Durban Theatre Awards - 2009
“The awards system considers only those productions originating in Durban and presented during the period October 1, 2008, to September 30, 2009,” says administrator Peter Taylor. “These productions include the genres of drama and comedy, musical theatre, music revue / music compilation/ cabaret, and children’s theatre, with a total of 46 productions vying for honours at this year’s awards ceremony. The calibre of work produced in Durban remains at a consistently high standard and The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards recognises and acknowledges this standard,”
by Ailsa Windsor
taken from Going Places website
24 November 2009
This year celebrated the 7th Durban Theatre Awards ceremony which came into being in 2003 as a result of the demise of the FNB Vita Theatre Awards (provincially and nationally).
Hostess for the evening was Beauty Ramapelepele (aka Ben Voss) who provided a hilarious take on the presentations. ‘It’s an opportunity to promote our heritage,’ she said of the award for new South African script. ‘We are a land of opportunists… (oops) opportunities’.
Themi Venturas (CEO and founder of the Catalina Theatre) received the Judges’ Award for his contribution to the Durban Arts scene. As a part of Theatre Biz he has made it his life’s work to provide opportunities for new script writers and actors with aim of ‘providing a voice for Durban’. These productions are often not well attended and the theatres are not filled to capacity, and at times it is downright disheartening… but your contribution has been noted and is appreciated by all.
In fact, ‘Native Blues’, which received recognition with respect to ‘Musical Director’ first saw the light of day at the Catalina Theatre before its recent appearance on the Playhouse stage. And thanks to generous sponsorship by Rainbow Chickens the Catalina has been enabled to provide the necessary platform.
Hostess for the evening was Beauty Ramapelepele (aka Ben Voss) who provided a hilarious take on the presentations. ‘It’s an opportunity to promote our heritage,’ she said of the award for new South African script. ‘We are a land of opportunists… (oops) opportunities’.
Themi Venturas (CEO and founder of the Catalina Theatre) received the Judges’ Award for his contribution to the Durban Arts scene. As a part of Theatre Biz he has made it his life’s work to provide opportunities for new script writers and actors with aim of ‘providing a voice for Durban’. These productions are often not well attended and the theatres are not filled to capacity, and at times it is downright disheartening… but your contribution has been noted and is appreciated by all.
In fact, ‘Native Blues’, which received recognition with respect to ‘Musical Director’ first saw the light of day at the Catalina Theatre before its recent appearance on the Playhouse stage. And thanks to generous sponsorship by Rainbow Chickens the Catalina has been enabled to provide the necessary platform.
‘Wit’
· Poster design – Shirley Berko
· Lighting design – Tina le Roux
· Supporting actress (drama/comedy) – Olivia Borgen
· Lead actress (drama/comedy) – Claire Mortimer
· Director (drama/comedy) – Steven Stead
· Production (drama/comedy) - KickstArt
‘Little Shop of Horrors’
· Sound design – Megan Levy
· Costume design – Terrence Bray
· Set design – Greg King
· New performer (female) – Londiwe Dhlomo
· Choreography – Janine Bennewith
· Supporting actress (musical theatre) – Pume Zondi
· Lead actress (musical theatre) – Lisa Bobbert
· Lead actor (musical theatre) – Bryan Hiles
· Director – Steven Stead
· Musical Theatre production - KickstArt
‘Othello’
· New performer (male) – Farai Qwaze
· Supporting actor (drama/comedy) – Iain Robinson
‘Shear Madness’
· Performance in a comedy by a female - Daisy Spencer
· Performance in a comedy by a male – Marc Kay
‘uThemba lethu’ ( a translation into Zulu of ‘Tsepang’)
· Lead actor – Bheki Mkhwane
Children’s Theatre – a clean sweep for ‘Cinderella’
· Supporting actress – Shelley McLean
· Lead actress – Janna Ramos-Violante
· Lead actor – Bryan Hiles
· Director – Steven Stead
· Children’s Theatre production- KickstArt
Performer music revue / music compilation/ cabaret
· Lauren Laing: ‘Sing it Sista’
Supporting actor (musical theatre)
· Lucky Simayile: ‘Madame President Musical’
Musical director
· Henry Faca Kulu: ‘Native Blues’
Music revue production
· Sue Clarence Productions: ‘Let’s Misbehave’
The Monica Fairall Award – ‘a memorial award for those who give back far more than they receive’
· Peter Taylor (organiser of the Theatre Awards …)
New South African script
· Neil Coppin: ‘Tree Boy’
The Mercury Theatre Personality of the Year
· Liesl Coppin