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August Collective
The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, often referred to as the ‘Oscars’ of Cape Town’s theatre industry, celebrated their 60th year in spectacular fashion at a glamorous ceremony at DHL Cape Town Stadium on Sunday, 23 March. Winners across 23 categories were honoured for their outstanding contributions to the performing arts, both on and off the stage.
My Fair Lady, produced by Pieter Toerien Productions and Cape Town Opera, dominated the evening with five awards, including Best Production. Leah Mari won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical, while Graham Hopkins took Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical. The production also won for Best Set Design, awarded to Greg King, and Best Costume Design, which went to Neil Stuart Harris, Andrew Botha, and Martha Visagie.
Dean Balie won Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical for his role in Ver In Die Wêreld Kittie, while Candice van Litsenborgh earned Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical for The Addams Family: The Musical.
Metamorphoses won in two categories, with its cast receiving Best Performance by an Ensemble and Franky Steyn winning for Best Lighting Design.
Sylvaine Strike was awarded Best Director for Spring Awakening. Emily Child won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play for her role in A Streetcar Named Desire, while Albert Pretorius took Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play for Othello.
This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Professor Temple Hauptfleisch for dedicating his illustrious career to researching and documenting theatre in South Africa, and for establishing the online Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance (ESAT). His significant contribution to the sector, particularly the archiving of theatre performance, is most treasured.
David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen received the Encore Award in recognition of 25 years of the cultural phenomenon Joe Barber. The Innovation in Theatre Award was presented to SoapBoxing for their role in nurturing theatre talent and fostering a dynamic creative space.
Africa Melane, chair of the panel of judges, congratulated the winners and said, “South Africa is endowed with an abundance of talent, and what a pleasure it was to celebrate and honour these outstanding theatre makers who have spoilt Cape Town and this country with their exceptional gifts.”
The winners of the 60th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards are:
MOST PROMISING STUDENT AWARD 2025
Nichola Viviers | Stellenbosch University
BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT 2025
Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni | Neighbourhood
BEST NEW DIRECTOR 2025
Aidan Scott | The Dumb Waiter
BEST THEATRE PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN AND YOUNG ADULTS 2025
Pampoenpit se Groen Gevoel
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ENSEMBLE 2025
Awethu Hleli, Brent Palmer, Cassiel Eaton-Winnik, Carlo Daniels, Lyle October, Matthew Vey, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe, Tamzin Williams | Metamorphoses
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A REVUE, CABARET OR ONE-PERSON SHOW 2025
Fiona Ramsay | Blonde Poison
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW 2025
Graham Hopkins as Colonel Pickering | My Fair Lady
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW 2025
Candice van Litsenborgh as Grandma | The Addams Family: The Musical
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW 2025
Dean Balie as Koos Heuningbek | Ver in die Wêreld Kittie
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW 2025
Leah Mari as Eliza Doolittle | My Fair Lady
BEST PUPPETRY DESIGN 2025
Marthinus Basson and Elana Snyman | The Addams Family: The Musical
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN 2025
Franky Steyn | Metamorphoses
BEST SET DESIGN 2025
Greg King | My Fair Lady
BEST COSTUME DESIGN 2025
Neil Stuart Harris, Andrew Botha and Maritha Visagie | My Fair Lady
BEST SOUND DESIGN, ORIGINAL MUSIC, SOUNDSCAPE OR LIVE PERFORMANCE 2025
Neo Muyanga for original music | Manje! Manje (an epic)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA, MALE 2025
Thando Zwane as Acmet | Dalinda
BEST PERFORMANCE IN AN OPERA, FEMALE 2025
Nontobeko Bhengu as Sister Angelica | Suor Angelica
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY 2025
Mark Elderkin as Emperor | Amadeus
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY 2025
Rehane Abrahams as Mercutio and Lady Montague | Romeo and Juliet
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY 2025
Albert Pretorius as Iago | Othello
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY 2025
Emily Child as Blanche DuBois | A Streetcar Named Desire
BEST DIRECTOR 2025
Sylvaine Strike | Spring Awakening
BEST PRODUCTION 2025
My Fair Lady | Pieter Toerien Productions with Cape Town Opera
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD 2025
Professor Temple Hauptfleisch
ENCORE AWARD 2025
Joe Barber
AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN THEATRE 2025
SoapBoxing
Eligible productions performed in 2024:
32 Lavender Close; A Doll’s Life; A Streetcar Named Desire; Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution; Amadeus; Black Mouse; Blonde Poison; Braam en die Engel*; Dalinda (Donizetti)**; Der Schauspieldirektor (Mozart)**; Die Vegetarieër; Disney's The Magic Box; Dog Rose; Don't Believe A Word I Say; Droomwerk; Expelled; Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)**; Glimmer*; His TEN Fingers; Invisible Scars; Ka-BOOM!*; Ken jy vir Dewie?*; Law of Carnage; Liewe Heksie en die rolskaatse*; Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)**; Lungs; Mamma Mia!; mAnJE! MaNJe!; Metamorphoses; Monika, it's Me; My Brilliant Divorce; My Fair Lady; My Left Breast; My Name Is Lucy Barton; Neighbourhood; NKOLI: The Vogue-Opera; Off Balance; Opera Blocks*; Orpheus McAdoo; Othello; Pampoenpit se Groen Gevoel*; Pieces of Me; Return of the Ancestors; Romeo & Juliet; Round of Applause - South Africa Still Standing; Spring Awakening; Suor Angelica (Puccini)**; Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Text Me When You Arrive; The Addams Family: The Musical; The Agents; The Dumb Waiter; The Good Dad; The Little Mermaid*; The Return Of Elvis Du Pisanie’; The Sin Drinkers; The Turn of The Screw (Britten)**; The Ugly Noo Noo; The Whimsical Beanstalk*; Trial and Error; Trial by Media (Asman)**; Trouble in Mind; Unruly; Ver In Die Wêreld Kittie; Vlooi and the Olympic Flame*; Vlooi en die Olimpiese Vlam*; Wolf-wolf hoe laat is dit?; Woordedief*
* - theatre productions for children and young adults
** - opera productions
The panel of judges:
Africa Melane (chair), Dr Beverley Brommert, Hadley Tituss, Dr Lwando Scott, Naudé van der Merwe, Nkgopoleng Moloi, Roxy Marosa, Sive Gubangxa, Thabo Makgolo, Tracey Saunders and Dr Wayne Muller.
Social media
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