Theatre
awards time is here again and this year we reach double figures! The tenth
annual awards evening of The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards take place on December
03 at the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre.
“These
awards consider those productions originating in Durban and presented during
the period October 1 2011 to September 30 2012,” says administrator Peter
Taylor.
“These
productions include the genres of drama and comedy, musical theatre, music
revue / cabaret, and children’s theatre, with a total of 32 productions vying
for honours at this year’s awards ceremony. The Mercury Durban Theatre Awards
recognise and acknowledge the quality of work produced in Durban in a given
year, work which is at a consistently high standard.”
This
year’s ceremony will be co-hosted by Jailoshini Naidoo (Eastern Mosaic) and Terence Pillay and promises to be a
sophisticated and glamorous celebration of the local theatre industry. As
Monday night is a “night-off” for the theatre industry in Durban, the audience
can expect to brush shoulders with the who’s who of Durban’s theatre
fraternity. The evening will include excerpts from productions being presented
in Durban during December and early January, offering the audience a glimpse of
what will be on offer this festive season.
The
Mercury Durban Theatre Awards is grateful for the generosity of its sponsors
and partners in supporting this year’s awards ceremony, most of whom have the
supported the awards over the past ten years. Without this support the event
would not take place.
Principal
sponsors are media partner The Mercury, the Bartel Arts Trust, the Elizabeth
Sneddon Theatre, Troubadour Productions, DarkHorse Productions, Black Coffee
Design, Stuart Edwards & Company, Publicity Matters, Monica Fairall
Memorial Trust, ClaviTech, artSMart, Val Adamson Photography and Sunshine
Factory.
Several
organisations have supported the awards since its inception in 2003, most
notably the Bartel Arts Trust. This trust was established in 1992 through a
bequest of the late Hugo Bartel, a wealthy industrialist with a passion for the
arts. The trust sponsors community arts projects, artists, arts projects and
student bursaries. The Trust established the BAT Centre in 1996 which became a
hub of the performing and visual arts in Durban. The BAT Centre was
subsequently donated to the BAT Centre Trust. In addition to the theatre awards,
the Trust currently sponsors the Durban Music School, DUT Department of Fine
Art, the Phansi Museum and several student bursaries.
The
Mercury Durban Theatre Awards take place at 19h30 on December 3 at the
Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre. Booking is through Computicket.
(NB: To access the
nominations list, click on the Mercury Durban Theatre Awards button advert on
the advertising bar at the top of this page)