Round Table Theatre celebrates 50 years of community service in South Africa

When one hears the name Round Table, two things come to mind, a debate or King Arthur and his knights. Digging deeper into it, one gets to understand the significance of the name. King Arthur's table had no head, implying that everyone who sat there had equal status.

That philosophy of equality inspired a charity organisation that has been making a positive impact in the lives of the needy, and drastically changing those of its members.

The Round Table Theatre (RTT) is celebrating 50 years of putting smiles on the faces of many people around the country. The organisation has 120 Tables throughout the country, with a membership of at least 800. It also has an international footprint with 33 000 members globally.

Annually, the organisation organises shows to raise funds for its charity work. They are set to start in October and run through November.

In the previous year alone, the organisation managed to do charity work estimated at over R2 million. The work they do ranges from painting schools and churches to food drives, and even raising funds for groups in distress.

Garth Roeloffze, Pretoria 136 chairman said the organisation has provided a platform for members to also grow professionally and acquire new skills.

"We believe in impactful change. We want to make an actual change in somebody's life for as long as they live. We have people with no background in accounting running and managing the books, and acquiring new skills. It also gives a lot of networking opportunities to members. We have people that have gone into businesses together after meeting here," he said.

The Round Table theatre also believes in respect for individuals and doing good. Being part of the organisation has further benefits for members.

The RTT theme for this year is Houtstok (Woodstock), 60's vs the '70s. This was a brilliant era of music and history, with the historic Woodstock festival in 1969. The tie-dye shirts will be coming out. From "Grease" to "Mama Mia", it promises to be a show that will be remembered for many years to come, as reported by Pretoria News, a partner of TV BRICS.

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