The cast of The Colour Purple | Image: Supplied
Naledi Theatre Awards judges saw nearly 100 productions during 2018 before announcing the 2019 winners at the Joburg Theatre on Monday night.
Sweeping the board with seven Naledi Awards is the musical The Color Purple.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time received three awards while children’s theatre piece Goggas received two, tying with Shoes and Coups with two awards. Founder and CEO of the Naledi Theatre Awards, Dawn Lindberg, on behalf of the Judges and Board of the Naledis, congratulates all the winners, nominees and theatre practitioners for an exceptional year of entertainment and dedication to the craft.
“We are constantly devastated by the lack of financial support given to theatre in general and the Naledis in particular by the Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council and television Channels such as KYKnet, Mzansi Magic and the SABC.
“Almost everyone involved in producing, creating and staging the Naledis this year worked for no remuneration. We are profoundly grateful to the Joburg Theatre, Splitbeam Technical and Visual Frontiers as well as the presenters and entertainers who all felt honoured to be part of the celebration of excellence within their own ranks.”
The Winners of the 15th Annual Naledi Theatre awards are:
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Heidi Mollentze – The Revlon Girl
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Sipho Zakwe – Shoes & Coups
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG AUDIENCES (SUPPORTED BY ASSITEJ SA) (0 – 13)
Goggas
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG AUDIENCES (supported by ASSITEJ SA) (14 – 17)
Polkadotz
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” – Roald Dahl’s Matilda
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 AV/ANIMATION 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
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 – The Color Purple
BEST SUPPORTING/FEATURED PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL/REVUE: MALE
Yamikani Mahaka-Phiri – The Color Purple
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL (FEMALE)
Didintle Khunou – The Color Purple
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL (MALE)
Paul du Toit – Hedwig and the Angry Inch
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY (FEMALE)
Zikhona Sodlaka – Nongogo
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY (MALE)
Kai Luke Brummer – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SOLO PRODUCTION: FEMALE/MALE
Daniel Mpilo Richards – Land Acts
BEST NEW SA SCRIPT
Shoes & Coups by Palesa Mazamisa,
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Tshepang: The Third Testament by Lara Foot
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
The Color Purple
(Compiled by Thami Kwazi)
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