It seems mense just can’t get enough of Athlone’s blompot, Aunty Merle.
Creator Marc Lottering and the cast of Aunty Merle, The Musical say they are delighted after being nominated for no fewer than SEVEN Naledi Awards.
The Naledi Awards is Gauteng’s premier theatre awards.
Aunty Merle, The Musical qualifies as the company toured Gauteng last year with the hit play.
The nominees were announced on the Naledis’ Facebook page on Sunday.
A thrilled Marc tells the Daily Voice: “We were totally blown away with the seven Naledi nominations... seriously unexpected.
“It means so much to all of us because it really was a big deal for us to take such a huge show to Jozi. We have no sponsors, so we were completely driven by passion.”
Aunty Merle, The Musical is about an Athlone auntie whose daughter is set to marry a white guy, but her vuilgat ex rocks up to threaten her happiness with a secret from their past.
ANNOUNCE: Aunty Merle, The Musical received seven Naledi nominations
“It was important for us to tell a Cape Town story, with honesty and excellence and these nominations are testament to the fact that they completely got it,” says Marc.
“As Aunty Merle would say, God is good!”
Marc’s husband and the show’s producer Anwar McKay adds: “It was a huge challenge for me to produce a production of this scale as I have only ever produced Marc’s one-man shows over the years.
POSITIVE NEWS: Loukmaan Adams
“It was a challenge that I grabbed with both hands. I can honestly say that working with such a diverse and talented cast has been the most thrilling and rewarding experience of my life.
“Showcasing Cape Town’s incredible talent to a Joburg audience was a passion of mine, so being nominated for seven Naledis, including best production, is the cherry on top.”
Loukmaan Adams was nominated for Best Featured/Supporting Actor in a Musical and says the good news could not have come at a better time as the country is grappling the Coronavirus.
“Firstly, it’s some positive news to wake up to, what with all that’s happening right now,” he says.
“And it’s always nice to be acknowledged for your work, and then to be part of such an amazing production is a double whammy.”
The nominations for Aunty Merle the Musical are:
Best Production of a Musical - Anwar McKay and Marc Lottering.
Best Lead Performance in a Musical: Male - Marc Lottering
Best Featured/Supporting Actress in a Musical - Tankiso Mamabolo
Best Featured/Supporting Actor in a Musical - Anzio September and Loukmaan Adams
Best Choreography in a Play or Musical - Grant van Ster
Best Original Score/Arrangement/Adaptation - Tarryn Lamb and Marc Lottering