The Who’s Who of South African theatre sashayed up the green carpet at the South Africa’s Premier theatre awards event, the prestigious 44th annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, held at a glittering ceremony the Artscape Theatre in Cape Town last night. 

Audience members sipped fine Fleur du Cap wines and bubbly, and mingled with stars, celebrities, nominees and winners, all looking très chic in glamourous gowns and designer outfits, reminiscent of the recent Oscars in LA and the Tony Awards in New York City.  Geoffrey Hyland directed the stellar entertainment line-up that included Laurika Rauch, Dizu Plaatjies, Zanne Stapelberg, Loukmaan Adams and La Rosa Spanish Dance Theatre. Thoko Ntshinga handed over the prizes and Nik Rabinowitz as MC kept the mood light and the crowd in stitches .The 2009 event theme was ‘Inspired By Nature’, made evident by the innovative green carpet and the natural elements used in the decor.

The coveted Fleur du Cap medallion carries a generous cash prize of R15,000. The awards, established 43 years ago, are an initiative of the Distell Foundation that forms part of Distell’s CSI programme. This year, in addition to the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Peoples Choice Award and the newly created Innovation in Theatre award, there were 60 outstanding nominees in fifteen categories.

 The winners are as follows:

1. Most Promising Student

Christiaan Olwagen- Stellenbosch University


2. Rosalie van der Gucht Prize for New Directors

Michael Inglis for Venom


3. Best New South African Play

Mike van Graan for Die Generaal


4. Best Prop Design

Nicholas & Luke Ellenbogen for Raiders, Rasputin’s Rectangle


5. Best Costume Design

John Caviggia for The Merchant of Venice


6. Best Lighting Design

Jaco Bouwer, Albert Snyman and Rudolph van Jaarsveld for Smag


7. Best Set Design

Fred Abrahamse for Assassins


8. Best Performance in a Revue or Cabaret

The Cast of Not the Midnight Mass : Graham Weir, Christine Weir, Jason Ralph, Pierre van Heerden and Amanda Tiffin.


9. Best Performance in a Musical

André Jacobs for Samuel Byck in Assassins


10. Best Performance in a One Person Show

Shaleen Surtee-Richards for Shirley Valentyn in Shirley Valentyn


11. Award for Innovation in Theatre

Megan Choritz – TheatreSports


12. Lifetime Achievement Award

Lynette Marais (Former Grahamstown Festival Director)


13. The People’s Choice Award

TheatreSports


14. Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Quanita Adams for multiple roles in Cissie

15. Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Guy de Lancey  for Shelley Levine in Glengarry Glen Ross


16.  Best Actor in a Leading Role

Jeremy Crutchley for Shylock in The Merchant of Venice


17. Best Actress in a Leading Role

Mwenya Kabwe for Alma in Yellowman

18. Best Director

Jaco Bouwer for Smag 

Distell Arts & Culture manages and works with a panel of judges chaired by a non-voting chairman, Mr. Conrad Sidego, a former ambassador and journalist. The Panel itself is made up largely of local critics, journalists, writers and drama educators, namely Marianne Thamm, Mariana Malan, Robert Greig, Marina Griebenow, Dr. Beverley Brommert, Len Ashton, Wilhelm Snyman, Brent Meersman, Denise Bester, Herman van der Westhuizen and Peter Tromp. Distell is represented by Irma Albers, Arts & Culture Controller and organizer of the Fleur du Cap awards. Says Ms. Albers, "Cape Town is increasingly on the cutting edge of innovative theatre and the City continues to witness the emergence of exciting new talent both on the acting and directorial fronts".


As always, the proceeds from the evening go towards the development of theatre in the Western Cape. The next Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards event will be held at Baxter Theatre in March 2010. For more details on the awards and the theatre scene in Cape Town visit  www.capetheatre.co.za

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