Victory for ‘Wizard of Oz’
PRIMARY school pupils tripped down the Yellow Brick Road to a big win for The Wizard of Oz at this week’s Clover Showtime junior awards night at the Little Theatre in Central.
The Pearson High School revue saluting Laurika Rauch’s life and career, Onthou Om te Onthou, claimed the Clover Showtime trophy for high schools’ Show of the Year at the event on Tuesday evening.
A revival of the perennial favourite, The Wizard of Oz by St George’s Preparatory School, claimed the Clover Showtime trophy for primary schools’ Shows of the Year.
The Wizard of Oz also won in many other categories while the Pearson revue, simply because of its “company” style, did not do as well overall, winning in a only a few other areas of production.
The other major trophies – the Clover Bowls for Special Achievement in Theatre – went to the Rother-Swain Drama Studio, which celebrated its 25th anniversary last year, and Westering High School, for utilising all the school’s teachers on the production side of the musical Ipi Tombi.
A special framed Clover Showtime Award was also presented to Port Elizabeth performing and visual arts support legend, Denzil Levy, who will celebrate his 100th birthday in July.
The full list of awards was: Special Awards: Denzil Levy in his 100th Year; Framesby High: celebrating 50 Years with Footloose. Junior Show of the Year: Primary: The Wizard of Oz, St George’s Prep; Senior: Onthou Om te Onthou, Pearson High.
Special Achievement: Rother-Swain Drama Studio: 25 Years; Westering High for full use of their staff on Ipi Tombi.
Play of the Year: Rother-Swain Studio, James and the Giant Peach; Alexander Road High, The Crucible. Best Director, Play: Primary: Sharon Rother and Linda-Louise Swain, James and the Giant Peach; Senior: Greg Everard; Alexander Road’s The Crucible. Best Director, Musical: Annaline Stiglingh, The Wizard of Oz; Pieter Rademeyer, Onthou Om te Onthou.
Best Actress, Musical: Serena Escola, as Dorothy in Wizard of Oz; Abi Ranwell, as Esmerelda in Pemads Puss in Boots.
Best Actress, Play: Jointly: Gemma Bisseker and Dana Barclay, as James in
James and the Giant Peach; Megan Potgieter as Leah in Theodor Herzl’s DNA.
Best Actor, Musical: Christian Lamprecht, as The Wizard of Oz; Arno Engelbrecht, as Revd Moore in Footloose.
Best Actor, Play: Primary: No award; Senior: Zain Aucamo, as John Proctor in The Crucible. Best Supporting Actress, Musical: Jointly, as Tin Man and Scarecrow in Wizard of Oz, Rachel Beukes and, Sophie France; Anri Nielsen, as Vi Moore in Footloose. Best Supporting Actress, Play: Morgan van Staden as Miss Spider in James and the Giant Peach; Kasvia von Memerty as Rachel in DNA.
Best Supporting Actor, Musical: Evan Klibansky, as Frog in Theodor Herzl’s Honk!; Ruan Reinhardt, as Willard in Footloose.
Best Supporting Actor, Play: Zach Heynes, as Aunt Spiker in James and
the Giant Peach; Matthew Barwood, as Giles Corey in The Crucible.
Best Adult in Junior Theatre: Senior only: Jacques Batista, in Deputy Governor Danforth in The Crucible.
Best Female Singer: Primary: Serena Escola in Wizard of Oz; Nwabisa Vatyana in Ipi Tombi.
Best Contribution to Theatre Dance: Heidi Sampson, for choreography for Wizard of Oz: Siobhan Day, for choreography for Onthou Om re Onthou.
Best Show Routine: Chireen Ferreira and Andrea Morris, for staging Wild Goose Chase in Honk! Joe Erasmus and Chris-MarieVosloo Potgieter for staging title song in Footloose.
Best Contribution to Theatre Music: Julia de Meillon, musical direction,
Wizard of Oz; Anton Steyn musical direction, Onthou Om te Onthou. Best Vocal Direction: Julia De Meillon, for Wizard of Oz; Corette van der Merwe, for Onthou Om te Onthou. Best Technical Achievement: Primary: Janet Maltby, sets and props, Wizard of Oz; For many and varied 2016 technical assigments, Robyn Unsworth.
Best Animal Kingdom Portrayal: Hlelo Marika, as the Lion in Wizard of
Oz; Reinhardt Malherbe, as Bat Boy in Pansa’s Bat Boy.
Best Comedy Portrayal: Evan Klibansky, as Frog in Honk; Ruan Reinhardt, as Willard in Footloose.
Best Ensemble: Joani Freyse, Hannah Stiglingh, Hannah Warson as the Crows in Wizard of Oz; Caitlin Garbers, Noelene Spinks, Dandri Oosthuizen and Marne’ Olivier, as The Girls in Footloose. Best Creativity: Jaco Gerber and Pieter Rademeyer, creating Onthou Om te Onthou..