2018 Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards nominees announcedThe nominees for the 53rd annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards have been announced. The winners will be announced at a ceremony, that will take place on Sunday, 18 March 2018 at the Baxter Theatre Centre in Cape Town. Through awarding excellence in professional theatre, Fleur du Cap wine and the Theatre Awards have played a significant role in the lives of South African theatre-makers. “Theatre is the showcase for generations of artists; it is an honour to support such a pivotal part of the industry,” says SA brand manager for Premium Wines, Khanya Mashalaba. Renate Sturrman, Paul Slabolepszy, Charmaine-Weir Smith in Suddenly the Storm - photo by Eric Miller Winners are chosen from productions performed at professional theatre venues in and around Cape Town. Theatre practitioners are recognised for acting, directing, staging, and technical ability. These nominations reflect the excellent theatre talent seen on stages throughout the Western Cape, last year. For the first time, awards will be made in the categories of Best Performance in an Opera (Male), Best Performance in an Opera (Female), Best Performance by an Ensemble, Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People, and Best Production. The awards are considered in 26 different categories, including for Lifetime Achievement and Innovation in Theatre. The latter will be announced at the ceremony, next month. The judges for the 2017 productions were Africa Melane, Dr Beverley Brommert, Eugene Yiga, Johan van Lill, Marina Griebenow, Maurice Carpede, Niel Roux, Tracey Saunders, and Wayne Muller. A total of 80 diverse productions from the year under review were eligible for consideration. The student panel adjudicated another 35 student productions, bringing the total number of productions that were considered in 2017 to 115. “The increased number of nominees in the category for Best New South African Script is extremely exciting as it means that local theatre-makers are becoming bolder in telling the stories that are at the heart of our collective lived experience. To see life imitating art in this way, is truly exhilarating. We thank Fleur du Cap wine brand, the hardworking panel of judges, theatre-makers and all the creatives behind the scenes who made this possible,” says Melanie Burke, chairman of the judging panel. Each award carries a cash prize of R15,000 and a silver medallion. All voting processes are audited and overseen by Distell Internal Audit and the legal firm Cluver Markotter Inc. The nominees in the various categories are, in alphabetical order:Best performance by a lead actor in a playAndré Roothman in Die Nag van Legio as Dogoman Best performance by a lead actress in a playBuhle Ngaba in What Remains as The Student Best performance by a supporting actor in a playBongile Mantsai in Marat/Sade as Duperret Best performance by a supporting actress in a playCamilla Waldman in Tartuffe as Cléante Best performance by a lead actor in a musical or music theatre showAndile Gumbi in King Kong as King Kong Best performance by a lead actress in a musical or music theatre showAshleigh Harvey in Funny Girl as Fanny Brice Best performance by a supporting actor in a musical or music theatre showAnton Luitingh in Evita as Magaldi Best performance by a supporting actress in a musical or music theatre showCandice von Litsenborgh in Priscilla Queen of the Desert as Shirley Best performance by an ensembleThe cast of Marat/Sade Best performance in a revue, cabaret or one-person showDaniel Mpilo Richards in State Fracture in Various Roles Best performance in an opera – maleFikile Mvinjelwa in Rigoletto as Rigoletto Best performance in an opera – femaleBrittany Smith in The Magic Flute as Pamina Best theatre production for children and young peopleFred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer for Peter Pan Award for most promising studentLuntu Masiza, AFDA Best new directorDara Beth Best lighting designNick Schlieper and Per Hording for Priscilla Queen of the Desert Best set designBrian Thomson for Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Bus Concept and Production Design) Best costume designBirrie le Roux for King Kong Best sound design, original music composition or original scoreCharl-Johan Lingenfelder for Original Music Composition (additional) for King Kong Best new South African scriptDie Dans van die Watermeid by Amee Lekas Best directorJaco Bouwer for Marat/Sade Best productionDie Reuk van Appels - Theatrerocket (Johan van der Merwe and Rudi Sadler) A limited number of tickets for the ceremony at The Baxter Theatre will be on sale at R300 per person. Purchase your tickets from the Baxter Box Office on 021 685 7880 or Webtickets from 15th February 2018. |