Woordtrofees Nominations 2025: ‘Impressive quality’

The nominations for the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees’ Woordtrofees Awards for 2025 have been announced. The winners will be announced on 13 November at an event in the Endler Hall in Stellenbosch.

“We are immensely impressed by the quality of work artists brought to the 25th Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees,” says Saartjie Botha, director of the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees.

The Woordtrofees annually honour artists who have delivered outstanding performances at the festival. Each winner receives a certificate and prize money.

The topselling books at the EasyEquities Writers’ Festival in the genres fiction, poetry, nonfiction, and lifestyle will be announced at the Woordtrofees awards ceremony, along with the awards for the WOW primary school and WOW high school of the year. Words Open Worlds (WOW) is a sister project of the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees. The best journalist of the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees’s festival newspaper, INK, will also be named. However, there are no shortlists for these award categories. The best journalist of the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees’s festival newspaper, INK, will also be named. However, there are no shortlists for these award categories.

The panel of judges consisted of:

• Convener: Mareli Pretorius
• Theatre: Henriëtta Plattner (néé Gryffenberg), Malan Steyn, Robyn van de Rhede, Haddad Viljoen
• Contemporary Music (small groups): Frazer Barry, Liela Groenewald, Tersia Harley
• Contemporary Music (open-air concerts and larger groups): Wendy Joy Crowley, Gustav Franzsen, Laurinda Hofmeyr
• Classical Music: Marietha Channell, Arthur Feder, Maryke Lintvelt
• Dance: Mmatumisang Motsisi, Mduduzi Nyembe, Estelle Olivier

The nominations are:

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Outstanding contribution to contemporary music: Small groups

• Amanda Strydom: Breekgoed en balsem with Amanda Strydom, Coenraad Rall (pianist, composer, and music director), and Susan Mouton (cellist)
• Hoort with Stephanie Baartman and Janine Neethling. Director: Elsabé Zietsman. Music director: Janine Neethling
• ’n Hemel wat kan opvou with Deon Meiring. Music director: Francois van der Merwe
• Ontaard with Pieter Madibuseng Odendaal (poet, musician, composer), together with Odwa Bongo and Luke Verteken (musicians). Music director: Ruan Vos

Outstanding contribution to contemporary music: Open-air concerts and larger groups

• Mandisi Dyantyis
• Ramon Alexander Quintet, The Throwback Project
• Sathima’s Africa: ’n Huldeblyk aan die Jazz-legende Sathima Bea Benjamin (Music director: Basil Appollis)
• The Melisizwe Plaatjie Collective: Pieces of Me

Special standout award for a world-class vocal performance in contemporary music (no nominations)

• Jolyn Phillips in Sathima’s Africa: ’n Huldeblyk aan die Jazz-legende Sathima Bea Benjamin

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Outstanding contribution to classical music: Instrumental

• Bach to Bolling with Peter Martens, Charl du Plessis, Peter Auret, and Werner Spies
• Beethoven Triple Concerto featuring Peter Martens, Suzanne Martens, and Elna van der Merwe
• Gabriel’s Oboe featuring Kyeong Ham
• Luna Duo & Juliet String Quartet

Outstanding contribution to classical music: Vocal

• Cape Town Camerata: A Cappella (Conductor: Leon Starker)
• Operagunstelinge II (Music director: Elna van der Merwe)
• Songs of love and solitude (with Brittany Smith and Alex Gabriel)
• Voces Cordis (Conductor: André van der Merwe)

Outstanding contribution to classical music: Innovation

• Luna Duo & Juliet String Quartet
• Miracle Tree (Director: Jade Bowers)
• Padkos & Polyphony (The Scullery Quintet)
• Viola Dialogues (featuring Petrus Coetzee and Azra Isaacs)

DANCE

Best dance-driven production

• Beyond: A Fantasy Cirque Experience (Directors: Anton Luitingh and Duane Alexander)
• GAT (Director and choreographer: Byron Klassen)
• Maze of the Mind (Director: Grant van Ster)
• SboNdaba Dance: In search of our humanity (Choreographer: Sbonakaliso Ndaba)

THEATRE

Best Supporting Actor

• David Viviers (Boklied)
• Dean John Smith (Moedswil en muitery)
• Jefferson J. Dirks-Korkee (Huis van sand)
• Shaun Oelf (Bridling)

Best Supporting Actress

• Hannah Borthwick (Boklied)
• Joanie Combrink (Hortjies dig: Die storie van die digter Peter Blum)
• Lynette du Plessis (Kinderlê)
• René Cloete (Huis van sand)

Best Actor

• Albert Pretorius (Ek is nie Danie)
• Angelo Bergh (Kompoun)
• De Klerk Oelofse (Boklied)
• Wilhelm van der Walt (Seun)

Best Actress

• Buhle Ngaba (Bridling)
• Daneel van der Walt (Die een wat bly)
• Kristen Raath (Huis van sand)
• Melissa de Vries (Kompoun)

Best Ensemble

• Boklied
• Die een wat bly
• Kuns
• Moedswil en muitery

Best Emerging Artist

• Kerwin Albertus (Pieces of Me, The Melisizwe Plaatjie Collective)
• Henco Bester (Pieces of Me, The Melisizwe Plaatjie Collective)
• Alyssa Jacobs (Kenan ennie Klopse)
• Jeanne-Marié Koekemoer (Die koning en sy bruid; Die olifant; Kenan ennie Klopse)
• Phoebe Mgxaji (Een deel dit, een deel dat)
• Sasha Nkonyana (Maze of the Mind)
• Adri-Jo Waterboer (Joshlin: Meer as ’n naam)

Outstanding technical contribution

• Nicola Pilkington: Projection design for Bridling
• Schalk Joubert: Live sound design for Ek is nie Danie
• Elana-Marié Snyman: Theatre puppets for Die olifant
• Frankie van Straten: design for The Magic Flute/Die towerfluit

Best text: Adaptation and/or compilation of text

• Danie Marais (Ek is nie Danie)
• Jolyn Phillips (Kompoun)
• Francois Toerien (Hortjies dig: Die storie van die digter Peter Blum)
• Nadia Davids (Bridling)

Best Director

• Jay Pather (Bridling)
• Marthinus Basson (Boklied)
• Nico Scheepers (Seun)
• Wolf Britz (Huis van sand)

Best solo performance

• Ont- with Wian Taljaard
• Rescue Remedy with Roland du Preez
• Seun with Wilhelm van der Walt
• The Ugly Noo Noo with Andrew Buckland

Best Play

• Boklied
• Bridling
• Ek is nie Danie
• Huis van sand
• Kompoun