Press: 2015 Nominees for the 51st annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards announced

The 51st annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards today announced its 2015 nominees, reflecting a rich realm of theatre talent seen on stages throughout the Western Cape. This glamorous ceremony will take place on Sunday, 20 March at 18:00 at the Baxter Theatre in Cape Town and will personify a fusion of cultures, food and Fleur du Cap wine.

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.

"I want to acknowledge the amazingly passionate panel of judges, the support of the Distell Foundation together with the Fleur du Cap Wine brand as well as the theatre industry for the tremendous support the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards enjoys. I look forward to what the future brings", says Melanie Burke, chairman of the judging panel.

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 Inc.

The nominees (in alphabetical order) in the various categories (Name – Play – Role) are: The full list follows:

1. 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

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. BEST PERFORMANCE IN A REVUE, CABARET OR ONE-PERSON SHOW Terry Fortune for Remembering the Lux as various characters Jemma Khan 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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

15. 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

16. BEST PUPPETRY DESIGN- NO NOMINATIONS

17. 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

18. ROSALIE VAN DER GUCHT PRIZE FOR NEW DIRECTORS

Adrian Collins Christo Davids Jason Jacobs Mdu Kweyama Paul Noko

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 onstage and in the foyer. Follow the awards on Twitter @FDCTheatreAward and on Facebook.