Naledi Awards winners announced

Performers included the Soweto Gospel Choir, the Bala Brothers, PJ Powers, Alan Committie and the quartet Complete (from Songs of Migration). Angela Killian, who's currently playing the title role in Evita at the Pieter Toerien Theatre, almost brought the house down with her rendition of that musical's showstopping number, Don't Cry for Me, Argentina.

Lifetime Achievement Award for "Evita"

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to "SA's most famous white woman", Evita Bezuidenhout, for her witty, refreshing and fearless observations of the social fabric of our country over the past 30 years, whilst the Executive Director's Award was similarly given for three decades of service, to Lefra Productions, for their promotion of Afrikaans Theatre.

The Naledi judges, amongst whose number are theatre and television personalities, arts journalists, and drama teachers and academics, have spent weeks discussing and debating the various nominees.

The winners were:

• Best Production of a Musical (The Joan Brickhill Award): Evita - a Pieter Toerien production directed by Paul Warwick Griffin.
  
• Best Production of a Play: Death of a Colonialist - produced by The Market Theatre, written by Greg Latter and directed by Craig Freimond.
  
• Best New South African Play or Musical Produced: The Girl in the Yellow Dress - produced by The Market Theatre (Johannesburg), Live Theatre (Newcastle) and The Citizen's Theatre (Glasglow). Directed by Malcolm Purkey and written by Craig Higginson.
  
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role (Play): Jamie Barlett - for his portrayal of the veteran teacher Harold Smith in Death of a Colonialist.
  
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role (Play): Marianne Oldham - as the English coach in The Girl in the Yellow Dress.
  
• Best Performance in a Musical (Male): James Borthwick - for his portrayal of Juan Peron in Evita.
  
• Best Performance in a Musical (Female): Angela Kilian - for the title role in Evita.
  
• Best Cutting-edge Production: Butcher Brothers - presented by The Market Theatre, originally produced by Dark Laugh and supported by Wits 969 2010 and a part of Arts Alive 2010. Directed by Sylvaine Strike.
  
• Best Director of a Play or Musical: Craig Freimond - for Death of a Colonialist.
  
• Best Comedy Performance (Play, Musical or Revue): Matthew Ribnick - for his performance in Geraldine Naidoo's Monkey Nuts.
  
• Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role/Cameo: Nat Ramabulana - for his contribution to Master Harold and the Boys.
  
• Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role/Cameo: Kate Normington - for her contribution to Mamma Mia!
  
• Best Musical Director/Score/Arrangement: Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and Louis Zurnamer (MD) - for Evita.
  
• Best Original Choreography: David Gouldie - for Evita.
  
• Best Performance by a Newcomer/Breakthrough (The Brett Goldin Award): Khaya Maseko - for his contribution to African Tapestries.
  
• Best Production of a Play or Musical for Children: Beautiful Creatures - produced by Ed Jordan and Alan Glass, in association with Showtime Management. Directed by Paul Warwick Griffin.
  
• Best Theatre Lighting Design: Jannie Swanepoel and Gareth Hewitt Williams - for Evita.
  
• Best Costume Design: Penny Simpson - for Evita.
  
• Best Theatre Set Design: Johan Engels - for The Boys in the Photograph.
  
• Best Theatre Sound Design: Freddy Malesa - for Songs of Migration.
  
• Best Community Theatre Production: The award was shared between: Awaiting Trial by Movers Theatre Production; directed by Velaphi Mthimkhulu and We Can, This is our Home presented by SANCTA One Act Festival in Mpumalanga; directed by Mandla Sibaya.