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NALEDI THEATRE AWARDS South Africa's Premier Theatre Awards System |
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Report from Dawn Lindberg, Executive Director of the Naledi Theatre Awards: The 5th Naledi Theatre Awards took place on Monday 3 March at the beautiful 1,101 seat Lyric theatre at Gold Reef City. The Ceremony and show could not have gone better! The entertainment was fabulous, including the Soweto Gospel Choir with Danny K singing Homeless and Something Inside so strong, the Bala Brothers singing Circle of Life from Lion King, If I were a Rich Man from Fiddler on the Roof performed by Michael Richard, Science Fiction, Double Feature from Rocky Horror performed by Tamara Dey, In the Beating of your Heart from Soweto Story performed by Aubrey Poo and Nkoto Malabye, Apache performed by Duo Lidan, I know where I’ve Been performed by Mara Louw, Timeless performed by Harry Sideropolous and Mike Huff and the entire cast of Hairspray with full orchestra, as well as comedian Mark Banks. The excitement and response from the audience was terrific; the celeb presenters looked glamorous and I was just starting to relax and breathe, when the feathers and sequins flew out the window! Des and Dawn presented the top award: Best Production of a Musical: as we announced “and the winner is: LION KING”, a confetti shower came down from the flies and music from LK played a triumphant fanfare. From the back of the auditorium came Mr LEBO M; he came onto the stage and Lindberg embraced him and gave him the 2 TROPHIES and cheque. He stepped up to the mike and said he had a different speech prepared but had changed his mind. He then launched into a huge political diatribe about being seated in the back row and not enough Black artistes winning awards... The audience (not to mention D&D) went into shock; some tittered, some booed and some walked out … Lebo then put the trophies down on the stage and marched out of the theatre, leaving a sour taste in an otherwise triumphant evening for our Industry. Des then took the mike and said that Mr M had omitted to acknowledge his co-producer, Mr Pieter Toerien, one of our most experienced and respected Producers, then he walked off Mrs Lindberg then took the stage and explained that M had arrived one and half hours late that’s why he was at the back … The audience and media were enraged and the consensus is that M’s comments were inappropriate and ill timed and that he had emerged in a very poor light. Further comments from the Executive Director, Dawn Lindberg: SEATING IN BACK ROW: all nominees are seated in the first 5 rows on either side of the theatre for easy and quick access to the stage. Lebo M had a party of 10 most of whom were seated in the front. He arrived late and was shown to the back as the show had already started. He could have moved forward at any point. RACISM in SA THEATRE: SA Theatre has been open to all races since 1977, the first Bastion of Apartheid to fall (long before Sport, hotels and restaurants) the Lindbergs have been in the Industry for 43 years and Des and Dawn were the first to produce multi racial theatre publicly in SA in 1973 with our production of GODSPELL and the first to go to the Supreme Court to successfully fight the banning of Godspell. ALL SA theatres are non racial and ALL productions are cast on merit, using 99% proudly SA talent of all cultures. NO BLACK WINNERS AT NALEDI: UNTRUE! 4 major productions won 4 major categories: all 99% BLACK: they were: Best Production of a Musical: LION KING produced by Lebo M and Pieter Toerien (he omitted to acknowledge his co-producer last night!): 90% black cast Best Ensemble Production: TELLING STORIES: prod by State Theatre written and prod by Paul Grootboom (100% Black) Best New SA Play Produced: SHIRLEY GOODNESS AND MERCY: Prod Baxter theatre and Market: written by Chris Van Wyk (100% Coloured) Best Cutting Edge Production: prod Farber Foundation and Market Theatre: written and prod by YAEL FARBER: 99% Black In addition there were many Black Artistes nominated in various categories and several winners. LK set, costume, lighting and director were NOT eligible as they were done by overseas people and NALEDI is only open to SOUTH AFRICANS (by birth or residence) The only racist comment made last night came from Mr Lebo M when he complained about lack of Black winners thus diminishing the achievements of the white winners. How insulting! We do not judge by quota system in the NALEDI’s. WE ARE PROUD OF ALL OUR NOMINEES! AND PROUD OF ALL OUR WINNERS! Mr Lebo M’s comments were ill timed and inappropriate and he owes NALEDI an apology. Warm regards, Dawn Lindberg Executive Director – NALEDI THEATRE AWARDS Chairman – THEATRE MANAGEMENTS OF SOUTH AFRICA 3, 8th Avenue, Parktown North, Johannesburg 2193 PO Box 1828, Saxonwold, Johannesburg 2132 Tel : 011 880 7760 - Fax : 011 880 0833 - Cell : 082 900 7527 E-mail: dawn@desdawn.co.za - Web: www.desdawn.co.za Naledi Theatre Awards Winners |
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