Excitement builds as the 2025 Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards nominees are revealed
South Africa’s most prestigious celebration of theatre, the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, is almost here.
To mark their milestone 60th anniversary, a dazzling ceremony will take place at the iconic Cape Town Stadium on Sunday, March 23.
The ceremony promises to highlight the exceptional talent that has graced theatre stages in Cape Town, with nominees spanning 23 competitive categories that honour the best in performance, sound, directing and design among other categories.
This year, 49 productions were eligible including an eclectic mix of plays, musicals and music theatre shows performed over 2024, with 175 students from several institutions also considered for the Most Promising Student category.
The judges also reviewed 12 productions for children and young adults, as well as seven opera productions.
This year, “My Fair Lady”, “The Addams Family: The Musical” and “Othello” lead the charge with nine nominations each across various categories.
“Manje! Manje!” follows close behind with seven nominations, director Steven Stead’s “Metamorphoses” picked up five nods, while “Romeo and Juliet” and “Unruly” bagged three each.
Africa Melane, the chairperson of the judging panel and well-known radio personality, lauded the nominations as a testament to the prowess and creativity displayed across the board.
“This year’s nominations are a true reflection of the quality and diversity of talent, storytelling and engagement we have witnessed in Cape Town over the past year.
“It’s clear that there are no shortcuts to achieving excellence. The judges were once again left in awe. Congratulations to all the nominees.”
Among the nominees are:
Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play
Albert Pretorius as Iago - “Othello”
Andrew Buckland as various roles - “Unruly”
Atandwa Kani as Othello - “Othello”
Ben Albertyn as Petrus - “Droomwerk”
Sanda Shandu as Man - “Lungs”
Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play
Anthea Thompson as Rose - “Dog Rose”
Carla Smith as Desdemona - “Othello”
Emily Child as Blanche DuBois - “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Jennie Reznek as Daedalus - “Manje! Manje!”
Simone Neethling as Juliet - “Romeo and Juliet”
Best Director
Garth Tavares - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Jaco Bouwer - “Die Vegetariër”
Steven Stead - “Metamorphoses”
Steven Stead - “My Fair Lady”
Sylvaine Strike - “Spring Awakening”
Best Production
“Manje! Manje!”
“Metamorphoses”
“My Fair Lady”
“Spring Awakening”
“Unruly”
Most Promising Student: Dylan Janse Van Rensburg, Elizabeth-Ann Fosu, Jayden Dickson, Mfuneli Ntumbuka, Nichola Viviers, Oliver Carnegie, Seth Daniel Cloete and Tshepiso Modise.
Best New South African Script
Jennie Reznek and Mwenya Kabwe - “Manje! Manje!”
Mlindeli Zondi - “Off Balance”
Pieter Odendaal - “Droomwerk”
Rosalind Butler - “Expelled”
Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni - “Neighbourhood”
Best New Director
Aidan Scott - “The Dumb Waiter”
Lara Toselli - “A Doll's Life”
Marianne Thamm - “Round of Applause - South Africa Still Standing”
Sinenhlanhla Mgeyi - “Text Me When You Arrive”
Tankiso Mamabolo - “Don't Believe A Word I Say”
Best Theatre Production for Children and Young Adults
“Braam en die Engel”
“Glimmer”
“Kipper and the Olympic Flame / Vlooi en die Olimpiese Vlam”
“Pampoenpit se Groen Gevoel”
“The Little Mermaid”
Best Performance by an Ensemble
Benjamin Stannard, Che-Jean Jupp, Gabriella Knight, Gemma Bisseker, Gerard van Rooyen, Hannah Norcott, Jasmine Minter, Jayden Dickson, Jude Bunyan, Killian Blerk, Nandipa Nyivana, Noa Duckitt, Skye Themeda Goss, Tatum Coleman, Tjaart van der Walt and Tumelo Mogashoa - “Spring Awakening”
Azola Mkhabile, Buhle T. Stefane, Emmanuel Ntsamba, Karabo Hope Banda, Lusanda Soboyise, Melusi Molefe, Mihlali Bele, Sanele Phillip and Yvonne Msebenzi - “Manje! Manje!”
Awethu Hleli, Carla Smith, Carlo Daniels, Jock Kleynhans, Lyle October, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe and Tamzin Williams - “Neighbourhood”
Awethu Hleli, Brent Palmer, Cassiel Eaton-Winnik, Carlo Daniels, Lyle October, Matthew Vey, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe and Tamzin Williams - “Metamorphoses”
Kyla Davis, Lisa Overy and Roberto Pombo - “The Agents”
Best Performance in a Revue, Cabaret and One Person Show
Andrew Buckland - “The Ugly Noo Noo”
Bo Petersen - “Pieces of Me”
Erika Breytenbach-Marais - “The Good Dad”
Fiona Ramsay - “Blonde Poison”
Shannon Esra - “My Left Breast”
Best performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical or Music Theatre Show
André Terblanché as Josef Marais - “Ver in die Wêreld Kittie”
Brendan van Rhyn as Lurch - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Dean Balie as Ernest Logan - “Orpheus McAdoo”
Graham Hopkins as Colonel Pickering - “My Fair Lady”
Yahto Kraft as Uncle Fester -“The Addams Family: The Musical”
Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical or Music Theatre Show
Adrienne Pearce as Mrs Higgins - “My Fair Lady”
Alexis Petersen as Lucy Moten - “Orpheus McAdoo”
Bethany Dickson as Alice Beineke - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Candice van Litsenborgh as Grandma - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Jenny Stead as Rosa de Miranda - “Ver in die Wêreld Kittie”
Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical or Music Theatre Show
Conroy Scott as Orpheus McAdoo - “Orpheus McAdoo”
Craig Urbani as Henry Higgins - “My Fair Lady”
Dean Balie as Koos Heuningbek - “Ver in die Wêreld Kittie”
Marcel Meyer as Sweeney Todd - “Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street”
Niza Jay as Emcee - “Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera”
Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical or Music Theatre Show
Ann Masina as Mrs Nkoli - “Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera”
Brittany Smith as Mattie Allen - “Orpheus McAdoo”
Leah Mari as Eliza Doolittle - “My Fair Lady”
Rushney Ferguson as Kittie Jaftha - “Ver in die Wêreld Kittie”
Samantha Peo as Morticia Addams - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play
Aidan Scott as Mozart - “Amadeus”
Carlo Daniels as Cassio - “Othello”
Gerben Kamper as Oupa - “Droomwerk”
Mark Elderkin as Emperor - “Amadeus”
Wessel Pretorius as Roderigo - “Othello”
Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play
Faniswa Yisa as Emilia - “Othello”
Hannah Borthwick as Nurse - “Romeo and Juliet”
Rehane Abrahams as Mercutio and Lady Montague - “Romeo and Juliet”
Sarah Wolhuter as Stella Kowalski - “A Streetcar Named Desire”
Tinarie van Wyk Loots as Suster and Ma - “Die Vegetariër”
Best Puppetry Design
Marthinus Basson and Elana Snyman - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Michael Curry - “Disney - The Magic Box”
Best Lighting Design
Denis Hutchinson - “My Fair Lady”
Franky Steyn - “Metamorphoses”
Mark Fleishman and Themba Stewart - “Manje! Manje!”
Niall Griffin - “Spring Awakening”
Patrick Curtis - “Othello”
Best Set Design
Craig Leo - “Manje! Manje!”
Gerhard Marx - “Othello”
Greg King - “My Fair Lady”
Jaco Bouwer - “Die Vegetariër”
Marthinus Basson and Nicolaas de Jongh - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Patrick Curtis - “Metamorphoses”
Best Costume Design
Birrie Le Roux and Sikelela Nomvete aka Mr Allofit - “NKOLI: The Vogue-Opera”
Bridget Baker - “Die Vegetariër”
Marthinus Basson - “The Addams Family: The Musical”
Michaeline Wessels - “Neighbourhood”
Neil Stuart Harris, Andrew Botha and Maritha Visagie - “My Fair Lady”
Best Sound Design, Original Music, Soundscape or Live Performance
Chantal Willie-Petersen for live performance - “Unruly”
Jannous Aukema for sound design and original music - “Droomwerk”
Kyle Shepherd for original music - “Othello”
Neo Muyanga for original music - “Manje! Manje!”
Philip Miller for original music - “Nkoli: The Vogue-Opera”
Best Performance in an Opera - Male
Conroy Scott as Gianni Schicchi - “Gianni Schicchi”
Conroy Scott as Enrico - “Lucia di Lammermoor”
Lukhanyo Moyake as Edgardo - “Lucia di Lammermoor”
Sandile Zitha as Ubaldo - “Dalinda”
Thando Zwane as Acmet - “Dalinda”
Best Performance in an Opera - Female
Brittany Smith as Lucia - “Lucia di Lammermoor”
Minette du Toit-Pearce as The Princess - “Suor Angelica”
Nobulumko Mngxekeza as Sister Angelica - “Suor Angelica”
Nontobeko Bhengu as Dalinda - “Dalinda”
Zizipho Funzo as Governess - “The Turn of the Screw”