Marc Lottering just can’t lose.
Currently riding a wave of success of his two online comedy shows, the beloved Cape Town comedian and his musical this week clinched a major theatre award.
Marc scooped the Best Lead Performance in a Musical at the Naledi Theatre Awards, for his titular role in Aunty Merle - The Musical.
News just in! AUNTY MERLE just won a Naledi Theatre Award! 😍 I raise a glass theee most Phenomenal Cast, Crew, Musicians...
Posted by Marc Lottering on Sunday, September 13, 2020
He joined the usually posh and packed awards ceremony via Zoom on Sunday night as per lockdown regulations.
And true to comedic form, in his acceptance speech he made reference to the hottest issue in South Africa at the moment – hair.
“This means a great deal to someone with dry and damaged hair,” Marc said smiling referring to his own iconic krulkop.
“Actors usually receive awards and say ‘this was unexpected’. Well, this was seriously unexpected.
“The show has previously been nominated for other awards and won absolutely nothing. And so as a cast, we have conditioned ourselves over the last while to expect nothing.
“You can thus imagine that yesterday was a very pleasant shock.”
He paid homage to his cast and crew, as well as his fans.
“We share the award with thousands of people who have been supporting us since day one. People who work hard, rush home from work, sort out a babysitter, and speed to the Baxter Theatre to watch us... those people are the champions who we celebrate.
“Those are the champions who have carried us to where we are.
“And then I’ll also say this again: I’m the luckiest boy from Retreat to be surrounded by the most brilliant cast, musicians, production team and crew. Salute.”
Marc was up against Earl Gregory (The Baker), Josh Ansley (Rock of Ages), Musanete Sakupwanya (Seussical) and Soiso Ndaba (Angola Camp 13).
The Executive Director/Legal of the Naledi Awards, Lihan Pretorius, says they had no choice but to use technology to hold the awards.
“Whilst we held out as long as possible to see if a live event would be possible during this strange year, we are thrilled that we were able to join the trend and go online with the awards,” Pretorius explains.
The Naledi Theatre Awards highlights and honours the top South African theatre productions of the past year.