54th Fleur du Cap Theatre Award Winners

Cape Town Stage Stars Awarded!

Winners of the 54th annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards were announced on Sunday 10 March 2019 at the Artscape Opera House in Cape Town.

For more than five decades the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, together with Fleur du Cap Wines, have been honouring excellence in theatre at this theatrical event that is a highlight of the Mother City’s cultural calendar.

A total of 87 diverse productions from the year under review were eligible for consideration. The awards, considered in 26 different categories, include an Award for Lifetime Achievement, which went to Saul Radomsky, and the Award for Innovation in Theatre which was handed to the Theatre Arts Admin Collective. These special awards were presented by the legendary David Kramer and trail-blazer Amy Jephta respectively. There was no Encore Award made this year.

The event was hosted in vintage style by Africa Melane who was supported by various co-presenters, all former recipients of the Award for Innovation in Theatre and the Encore Award: Ameera Conrad, Bongile Mantsai, Cleo Raatus, Hugo Theart, Jennie Reznek, Mandisi Sindo, Mandla Mbothwe, Marsanne Neethling, Megan Furniss, Paul Griffiths, Sihle Mnqwazana, Tankiso Mamabolo, Thami Mbongo and Zoleka Helesi. The glamorous audience included theatre-makers, producers, actors, past award recipients, dignitaries and Fleur du Cap wine brand representatives.

The awards ceremony was directed by Mbongeni N Mtshali, Fleur du Cap Theatre Award recipient for Best New Director in 2016. The entertainment on stage unfolded under the musical direction of José Dias, who performed together with Nomfundo Xaluva, Dr Dizu Plaatjies, Sibonele Dance Group, the Township Opera Company, the University of Stellenbosch Jazz Band and Zip Zap Circus.

The evening concluded in elegant style with guests enjoying a celebratory Fleur du Cap night cap and desserts.

The judging process for 2018 was chaired by non-voting chairperson, Melanie Burke, and the judges for the 2018 productions were Africa Melane, Dr Beverley Brommert, Eugene Yiga, Lwando Scott, Marina Griebenow, Maurice Carpede, Peggy Mongoato, Tracey Saunders and Dr Wayne Muller. Voting is done by secret ballot, and all processes are strictly overseen and audited by Distell Internal Audit and the legal firm Cluver Markotter Inc.

 

The full list of winners is as follows:

AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING STUDENT

Nancy Sekhokoane (AFDA)

 

BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE

Vlooi en die Musiekfabriek/Kipper and the Music Factory (Marinda Engelbrecht & Margit Meyer-Rödenbeck)

 

BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT

Kudu by Lwanda Sindaphi

 

BEST NEW DIRECTOR

Lwanda Sindaphi

 

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A REVUE, CABARET OR ONE-PERSON SHOW

Rehane Abrahams in Womb of Fire in Various Roles

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Msizi Njapha in Tsotsi the Musical as Boston

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Bethany Dickson in Matilda the Musical as Miss Honey

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE

The cast of Kudu

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Ryan de Villiers in Matilda the Musical as Miss Trunchbull

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Carmen Pretorius in The Sound of Music as Maria Rainer

 

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Gareth Hewitt Williams for The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time

 

BEST SET DESIGN

Rob Howell for Matilda the Musical

 

BEST PUPPETRY DESIGN

Janni Younge for the Baby in Tsotsi the Musical

 

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Andrea van der Kuil & Sue Steele for Curse of the Starving Class

 

BEST SOUND DESIGN, ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION OR ORIGINAL SCORE

Lukhanyiso Skosana for Womb of Fire for Original Music Performance

 

BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA – MALE

Bongani Kubheka in Don Pasquale as Don Pasquale

 

BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA – FEMALE

Janelle Visagie in La Voix Humaine as Elle

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Richard September in Swerfgoed in Various Roles

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Nicole Holm in Swerfgoed as Aegistha

 

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Anna-Mart van der Merwe in Swerfgoed as Esta

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY

Andrew Buckland in Endgame as Hamm

 

BEST DIRECTOR

Sylvaine Strike for Endgame

 

BEST PRODUCTION

Endgame (Baxter Theatre & Derek Lubner)