3 Best Performing Arts in Johannesburg, South Africa

Joburg Theatre is Jo'burg's main cultural venue and the home of the Joburg Ballet Theatre. It contains the enormous Nelson Mandela Theatre and the smaller People's and Fringe theaters. Many international productions are staged here, but there's also a good balance of local material, such as the annual pantomime by Janice Honeyman, which satirizes South Africans uproariously.

The Newtown Cultural Precinct, an old area that started as a produce market, has undergone a successful rejuvenation. Now clean and brightly lit, it's home to the Market Theatre, which is famous for its contemporary South African and African productions in particular. It was also an important theater for anti-apartheid protest theater. The theater occasionally features traditional African music and jazz performances. The complex also has a good bar and restaurant and an art gallery.

Located on Nelson Mandela Square in Sandton, this intimate, 200-seater theater has hosted thousands of shows since it opened in 1997. Its extensive repertoire includes comedy shows, cultural celebrations, author interviews, jazz concerts, plays, and music recitals. Friday lunchtime concerts are a boon to Sandton-based workers.