(Caroline Smart &
Steven Stead)
Two prominent Durban stage directors have been nominated for
prestigious Naledi Theatre Awards, which takes place in Johannesburg on April 19.
They are Steven Stead and Caroline Smart, both of whom, over the years, have
made invaluable contributions to the KwaZulu-Natal arts scene.
Stead is nominated for his direction and production of the
Sondheim musical Sweeney Todd and
revival of Little Shop of Horrors,
while Smart is nominated for her direction of the original South African play
about Cecil John Rhodes, Hinterland.
Now in its 12th year, the Naledi Theatre Awards reflect the
vibrant and diverse nature of the South African theatrical landscape that exists
today. These are the premier awards for theatre excellence in South Africa.
Smart says she is "over the moon" about being
nominated for Hinterland, a play
about Cecil John Rhodes; a truly controversial and current subject. "I
feel incredibly honoured to be nominated for a Naledi Award - particularly to
be on the same list as such prestigious directors."
Hinterland started
its main journey with rehearsals in Durban after it won three awards at the
2012 PANSA/NLDTF Playwriting Festival. Since then it has appeared at the National
Arts Festival twice and at the Auto & General Theatre on the Square. It is
going to Artscape later on this year. “I admire Duncan Buwalda's command of
dramatic text and his use of humour,” Smart says. “Also his bold idea of taking
a ‘what if’ situation and almost making one believe that the working
relationship between Cecil John Rhodes and Sol Plaatjie actually
happened."
Asked her thoughts on the state of South African theatre,
Smart replies: "These are interesting times indeed and I am always
impressed by the tenacity and dedication of performing artists and their
determination to make it work, even in this difficult economic climate."
Stead says it was always very gratifying to have one’s work
acknowledged, and he is glad that the Naledi’s have introduced the new category
for Best Director of musical theatre. "This is usually treated as a bit of
a Cinderella in the industry, when it is actually the backbone, and forms most
of our bread and butter,” he explains.
Asked to describe the challenges he and Kickstart faced with
these productions, he says: "They were both productions we had done
previously in Durban, albeit with different casts (we produced Little Shop in 2009, and Sweeney in 2014), so most of the
teething problems were already ironed out. It is always a challenge doing a
musical with backing tracks, but it is sadly an economic necessity these days.
So I was very fortunate to have Justin Southey and Rowan Bakker on board
respectively with live bands and talented musicians."
Stead says he is working on some exciting productions for
the rest of the year, including Shrek,
the Musical for Gold Reef City.
When away from the theatre, Stead loves the beach at the
bottom of his garden in Durban though he admits he rarely gets there. "I
love reading good books on my beach; an idyll that I do very seldom, but the
idea of it gets me through stressful times. I also listen to music to relax.
Usually classical and opera. Hardly ever musicals!"
Talking about the state of South African theatre, Stead says
the phrase 'the theatre industry' makes him giggle. "We do not have an
industry. Not in comparison with the UK, USA, Europe or even Australia. We have
a cottage industry. It is home-made, and well-meaning, and passionate. But is
isn’t sustained by audience interest, or by state funding. It exists solely
because of the passion and will of a few individuals.”
Stead continues; "It is possible to make a living from
the theatre in this country if you are tenacious and resourceful, and
passionate. But it is not the norm. Contrary to popular belief, no-one ‘makes a
fortune from the theatre’. And no-one should be encouraged to go into ‘the industry’
as a career, because it doesn’t exist. In this country, people go into the
theatre because it is all they can imagine doing and all they want to do. This
makes the state of the arts very vital, very passionate, but also a bit mad.
But heck, the gap between genius and madness is just a skip to the left!"
The Naledi Theatre Awards will take place on April 19 at The
Lyric Theatre in Johannesburg. Tickets for the glittering event are R350 (R200
pensioners and students) available through Computicket.
Tickets include cocktails, entertainment and the chance to rub shoulders with
the country’s top celebrities and performers.
For more information, visit www.naleditheatreawards.org.za
or connect with them on Facebook
or on Twitter.
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