Standard Bank Ovation Awards

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards are awarded by a panel of anonymous reviewers to productions on the Fringe Festival Programme at the National Arts Festival. The panel members see shows on the Fringe and meet daily to discuss the awarding of winners.

The awards, which are given throughout the Festival, recognise 'artistic innovation, excellence, the exploration of new performance styles and the courage to open new conversation through the arts'; they are awarded to productions that are noticeable for being a cut above, well received by audiences – and that leave a lasting impression. The Standard Bank Ovation Awards help audiences – and producers – to identify quality work on the Fringe Festival Programme. They also act as a bridge between the Fringe and the Main programme, with all winning productions invited to put forward proposals for the Arena programme.

History

The Standard Bank Ovation Awards have been presented at the National Arts Festival since 2010. During the inaugural year, every Fringe production was eligible to be considered. However, from 2011, only fringe productions that have not been staged for more than two consecutive years qualify.

Awards Panel and Criteria

The nominations for the Standard Bank Ovation Awards are made by a panel of Cue reviewers and accredited professional media. A select number of knowledgeable and specialist arts professionals appointed by the National Arts Festival comprise an evaluation panel which functions anonymously. The panellists' identities are revealed only after the final announcement of the Standard Bank Ovation Awards winners.

The panel consists of at least one specialist in each of the following genres in which an award is be presented: Theatre; Comedy; Music (excluding Jazz); Dance; Physical Theatre; Performance Poetry/Storytelling; Multi-disciplinary arts.

The following criteria are considered by the panel when reviewing a production for the Standard Bank Ovation Awards:

• strength of production (taking into consideration the various creative and technical elements);
• quality of performances, writing & directing; conceptualisation, innovation & originality (does the work create new directions?);
• potential longevity? (does the production deserve to have a life beyond the Festival? Will a Standard Bank Ovation place it under the radar of a potential management, funder or festival?);
• overall impact of the production

Awards are given typically in three categories: Gold, Silver and Bronze. Others have included:

• Encore Award, awarded to a young company performing at the Festival for the first time, which shows great promise for the future and which the Festival hopes will return in years to come
• The Standing Ovation Award, presented for a company that has over a sustained period of time, contributed to the overall standard of excellence on the Fringe

Standard Bank Ovation Awards Winners

Some winners of Standard Bank Ovation Awards at previous Festivals include:

2018 Featured Artist Mamela Nyamza – Okutya Phantsi Kwempumlo/The Meal (2012)

2018 Standard Bank Young Artist for Music Guy Buttery – Gold Ovation Award (2010), plus five Ovation Awards

2018 Standard Bank Young Artist for Theatre Jemma Kahn – Two Silver Awards (The Epicene Butcher and Other Stories for Consenting Adults in 2012; We Didn’t Come to Hell for the Croissants: 7 Deadly New Stories in 2015)

Gavin Krastin (#OMNOMNOM)

Artscape Theatre – 15 productions; one in partnership

Kalk Bay Theatre – seven, including four in partnership

ExploSIV Productions – six, with one in partnership

2010:

Gold:

Theatre: London Road (KBT Pro ductions)

Physical Theatre: Butcher Brothers (Dark Laugh Theatre)

Dance: Graduation Rites (Tshwane University of Technology)

Comedy: Dekaf (David Newton Productions)

Music: Guy Buttery

Silver: Theatre: Karoo Moose (Baxter Theatre Centre in association with MOPO Productions); ...Miskien (The Pink Couch); Breed (Ubom! Eastern Cape Drama Company)

Physical Theatre: Elev(i)ate2 (Athena Mazarakis); Inua (Baba Yaga Theatre – Denmark); Liquid Project (for Bloodshot and System Dop)

Music: Nibs van der Spuy; Meri Kenaz

The Encore Award: The Soil (Vumile Nomanyama)

The Standing Ovation Award: Theatre for Africa (Nicholas Ellenbogen and Luke Ellenbogen)

Gold winners received a prize of R5 000, while the Silver winners received a R1 000 each.

2015:

A panel of judges selected three Gold Ovation Award winners this year: jazz vocalist Asanda Mqiki, and two theatre productions: El Blanco: Tales of the Mariachi written by Gwydion Beynon and performed by James Cairns; and Greig Coetzee’s Johnny Boskak is Feeling Funny, directed by Roslyn Wood-Morris and performed by Craig Morris. Seven other productions were awarded Silver Awards.

The winners of the Silver Ovation Awards are:

A Man And a Dog, a coming-of-age story about a young Zulu boy written and featuring Nhlanhla Mkhwanazi, directed by Penelope Youngelson. The sold-out We Didn’t Come to Hell for Croissants: 7 Deadly New Stories for Consenting Adults. Featuring Jemma Kahn and Roberto Pombo, directed by Lindiwe Matshikiza. Morwa the Rising Sun, a solo piece written and featuring Tefo Paya, explores the challenges faced by young men in Africa. In Phala O Phala’s production of Kafka’s Ape, Tony Bonani Miyambo tells the tale of Red Peter, the ape who evolved into a human in five years. The darkly comedic physical theatre piece, Father, Father, Father!, directed by Toni Morkel. The dance piece Barbed Wire Wallpaper, choreographed and directed by Nondumiso Lwazi Msimanga. Hatchetman, the folk-rock trio from Cape Town.

2018:

The following 2018 Standard Bank Ovation Awards were awarded in 2018 at the Monument on the 8th July 2018

Gold Standard Bank Ovation Award winners: MEDUMO YA BORWA (The best African Song and Dance thriller); J. BOBS LIVE: OFF THE RECORD – Jefferson Tshabalala; SULLIED –Kirsti-Leigh Gresse

Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award winners: BLUE PERIOD OF MILTON VAN DER SPUY – Hexagon Theatre; THE REVLON GIRL – Search for Productions; EMATHONGENI – Amandla Dança Teatro ZA; MARENE – Marene; HACHETMAN

Standard Bank Ovation Winners: ANDY NDLAZILWANA; DECEPTIVE DELIGHTS WITH STUART LIGHTBODY – Stuart Lightbody; DUO KP – Peter Cartwright; GARY THOMAS: MOODSHIP – Gary Thomas; GASLIGHT – Laine Butler; I’M HIV AND LIVING – Thando Mbulelo Mbanjwa; LETTERS WITH MA’SISULU – FMA-Neo Motsatse; MEDUSA INCARNATE – Kate Pinchuck in collaboration with The Furies; NOMABOTWE SINGS; PHOKWANE CHRONICLES – Galeshewe Theatre Organisation; SAINTHOOD – Tiisetso Mashifane wa Noni; SILKWORM – Contagious; THE DEAD CHANT IN DEATH – Tshwane University of Technology; THE ISLAND – Paxinos Productions & CYBTT; TSWALO – Theatreduo; UNONO OBUYILE – Lumunyano Dance Group

Standard Bank Ovation Encore Award winners Standard Bank Ovation Encore Awards recognise merit and potential in works that can be developed.: BEST FRIENDS/WORST ENEMIES; CHOIR BOY; INGOMA; LIFT CLUB; LOVE IN THE TIME OF REVOLUTION; MOTSWADI; NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION; 
SATANIC DAGGA ORGY; UDAKA

MERIT: DEVILS AT A DEAD END

Ovations Award panel

Judges of the 2018 panel were: Tracey Saunders (convenor), Alon Nashman, Amelda Brand, Andrew Mulenga, Gopala Davies, Greg MacArthur, Hugo Theart, Kiroshan Naidoo, Luvuyo Yanta, Marcus Desando, Motlatji Ditodi, Namisa Mdlalose, Octavian Siau, Phemelo Helleman, Rafiek Mammon, Reggie Danster, Temba Ncetani and Thulani Nongogo.

2020:

BRONZE STANDARD BANK OVATION WINNERS Once Upon A Circus Presented by: Zip Zap Circus

Inyange Speaks Presented by: Simbone Inyange

Mnquma Presented by: Xolisile Bongwana

What Falling Feels Like. Nicola Pilkington, Joe Young and Jade Delmage

SILVER OVATION “Jazz in the theatre” featuring: Chadleigh Gowar Presented by: 44 on Long (Pty) Ltd.

Next! Presented by: Wela Kapela Productions

Beast In Him Masifunde’s Academy of Creativity

Ouma Lilly & haar Klong Presented by: Vulture Productions

GOLD OVATION Women Hold Up The Sky Presented by: WoMin African Alliance

The King of Broken Things Presented by: Theatresmiths

Cash prizes are part of the Standard Bank Ovations Award package with the Standard Bank Bronze Ovation Awards recipients winning R 3000 each, Standard Bank Ovation Silver Awards recipients receive R 6000 each, and productions winning Gold Awards take home R10 000 each.

2021:

GOLD AWARD

The Shack by Totem Productions

Gone but not Forgotten by Gowar Creative Hub

SILVER AWARD

Initiation by Is’Thatha Dance Project

Verloren by Spark in the Dark

The Core by AFDA Johannesburg

Wet & Dry by Cia Paraladosanjos

Mobile Inertia by Siphumeze Khundayi

Ruth by Love and Race Productions

Torinaoshi by Tsukuba Indy (LLC)

(extra) ordinary, (un) usual by F Creations

Old Soul Waiting by Mabu Art Foundation

Buya by Mathetha Dances

BRONZE AWARD

DE|COMPOSITION by Response-Ability/Revolution Movement

Dear Donald, Dear Hillary (Their Secret Correspondence) by Sally Vahle

The Joy of Symphonic Music – Concert 2 by the KZN Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Lykele Temmingh

Umhlaba Ophezulu/Higher Ground by Iva Collective

Liminal – Documentary by Joy Film Productions

Dipalo_The Audio Version by Assitej SA

Acapella Street Corners by Chamber Ensemble

Gold Standard Bank Ovation winners are awarded a cash prize of R 10 000, Silver Standard Bank Ovation Award winners are given R 5 000 and Bronze Standard Bank Ovation Award winners take home R 2 500.

2022:

GOLD: ÎLE (Spark in the Dark); Nakanjani (Gauteng DSRAC); Malifezeke (Iphupho L’ka Biko); Emsini (Thapelo Tshite Arts Development)

SILVER: Impossible (Brendon Peel Entertainment); The Gukurahundi Genocide (Uloyiko Theatre and Projects); The Vocal Explosion (Amazing Grace)(Asanda Mqiki); Whistleblowers (AFDA – Johannesburg); Asinamali (North West Development Agency); My Weight and Why I Carry It (Fishnet Features); Matchbox (Rhodes University Drama Department); May I Have This Dance (The Outline); Moodship (Gary Thomas); NSFW – NOT SAFE FOR WOKE (KG Mokgadi)

BRONZE: Fragments (Stacey van Schalkwyk); Nombasa (Nombasa M Productions); Intlombe (Andy Ndlazilwana); Piano Classics (Best of Both Concerts); Kgetho (Emfuleni Arts Creatives); SwaRingana (Sikhuthali Oliver Bonga & Walter Strydom); We’re Back With Goosebump A Cappella (NWU Arts); I.N.C.O.K.O (Ezinyaweni Zam); Afrika Sings (Sonwa Sakuba Institute for the Performing Arts); Nomapondo (Amandla Danca Teatro ZA); Vincent (Wela Kapela Productions)

OVATION AWARDS: Classical Dreams (Kwantu Designs); Undead Generation (Five Sided Records); Can’t-centrate (Yaaseen Barnes); The Story of Eva Cassidy (Wela Kapela Productions); The Cracked Vase (Connecting Streams); BasicCity Band (BasicCity); Hiding in the Dark (Mannini Nkata); Stay At Home Comedian (Dalin Oliver); Mamlambo (Walter Sisulu University Drama Society); The Children’s Monologues (OY!Theatre, a project of Theatre Arts); Ghetto the Musical (The Eastern Cape Theatre Ensemble)

2023:

GOLD: Namaste Bae: Blessings and Kombucha (Rob van Vuuren); The King of Broken Things (Theatresmiths)

SILVER: Red Balloon (National Children’s Theatre); Ripe ‘n Ready (Pitchi Keane); The Great Big Enormous Turnip (Theatresmiths)

BRONZE: A Vegan Killed My Marriage (Macbob Productions); As You Like It (Baked Shakespeare); Ashes to Ashes (Nobesuthu Jennifer Ndlovu); Dear Tata: What Makes a Man a Man? (Sonwa Sakuba Institute for the Performing Arts); Kwantu in Concert (KWANTU Designs); Land of Nonesi (Isomi Creative Arts Space NPC); Missing (Stirling High School); Pen(t)s Down Haha! (Rhodes University Drama Department); Second Hands (Rhodes University Drama Department); The Stories We See (Gcebile Dlamini Foundation); Wilderness (Stacey van Schalkwyk with PentaFusion)

Sources

https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/news/ovation-awards-celebrate-new-talent-at-2018-festival/

https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/ovation-awards-2023/#:~:text=Standard%20Bank%20Ovation%20Awards%20are%20awarded%20by%20a%20panel%20of,feeds%20for%20the%20daily%20announcements.

https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/news/the-2021-national-arts-festival-closes-on-a-high-note-with-standard-bank-ovation-awards/

https://myza.co.za/2023-standard-bank-ovation-award-winners/

https://nationalartsfestival.co.za/news/digital-2020-standard-bank-ovation-awards-ceremony-recognises-artistic-excellence/

artSMart, 18 June 2010

media update, 5 July 2010

media update, 13 July 2015

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