The 21st Annual Naledi Theatre Awards honoured an outstanding range of productions staged in 2025, recognising excellence across South African theatre with special awards, category winners, and outstanding individual achievements.
SPECIAL AWARDS:
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- ANDRÉ ODENDAAL
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- BRYAN HILL
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- DR. THEMBI MTSHALI-JONES
IN MEMORIAM LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
- BONGANI LINDA
CEO’S AWARD – INNOVATION IN OR CONTRIBUTION TO THEATRE
- SCENARIO PERFORMING ARTS
CATEGORY AWARDS:
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN & YOUNG AUDIENCES – SUPPORTED BY ASSITEJ SA
- DIARY OF A WIMPY KID (DAPHNE KUHN AND VICKY FRIEDMAN)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
- WINNIE SUE MABOEA (THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF BEATRIX POTTER; NATIONAL CHILDREN’S THEATRE)
BEST PRODUCTION: FRINGE THEATRE
- WILLS OF THE DEAD (ONDA_GROUND THEATRE COMPANY IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUTH IN TRUST)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A FRINGE THEATRE PRODUCTION
- KHONAYE MAMANZI (WILLS OF THE DEAD; ONDA_GROUND THEATRE COMPANY IN COLLABORATION WITH YOUTH IN TRUST)
BEST PRODUCTION: STUDENT THEATRE
- FLESH IN THE GARDEN (THE WITS SCHOOL OF ARTS AND WITS THEATRE)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY A STUDENT IN A STUDENT THEATRE PRODUCTION
- ULRICH SLABBERT (DIE EKSOTIESE EPILOOG VAN EDDIE; HOËRSKOOL STOFFBERG & SS STUDIOS, IN ASSOCIATION WITH ALLEGRETTO TONEELFEES)
BEST PRODUCTION: DANCE, PHYSICAL THEATRE AND BALLET
- CARMINA BURANA (MOVING INTO DANCE)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A DANCE, PHYSICAL THEATRE AND BALLET PRODUCTION
- SYLVIA GLASSER (BAOBAB; MOVING INTO DANCE)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A DANCE, PHYSICAL THEATRE AND BALLET PRODUCTION
- MONIKE CRISTINA (MARIA CALLAS – PRIMA DONNA; MARIO GAGLIONE)
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: FEMALE
- CHARLOTTE BUTLER (A DOLL’S HOUSE PART 2)
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: MALE
- DAVID VIVIERS (OP DIE HOEK VAN STYX EN RIVER IS NORA PER ABUIS MET DIE DOOD OORGESLAAN)
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY
- IVAN NEDELJKOVIC (SARAJEVO)
BEST BREAKTHROUGH PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
- DANIEL CONRADIE (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT DIRECTION IN A PLAY
- LUYANDA SIDIYA (DANCING THE DEATH DRILL)
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
- DUANE ALEXANDER AND JARED SCHAEDLER (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT)
BEST ORIGINAL SCORE / ARRANGEMENTS / SOUNDSCAPE
- MCKENZIE MATOME, ZAKHELE MABENA AND SHALATE SEKHABI (THE FATHERLAND)
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
- KEVIN KRAAK (MY FAIR LADY)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SOLO PRODUCTION
- IGNATIUS VAN HEERDEN (TRANS/VAAL)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SOLO COMEDY PRODUCTION (WITH ELEMENTS OF STAND-UP)
- ALAN COMMITTIE (ALAN COMMITTIE’S COMEDY GOLD)
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A CABARET, REVUE OR SMALL-SCALE MUSICAL PRODUCTION
- DANIEL ANDERSON (THE TRAMP)
BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
- ENSEMBLE OF JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT (PIETER TOERIEN AND LAMTA)
BEST ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
- ENSEMBLE OF AFROPOCALYPSE (THE MARKET THEATRE AND MARKET THEATRE LABORATORY)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
- MARITHA VISAGIE AND NEIL STUART HARRIS (MY FAIR LADY)
BEST THEATRE SET- AND AV DESIGN
- SHERLDON MAREMA (THE FATHERLAND)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
- WAYNE VAN DER SCHYFF-SMAL (BETOWER)
BEST SOUND DESIGN
- MULTIMEDIA (JONATHAN ROXMOUTH – MY FAVOURITE BROADWAY)
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION
- ANTON LUITINGH AND DUANE ALEXANDER (JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT)
BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
- THORSTEN WEDEKIND (SARAJEVO)
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION: FEMALE
- HLENGIWE LUSHABA MADLALA (MUSIC IN THE AIR)
BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION: MALE
- MARK RICHARDSON (MY FAIR LADY)
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION: FEMALE
- LEAH MARI (MY FAIR LADY)
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION: MALE
- CRAIG URBANI (MY FAIR LADY)
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: FEMALE
- AIMÉE MICA KOMOROWSKY (SARAJEVO)
BEST LEAD PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: MALE
- TSWARELO SELOLO (STEVOVO THE PUPPETEER)
BEST NEW SOUTH AFRICAN SCRIPT / ADAPTATION
- MODISE SEKGOTHE (GABO LEGWALA)
BEST CABARET, REVUE OR SMALL-SCALE MUSICAL PRODUCTION
- THRILL ME (PIETER TOERIEN)
BEST CUTTING-EDGE PRODUCTION
- PROOI/PREY (LEFTFOOT THEATRE PRODUCTIONS AND THE DRAMA FACTORY IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE SOUTH AFRICAN STATE THEATRE)
BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
- SARAJEVO (BEFORE THE END PRODUCTIONS AND DAPHNE KUHN)
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
- MY FAIR LADY (PIETER TOERIEN AND CAPE TOWN OPERA)
