Naledi Theatre Awards 2023: All the winners

Pieter-Louis van Twisk won the Best Sound Design award, while Hlakanyana – The Musical triumphed in the Best Production of a Musical/Musical Theatre Production category. Janice Honeyman and Charmaine Weir-Smith were announced winners of the Best Director of a Musical Theatre Production and Best Director of a Play awards, respectively. Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Female award went to Momo Matsunyane, while Sibusiso Mxosana was crowned winner of the Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Male.

Other winners in musical categories include Amanda Strydom, Ignatius van Heerden, Dale-Ray Scheepers and Lungiswa Plaatjies.

Below is the full list of winners:

Best Sound Design

• Pieter-Louis van Twisk (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• Adriaan van der Walt (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Akhona Bozo (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Les Javan (Joanie Galant-Hulle – The Market Theatre)
• Ntuthuko Mbuyazi (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Vangile Z. Mpumlwana (The Lesson – The Market Theatre)

Best Production of a Musical/Musical Theatre Production

• Hlakanyana – The Musical (UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Brel/Piaf (Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Die Gelofte (AfriForum Teater)
• Sinbad (Montecasino and Kickstart Productions)
• The Trolley Dollies – The Triplets of Bellville (Deviant Theatricals)
• Third World Express (Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)

Best Director of a Musical Theatre Production

• Janice Honeyman (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Gregory Maqoma (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)
• Janice Honeyman (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Jannes Erasmus (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• Steven Stead (Sinbad – Montecasino and Kickstart Productions)

Best Director of a Play

• Charmaine Weir-Smith (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Greg Homann (The Lesson – The Market Theatre)
• James Ngcobo (The Brothers Size – The Market Theatre)
• Janice Honeyman (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Robert Whitehead (Hansard – Troupe Theatre Company in ass. with Daphne Kuhn)
• Sylvaine Strike (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Gloucester Productions)

Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Female

• Momo Matsunyane (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Ilse Klink (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Michelle Botha (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Zoricke Snyman (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)

Best Supporting Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Male

• Sibusiso Mxosana (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Ben Voss (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• David Johnson (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Eddie de Jager (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• King B (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)

Best Choreography in a Play or Musical Theatre Production

• Ignatius van Heerden (Birthing Nureyev – Leftfoot Productions at Joburg Theatre)
• Bertwin de Souza & Shampa Gopikrishna (Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp – Blu Blood at Emperors Palace)
• Gregory Maqoma (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)
• Khaya Ndlovu (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Lihle Nene (Sifu – The Market Theatre)
• Mandla Mngevu (The Red on the Rainbow – The South African State Theatre)

Best Original Score/Musical Arrangements

• Sne Dladla, Zolani Shangase & Dionne Song (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Anton Luitingh (The Trolley Dollies – The Triplets of Bellville – Deviant Theatricals)
• Coenie de Villiers & Mauritz Lotz (Karoo Suite 2: Karoonagte – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Dawid Boverhof (Brel/Piaf – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Johan Vorster & Jacomien de Wet (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• Zusakhe Ngqame (Pelegi – The South African State Theatre)

Best Lead Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Female

• Amanda Strydom (Brel/Piaf – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Bernice West (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• Manakomba Ndamande (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Stephanie Baartman (Music of the Night – Ticket to the Moon)
• Zoë McLaughlin (The Last Five Years – Tally Ho! Productions and Pieter Toerien Productions)

Best Lead Performance in a Musical Theatre Production: Male

• Sandisile Dlangalala (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• André Schwartz (Brel/Piaf – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Anthony Downing (The Last Five Years – Tally Ho! Productions and Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Coenie de Villiers (Karoo Suite 2 – Karoonagte – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Johan Vorster (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)

Best Original Soundscape

• Lungiswa Plaatjies (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Billy Maboa (Sifu – The Market Theatre)
• Franco Prinsloo (Plesierengel – Leftfoot Theatre Productions and The Centurion Theatre)
• Vangile Z. Mpumlwana (The Lesson – The Market Theatre)
• Sydney Mavundla & Volley Nchabeleng (The Red on the Rainbow – The South African State Theatre)

Best Musical Director

• Dale-Ray Scheepers (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Coenie de Villiers & Mauritz Lotz (Karoo Suite 2 – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Dawid Boverhoff (Brel/Piaf – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Francois Lessing (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Teater)
• Jaco Griessel (The Last Five Years – Tally Ho! Productions and Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Zolani Shangase (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)

Best Performance in a Solo Production

• Ruan Wessels (Plesierengel – Leftfoot Theatre Productions and The Centurion Theatre)
• Bryan Schimmel (More Than a Handful – VR Theatrical in ass. with Lorri Strauss and Daphne Kuhn)
• Charlie Bouguenon (Hans steek die Rubicon oor – Leftfoot Theatre Productions)
• Ignatius van Heerden (Birthing Nureyev – Leftfoot Productions at Joburg Theatre)
• Khutjo Green (Country Duty – Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the Square)
• Peter Terry (At all costs – Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the Square)

Best Breakthrough Performance

• Boitumelo Marule (Pelegi – The South African State Theatre)
• Jordan Human (Die Gelofte – AfriForum Theatre)
• Lihle Ngubo (The Lesson – The Market Theatre)
• Micah Stojakovic (Sinbad – Montecasino and Kickstart Productions)
• Michaela Tucker (If a tree falls… – Penny Kreitzer, Opher Lewin and Malcolm Purkey at Theatre Linden)
• Vash Singh (Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp – Blu Blood at Emperors Palace)
• Zoë McLaughlin (The Last Five Years – Tally Ho! Productions and Pieter Toerien Productions)

Best Performance in a Solo Comedy Production (With Elements of Stand-Up)

• Alan Comittie (Live and Let Laugh – Gloucester Productions)
• Marc Lottering (Uncle Marc – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Mark Banks (Mask About Face – Daphne Kuhn and Theatre On The Square)
• Nik Rabonowitz (Unmuted – Daphne Kuhn and Theatre On The Square)

Best Ensemble in a Musical Theatre Production

• Ensemble (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Amanda Strydom, André Schwartz, Dawid Boverhoff & Coenraad Rall (Brel/Piaf – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Brendan van Rhyn, Christopher Dudgeon & Rudi Jansen (The Trolley Dollies – The Triplets of Bellville – Deviant Theatricals)
• Coenie de Villiers, Deon Meyer & Mauritz Lotz (Karoo Suite 2 – Karoonagte – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Ensemble (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)

Best Ensemble in a Play

• Cast (The Red on the Rainbow – The South African State Theatre)
• Ensemble (Pelegi – The South African State Theatre)
• Cast (Sifu – The Market Theatre)
• Cast (The Drowning Eye – The Kwasha Theatre Company)

Best Production: Dance, Physical Theatre and Ballet

• Ingress (MOVING INTO DANCE at Joburg Theatre)
• Demi Sapien (WILLSIDE at Joburg Theatre)
• Isenyuso (The South African State Theatre (Kucheza Festival))
• La Traviata (Joburg Ballet)
• Lyf (KMAD DANCE COMPANY)
• Moya (Zip Zap Circus)

Best Performer in a Dance, Physical Theatre and Ballet Production

• Oscar Buthelezi (Ingress – MOVING INTO DANCE at Joburg Theatre)
• Lindé Wessels (Lyf – KMAD DANCE COMPANY)
• Phelelani Ndakrokra (Moya – Zip Zap Circus)
• Thami Tshabalala (Isenyuso – The South African State Theatre (Kucheza Festival))
• Vincent Mantsoe (SoliiDaD – Joburg Theatre and Vincent Sekwati Mantsoe)
• Xola Willie (Lyf – KMAD DANCE COMPANY)

Best Production for Children & Young Audiences (Aged 0 to 13)

• Innocence Lost (National Children’s Theatre)
• Annie (Pretoria Youth Theatre)
• Balloonacy (National Children’s Theatre)
• Kids Of Amandla Street (The Kwasha Theatre Company)
• The Little Mermaid Jr (People’s Theatre at The Joburg Theatre)
• Under The Baobab Tree (National Children’s Theatre)

Best Performance in a Production for Young Audiences

• Noni Mkhonto (The Little Mermaid Jr – People’s Theatre at The Joburg Theatre)
• Craig Morris (Balloonacy – National Children’s Theatre
• Jay Hlatswayo (Seussical Jr – National Children’s Theatre)
• Luciano Zuppa (The Little Mermaid Jr – People’s Theatre at The Joburg Theatre)
• Madelein Pienaar (Hope The Rhino – National Children’s Theatre)

Best Production: Independent/Fringe Theatre

• Cruise (HIV@40 at Theatre Linden)
• Johnnie Motsamai (Joburg Theatre)
• Seeing Other People (Martin Grendele and Hira Lodhi)
• What was is no more (Joburg Theatre)

Best Performance in an Independent/Fringe Theatre Production

• Daniel Geddes (Cruise – HIV@40 at Theatre Linden)
• James Netherlands (Seeing Other People – Martin Grendele and Hira Lodhi)
• Khanyisile Ngwabe (What was is no more – Joburg Theatre)
• Martin Grendele (Seeing Other People – Martin Grendele and Hira Lodhi)
• Nthabileng Masudubele (Johnnie Motsamai – Joburg Theatre)

Best Production: Student Theatre

• Cabaret (Redhill School)
• Come Together (LAMTA)
• Nesting Flight (Oakfields College)
• Sister Act (Oakfields College)
• Ticket to Broadway (King David Victory Park)
• Whistleblowers (AFDA)

Best Performance in a Student Theatre Production

• Nicolas Hattingh (Cabaret – Redhill School)
• Noluthando Mathebula (Sister Act – Oakfields College)
• Robert Everson (Come Together – LAMTA)
• Samkelo Fonte (Nesting Flight – Oakfields College)

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

• Jennifer Steyn (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Berenice Barbier (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Gloucester Productions)
• Masego Modiba (Pelegi – The South African State Theatre)
• Onltametse Masilo (Pelegi – The South African State Theatre)
• Shoki Mmola (Ruined – The Market Theatre)

Best Supporting Actor in a Play

• Sven Ruygrok (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Josias dos Moleele (Bloke and his American Bantu – UJ Arts & Culture in association with the Sello Maake kaNcube Foundation)
• Marlo Minnaar (The Brothers Size – The Market Theatre)
• Nhlakanipho Manqele (The Brothers Size – The Market Theatre)
• Sanda Shandu (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Gloucester Productions)

Best Costume Design

• Anjil Naidoo, Priya Naidoo, Bertwin de Souza & Bepin Tanna (Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp – Blu Blood at Emperors Palace)
• Brendan van Rhyn, Christopher Dudgeon & Rudi Jansen (The Trolley Dollies – The Triplets of Bellville – Deviant Theatricals)
• Bronwen Lovegrove (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Charles J. Fourie (The Parrot Woman – The Market Theatre)
• FADA (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Steven Stead and Shanthi Naidoo (Sinbad – Montecasino and Kickstart Productions)

Best Theatre Set Design

• Greg King (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Birrie le Roux (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• FADA (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Greg King (Sinbad – Montecasino and Kickstart Productions)
• Jade Bowers (The Parrot Woman – The Market Theatre)
• Karabo Legoabe (Ruined – The Market Theatre)

Best Theatre AV Design

• Andrew Timm (Janice Honeyman’s Adventures in Pantoland – Joburg Theatre and Bernard Jay)
• Andrew Timm (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)
• Disrupt Media (Aladdin and his Wonderful Lamp – Blu Blood at Emperors Palace)
• Naret Loots (Birthing Nureyev – Leftfoot Productions at Joburg Theatre)

Best Lighting Design

• Bobby Heaney & Francois van der Hoven (Fordsburg’s Finest – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Denis Hutchinson (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Hlomohang Mothetho (The Red on the Rainbow – The South African State Theatre)
• Oliver Hauser (Third World Express – Joburg Theatre and Shadrack Bokaba)
• Phuti Matuba (Hlakanyana – The Musical – UJ Arts & Culture and Madevu Entertainment)
• Simon King (The Brothers Size – The Market Theatre)

Best Lead Actress in a Play

• Gontse Ntshegang (The Parrot Woman – The Market Theatre)
• Fiona Ramsay (Hansard – Troupe Theatre Company in ass. with Daphne Kuhn)
• Hlengiwe Lushaba Madlala (Ruined – The Market Theatre)
• Julie-Anne McDowell (The Beauty Queen of Leenane – How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Kim Cloete (Joanie Galant-Hulle – The Market Theatre)
• Robyn Scott (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Gloucester Productions)

Best Lead Actor in a Play

• Michael Richard (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Alan Committie (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Gloucester Productions)
• Graham Hopkins (Hansard – Troupe Theatre Company in ass. with Daphne Kuhn)
• John Kani (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Katlego Chale (The Brothers Size – The Market Theatre)
• Paul Slabolepszy (Fordsburg’s Finest – Pieter Toerien Productions)

Best New South African Script

• John Kani (Kunene and the King – Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• Deon Meyer (Karoo Suite 2 – Karoonagte – Pieter Toerien Productions)
• Leon van Nierop (Plesierengel – Leftfoot Theatre Productions and The Centurion Theatre)
• Monageng Motshabi (The Red on the Rainbow – The South African State Theatre)
• Peter Terry (At all costs – Daphne Kuhn and Theatre on the Square)
• Siphiwo Mahala (Bloke and his American Bantu – UJ Arts & Culture in association with the Sello Maake kaNcube Foundation)

Best Production of a Play

• The Beauty Queen of Leenane (How Now Brown Cow Productions at Theatre on the Square)
• Hansard (Troupe Theatre Company in ass. with Daphne Kuhn)
• Kunene and the King (Joburg Theatre and John Kani Productions)
• The Brothers Size (The Market Theatre)
• The Parrot Woman (The Market Theatre)
• The Red on the Rainbow (The South African State Theatre)

Lifetime Achievement

• Bernard Jay
• Paul Slabolepszy

CEO’s Award for Innovation

• Frans Swart