Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards nominees announced

For over 50 years The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards has played a unique role in the growth of South African theatre through awarding excellence in professional theatre. This year, for the first time in the event’s history, the awards will boast many firsts, ranging from food and wine experiences to recognition of theatre development.

The awards are presented in 20 different categories and a total of 86 productions from 2015 were eligible. In addition, 66 student performances were considered for the Most Promising Student Award.

The judges for 2015 productions were: Africa Melane, Dr Beverley Brommert, Christine Moritz, Eugene Yiga, Gillian Mitchell, Herman van der Westhuizen, Johan van Lill, Marina Griebenow, Peter Tromp, Steyn du Toit, and Tracey Saunders.

For a production to be eligible, a run of a minimum of eight performances over a period of three weeks at the same venue is required. Each award carries a cash prize of R15,000 and each award recipient is given a silver medallion. All voting processes are audited and overseen by the legal firm Cluver Markotter.

The nominees are:

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY

Andrew Buckland for Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof as Ivan
Gerben Kamper for Samsa-masjien as Gregor Samsa
Atandwa Kani for Sizwe Banzi is Dead as Styles/Buntu
Nicholas Pauling for A Steady Rain as Joey
Albert Pretorius for Die Seemeeu as Konstantin Gawrilowitsj Treplew

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Antoinette Kellerman for Samsa-masjien as Josephine
Rolanda Marais for Die Seemeeu as Nina Mikhailowna Zaretsjnaja
Sandra Prinsloo for Die Seemeeu as Irina Nikolajewna Arkadina
Jennie Reznek for I Turned Away and She Was Gone as various characters
Anna-Mart van der Merwe for macbeth.slapeloos as Vrou Macbeth

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Charlton George for macbeth.slapeloos as F/Banquo/Dokter
Marty Kintu for Blue/Orange as Christopher
André Roothman for Drif as Maestro
Sven Ruygrok for Epstein: The Man Who Made the Beatles as This Boy
Marius Weyers for Die Seemeeu as Pjotr Nicolajewitsj Sorin

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Jana Cilliers for macbeth.slapeloos as A
Antoinette Kellermann for macbeth.slapeloos as E/Duncan
Martelize Kolver for Die Seemeeu as Paulina Andrejewna
Cintaine Schutte for Die Seemeeu as Masja
Anthea Thompson for Cry Havoc as Ms Nevers

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

Terry Fortune for Remembering the Lux as various characters
Jemma Kahn for We Didn't Come to Hell for the Croissants as the Narrator
Jennie Reznek for I Turned Away and She was Gone as various characters
Klara van Wyk for You Suck (and other inescapable truths) as Prettina
Graham Weir for Dead Yellow Sands as various characters

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

Grant Almirall for Singin' in the Rain as Don Lockwood
Charl-Johan Lingenfelder for Cabaret as Emcee
Aubrey Poo for Orpheus in Africa as Orpheus McAdoo
Jonathan Roxmouth for West Side Story as Tony
Steven van Wyk for Singin' in the Rain as Cosmo Brown

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

Bethany Dickson for Singin' in the Rain as Kathy Selden
Lynelle Kenned for Orpheus in Africa as Mattie Allen
Lynelle Kenned for West Side Story as Maria
Claire Taylor for Cabaret as Sally Bowles
Candice van Litsenborgh for Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey

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

Dean Balie for Orpheus in Africa as Mr Finnegan/Ernest Logan/Kapok
Sne Dladla for Orpheus in Africa as Egbert Washburn/Trooper/Student Leader/Bap
Zak Hendrikz for Little Shop of Horrors as Orin
Stephen Jubber for West Side Story as Riff
De Klerk Oelofse for Liewe Heksie: Flower Power as various characters

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

Shannyn Fourie for Cabaret as Fräulein Kost/Fritzie
Bianca le Grange for West Side Story as Anita
Jill Levenberg for Orpheus in Africa as Lucy Moten
Nkoto Malebye for Book of Rebellations as Esmiralda/Martha/Others
Michelle Maxwell for Cabaret as Fräulein Schneider

AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING STUDENT

Schalk Bezuidenhout from UCT
Dealan Fredericks from Northlink College
Kgomotso Khunoane from UCT
Kiroshan Naidoo from UCT
Vashti Prins from US
Khathu Ramabulana from UCT
Mar-li van der Merwe from US
Sean van Noordwyk from US

BEST DIRECTOR

Christiaan Olwagen for Die Seemeeu
David Kramer for Orpheus in Africa
Jaco Bouwer for Samsa-masjien
Marthinus Basson for macbeth.slapeloos
Sylvaine Strike for Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Wolf Britz for Samsa-masjien
Patrick Curtis for Blue/Orange
Joshua Cutts for West Side Story
Guy de Lancey for Dead Yellow Sands
Albert Snyman for macbeth.slapeloos

BEST SET DESIGN

Marthinus Basson for macbeth.slapeloos
Jaco Bouwer for Samsa-masjien
Conor Murphy for West Side Story
Saul Radomsky for Bad Jews
Saul Radomsky for Orpheus in Africa

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Marthinus Basson for macbeth.slapeloos
Simon Higlett for Singin' in the Rain
Birrie le Roux for Orpheus in Africa
Birrie le Roux for Die Seemeeu
Marcel Meyer for The Tragedy of Othello - The Moor of Venice

BEST SOUND DESIGN, ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION OR ORIGINAL SCORE

Marthinus Basson for macbeth.slapeloos - Soundscape
David Kramer for Orpheus in Africa - Original music composition
Kgafela oa Magogodi for Book of Rebellations - Original music composition
Neo Muyanga for I Turned Away and She was Gone - Original music composition
Pierre-Henri Wicomb for Samsa-masjien - Soundscape and original score

BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT

Samsa-masjien by Willem Anker
Orpheus in Africa by David Kramer
Siembamba by Philip Rademeyer & Penelope Youngleson
I Turned Away and She was Gone by Jennie Reznek
Dead Yellow Sands by Graham Weir

ROSALIE VAN DER GUCHT PRIZE FOR NEW DIRECTORS

Adrian Collins
Christo Davids
Jason Jacobs
Mdu Kweyama
Paul Noko

The Award for Innovation in Theatre and the Lifetime Achievement Award will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Tickets for the awards ceremony at the Baxter Theatre cost R200 per person via Computicket (0861 9158000). Guests can look forward to an interesting twist on a Fleur du Cap food and wine experience and will as usual be entertained by local talent on stage and in the foyer. Follow the awards on Twitter @FDCTheatreAward and on Facebook.