2004 Read more >>

Soap stars Dirk Stoltz (7de Laan) and Lebohang Elephant (Generations) joined forces with The Learning Theatre to launch a customer service project at Gensec Pam Golding. 14 Jun 2004 Read more >>

The Office of the Auditor General recently embarked on a Change and Transformation programme that aims to achieve the strategic goals of the organisation. 30 Apr 2004 Read more >>

The private-public partnership consists of InWent (Internationale Weiterbildung und Entwicklung gGmbH -Capacity Building International, Germany), Owakhe Development, Corporate Intervention Services (Pty) Ltd, AIDC (Automotive Industry Development Centre) and The Learning Theatre (PTY) Ltd. 5 Jun 2003 Read more >>

This overview provides a brief perspective on the achievements and the future direction of The Learning Theatre Organisation. 2 Nov 2002 Read more >>

What a year this has been! The Learning Theatre Organisation traveled thousands of kilometres, performed hundreds of times, to dozens of companies with one goal in mind, and that is to help our customers to transform, motivate and energize. 5 Dec 2001 Read more >>

Cultural Diversity in the workplace was the topic of conversation at a recent Executive Secretary and PA Convention in Sandton, and the organisers, Marcus Evans Conferences used Industrial Theatre to brilliantly highlight many. 30 Aug 2001 Read more >>