The 13th annualThe Mercury Durban Theatre Awards will take place on November 23, at 7.30 pm at The Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre on the University of KwaZulu-Natal’s Howard College campus.

The awards consider only those productions originating in Durban and presented during the period October 1, 2014, to September 30, 2015.

These productions represent the genres of drama and comedy, musical theatre, music revue and cabaret, and children’s theatre. There are 27 productions vying for honours at this year’s awards ceremony, which will be hosted by radio, television and media personality, Terence Pillay.

The evening will include performances by young up-and-coming performers as well as established performers.

Supporting this award system since its inception in 2003 is the Bartel Arts Trust. This trust was established in 1992 through a bequest of the late Hugo Bartel, a wealthy industrialist with a passion for the arts.

The Trust sponsors community arts projects, artists, arts projects and student bursaries. It established the BAT Centre in 1996 which became a hub of the performing and visual arts in Durban.

In addition to the theatre awards the Trust currently sponsors the Durban Music School, Durban University of Technology Department of Fine Art, the Phansi Museum and several student bursaries in visual and performing arts.

Tickets at the theatre on the night only. This year guests are invited to make a contribution at the door in support of Wayne Scott and other members of the local theatre fraternity who are currently challenged by serious illnesses. For more information, email Peter Taylor on petertaylor@letni.co.za

The 2014-2015 nominees are:

• Poster Design: Artworks Communications – Skungpoomery; Shirley Berko – Aladdin; Shirley Berko – Shrek The Musical; Shirley Berko – Snoopy The Musical and Vanessa Burger, AdDesign – B!#ch stole my doek.
• Sound Design: Stephanie Pais – Aladdin; Stephanie Pais – Shrek The Musical, Stephanie Pais – Snoopy The Musical and Ross van Wyk – The Ranga.
• Lighting Design: Michael Broderick – Mashu The Musical; Michael Broderick –The Ranga; Tina le Roux – Aladdin; Tina le Roux – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Tina le Roux – Shrek The Musical and Tina le Roux – Snoopy The Musical.
• Costume Design: Greg King – Aladdin; Greg King, after Tim Hatley – Shrek The Musical; Ralph Lawson – Skungpoomery and Neil Stuart Harris – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense.
• Set Design: Greg King – Aladdin; Greg King – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Greg King – Shrek The Musical and Ralph Lawson – Skungpoomery.
• New Performer – Female: Thuso Mbedu – The Crook’s Eye; Zama Mngadi – Secret Valley of Great Kings; Nqobile Mthembu – The Working Man and Mbalenhle Ngidi – Music in the Air.
• New Performer – Male: Nathan Kruger – Aladdin; Sboniso Msimango – The Working Man and Mfundiseni Ndwalane – The Working Man.

CHILDREN’S THEATRE

• Supporting Actress: Belinda Henwood – Skungpoomery; Samkelisiwe Hlophe – Skungpoomery; Caitlin Kilburn – Aladdin, and Krystle Temmerman – Skungpoomery.
• Supporting Actor: Rory Booth – Aladdin; Yateen Dhayaram – Skungpoomery; Michael Gritten – Skungpoomery, and Bryan Hiles – Aladdin.
• Lead Actress: Georgina Mabbett – Aladdin; Sarah Richard- Penelope Pixie’s Birthday Celebration and Sarah Richard- Thrice Upon A Time.
• Lead Actor: Darren King – Aladdin; Nathan Kruger – Aladdin; Nhlakanipho Manqele – Skungpoomery; Iain Robinson – Aladdin, and Zenzelisphesihle “Sparky” Xulu – Skungpoomery.
• Director: Bryan Hiles – Penelope Pixie’s Birthday Celebration; Ralph Lawson- Skungpoomery; and Steven Stead – Aladdin.
• Production: Aladdin – KickstArt; Penelope Pixie’s Birthday Celebration – The Actors Unemployed Company in association with The Rhumbelow Theatre and Skungpoomery – The Playhouse Company. 

MUSICAL THEATRE & MUSIC REVUE/CABARET

• Choreography: Janine Bennewith – Aladdin; Janine Bennewith – Shrek The Musical; Janine Bennewith & Leigh Meyer – Snoopy The Musical, and Lucky Cele – ‘Mashu The Musical.
• Performer: Music Revue/Cabaret: Lisa Bobbert – Defending the Planet #2 and Aaron McIlroy – Defending the Planet #2.
• Supporting Actress: Musical Theatre: Samkelisiwe Hlophe – ‘Mashu The Musical; Caitlin Kilburn – Snoopy The Musical; Hlengiwe Lushaba – Music in the Air; Katy Moore – Snoopy The Musical; and Carol Trench – Snoopy The Musical.
• Supporting Actor: Musical Theatre: Rory Booth – Shrek The Musical; Bryan Hiles – Snoopy The Musical; Jacobus van Heerden- Shrek The Musical and Graeme Wicks – Shrek The Musical.
• Lead Actress: Musical Theatre: Samkelisiwe Mkhize – ‘Mashu The Musical; Nqobile Sipamla – Music in the Air and Jessica Sole – Shrek The Musical.
• Lead Actor: Musical Theatre: Lyle Buxton – Shrek The Musical; Wiseman Ncube – ‘Mashu The Musical; Steven Stead – Snoopy The Musical; Mthokozisi Zulu – ‘Mashu The Musical and Joel Zuma – Music in the Air.
• Musical Director: Shelley McLean, Justin Southey & Evan Roberts – Aladdin; Shelley McLean & Justin Southey – Shrek The Musical; Sergeant Malishe – ‘Mashu The Musical; Victor Masondo – Music in the Air and Justin Southey – Snoopy The Musical.
• Director: Mncedisi Shabangu – Music in the Air; Steven Stead & Charon Williams-Ros – Snoopy The Musical; Steven Stead – Shrek The Musical and Themi Venturas – ‘Mashu The Musical.
• Music Revue Production: Defending the Planet #2– MacBob Productions and Flight of Fantasy – Timeless Legends.
• Musical Theatre Production: Mashu The Musical – Mzansi Arts Development Ensemble; Music in the Air– Maduma Productions; Shrek The Musical– KickstArt and Snoopy The Musical– KickstArt

 

DRAMA/COMEDY

• Script: Lucky Cele – ‘Mashu, The Musical; Clinton Marius – B!#ch stole my doek; Aaron McIlroy – The Ranga; Menzi Mkhwane – Secret Valley of Great Kings and Sboniso Msimango – The Working Man.
• Supporting Actress: Danica Delaray – Secret Valley of Great Kings and Jayshree Parasuramen – Your own dog won’t bite you.
• Supporting Actor: Robert Fridjhon – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Sboniso Msimango – The Working Man and Thobane Nzuza- Secret Valley of Great Kings.
• Comedic Performance by a Female: Lisa Bobbert – Laughing Wild and Shona Johnson- B!#ch stole my doek.
• Comedic Performance by a Male: Robert Fridjhon – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Graham Hopkins – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Darren King – Laughing Wild; Aaron McIlroy – The Ranga and Jonathan Roxmouth – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense.
• Lead Actress: Lisa Bobbert – Laughing Wild; Shona Johnson- B!#ch stole my doek; Nqobile Mthembu- The Working Man and Lungile Mtshali – Secret Valley of Great Kings.
• Lead Actor: Graham Hopkins – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense; Darren King – Laughing Wild; Aaron McIlroy – The Ranga; Mfundiseni Ndwalane – The Working Man, and Jonathan Roxmouth – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense.
• Director: Clinton Marius – B!#ch stole my doek; Menzi Mkhwane – Secret Valley of Great Kings; Brandon Moulder – The Working Man; Steven Stead – Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense and Steven Stead- The Ranga.
• Production: B!#ch stole my doek – CopyDog Productions; Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense– KickstArt in association with Pieter Toerien Productions; Secret Valley of Great Kings – Menzi Mkhwane; The Ranga – MacBob Productions in association with The Playhouse Company  and The Working Man – Brandon Moulder.

The Monica Fairall Memorial Award, Judges Award and The Mercury Theatre Personality of the Year Award (readers’ vote) will be announced on the night.

The Judging Panel includes Stavros Anthias, Musa Hlatshwayo, Glynis Horning, Debbie Lutge, Sally Scott, Caroline Smart, Billy Suter, Jean van Elden and Janet Whelan. The awards are administered by Peter Taylor.