STANDARD BANK OVATION AWARD WINNERS!

(“Xova” from the South African State Theatre is the winner of the Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award)

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards celebrate artistic innovation, excellence, the exploration of new performance styles and the courage to open new conversations at the National Arts Festival.

This year (2019), the panel (who anonymously visit productions on the Fringe) comprised 28 members including artists, theatre practitioners, academics and other experts in the cultural field. Theatre-maker Mandisi Sindo was the convenor of this year’s panel, and he was joined by co-convenors Tara Notcutt and Nondumiso Msimang.

The Standard Bank Ovation Award ceremony honoured all the winners of Ovations recognised throughout the Festival’s run, and also named the winners of the prestigious Gold, Silver and Bronze Awards. Special awards were also given across numerous categories.

Winning an Ovation Award is considered an important mark of quality work and the accolade forms a pathway from the Fringe to the Arena programme for which Ovation winners are invited to submit works.

Says convenor, Mandisi Sindo, “The National Arts Festival Fringe programme is and has always been the heart of the National Arts Festival. It gives platform and a space to all art practitioners from all art forms. The Fringe programme was made up of hundreds of productions across theatre, family fare, comedy, illusion, dance, contemporary music, music recital, poetry, visual art, film and physical theatre – some from the development phase of creation and others already in the professional spectrum.

This year’s Fringe festival productions spoke strongly of the political and environmental issues that affect us all.

The 2019 Standard Bank Ovation Award winners are:

Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award winners

Xova – South African State Theatre

Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award winners

Fruit – Sketch Productions (Theatre)

Warona – Ukwanda Puppets & Design Art Collective (Theatre)

Unfathomable by Alex Halligey and Athena Mazarakis (Theatre)

Lost & Found – Matchbox Theatre Collective and Theatre on Pointe (Dance)

Bronze Standard Bank Ovation Winners

Currently (G)Old – Kwasha Theatre Company (Theatre)

(W)Asem – Terence Makapan  (Theatre)

A Place Of Knowing – Intsusa in collaboration with TheatreDuo (Theatre)

Umnotho The Economy – Young Outreach Artists (Theatre)

You Should Be Dancing – FollowSpot Productions (Comedy)

(Ben Voss, who won two awards for his comedy “Benny Bushwacker” which comes to Durban at the end of the July, 2019)

Standard Bank Ovation Cut Above Winners

Quava by Quava Vocal Choir (Music Recital and Review)

Umthombo – Amandla Danca Teatro ZA (Dance, Physical or Visual Theatre)

Benny Bushwacker – Mamba Productions (Comedy)

Faint Patch Of Light – Sizile Arts Collective (Theatre)

Standard Bank Ovation Ensemble Award Winners

The cast of Currently (G)Old by Kwasha Theatre Company (Theatre)

The cast of Place Of Knowing by Intsusa & Theatre Duo (Theatre)

The cast of Umnotho The Economy by the Young Outreach Artists (Theatre)

The cast of Warona by the Ukwanda Puppets & Design Art Collective (Theatre)

The cast of Jeremiah Fyah Ises And The Baakahyaad Band by Jeremiah Fyah Ises

(Contemporary Music)

Standard Bank Ovation Solo Award Winners

Awarded to a single performer

Fruit – Matshidiso Mokoteli (Theatre)

How To Be A Politician In South Africa 2019 – Nkosinathi Maki (Comedy)

When Coasts Meet – Khwezi Becker (Theatre)

(W)Asem – Terence Makapan (Theatre)

Benny Bushwacker – Ben Voss (Comedy)

Standard Bank Ovation Spirit of the Fringe Award

Awarded to performers or productions whose work represented the spirit, variety of the Fringe

The Blind Date by the South African Library for the Blind

JR Nkosi Duo by JR Nkosi

FollowSpot Productions

Rob van Vuuren

Stuart Lightbody

Standard Bank Ovation Award Winners 2019

The full list of the productions that received Standard Bank Ovation Awards at the 2019 National Arts Festival are:

July 6:

-A Faint Patch Of Light – Sizile Arts Collective

-Makhanda Kwantu Choir: Voice Dance! – Kwantu Group

July 5:

-047 – Muthaland Entertainment

-iGruffalo – National Arts Festival / Tall Stories UK

-Your Perfect Life – F Creations

-Benny Bushwacker – Mamba Productions

-Umnotho The Economy – Young Outreach Artists

-(W)asem – Terence Makapan

-Walls & Pillows – Peo Entle Production

-Warona – Ukwanda Puppets & Design Art Collective

July 4:

-Xova – South African State Theatre

-The Chocolate Chronicles – Siv Ngesi Productions

July 3:

-Fruit – Sketch Productions

-Clique Claq

July 2:

-When Coasts Meet

-A Star Is Born – The Rise And Fall Of Judy Garland – Wela Kapela Productions

-Jeremiah Fyah Ises And The Baakahyaad BAND – Jeremiah Fyah Ises

-Currently (G)Old – Kwasha Theatre Company

July 1:

-Nguvu Ya Mbegu – Abengcongolo Collective

-Umthombo – Amandla Danca Teatro ZA

-Frizz Pop – Frizz Pop Comedy

-Saxman Andrew Young & Band

-How To Be A Politician In South Africa – 2019 – Maki Holdings (Pty) Ltd

-The Syringa Tree

June 30:

-Unfathomable

-You Should Be Dancing – FollowSpot Productions

June 29

-Tats Is Cancelled – Siv Ngesi Productions

-Lost & Found – Matchbox Theatre Collective and Theatre on Pointe

-Little Red Riding Hood & The Big Bad Metaphors – University of Pretoria

-Mother Earth – Nan Hua Temple

June 28

-A Place Of Knowing – Intsusa in collaboration with TheatreDuo

-Quava Vocal Group

2019 Student Awards

The winners of the 2019 Student Awards were also announced at the Standard Bank Ovation Awards ceremony. They are:

Best Writer:

The writer of Le Journal – The Market Theatre Laboratory

Best Director:

Noluthando Mpho Sibisi for Salt – Rhodes University

Best Actors:

The cast of Le Journal (Boipelo Mahabane, Khanya Zibaya, Khanyisile Malatsi, Khethukhuthula Jele, Miriam Mayet, Mosehlana Mamaregane, Mpho Khobane, Ndumiso Mazibuko, Sicelo Buthelezi, Wonder Ndlovu, Violet Moeng)  – The Market Theatre Laboratory

Best Ensemble

Phitlho (The Hidden) – Kuena Khama, Ipelegeng Leepile, Hlobile Makukule, Lehloanyane Mohapi, Koketso Motlhabane, Bathabile Ngxingweni, Maboroko Ramusi, Sebenzile Sibiya, and Jaco Van Zyl. – AFDA Johannesburg

Best Overall Student Production

Salt – Rhodes University

Awards panel

The 2019 Standard Bank Ovations Awards panel were: Pesa Pheko, Mxolisi Masilela, Keabetswe Motlhale, Thami Mbongo, Alfredo Brillenbourg, Kgomotso Ditshwene, Sizwe Zuma, Tiisetso Tlelima, Phemello Hellemann, Michèle de Villiers, Themba Mbuli, Mziyanda Mancam, Chumani Mtshixa, Tsepiso Nzayo, Lonwabo Xatasi, Nomthandazo Nxabela, Tinyiko Barbara Ngobeni, Zizipho Matu, Bob Meijs, Bailey Snyman, Ralph Howell, Hannah Howell, Tara Notcutt, Hannah Ma, Steven Fales, Fundi Liphaphang, and Mandisi Sindo

Nondumiso Lwazi Msimang adjudicated the Student Theatre Awards.

The 2020 National Arts Festival will take place from June 25 to July 5, 2020. The Call for Proposals for 2020 National Arts Festival Main programme will be announced shortly.

(To link direct to the NAF site click on the large banner that runs across the top of this blog or visit https://www.nationalartsfestival.co.za or visit Facebook: www.facebook.com/nationalartsfestival; Twitter: @artsfestival or Instagram: nationalartsfestival)