About Bo
bo petersen
Bo Petersen has worked as a professional actor in South Africa for more than 40 years, working on stage, TV and film. She has also made a name for herself as
a director.
Bo has a deep commitment to nurturing and developing original South African theatre, working with undiscovered talent and well-established actors. Her own acting trajectory has been firmly based in innovative and challenging productions.
She has established a successful supplementary career as a dialogue and drama coach for the feature film and advertising industry, working with among others, Sidney Poitier, Michael Caine, Ryan Reynolds and William Hurt.
Bo currently resides in the USA where she continues to write, direct and perform.
AWARDS & NOMINATIONS
2016
STANDARD OVATION AWARD Winner, THE GRAVEYARD
Directed and won 2 FLEUR DU CAP, Best Actor and Best Lighting, DEAD YELLOW SANDS
2014
FLEUR DU CAP and NALEDI AWARDS Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, VANYA, SONYA, MASHA AND SPIKE by Christopher Durang
2013
FLEUR DU CAP Nominee, Best Actress, STATEMENTS AFTER AN ARREST UNDER THE IMMORALITY ACT by Athol Fugard
2010
FLEUR DU CAP Nominee, Best Director, BLACKBIRD
2008
FLEUR DU CAP Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, CISSIE
ARTES, Nominee, Best Actress, DEATH IN THE FAMILY
1996
FLEUR DU CAP, Winner, Best Production Award, MEDEA
1993
FLEUR DU CAP, Nominee, Best Supporting Actress, KINDERTRANSPORT
1991
FLEUR DU CAP, Nominee, Best Actress, TWELFTH NIGHT
1989
FLEUR DU CAP, Nominee, Best Actress, COMEDY OF ERRORS
THEATRE
PIECES OF ME
Erica/Marjorie/Petronella/Sarah/S.V. Petersen
dir. Bo Petersen
NIGHT OF THE IGUANA
Hannah Jelkes
dir. Fred Abrahmse
WHITE ELEPHANT
Mother
dir. Phillip Rademeyer
THE GRAVEYARD
Ma
dir. Phillip Rademeyer
VANYA, SONYA, MASHA and SPIKE
Sonya
dir. Bobby Heaney
STATEMENTS
Frieda Joubert
dir. Kim Kerfoot
HELLO AND GOODBYE
Hester
dir. Sherry Smith
MEDEA
Medea
dir. Mark Fleishman
KINDERTRANSPORT
Helga
dir. Roy Sargeant
FROM MY POINT OF VIEW
The Woman
dir. Johan Esterhuisen
STEEL MAGNOLIAS
Truvy Jones
dir. Fred Abrahmse
WHO’S LIFE IS IT ANYWAY
Dr Clare Scott
dir. Keith Grenville
EQUUS
Jill
dir. Mario Schiess
DECADENCE
Sybil/Helen
dir. Ron Smerzac
PLAY IT AGAIN SAM
7 characters
dir. Barney Simon
BURIED CHILD
Shelley
dir. Lucille Gilwald
ROMEO AND JULIET
Lady Capulet
dir. Fred Abrahmse
TWELFTH NIGHT
Viola/Olivia
dir. Keith Grenville/Clare Stopford
COMEDY OF ERRORS
Adriana
dir. Mark Wilson
MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
Margaret
dir. Keith Grenville
GREASE
Rizzo
dir. Joan Brickhill and Louis Burke
THE BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE IN TEXAS
Angel
dir. Des and Dawn Lindbergh
UP 'N ATOM
Various roles
dir. Marilyn van Reenen
CINCINNATI
Vikki
dir. Barney Simon
SUPERHEROES
Girl
dir. Neil McCarthy
BRECHT ON BRECHT
Various
dir. Barney Simon
GOING DARK
Emily
dir. Neil McCarthy
THIS IS FOR KEEPS
Anna-Maria
dir. Vanessa Cooke
TWO TO TANGO
Lisa Doyle
dir. Ruth Levin
CISSIE
Helen Potter James and various others
dir. Nadia Davids
FILM
CHRONICLE
Sandra Detmer
dir. Josh Trank: Fox Productions USA, Film Afrika
THE LOST FUTURE
Village Woman
dir. Mikael Salomon: Film Afrika Worldwide
I NOW PRONOUNCE YOU BLACK AND WHITE
Sheila Dawson
dir. Oliver Rodger: Ollywood Productions
AMELIA
Amelia’s mother
dir. Mira Nair: Avalon Pictures, Fox Searchlight Pictures
END GAME
Esterhuyse’s Wife
dir. Pete Travis: Daybreak Pictures, Film Afrika
TO BE FIRST
US Journalist
dir. Patrick Reams: Do Productions
THE WOODEN CAMERA
Estelle’s mother 2003
dir. Ntshaveni Wa Luruli: ODELION
OUT ON A LIMB
Isabella Leach
dir. Robert Heath: Faith Productions
CAPE OF GOOD HOPE
Shella
dir. Mark Bamford: Wonder View Films/ Moonlighting Films
CITIZEN VERDICT
Anna Paterson
dir. Philippe Martinez: Lucky 7 Productions
TELEVISION
CAPTIVE
Rachel Chandler
dir. Ursula MacFarlane, Netflix
KILLER INSTINCT
Jean Schwarskopf
dir. Sean Smith, ITN Productions
SAF3
Lois Dunnigan
dirs. Various: Patsy Pictures
THE FINAL VERDICT II (Eps 7)
Attorney Murray
dir. Mandilakhe Yengo: Carol Bouwer Productions, SABC
OUTCASTS
Sarah
dir. Omar Madha & Bharat Nallurich: Kudos
ATLANTIS
Kita ne
Moonlighting Productions
ELLA BLUE
Kitty Cloete
dir. Darryl Roodt: Waterfront Productions
DEATH IN THE FAMILY
Elizabeth du Plessis
dir. Annie Basson: Cape Waterfront
DIRECTING
2019
LOT’S WIFE by Laurie Nathan. Performed at Goshen Art House, Goshen, Indiana, US
GRAND CONCOURSE by Heidi Schrek. Performed at The South Bend Civic Theatre, South Bend, Indiana, US
HELLO AND GOODBYE by Athol Fugard. Performed at The Nest, Vancouver, Canada
LOT’S WIFE by Laurie Nathan. Staged reading at The South Bend Civic Theatre, South Bend, Indiana, US
2016
DEAD YELLOW SANDS by Graham Weir. Performed at The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town; Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Grahamstown; Hilton Festival, Hilton; The Market Theatre, Johannesburg, South Africa
LOT’S WIFE by Laurie Nathan. Staged reading at Methodist Church, Cape Town and The Alexander Bar, Cape Town, South Africa
2015
DEAD YELLOW SANDS by Graham Weir. Performed at Alexander Bar, Cape Town and Grahamstown Festival, Grahamstown, South Africa
2013
LETTERS FROM PATIENT ESSOP by Graham Weil. Performed at The Arena Theatre, Cape Town and The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town
2012
COCKROACH by Jonathan Nkala. Performed at HIFA Festival, Zimbabwe
2011
BLACKBIRD by David Harrower. Performed at The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa
COCKROACH by Jonathan Nkala. Performed at Die Suidoosterfees, Cape Town; Hilton Festival, Hilton and Voorkamerfees, Darling, South Africa
HOT CROSS NUNS by Not the Midnight Mass. Performed at The Baxter Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa
2010
BLACKBIRD by David Harrower. Performed at The Arena Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa
THE CROSSING and THE BICYCLE THIEF by Jonathan Nkala. Performed at Festival, New Mexico USA
2009
THE CROSSING by Jonathan Nkala. Performed at HIFA Festival Zimbabwe and Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, South Africa
2008
THE CROSSING by Jonathan Nkala. Performed at The Garage Theatre, Cape Town and The Space Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa
MIND THE GAP by Graham Weir. Commissioned for the Main Festival at Grahamstown National Arts Festival, Grahamstown, South Africa
LETTERS FROM PATIENT ESSOP by Graham Weir. Performed at The Arena Theatre, Cape Town, South Africa
2000
LETTERS FROM PATIENT ESSOP by Graham Weir. Performed at The Cape Town Festival, Cape Town, South Africa
1998
BLACK HEN by Graham Weir. Performed at The Coffee Lounge, Cape Town, South Africa
INDUSTRIAL THEATRE for De Beers. Performed in Johannesburg, South Africa
1997
TALES FROM A DARK CORNER by Graham Weir. Performed at The Darling Theatre, Darling, South Africa
1989
THE ROAD TO MECCA by Athol Fugard. Co-directed. Artscape, Cape Town and Port Elizabeth Theatre, Port Elizabeth, South Africa
TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN
Bi-lingual Performer's Diploma in Speech and Drama
JULLIARD SCHOOL OF PERFORMING ARTS
Accent Workshop
EILEEN BENSKIN SHORT COURSE LONDON
Short Course in Received Pronunciation and Gen Am accent
