Woordtrofees winners 2024

The awardees for the 2024 Woordtrofees Awards were announced on 28 October at an event at Nooitgedacht Estate. The winners each received a certificate and a sum of money.

Gillian Mitchell was the convenor of the Woordtrofees panel, which consisted of Barbara Loots, Geoffrey Hyland, Ephraim Gordon, Herman van der Westhuizen, Gustav Franzen, Elsa Ward, Tersia Harley, Felicia Lesch, Bianca Flanders, Wendy Joy Crowley, Wayne Muller, Naudé van der Merwe, Lauren Dasappa, Mannie Manim, Elana-Marié Snyman, André Terblanché, Mmatumisang Motsisi, Corné Venter, Saartjie Botha, Cornelia Faasen, Astrid de Vos and Marida Swanepoel.

“The Woordfees 2024 programme,” Mitchell said, “provided a remarkable range of offerings for festival goers. From intimate performances in small spaces to crowd experiences in open-air arenas, the South African performing arts community came to play with great enthusiasm.

“On behalf of the Woordtrofees panel, thank you to everyone who contributed to the festival. It is, as always, our privilege to experience your work, and we congratulate all the nominees and awardees.”

In addition to the top-selling books at the EasyEquities Writers’ Festival in the genres fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and lifestyle, several special awards were presented, including the new Martie Retief Meiring Award, the In Solidarity Award, and the awards for WOW School of the Year and WOW Teacher of the Year.

The winners are:

BOOK WINNERS

Top seller: Non-fiction

Hoe ek dit onthou – Francois van Coke & Annie Klopper

Top seller: Lifestyle

Skepselkos – Isabella Niehaus & Louis Jansen van Vuuren

Top seller: Poetry

Ek en jy bestaan nie – Danie Marais

Top seller: Fiction & overall

Speel – Stellenbosch Woordfees Short Story Collection

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Best Achievement: Classical Music – Vocal

Opera-gunstelinge

Best Achievement: Classical Music – Instrumental

Charl du Plessis Trio: Rhapsody in Blue

CONTEMPORARY MUSIC

Best Achievement: Contemporary Music – Solo/Duo

Amanda Strydom (Amanda Strydom: The Incredible Journey of Tinkerbell van Tonder)

Best Achievement: Contemporary Music – Group/Ensemble

Kaapse kabaret

DANCE

Best Achievement: Dance

Exit/Exist

UP AND COMING

Best Emerging Artist

Miché van Wyk (Theatre)

SPECIAL AWARDS

Martie Retief Meiring Award

Hedda Gabler

With the Martie Retief Meiring Award, the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees aims to honour the legendary journalist after whom the prize is named, for her immense contribution to the arts festival environment. The award recognizes an artist or production that embodies Martie’s values and principles.

“Martie was brave, confrontational, ambitious, innovative, challenging, and enjoyable – in short, the prize acknowledges the kind of work that the Woordfees wants to present, which excites audiences and gets them talking,” said Saartjie Botha, Woordfees director.

In Solidarity Award

Rudolf Gouws

Through the In Solidarity Award, the Toyota Stellenbosch Woordfees recognizes role players who work across borders, tirelessly and often for little or no compensation, to achieve greater social cohesion in the arts.

Best Achievement in Arts Journalism (INK festival paper)

Nadine Petrick

Festival hero

Marchelle van Zyl

WOW Awards

The WOW Awards honour an educator and a school that make vital contributions to this empowerment initiative (Words Open Worlds) and who deliver exceptional accomplishments.

WOW Teacher of the Year

Mary Bergh (Parkdene Primary, Kraaifontein, Western Cape)

WOW School of the Year

P.C. Petersen Primary School (Kylemore, Western Cape)

THEATRE

Best Actress

Antoinette Kellermann (Die stoele)

Best Actor

Albert Pretorius (Othello)

Best Supporting Actress

Carla Smith (Speelgoed van glas)

Best Supporting Actor

Mark Elderkin (Speelgoed van glas)

Best Director

Nico Scheepers (Speelgoed van glas)

Best Original South African Text

Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater (Neil Coppen, Mpume Mthombeni)

Best Achievement: Technical & Design

Tina le Roux (Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater) – lighting

Best Achievement: Childrens’ Theatre

Pampoenpit se groen gevoel

Best Achievement: Solo

Mpume Mthombeni (Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater)

Best Achievement: Duo

Wessel Pretorius & David Viviers (’n Lewe in die dag van ’n vrugtevlieg, ensomeer: Die ongewerwelde-trilogie)

Best Ensemble

Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis

Best Theatre Production

Speelgoed van glas

Once again, congratulations to all the nominees and awardees. Thank you for great sportsmanship.

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