2019 Naledi Theatre Awards: All the winners

The Colour Purple musical received seven awards and was followed by The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, which won three. New South African play Shoes and Coups and children's theatre piece Goggas received two nods apiece.

Naledi Theatre Awards founder and CEO Dawn Lindberg congratulated the winners.

“We are constantly devastated by the lack of financial support given to theatre in general and the Naledis in particular by the Department of Arts and Culture, National Arts Council and television Channels such as kykNet, Mzansi Magic and the SABC,” Lindberg said. “Almost everyone involved in producing, creating and staging the Naledis this year worked for no remuneration.

“We are profoundly grateful to the Joburg Theatre, Splitbeam Technical and Visual Frontiers as well as the presenters and entertainers who all felt honoured to be part of the celebration of excellence within their own ranks.”

Below is the full list of winners:

Best Production of a Musical

• The Colour Purple
• Avenue Q
• Freedom 
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch
• Roald Dahl’s Matilda

Best Director of a Musical/Revue

• Janice Honeyman – The Color Purple
• Aubrey Sekhabi – Freedom
• Elizma Badenhorst – Hedwig and the Angry Inch                         
• Janice Honeyman and Timothy le Roux - Snow White: The Fairest Pantomime in the Land       
• Timothy le Roux – Avenue Q
• Weslee Swain Lauder – Great Balls of Fire 

Best Lead Performance in a Musical (Female)

• Didintle Khunou as Celie – The Color Purple
• Ashleigh Harvey as Kate Monster and Lucy – Avenue Q                           
• Genna Galloway – Hedwig and the Angry Inch             
• Kiruna-Lind Devar as Snow White – Snow White: The Fairest Pantomime in the Land 
• Kitty Harris, Morgan Santo and Lilla Fleischman as Matilda – Roald Dahl’s Matilda
• Simphiwe Ndlovu as Phindile – Freedom

Best Lead Performance in a Musical (Male)

• Paul du Toit as Hedwig – Hedwig and the Angry Inch
• Aubrey Poo as Mister – The Color Purple         
• Ryan de Villiers as Miss Trunchbull – Roald Dahl’s Matilda
• Ryan Flynn as Princeton and Rod – Avenue Q
• Tshepo Ncokoane as Prince Charming – Snow White: The Fairest Pantomime in the Land  

Best Supporting/Featured Performance in a Musical (Female)

• Lelo Ramasimong as Shug Avery – The Color Purple
• Bethany Dickson as Miss Honey – Roald Dahl’s Matilda          
• Claire Taylor as Mrs Wormwood – Roald Dahl’s Matilda          
• Neo Motaung as Sofia – The Color Purple        
• Nompumelelo Mayiyane as Mrs Phelps – Roald Dahl’s Matilda
• Sebe Leotlela as Nettie – The Color Purple     

Best Supporting/Featured Performance in a Musical (Male)

• Yamikani Mahaka – Phiri as Harpo – The Color Purple  
• Ben Voss as Queen Hildegonda Hurl-A-Lot – Snow White: The Fairest Pantomime in the Land
• Daniel Geddes as Cookie Monster – Avenue Q
• Desmond Dube as Dame Dolla Diddledaddledoodle – Snow White: The Fairest Pantomime in the Land
• Stephen Jubber as Mr Wormwood – Roald Dahl’s Matilda

Best Production of a Play

• Tshepang: The Third Testament
• Fool for Love 
• Macbeth
• Shoes & Coups             
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• The Train Driver

Best Sound Design

• Florence – Ntuthuko Mbuyazi

Best New South African Script

• Shoes and Coups
• Another one’s bread
• Dikakapa       
• Freedom        
• Land Acts
• My hole my home

Best Director of a Play

• Charmaine Weir-Smith – The Train Driver       
• Janice Honeyman – Fool for Love       
• Lara Foot – Tshepang: The Third Testament   
• Palesa Mazamisa – Shoes & Coups
• Paul Warwick Griffin – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Phala Ookeditse Phala – My hole my home
• Steven Feinstein – The Revlon Girl

Best Breakthrough Performance

• Ryan de Villiers as Miss Trunchbull – Roald Dahl’s Matilda
• Jazzara Jaslyn as Alex – Fatal Attraction          
• Kai Luke Brummer as Christopher Boone – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Marianthe Smart as The Revlon Girl – The Revlon Girl                               
• Rebecca Hartle as Christmas Eve – Avenue Q

Best Supporting/Featured Actress in a Play

• Heidi Mollentze as Rona – The Revlon Girl    
• Julie-Anne Mcdowell as Marilyn – The Revlon Girl    
• Moliehi Makobane as Minister of Justice – You fool how can the sky fall
• Olive Strachan as Alina – African Gothic         
• Tracey-Lee Oliver as Annette – Jungfrau

Best Supporting/Featured Actor in a Play

• Sipho Zakwe – Shoes & Coups
• David Dennis as Inspector Theo Abrahams – Green Man Flashing      
• Jeremy Richard as The Porter – Macbeth        
• Roberto Pombo as Ross Gardiner – Visiting Mr Green              
• Tristan de Beer as Lady Macbeth – Macbeth

Best Lead Performance In a Play (Female)

• Zikhona Sodlaka as Queenie – Nongogo
• Liezl de Kock as Sussie Cilliers – African Gothic
• Michelle Mosalakae – Shoes & Coups
• Natasha Sutherland as Helen – Meet Me at Dawn      
• Nonceba Constance Didi as Ruth – Tshepang: The Third Testament
• Pamela Nomvete as Robyn – Meet Me at Dawn

Best Lead Performance in a Play (Male)             

• Kai Luke Brummer as Christopher Boone – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
• Daniel Janks – Odd Man Out
• Dawid Minnaar – The Train Driver
• John Kani – The Train Driver  
• Langley Kirkwood as Eddie – Fool for Love
• Marcel Meyer as Macbeth – Macbeth
• Mncedisi Shabangu - Tshepang: The Third Testamen