Athol Fugard

Athol Fugard OIS HonFRSL (born 11 June 1932) is a South African playwright, novelist, actor, and director widely regarded as South Africa's greatest playwright. He is best known for his political and penetrating plays opposing the system of apartheid. Some of these have also been adapted for film.

His novel Tsotsi was adapted as a film of the same name and won an Academy Award in 2005. It was directed by Gavin Hood.

Acclaimed in 1985 as "the greatest active playwright in the English-speaking world" by Time, Fugard continues to write. He has published more than thirty plays.

Fugard also served as an adjunct professor of playwriting, acting and directing in the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of California, San Diego.

He has received many awards, honours, and honorary degrees, including the 2005 Order of Ikhamanga in Silver from the government of South Africa "for his excellent contribution and achievements in the theatre". He is also an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Fugard was honoured in Cape Town with the opening in 2010 of the Fugard Theatre in District Six. He received a Tony Award for lifetime achievement in 2011.