2018 was a very special year in theatre for South Africa, with a host of world class productions being nominated for the awards. Outstanding talent and excellence in theatre are the watchwords for the Naledi Theatre Awards. As the theatre landscape diversifies and matures to reflect today’s South African society and the mainstreaming of truly indigenous works from musicals to plays, children’s theatre and independent productions, the roles of the Naledi Theatre Awards judges have become increasingly more difficult and challenging each year. Whilst budgets tighten and audiences are getting harder to attract, it is the role of theatre-makers in this country to provide their audiences with productions that fulfill their creative spirits and thrill their audiences. It is against this backdrop, that the Naledi Theatre Award Judges saw nearly 100 productions during 2018.
The judging of these productions saw very few surprises this year with the majority of nominations needing little or no debate. As usual the actual votes for productions are done in secret and the results are audited.
Sweeping the boards with 7 Naledi Awards is the musical The Color Purple. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, follows with 3 awards. The brand new South African play Shoes & Coups gets the nod with 2 awards, as does the children’s theatre piece Goggas!.
Founder and CEO of the Naledi Theatre Awards, Dawn Lindberg, on behalf of the Judges and Board of the Naledi Theatre Awards, congratulates all the winners, nominees and theatre practitioners for an exceptional year of entertainment and dedication to the craft.
WINNERS LIST
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Heidi Mollentze as “Rona”
The Revlon Girl
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sipho Zakwe
Shoes & Coups
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG AUDIENCES
(SUPPORTED BY ASSITEJ SA) (0 – 13)
Goggas!
Produced by National Children’s Theatre, written by Gillian Katz, adapted by Francois Theron, and directed by Jade Bowers
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG AUDIENCES
(SUPPORTED BY ASSITEJ SA) (14 – 17)
Polkadots
Produced by Redhill School in partnership with &CO, and directed by Shelley Adriaanzen
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
(SUPPORTED BY ASSITEJ SA)
Jaques De Silva as “Antic the Ant”
Goggas!
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE
Ryan de Villiers as “Miss Trunchbull”
Matilda – The Musical
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Fred Abrahamse & Marcel Meyer
Macbeth
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Gareth Hewitt Williams
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
BEST SET DESIGN
Stan Knight
Fool for Love
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Ntuthuko Mbuyazi
Florence
BEST SCORE / ARRANGEMENT / ADAPTATION
Kabelo “Bonafide” Togoe & Aubrey Sekhabi
Freedom
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Rowan Bakker
The Color Purple
BEST ENSEMBLE
Hani: The Legacy
Produced by The Market Theatre Laboratory, created by graduates of The Market Theatre Laboratory, and directed by Leila Henriques
BEST ORIGINAL CHOREOGRAPHY
Oscar Buthelezi
The Color Purple
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL / REVUE
Janice Honeyman
The Color Purple
BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Charmaine Weir-Smith
The Train Driver
BEST SUPPORTING / FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE (FEMALE)
Lelo Ramasimong as ” Shug Avery”
The Color Purple
BEST SUPPORTING / FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE (MALE)
Yamikani Mahaka-Phiri as “Harpo”
The Color Purple
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL (FEMALE)
Didintle Khunou as “Celie”
The Color Purple
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL (MALE)
Paul du Toit as “Hedwig”
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY (FEMALE)
Zikhona Sodlaka as “Queenie”
Nongogo
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY (MALE)
Kai Luke Brummer as “Christopher Boone”
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SOLO PRODUCTION
Daniel Mpilo Richards
Land Acts
BEST NEW SA SCRIPT
Shoes & Coups
Produced by The Market Theatre, written & directed by Palesa Mazamisa,
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Tshepang: The Third Testament
Produced by Joburg Theatre, written and directed by Lara Foot
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
The Color Purple
Produced by Joburg Theatre & Bernard Jay, and directed by Janice Honeyman
BEST AV/ANIMATION DESIGN
Gareth Hewitt Williams
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
SPECIAL AWARDS
SPECIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL 2019
Kitty Harris as Matilda in
Matilda – The Musical
SPECIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL 2019
Morgan Santo as Matilda in
Matilda – The Musical
SPECIAL AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL 2019
Lilla Fleischman as Matilda in
Matilda – The Musical
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: 2019
Letta Mbulu
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: 2019
Caiphus Semenya
WORLD IMPACT AWARD : 2019
Dr. John Kani
INNOVATION IN THEATRE AWARD: 2019
Gladys Agulhas
LESEDI SPIRIT OF COURAGE AWARD: 2019
Calvin Ratladi
