The Naledi Theatre Awards nominations for 2022 were recently announced and AFDA is proud to announce that AFDA staff and alumni have received 6 nominations for the awards. The awards will take place on Monday 16 May at the Mandela Stage, Joburg Theatre.
AFDA Johannesburg lecturer Khutjo Green got 2 nominations, one for Best Director of a Play for her direction of ‘The Princessess of Askies Shem Stree’t and another for Best New South African Script also for ‘Princesses of Askies Shem Street’.
In the Best Lead Performance in a Play category AFDA Johannesburg alumni Thabo Malema was nominated for his role in ‘A Better Life’ along with fellow alumni Xolile Tshabalala for her role in ‘A Raisin in the Sun’.
AFDA Cape Town alumni and rising stars Luntu Masiza and Siya Mayola are also in on the act receiving nominations in the Best Breakthrough Performance category for their performances in ‘The Island’ under the direction of Dr John Kani.
“Another moment for the AFDA Cape Town Live Performance School to celebrate our alumni Luntu Masiza and Siya Mayola. It is wonderful to think that the journey with this piece of theatre for these two young actors started in 2018 when Chris Weare took them in a production of ‘The Island’ to the Janáček Theatre Festival in the Czech Republic. Luntu picked up a Festival Director’s Award at the festival and it was watching that performance that led Ian Morgan, head of the RADA MA Theatre Lab in London to approach Luntu to study at the Lab, which Luntu is currently doing.” says Liz Mills, AFDA Cape Town Live Performance Co-Ordinator.
“What an honour to be nominated for a The Naledi Theatre Award for the category of Best Breakthrough Performance and congratulations to Siya Mayola, my co-star for also been nominated. The ‘Island’ has a special place in our hearts and to be recognized for it is really special. Thanks to Joburg Theatre and Dr John Kani for bringing us on board to tell this incredible story.” says Luntu Masiza.
Kgmotso Christopher the Chairperson of the Naledi Theatre Awards was delighted to announce the Nominations for the Awards for the years in Review 2020 and 2021.
Christopher said, “The years 2020 and 2021 have been incredibly difficult years for the Performing Arts globally and has hit home particularly hard as the pandemic lockdown rules are still affecting our Industry.” She continues “Despite the rest of the world allowing 100% attendance, South African Theatres are still working to COVID Lockdown restrictions. However, South African Artists being incredibly tenacious have still managed to produce work of extremely high quality throughout this period.”
Due to the reduced number of productions, especially during the year in review 2020, the Naledi Board decided to combine the years 2020 and 2021 in order to seek out the “Excellence” in theatre demanded by the late founder of the Naledi Theatre Awards, Dawn Lindberg. A new, once off, category was also established to accommodate those productions that were streamed online without ever being performed to a live audience. This category is called VOLT (Video Online Theatre).
The Naledi Theatre Awards was founded in 2004 and is recognised as the Premier Awards Event on the Gauteng Theatre Calendar.
It was founded by the late Dawn Lindberg, together with her husband, Living Legend Des Lindberg. Naledi’s mission is to recognize and reward excellence in the Performing Arts, to raise the profile of Live Theatre and to create awareness of the abundant talent alive and well on our SA stages. The Naledi Theatre Awards has honoured in excess of 70 Lifetime Achievers: veteran artistes, technicians, and administrators who have dedicated their lives to SA Theatre, and also pays tribute to people in the Arts who have taken their final bows during the year under review. The Naledi Theatre Awards normally covers professional productions from the period 1 January to 31 December of the previous year and the Naledi Judges typically evaluate over 100 productions in approximately 38 categories.
