A new era for the Cape Town Theatre Awards has been announced alongside the nominees for the 61st Awards. Building the scaffolding that has supported a 60-year-old institution is no small feat. In recent months, that is precisely what has been required to secure the future of the country's oldest theatre awards programme.

The Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards enter a new chapter this year with a renaming to the Cape Town Theatre Awards. A newly established non-profit organisation will ensure their continued longevity and stability.

Founded by the United Tobacco Company in 1965, which sponsored the awards until 1977, the awards have always celebrated excellence in theatre. When the Oude Meester Foundation for the Performing Arts assumed sponsorship in 1978, the awards were renamed the Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards. Following the merger that created the Distillers Corporation in 2000, the foundation was renamed, and Distell Arts and Culture continued supporting the awards and numerous other cultural organisations. After Heineken's acquisition of Distell in 2023, that support continued until last year.

"We are indebted to Distell and Heineken for their investment over many years, elevating these awards to what they have become," says Panel Chair, Africa Melane. "As we embark on a journey of transition, our awards event will be more intimate, but with the same heart of placing artistic excellence centre stage and in the spotlight."

"It is vital to recognise South African artists, encouraging them to continue sharing stories on stage and uniting us in an enriching experience that helps us understand one another. We honour the astounding talent that exists here in Cape Town," says Melane.

As this new chapter evolves, Melane says the panel will be exploring ways in which the awards can implement initiatives that support theatre practitioners throughout the year.

An impressive 65 productions were eligible for consideration in 2025, with nominations determined by the judging panel across 23 competitive categories. Several productions that have previously enjoyed critical acclaim elsewhere became eligible for CTTA consideration this year, despite having been staged before, in accordance with the awards' eligibility criteria.

The student categories also reflected the depth of emerging talent within the sector. A total of 139 students were eligible for consideration, representing six training institutions: ACT (Cape Town), AFDA, CTDPS, LAMTA, the Stellenbosch University and the Waterfront Theatre School.

The breadth and diversity of eligible productions and performers underscore the continued vibrancy of Cape Town's theatre landscape, as the newly named Cape Town Theatre Awards begin the next chapter in their distinguished history.

Congratulations to our incredible talent on their Cape Town Theatre Awards nominations!

Shannon Hendry has been nominated for Most Promising Student

Jayden Dickson & Jasmine Minter have been nominated as part of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat for:

Best Production & Best Performance by an Ensemble

Devonecia Swartz has been nominated for Best Theatre Production for Children and Young People for Kipper and the Toy Box / Vlooi en die Speelgoedkis.

We are incredibly proud to see our talented performers and productions being recognised among the very best of Cape Town theatre. Congratulations to all the nominees and creative teams involved!