British actress encourages young SA talent

What began as a visit to South Africa grew into a career on South African stages for UK-born actress Gemma Donnelly, now living in Weltevreden Park.

“I was on holiday in South Africa during Buddy Holly auditions and I auditioned and got the part. I then decided to stay in South Africa permanently.”

Her mother Jackie Donnelly and grandmother Lillian Cross followed, and Donnelly’s career on the South African stage began, with roles in Jesus Christ Superstar, Mamma Mia! and My Fair Lady.

Ten years later Donnelly (31) is married to Matthew Marinus and their first child is due any day. She initially ran her performing arts school Stageworx as a side project but for the last five years has run the school full-time.

“I remember how passionate I was when I grew up and how little I knew about how to go about breaking into the performing arts scene. I would like to help children and expose them to various forms of performing arts.”

She assists her students in auditioning and focuses on song writing and film editing. Donnelly’s students have written a script for their movie, Standing Ovation, which is directed by Donnelly and performed by her students. Stageworx student Joshua Moreira won a role in the Andrew Lloyd Webber production of Starlight Express.

When asked if she misses Britain, Donnelly responds in the negative. “I loved the industry over there but the pace become too fast for me. I performed at Prince Charles’s 50th birthday in 1998 and I worked with Rowan Atkinson which was wonderful, but I always knew I would end up moving away and I wanted to work somewhere with a warm climate. There are more opportunities in South Africa than in the UK. The loop of people is smaller and theatre production contracts are shorter. I would like to prepare young talent for this industry and I see great talent every day. “