Kenya Theatre Awards 2023: All the winners

The awards celebrate outstanding achievements of individuals and organisations in the Kenyan theatre industry.

Members of the public voted for their favourite theatre productions and personalities in categories such as Best Production, Best Director, Best Musical Score, Best Original Choreography in a Musical, Best Musical Theatre Production, Theatre Company of the Year and Best Dance Theatre, among others.

Below is the full list of the winners:

Best Musical Theatre Production

• Mekatilili wa Menza (Woodcreek School)
• Kesho Amahoro (Youth Theatre Kenya) 
• Les Misérables (Braeburn School)
• Lion King (St Mary’s Sportsview Academy)

Best Musical Score, Arrangement or Adaptation

• Noah Akintade (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Vikash Pattni (The Manic Monologues)
• Andrew Patrick, Odhiambo Tumbo Geoffrey (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Shimaka (Something Must Kill a Man)

Best Sound Design

• Ambrose Kimani (Supernova)
• Amar Desai (Les Misérables)
• Dance Centre Kenya (The Nutcracker)
• Martin Steven Odongo, Josiah Otieno (The Fifth)
• Bill Rowe (Spread Your Garment Over Me) 

Best Original Choreography in a Musical/Play

• Sam Njenga Githongo (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Alladeen (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Cooper Rust (The Nutcracker)
• Maribel Larson (Robinson Crusoe and The Pirates)
• Neville Ignatius (Kesho Amahoro) 

Best Dance Theatre

• Sarakasi Trust (Circus Mother Nature)
• Dance Centre Kenya (Cinderella)
• Origins Dance Company Kenya/The Academy of Dance and Art African (Contemporary Ballet)
• Dance Centre Kenya (The Nutcracker)
• The Academy of Dance and Art (Peter Pan)

Best Production

• I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda (Nairobi Performing Arts Studio)
• Supernova (Prevail Presents)
• Blessed Be the Fruit (Prevail Presents)
• Speak Their Names (Jigsaw Limited)
• Mekatilili wa Menza (Woodcreek School)

Best Spoken Word Production

• Mufasa for President (Mufasa Poet)
• Vita Vya Vina (Upgrade Poetry)
• The Other Things and Love (Gufy)

Best Standup Comedy Production

• Manmade Woman (Astar Productions)
• Because You Said So
• Punchline Comedy (Sticks and Stones Ltd)
• Our Father Who Laughs In Heaven (Captain Otoyo)
• Standup Collective

Best Storytelling Production

• Something Must Kill a Man (CMG Poshmedia)
• Mulongo (Kiqwetu Limited)
• Big Boys of Shibale (CMG Poshmedia)

Best Male Performance in a Solo Production

• Martin Kigondu (Supernova)
• Joseph Obel (Kundinyota)
• Kimani Wandaka (Jijue: Ishow)

Best Female Performance in a Solo Production

• Dr Zippy Okoth (Side Chick Wife)
• Esther Kahuha (Manmade Woman)
• Anna Mwalagho (The Journey of the Spirit)

Best Breakthrough Male Performer

• Dadson Gakenga
• Trevor Munene
• Vikash Pattni
• Elvis Mambo
• Victor Muyekwe

Best Breakthrough Female Performer

• Nyokabi Macharia
• Nikita Wakonyu
• Cindy Kahuha
• Tana Gachoka
• Shantel Moraa

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role (Play)

• Cyprian Osoro (Coast of Living)
• Eric Chege (Harukia Konji)
• Martin Kigondu (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Timothy Ndisii (Open and Shut)
• Robinson Mudavadi (Backstreet)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Play)

• Nixsha Shah (Speak Their Names)
• Bernice Nthenya (If The Shoe Fits)
• Marrianne Nungo (Blessed Be the Fruit)
• Angel Waruinge (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Isabela Moraa (Cold Heart)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Play)

• Bilal Mwaura (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Sam Psenjen (Mstinji:The Miser)
• Brian Ogola (Speak Their Names)
• Charles J Ouda (How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide)
• Nick Kwach (Coast of Living)

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Play)

• Clare Wahome (The Dying Need No Shoes)
• Nice Githinji (How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide) 
• Nice Githinji (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda) 
• Lorna Lemi (Blessed Be the Fruit) 
• Nyce Wanjeri (Minja Minjia) 

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Monologue

• Wakio Mzenge (The Manic Monologues)
• Nyokabi Macharia (Spread Your Garment Over Me)
• Audi Rowa (The Manic Monologues)
• Patricia Kihoro (The Sex Lives of African Women)
• Julisa Rowe (Spread Your Garment Over Me)

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Monologue

• Charles J Ouda (The Manic Monologues)
• Elsaphan Njora (The Manic Monologues)
• Nick Ndeda (The Manic Monologues)
• Sam Psenjen (Voices of the Bible: Kings and Leaders Edition)

Best University/College Theatre Group

• Kenyatta University
• The University of Nairobi
• Strathmore University
• Nairobi Institute of Music and Performing Arts (NIMPA)

Theatre Company of the Year

• Heartstrings Entertainment
• Fanaka Arts Theatre
• Millaz Productions Kenya
• Nairobi Performing Arts Studio
• Chemichemi Players

Best Children’s Play

• Kesho Amahoro (Youth Theatre Kenya)
• Aesop's Fables (Dance Centre Kenya Junior Company)
• The Nutcracker (Dance Centre Kenya)
• Cinderella (Dance Centre Kenya)
• Mekatilili wa Menza (Woodcreek School)

Best Two-hander Production

• How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide (Shorts from Africa)
• The Island (David Mulwa Production)
• Bro Code (Unplugged ENT)
• The Dying Need No Shoes (FalmeArts)
• Ichor (Nyakagwa Mahaga Performing Arts)
• Supernova (Prevail Presents)

Best Lighting Design

• Alacoque Ntome (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Charles Stephen (How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide)
• Stuart Nash (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Stuart Nash (Mstinji: The Miser)
• Chris Childs and Wilfred Onyango (Robinson Crusoe and The Pirates)

Best Stage Manager

• Mercy Wangui (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Mercy Wangui (How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide)
• Mercy Wangui (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Brenda Nyambeki (Supernova)
• Mercy Wangui (Spread Your Garment Over Me)

Best Set Design

• Lewis Kavoi Xavier and Jairo Obege (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Mr Mbugua (Minja Minjia)
• Stuart Nash (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Brian Irungu (Takataka)
• Kigondu Wanjiru (Supernova)

Best Playwright – Original Script

• Kigondu Martin (Supernova)
• Dr Fred Mbogo (The Dying Need No Shoes)
• Dr Fred Mbogo (How To Buy A House In Kitengela)
• Andrew Patrick, Odhiambo Tumbo (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Silvia Cassini (Speak Their Names)

Best Adaptation

• Shalini Bhalla-Lucas – The Manic Monologues
• The Miser Cast (Molière) – Mstinji: The Miser
• Karen Kaz Lucas (Nana Darkoa Sekyiamah) – The Sex Lives of African Women
• Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boublil – Les Misérables
• Dance Centre Kenya – Aesop's Fables

Best Lighting Design

• Alacoque Ntome (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Charles Stephen (How to have an Affair: A Cheaters’ Guide)
• Stuart Nash (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Stuart Nash (Mstinji – The Miser)
• Chris Childs and Wilfred Onyango (Robinson Crusoe and The Pirates)

Best Costume Design

• Christina Baya and Philine Olesi (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Philline Olesi (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Antonia Mukandie (The Nutcracker)
• Native Woman (Circus Mother Nature)
• Antonia Mukandie (Cinderella)

Best Kikwetu Production (Vernacular Shows)

• Ngahiika Ndeenda (Nairobi Performing Arts Studio)
• Minja Minjia (Fanaka Arts Theatre)
• Kina Obirore (Mkisii Ni Mkisii)
• Chimidzi Midzi (Jukwaa Arts)
• Bugotuona (Njota Cia Meru)

Best Director

• Stuart Nash (I Will Marry When I Want/Ngahiika Ndeenda)
• Martin Kigondu (Blessed Be the Fruit)
• Jazz Moll (Kesho Amahoro)
• Lewis Kavoi Xavier (Mekatilili wa Menza)
• Alacoque Ntome (The Dying Need No Shoes)

Jury’s Special Award 

• Dance Into Space

World Impact Award

• Ngugi wa Thiong’o

World Impact Award

• Ogutu Muraya

Lifetime Achievement Award 

• Annabel Maule

Ushirika Award

• Creative Arts Spaces in Kenya (CASiK)