…..SoSuterBill…..

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BY BILLY SUTER

DURBAN theatre talent has once again been placed on a high pedestal – KickstArt’s Shrek The Musical, staged at Johannesburg’s Gold Reef City last year, has received 10 Naledi Theatre Award nominations.

Nominations for the awards, established 13 years ago to honour productions staged in Gauteng, were announced last night in Johannesburg.

Shrek The Musical, originally staged in Durban, is nominated for best musical, director of a musical/music revue (Steven Stead), actor in a musical (Lyle Buxton), actress in a musical (Jessica Sole), supporting actor in a musical (both Jacobus van Heerden and Rory Booth), costume design (Greg King and Shanti Naidoo), sound design (Lee Brune), choreography (Janine Bennewith) and musical direction (Rowan Bakker).

Other Durban representatives at the awards are KickstArt’s Greg King – nominated for best set design for Suddenly the Storm – and Charon Williams-Ros, nominated as best lead actress in a musical, for her role as Miss Hannigan in Annie.

Taryn-Lee Hudson, originally from Durban, is a nominee for her high-voiced screen star, Lina Lamont, in the touring production of Singin’ in the Rain.

“The list of nominees is evidence that theatre is alive and very well in South Africa, and we so look forward to honouring these actors, producers, technicians and other thespians at the awards this year,” says Dawn Lindberg, executive director of the Naledi Theatre Awards.

Over the past 13 years, the Naledi Theatre Awards has honoured more than 60 Lifetime Achievers, veteran artists, technicians and administrators who have dedicated their lives to local theatre, while also paying tribute to people in the arts who have taken their final bows during the year under review.

The Naledi Theatre Awards cover all mainstream professional productions from the period January 1 to December 1 of the previous year, and the Naledi judges typically evaluate more than 100 productions in some 27 categories.

The Naledi panel of judges consists of informed and regular theatre-goers, academics and members of the media covering the arts in Johannesburg.

“It is indeed a huge commitment and labour of love for the judges whose only reward is two tickets to the shows,” says Lindberg.

“The debates are open and vigorous, but in the end, agreement is reached. Our only criteria is excellence, and it is particularly gratifying to see how much new local work is rising to the top.”

The date for the awards event has not been determined as yet, due to lack of funding, says acting chairman of the Naledi Theatre Awards, Welcome Msomi.

“However, we are hoping to hear from potential sponsors very soon so that the much-coveted awards event can proceed as planned,” he adds.

“The Lyric Theatre at Gold Reef City is holding dates for the awards, and Clive Morris Productions are on standby to film the Awards event (once sponsorship or funding has been secured),” says Msomi.

“M-Net, KykNet and Mzansi Magic are keen to become media partners and have undertaken to broadcast the event.”

“It is vitally important to keep the Naledis alive as we hold a mirror to what is happening on our stages while encouraging new audiences and practitioners,” says Lindberg.

Theatre reflects our ever-changing society and tells our stories of pain, rage, joy, celebration, and those of the human indomitable spirit,” she concludes.

THIS IS THE FULL LIST OF NALEDI THEATRE AWARD NOMINATIONS

1. BEST THEATRE SET DESIGN

Greg King – Suddenly the Storm

Karabo Legoabe – Waiting for Jack

Kayli Elit Smith – Cheers to Sarajevo

Sarah Roberts – iLembe

Saul Radomsky – Bad Jews

Sylvaine Strike & Kosie Smit – DOP

Wilhelm Disbergen – AS

2. BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Jade Bowers (assisted by Camille Behrens) – Scorched

Floris Louw – Mannequin

Greg King and Shanti Naidoo – Shrek The Musical

Niall Griffin – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Onthatile Matshidiso – Egoli

Sarah Roberts – iLembe

Thando Lobese – TAU

3. BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Gareth Hewitt Williams – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Hlomohang Mothetho – TAU

Mandla Mtshali – A Raisin in the Sun

Nomvula Molepo – Egoli

Oliver Hauser – Scorched

Thapelo Mokgosi – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Wesley France – Suddenly the Storm

4. BEST SOUND DESIGN

Disney Nonyane – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Emily Adams – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Gladman Balintulo – iLembe

Lee Brune – Shrek The Musical

Mark Malherbe – Annie

Mark Malherbe – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Richard Smith – Sneeuwitjie

5. BEST CHILDREN’S PRODUCTION (Supported by ASSITEJ SA) (0 – 12)

Disney’s Peter Pan – Prod. by People’s Theatre.

Disney’s Junior Aladdin – Prod. by People’s Theatre.

Khokho’s Treasure – Prod. by The National Children’s Theatre.

Library Lion – Prod. by The National Children’s Theatre.

Mr Popper’s Penguins – Prod. by The National Children’s Theatre.

Ntombi Dreams Big – Prod. by Alt Eye Productions, Redhill Festival and PopArt.

Seussical Jnr – Prod. by People’s Theatre.

6. BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES (Supported by ASSITEJ SA) (13 – 17)

Hoopvol – Prod. by Pit Productions.

Just Antigone – Prod by The Movement.

My Japan – Prod by Andre Stolz.

Narrative Dreams – Prod by Seeds of Water

Shakespeare’s Coriolanus – Prod by National Children’s Theatre in ass with Renos Spanoudes.

Woza Albert – Prod by the Market Theatre by arrangement with DALRO, in association with the Joburg Theatre, Soweto Theatre and RedFest.

7. BEST PERFORMANCE IN A CHILDRENS’ THEATRE PRODUCTION (Supported by ASSITEJ SA)

Gamelihle Bovana – Library Lion

Jovan Muthray – Just Antigone

Mathabo Tlali – Ntombi Dreams Big

Nyakallo Motloung – Just Antigone

Thapelo Sebogodi – Shakespeare’s Coriolanus

Veronique Mensah – Library Lion

Palesa Makhalima – Seussical Jnr

8. BEST NEWCOMER / BREAKTHROUGH

Aubrey Mogali – Narrative Dreams

Dean-John Smith – A Cock and Bull Story

Edwin van der Walt – A Cock and Bull Story

Daniel Richards – Pay Back The Curry!

Ezbie Sebatsa Moilwa – The Dying Screams

Phillru van Achterbergh – Porselein

Wilhelm van der Walt – DOP

9. BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY

Duane Alexander – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Janine Bennewith – Shrek The Musical

Lennox Sibisi – Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage

Nhlanhla Mahlangu – TAU

Sonia Thandazile Radebe & Nhlanhla Mahlangu – Sophiatown

Weslee Swain Lauder – Saturday Night Fever

Oscar Buthelezi – iLembe

10. BEST ORIGINAL SCORE / ARRANGEMENT / ADAPTATION

Charl-Johan Lingenfelder – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor

Dawid Boverhoff – Altyd In My Drome

Eddie Mathiba – Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage

Heidi Edeling & Francois Steyn – Sneeuwitjie

Neo Muyanga – I Turned Away and She Was Gone

Warrick Sony & Brendan Jury – Ubu and the Truth Commission

11. BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

Arthur Molepo – Sophiatown

Bryan Schimmel – Annie

Dawid Boverhoff – Altyd In My Drome

Heidi Edeling – Sneeuwitjie

Louis Zurnamer – Singin’ In The Rain

Rowan Bakker – Shrek The Musical

Wessel Odendaal – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

12. BEST ENSEMBLE

Egoli

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Sophiatown

Sherlock Holmes

6 Characters in Search of an Author

TAU

Tease!

13. BEST CUTTING EDGE

AS

I See You

I Turned Away and She Was Gone

Les Cenci: A play about Artaud

Porselein

TAU

The Year of the Bicycle

14. BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Ameera Patel – Scorched

Ashley Carine de Lange – Bad Jews

Barileng Malebye – Sophiatown

Lesedi Job – A Raisin in the Sun

Renate Stuurman – Suddenly the Storm

Tholani ‘Khoni’ Miya – iLembe

Toni Morkel – Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof

15. BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Alesandro Mendes – iLembe

Brandon Auret – The President’s Man

Craig Jackson – Sherlock Holmes

Katlego Letsholonyana – Egoli

Oli Booth – Bad Jews

Tiaan Slabbert – Porselein

Wilhelm van der Walt – DOP

16. BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

Jade Bowers – Scorched

John Kani – The Dying Screams

Lara Bye – Oskar en die Pienk Tannie

Marthinus Basson – A Cock and Bull Story

Sibusisi Mamba – 6 Characters in Search of an Author

Sylvaine Strike – DOP

Thabiso T. Rammala & Momo Matsunyane – TAU

17. BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL/REVUE

Elizma Badenhorst – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change

Nataniël – Mannequin

Neels Clasen – Altyd In My Drome

Paul Warwick Griffin – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Steven Stead – Shrek The Musical

Weslee Swain Lauder – Sneeuwitjie

18. BEST SUPPORTING/FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: FEMALE

Delray Halgryn – Annie

Kiruna-Lind Devar – Saturday Night Fever

LJ Nielson – Saturday Night Fever

Taryn-Lee Hudson – Singin’ In The Rain

Taryn Sudding – Annie

Tessa Denton – Altyd In My Drome

19. BEST SUPPORTING/FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: MALE

Bongi Mthombeni – Saturday Night Fever

Jacobus van Heerden – Shrek The Musical

Jonathan Roxmouth – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Rory Booth – Shrek The Musical

Stephen Jubber – Annie

Steven van Wyk – Singin’ In The Rain

20. BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: FEMALE

Angela Kilian – Sneeuwitjie

Bethany Dickson – Singin’ In The Rain

Charon Williams Ros – Annie

Jessica Sole – Shrek The Musical

Kate Normington – Robin Hood and the Babes in the wood

Lilla Fleischmann – Annie

21. BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: MALE

Earl Gregory – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

Graham Hopkins – Robin Hood and the Babes in the wood

Grant Almirall – Singin’ In The Rain

Lyle Buxton – Shrek The Musical

Neels Clasen – Annie

Willem Botha – Altyd In My Drome

22. BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: FEMALE

Busisiwe Busi Zofuka – Ubu and the Truth Commission

Busisiwe Nyundu – iLembe

Charmaine Weir-Smith – Suddenly the Storm

Ilse Klink – Scorched

Masasa Lindiwe Mbangeni – The Dying Screams

Sandra Prinsloo – Oskar en die Pienk Tannie

Tinarie van Wyk Loots – Plant vir my ‘n Boom André

23. BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: MALE

André Odendaal – DOP

Andrew Buckland – Tobacco and the Harmful Effects Thereof

Andries Babalo Mbali – iLembe

Desmond Dube – I See You

Lunga Radebe – I See You

Motlatsi Mafatshe – Mooi Street Moves

Mpho Osei-Tutu – Scorched

24. BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT

DOP – Written by Retief Scholtz

I See You – Written by Mongiwekhaya Mthombeni

iLembe – Written by Small Ndaba & Phyllis Klotz in co-op. with Balungile Dlamini, Bhoyi Ngema (†), Andries Mbali & Jeremy Richard.

Pay Back The Curry! – Written by Mike van Graan

Sherlock Holmes – Written by Robert Fridjhon & Bronwyn Gottwald

Suddenly the Storm – Written by Paul Slabolepszy

TAU – Written by Thabiso T. Rammala.

25. BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

Bad Jews – Prod. by Eric Abraham in ass. with The Fugard Theatre & the Auto & General Theatre on the Square.

I See You – Prod. by the Market Theatre & Royal Court Theatre.

Scorched – Prod. by Jade Bowers in ass. with UJ Arts & Culture.

6 Characters in Search of an Author – Prod. by the Market Theatre & Windybrow Theatre.

Suddenly the Storm – Prod. by the Market Theatre & Windybrow Theatre in ass. with the Auto & General Theatre on the Square.

A Raisin’ in the Sun – Prod. by the Market Theatre in ass. with the US Embassy.

Ubu and the Truth Commission – Prod. by Handspring Puppet Company in ass. with the Market Theatre & the Windybrow Theatre.

26. BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Altyd In My Drome – Prod. by Kosie Smit in ass. with Pieter Toerien.

Annie – Prod. by Pieter Toerien & Hazel Feldman in ass. with Michael Harrison Entertainment & David Ian Productions.

I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Prod. by VRG Theatrical in ass. with Dalro (PTY) Ltd.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Prod. by Pieter Toerien & the Really Useful Group.

Shrek The Musical – Prod. by KickstArt in ass. with Gold Reef City.

Singin’ In The Rain – Prod. by Pieter Toerien and the Chichester Festival Theatre

Umshado – A Marriage of Heritage – Prod. By State Theatre in ass with One Step Productions cc.