History & Introduction
Musicmakers was formed by Michael Williams in response to the stream of requests from teachers for musical works that were original, relevant, and most importantly, South African.
Since 1994 and the transformation of the Education system high school teachers have wanted to move away from the usual European and American musical fare mounted at their schools.

Many music and drama teachers felt that although school productions of Grease, Joseph, Oklahoma, Sound of Music etc. offer a challenge to stage, much of the material seemed unsuitable, irrelevant, even outdated. Too often the decision was to do these shows for the lack of suitable South African material, and while these musicals have had much to offer choosing them denies what theatre should be doing - exploring.

Musicmakers was launched in 1999 with the financial assistance of Oxford University Press, Heinemann Publishers and Tafelberg Publishers. In the first year 1400 3 Musicals for Young People brochures were distributed to a cross section of South African schools. We received 93 requests for our perusal material and in the first year of operation five schools staged our musicals. In 2001 a further seven schools mounted a musical and in 2002 8 productions were mounted. The enthusiastic response prompted the addition of a fourth musical, Crocodiles, which is now available for production.

Musicmakers is looking forward to the publication of Who Killed Jimmy Valentine? by Maverick Music in Australia in 2003. We have also received a request from an American publisher for all four of the shows for possible publication in the United States of America. We are also negotiating with several schools in Zimbabwe and are planning our first production outside the borders of South Africa.

We are proud to add Kramer & Petersen's hit musical District Six to our catalogue. This show is now available for High Schools and amateur productions through Musicmakers.