Nominations for the prestigious annual Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, taking place this year at the Baxter Theatre on 21 March, have been announced.

The esteemed panel of judges deliberated for two days and selected the following nominees for their outstanding work in productions throughout 2009. The fourteen judges are Marianne Thamm; Robert Greig; Zane Henry; Brent Meersman; Len Ashton; Peter Tromp; Dr Beverley Brommert; Jill Markram; Wayne Muller; Denise Bester; Wilhelm Snyman; Marina Griebenow; Mariana Malan; and Herman van der Westhuizen.

The nominees in the various categories follow:

Best Performance by an Actor:
Jeremy Crutchley for his role as Charlotte von Mahlsdorf in I Am My Own Wife;
Michael Richard for his role as Martin Vallon in God of Carnage;
Scott Sparrow for his role as Petey in The Birthday Party;
Scott Sparrow for his roles as Steve and Les in Decadence

Best Performance by an Actress:
Emily Child for her roles as Helen and Sybil in Decadence;
Louise Saint-Claire for her role as Veronique Vallon in God of Carnage;
Robyn Scott for her role as Elizabeth in Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman;
Sandra Prinsloo for her role as Magdaleen in Die Naaimasjien

Best Supporting Actor:
Adrian Collins for his role as Stanley in The Birthday Party;
Atandwa Kani for her role as Ariel in The Tempest;
Guy de Lancey for his role as Melancholy Jacques in As you Like It;
Mbulelo Grootboom for his several characters in Iago’s Last Dance

Best Supporting Actress:
Anna-Mart van der Merwe for her role as Annette Raleigh in God of Carnage;
Claire Watling for her role as Madame le Beau and Audrey in As You like It;
Erica Wessels for her role as Amanda in Private Lives;
Gina Pauling for her role as Gwendolen Fairfax in The Importance of Being Ernest

Best Director:
Alan Swerdlow for God of Carnage;
Christopher Weare for Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman;
Hennie van Greunen for Die Naaimasjien;
Janice Honeyman for I Am My Own Wife

Best Performance in a One Person Show:
Jeremy Crutchley in I Am My Own Wife as Charlotte von Mahsdorf and multiple characters;
Michael Richard in My Mother’s Italian, My Father’s Jewish and I’m in Therapy as multiple characters;
Pumeza Rashe in Red Winter in Gugs as Qagamba;
Sandra Prinsloo in Die Naaimasjien as Magdaleen

Best New SA Script:
Transit by Ian Bruce;
Noah of Cape Town by Graham Weir and Megan Choritz;
Iago’s Last Dance by Mike van Graan;
Die Naaimasjien by Rachelle Greef

Best Performance in a Musical:
Anton Luitingh as the Beast in Beauty and the Beast;
Christine Weir as Maria in Noah of Cape Town;
Jonathan Roxmouth as Gaston in Beauty and the Beast;
Pauline Malefane as Deus / Jesus in The Mysteries

Best Performance in a Revue or Cabaret:
Jonathan Roxmouth in A Handful of Keys as pianist/performer;
Loukmaan Adams in Second Time Around as Yussie and Boeta Yu;
Roelof Colyn in A Handful of Keys as pianist/performer;
Fiona du Plooy and Candice D’Arcy in Angels on Horseback in multiple roles

Best Costume Design:
Dicky Longhurst for As You Like It;
Illka Louw for The Tempest;
Marcel Meyer for Private Lives;
Penny Simpson for Elizabeth: Almost by Chance a Woman

Best Prop and/or Puppetry Design:
Dicky Longhurst for I Am My Own Wife for the props;
Janni Younge for Pictures of You for the masks;
Janni Younge for Quack (by FTH:K) for the masks;
Janni Younge for The Tempest for the puppets

Best Lighting Design:
Fahiem Bardien for As You Like It;
Mannie Manim for I Am My Own Wife;
Mannie Manim for The Tempest;
Rob Murray for Pictures of You

Best Set Design:
Alfred Rietman for The Tent;
Dicky Longhurst for I Am My Own Wife;
Dicky Longhurst for Noah of Cape Town;
Illka Louw for The Tempest

Most Promising Student Award:
Hannah Borthwick from the University of Stellenbosch;
Wessel Pretorius from the University of Stellenbosch;
Wilhelm van der Walt from the University of Stellenbosch;
Ebrahim Gordon from the University of Cape Town

Four special awards will be announced at the ceremony on Sunday, 21 March. They are the Rosalie van der Gucht Prize for New Directors; the Award for Innovation in Theatre that is awarded to an individual; company; or organisation working onstage or behind the scenes that has delivered work of excellence and made a contribution to theatre and its development; the Special Lifetime Achievement Award that will go to an individual who has over many years made a significant contribution to theatre, on or off stage; and the popular Peoples’ Choice Award, where theatre fans vote online at www.capetheatre.co.za for their favourite 2009 production, with the deadline for voting being 15 March 2010.

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards, under the auspices of Distell’s Corporate Social Investment programme, will once again be a glamorous occasion where the stars of the stage mingle with the audience on the red carpet. Tickets cost R150 per person via Computicket, and include canapes; Fleur du Cap wines; and bubbly, with all funds raised through box office sales going towards the development of the Performing Arts in South Africa.