Nominees for the 49th Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards announced

Each award carries a R15 000 cash prize as well as a silver medal, making it one of the most coveted theatre awards in the industry. "For almost five decades, the awards have recognised and affirmed the rich diversity and excellence within the performing arts fraternity in the Western Cape," says Melanie Burke, chairperson of the panel of judges.

Irma Albers, Arts & Culture Controller of Distell, says the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards is one of the flagship Arts & Culture initiatives supported by the Distell Foundation and is a premier event on the South African social calendar. Lara Bye will direct the awards ceremony that will feature a stellar entertainment line-up.

Awards are presented in twenty different categories and the panel of judges make their decisions after having viewed almost a hundred productions hosted in several venues in and around Cape Town.

Last year 84 productions were eligible for the awards. For a production to qualify, a run of a minimum of eight performances over a period of three weeks at the same venue is required.

The judges for the 2013 productions were Africa Melane, Coreen Lloyd, Dr Beverley Brommert, Dr Gabriël Botma, Gillian Mitchell, Herman van der Westhuizen, Jill Markram, Len Ashton, Mariana Malan, Marina Griebenow, Peter Tromp, Rone Arendse, Johan van Lill, Eugene Yiga and Tracey Saunders.

The voting process is audited and overseen by the legal firm, Cluver Markotter Inc.

The nominees in the various categories are as follows:

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A PLAY

Albert Pretorius, James Cairns and Rob van Vuuren for The Three Little Pigs as various characters
Brendon Daniels for Rooiland as Adidas
Graham Hopkins for Vigil as Kemp
Lionel Newton for The Miser as Harpagon

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Janna Ramos-Violante for Venus in Fur as Vanda Jordan
Jennifer Steyn for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore as Flora "Sissy" Goforth
Kate Liquorish for My Name Is Rachel Corrie as Rachel Corrie
Thembi Mtshali-Jones for A Woman In Waiting as various characters

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Atandwa Kani for The Miser as Valere
Charlton George for Rooiland as Pastoor
Terence Bridgett for A Midsummer Night's Dream as Nick Bottom and Pyramus
Wilhelm van der Walt for Rooiland as Francie

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Hannah Borthwick for A Midsummer Night's Dream as Helena
Kate Liquorish for The Miser as Elise, daughter of Harpagon
Patricia Boyer for The Miser as Frosine and Master Jacques
Vanessa Cooke for Vigil as Grace

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Brendan van Rhyn for The Rocky Horror Show as Frank-N-Furter
Grant Almirall for Jersey Boys as Frankie Valli
Jonathan Roxmouth for Sunset Boulevard as Joe Gillis
Paul du Toit for The Rocky Horror Show as Brad

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEAD ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Angela Kilian for Sunset Boulevard as Norma Desmond
Bianca le Grange for Blood Brothers as Mrs Johnstone
Jenny Stead for The Rocky Horror Show as Janet
Taryn Sudding for Noel and Gertie as Gertrude Lawrence

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Adrian Galley for The Rocky Horror Show as the Narrator
Andrew Laubscher for The Rocky Horror Show as Riff Raff
Duane Alexander for Jersey Boys as Bob Crewe
James Borthwick for Sunset Boulevard as Max von Mayerling

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL OR MUSIC THEATRE SHOW

Andréa Frankson for Blood Brothers as Linda
Dominique Maher for The Rocky Horror Show as Columbia
Bethany Dickson for Sunset Boulevard as Betty Schaefer
Daneel van der Walt for The Rocky Horror Show as Magenta

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A REVUE, CABARET OR ONE-PERSON SHOW

Jemma Kahn for The Epicene Butcher and Other Stories For Consenting Adults as the storyteller
Kate Liquorish for My Name Is Rachel Corrie as Rachel Corrie
Phillip Dikotla for Skierlik as various characters
Thembi Mtshali-Jones for A Woman In Waiting as various characters

AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING STUDENT

Daniel Richards [UCT]
Dean John Smith [US]
Emma Kotze [UCT]
Gantane Gwane Kusch [UCT]
Lea Seekoe [UCT]

BEST DIRECTOR

Jaco Bouwer for Rooiland
Mark Fleishman for Voices Made Night
Sylvaine Strike for The Miser
Tara Notcutt for The Three Little Pigs

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Daniel Galloway for The Rocky Horror Show
Jaco Bouwer for Rooiland
Mark Fleishman and Craig Leo for Voices Made Night
Paul Abrams for Sadako

BEST SET DESIGN

Chen Nakar and Sarah Roberts for The Miser
Craig Leo for Voices Made Night
Jaco Bouwer for Rooiland
Saul Radomsky for Die Laaste Karretjiegraf

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Marcel Meyer for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore
Penny Simpson for Sunset Boulevard
Penny Simpson for The Rocky Horror Show
Sarah Roberts for The Miser

BEST SOUND DESIGN, ORIGINAL MUSIC COMPOSITION OR ORIGINAL SCORE

Braam du Toit for Rooiland (Original Score and Sound Design)
Charl-Johan Lingenfelder for The Milk Train Doesn't Stop Here Anymore (Original Score)
James Webb for Die Laaste Karretjiegraf (Sound Scape)
Matthew MacFarlane for Hayani (Composition and Live Performance)
16. BEST PUPPETRY DESIGN
Fred Abrahamse and Marcel Meyer for A Midsummer Night's Dream
Janni Younge for Sadako

BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT

Albert Pretorius, James Cairns, Rob van Vuuren and Tara Notcutt for The Three Little Pigs
Nicholas Spagnoletti for Civil Parting
Phillip Dikotla for Skierlik
Tertius Kapp for Rooiland

ROSALIE VAN DER GUCHT PRIZE FOR NEW DIRECTORS

Gabriella Pinto
Megan Young
Penelope Youngleson
Zanne Solomon

The People's Choice will no longer be awarded. In the spirit of the Awards, the funds previously allocated to this category will be dedicated to Theatre Development, thus growing future talent in the industry. The AWARD FOR INNOVATION IN THEATRE and the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD will be announced at the awards ceremony.

Tickets to the Awards cost R150 per person and include canapés and Fleur du Cap wines. Follow the Awards on Twitter @FDCTheatreAward; Facebook: http://on.fb.me/YuZtCk . Website