My Fair Lady dominates at the 60th Fleur Du Cap Theatre Awards

Image by Johann Botha

Winners across 23 categories were honoured for their contributions to the performing arts, both on and off the stage.

My Fair Lady, produced by Pieter Toerien Productions and Cape Town Opera, dominated the evening with five awards, including Best Production. Leah Mari won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical, while Graham Hopkins took Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical. The production also won for Best Set Design, awarded to Greg King, and Best Costume Design, which went to Neil Stuart Harris, Andrew Botha, and Martha Visagie.

Dean Balie won Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical for his role in Ver In Die Wêreld Kittie, while Candice van Litsenborgh earned Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical for The Addams Family: The Musical.

Metamorphoses won in two categories, with its cast receiving Best Performance by an Ensemble and Franky Steyn winning for Best Lighting Design.

Sylvaine Strike was awarded Best Director for Spring Awakening. Emily Child won Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play for her role in A Streetcar Named Desire, while Albert Pretorius took Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play for Othello.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Professor Temple Hauptfleisch for dedicating his illustrious career to researching and documenting theatre in South Africa, and for establishing the online Encyclopaedia of South African Theatre, Film, Media and Performance (ESAT). His significant contribution to the sector, particularly the archiving of theatre performance, is most treasured.

David Isaacs and Oscar Petersen received the Encore Award in recognition of 25 years of the cultural phenomenon Joe Barber. The Innovation in Theatre Award was presented to SoapBoxing for its role in nurturing theatre talent and fostering a dynamic creative space.

Africa Melane, chair of the panel of judges, congratulated the winners and said, “South Africa is endowed with an abundance of talent, and what a pleasure it was to celebrate and honour these outstanding theatre makers who have spoilt Cape Town and this country with their exceptional gifts.”

Other judges included Dr Beverley Brommert, Hadley Tituss, Dr Lwando Scott, Naudé van der Merwe, Nkgopoleng Moloi, Roxy Marosa, Sive Gubangxa, Thabo Makgolo, Tracey Saunders and Dr Wayne Muller.

Here are all the winners

Most Promosing Student Award

Nichola Viviers | Stellenbosch University

Best New South African Script

Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni | Neighbourhood

Best New Director

Aidan Scott | The Dumb Waiter

Best Theatre Production for Children and Young Adults

Pampoenpit se Groen Gevoel

Best Performance by an Ensemble

Awethu Hleli, Brent Palmer, Cassiel Eaton-Winnik, Carlo Daniels, Lyle October, Matthew Vey, Nolufefe Ntshuntshe, Tamzin Williams | Metamorphoses

Best Performance in a Revue, Cabaret or Once-person Show

Fiona Ramsay | Blonde Poison

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical of Music Theatre Show

Graham Hopkins as Colonel Pickering | My Fair Lady

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical of Music Theatre Show

Candice van Litsenborgh as Grandma | The Addams Family: The Musical

Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Musical or Music Theatre Show

Dean Balie as Koos Heuningbek | Ver in die Wêreld Kittie

Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Musical or Music Theatre Show

Leah Mari as Eliza Doolittle | My Fair Lady

Best Puppetry Design

Marthinus Basson and Elana Snyman | The Addams Family: The Musical

Best Lighting Design

Franky Steyn | Metamorphoses

Best Set Design

Greg King | My Fair Lady

Best Costume Design

Neil Stuart Harris Andrew Botha and Maritha Visagie | My Fair Lady

Best Sound Design, Original Musics, Soundscape or Live Performance

Neo Muyanga for original music | Manje! Manje (an epic)

Best Performance in an Opera - Male

Thando Zwane as Acmet | Dalinda

Best Performance in an Opera - Female

Nontobeko Bhengu as Sister Angelica | Suor Angelica

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play

Mark Elderkin as Emperor | Amadeus

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play

Rehane Abrahams as Mercutio and Lady Montague | Romeo and Juliet

Best Performance by a Lead Actor in a Play

Albert Pretorius as Iago | Othello

Best Performance by a Lead Actress in a Play

Emily Child as Blanche DuBois | A Streetcar Named Desire

Best Director

Sylvaine Strike | Spring Awakening

Best Production

My Fair Lady | Pieter Toerien Productions with Cape Town Opera

Lifestime Achievement Award 2025

Professor Temple Hauptfleisch

Encore Award 2025

Joe Barber

Award for Innovation in Theatre 2025

SoapBoxing

Eligible productions performed in 2024

32 Lavender Close; A Doll’s Life; A Streetcar Named Desire; Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution; Amadeus; Black Mouse; Blonde Poison; Braam en die Engel*; Dalinda (Donizetti)**; Der Schauspieldirektor (Mozart)**; Die Vegetarieër; Disney's The Magic Box; Dog Rose; Don't Believe A Word I Say; Droomwerk; Expelled; Gianni Schicchi (Puccini)**; Glimmer*; His TEN Fingers; Invisible Scars; Ka-BOOM!*; Ken jy vir Dewie?*; Law of Carnage; Liewe Heksie en die rolskaatse*; Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti)**; Lungs; Mamma Mia!; mAnJE! MaNJe!; Metamorphoses; Monika, it's Me; My Brilliant Divorce; My Fair Lady; My Left Breast; My Name Is Lucy Barton; Neighbourhood; NKOLI: The Vogue-Opera; Off Balance; Opera Blocks*; Orpheus McAdoo; Othello; Pampoenpit se Groen Gevoel*; Pieces of Me; Return of the Ancestors; Romeo & Juliet; Round of Applause - South Africa Still Standing; Spring Awakening; Suor Angelica (Puccini)**; Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street; Text Me When You Arrive; The Addams Family: The Musical; The Agents; The Dumb Waiter; The Good Dad; The Little Mermaid*; The Return Of Elvis Du Pisanie’; The Sin Drinkers; The Turn of The Screw (Britten)**; The Ugly Noo Noo; The Whimsical Beanstalk*; Trial and Error; Trial by Media (Asman)**; Trouble in Mind; Unruly; Ver In Die Wêreld Kittie; Vlooi and the Olympic Flame*; Vlooi en die Olimpiese Vlam*; Wolf-wolf hoe laat is dit?; Woordedief*

* - theatre productions for children and young adults
** - opera productions