The games aren’t quite over yet—the podium beckons. The nominations for this year’s Woordtrofees Awards have just been announced, featuring a new prize named after the legendary journalist Martie Meiring.
The winners, who will each receive a certificate and a sum of money, will be announced on 28 October at an awards event in Stellenbosch.
According to Gillian Mitchell, the convener of the Woordtrofees judging panel “the productions this year embraced the bold and daring, the emotional, the historic, the joyous, the dramatic and everything in between. Particularly encouraging was the expansion of jazz to the programme and the huge number of younger audience members who supported those shows. The hundreds of WOW young learners who were visible at the festival attending shows and workshops was also enormously encouraging to see”.
In addition to the top book sellers at the EasyEquities Writers’ Festival in four different genres (fiction, poetry, non-fiction and lifestyle), several special prizes will be awarded. That includes the award for the WOW school and teacher of the year. However, there are no nominations for these awards.
The judging panel consisted of:
Theatre: Barbara Loots, Geoffrey Hyland, Ephraim Gordon, Herman van der Westhuizen; Contemporary Music: Gustav Franzen, Elsa Ward, Tersia Harley, Felicia Lesch, Bianca Flanders, Wendy Joy Crowley; Classical Music: Wayne Muller, Naudé van der Merwe, Lauren Dasappa; Technical & Design: Mannie Manim, Elana-Marié Snyman, André Terblanché; Dance: Mmatumisang Motsisi, Corné Venter, Gillian Mitchell
The Stellenbosch Woordfees annually honours artists who have excelled at the festival in a given year with the Woordtrofees.
The nominations, listed in alphabetical order, are:
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Best Achievement: Classical Music – Vocal
Les Arts Florissants
Opera-gunstelinge
Tuiskoms / Homecoming
Stellenbosch University Choir
Best Achievement: Classical Music – Instrumental
8 Cellos in Concert
Charl du Plessis Trio: Rhapsody in Blue
Narratives
¡Pulso!
CONTEMPORARY MUSIC
Best Achievement: Contemporary Music – Solo/Duo
Amanda Strydom (Amanda Strydom: The Incredible Journey of Tinkerbell van Tonder)
Elzabé Zietsman (Vier Panado’s en ’n Chardonnay)
Frieda van den Heever (Frieda van den Heever: Spoorsny)
Karen Petersen (’n Vrou om te onthou)
Best Achievement: Contemporary Music – Group/Ensemble
Kaapse kabaret
Kelders se geheime
Ontban
Sun Quintet (Jazz at the Konserve: Sun Quintet)
DANCE
Best Achievement: Dance
Exit/Exist
UP AND COMING
Best Emerging Artist
Cornèl Engelbrecht (Contemporary Music)
Karen Petersen (Contemporary Music)
Kerwin Albertus (Contemporary Music)
Miché van Wyk (Theatre)
Mike Wang (Classical Music)
THEATRE
Best Actress
Anna-Mart van der Merwe (Speelgoed van glas)
Antoinette Kellermann (Die stoele)
Cintaine Schutte (Onder ’n bloedrooi hemel)
Rolanda Marais (Hedda Gabler)
Best Actor
Albert Pretorius (Othello)
Chris van Niekerk (Die stoele)
Eben Genis (Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis)
Ludwig Binge (Veelhoek)
Best Supporting Actress
Carla Smith (Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis)
Carla Smith (Speelgoed van glas)
Faniswa Yisa (Othello)
Best Supporting Actor
Brendon Daniels (Onder ’n bloedrooi hemel)
Carlo Daniels (Othello)
Deon Lotz (Onder ’n bloedrooi hemel)
Mark Elderkin (Speelgoed van glas)
Best Director
Marthinus Basson (Veelhoek)
Neil Coppen (Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater)
Nico Scheepers (Speelgoed van glas)
Best Original South African Text
Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater (Neil Coppen, Mpume Mthombeni)
’n Lewe in die dag van ’n vrugtevlieg, ensomeer: Die ongewerwelde-trilogie (Wessel Pretorius)
Stinkhout (Philip Rademeyer)
Best Achievement: Technical & Design
Charl-Johan Lingenfelder (Hedda Gabler) – music, sound
Nicolaas de Jongh (Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis) – set
Tina le Roux (Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater) – lighting
Wolf Britz (Hedda Gabler) – lighting
Best Achievement: Childrens’ Theatre
Die keiser se nuwe klere
Liewe Heksie en die rolskaatse
Pampoenpit se groen gevoel
Best Achievement: Solo
Ashley Dowds (The Return of Elvis du Pisanie)
Mpume Mthombeni (Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater)
Sue Pam-Grant (Why do Moths Fly Like Crazy Kcufs in the Night?)
Best Achievement: Duo
Antoinette Kellermann & Chris van Niekerk (Die stoele)
Jana Cilliers & Ludwig Binge (Veelhoek)
Wessel Pretorius & David Viviers (’n Lewe in die dag van ’n vrugtevlieg, ensomeer: Die ongewerwelde-trilogie)
Best Ensemble
Hedda Gabler
Kruispad of die legende van die goue vis
Pampoenpit se groen gevoel
Speelgoed van glas
Best Theatre Production
Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater
’n Lewe in die dag van ’n vrugtevlieg, ensomeer: Die ongewerwelde-trilogie
Speelgoed van glas