“These awards consider those productions originating in Durban and presented during the period 1 October 2011 to 30 September 2012. These productions include the genres of drama and comedy, musical theatre, music revue/cabaret, and children’s theatre, with a total of 32 productions vying for honours at this year’s awards ceremony. The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards recognise and acknowledge the quality of work produced in Durban in a given year, work which is at a consistently high standard,” says administrator Peter Taylor.

This year’s ceremony will be co-hosted by Jailoshini Naidoo (Eastern Mosaic) and Terence Pillay and promises to be a sophisticated and glamorous celebration of our local theatre industry. As Monday night is a “night-off” for the theatre industry in Durban, the audience can expect to brush shoulders with the who’s who of Durban’s theatre fraternity. The evening will include excerpts from productions being presented in Durban throughout the festive season offering the audience a glimpse of what will be on offer this festive season.

The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards is grateful for the generosity of its sponsors and partners in supporting this year’s awards ceremony, most of whom have the supported the awards over the past ten years. Without this support the event would not take place.

Principal sponsors are media partner The Mercury, the Bartel Arts Trust, the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre, Troubadour Productions, DarkHorse Productions, Black Coffee Design, Stuart Edwards & Company, Publicity Matters, Monica Fairall Memorial Trust, ClaviTech, artSmart, Val Adamson Photography and Sunshine Factory.

Several organisations have supported the awards since its inception in 2003, most notably 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. The trust established the BAT Centre in 1996 which became a hub of the performing and visual arts in Durban. The BAT Centre was subsequently donated to the BAT Centre Trust. In addition to the theatre awards the trust currently sponsors the Durban Music School, DUT Department of Fine Art, the Phansi Museum and several student bursaries.

Booking can be done through Computicket.