Independent theatre critic and producer Matjamela Motloung has called for black productions to boycott the Naledi Awards because he feels it fails to represent black practitioners.
Motloung and other theatre practitioners accused the awards that took place on Tuesday night at Gold Reef City's Lyric Theatre of lack of transparency in the judging process since its inception.
The awards were further accused of excluding black productions in major categories.
"What we see at the Naledi Awards is a true reflection of our industry and the people who control it. I am not against white actors who win, they do not nominate themselves. It's like when they choose that individual who is deserving, they give him or her an award just to keep us quiet."
His sentiments were echoed by artists in the corridors of the Lyric Theatre.
Motloung's utterances come eight years after Lebo M of Lion King fame's outburst at the same awards over the same issue of the under-representation of black theatre.
Theatre director Julian Seleke- Mokoto said he did not have faith in the judging process of the awards.
Seleke-Mokoto said a few years ago his show, Money Maker, had a successful run, performing in front of a packed theatre daily, but it never got a nomination.
"I have actually given up on these awards. They do not validate my artistic talent."
Motloung said it was confusing that a director will win the best director award but no actor that he directed in a show has won.
"How do you judge someone's directing skills if the actors were not good enough to win."
Dawn Lindberg, executive director of the awards, refuted the claims by Motloung and Seleke-Mokoto, stating that the Naledis reflected excellence in theatre in the year under review.
"We do not select nominations by 'quota' and we do not 'manipulate' the results on a racially based quota basis. Interestingly enough, we received reverse criticism in 2015, when a large number of the awards were won by people of colour," she said.
She made an example of the fact that Aubrey Sekhabi's Marikana, The Musical won nine awards last year.
She said the judging panel was open to new applicants all the time.
She added that the current panel consisted of journalists who cover the arts, teachers of drama and technical people with lots of experience in theatre.
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
Critics say Naledi Awards ignore black talent
Independent theatre critic and producer Matjamela Motloung has called for black productions to boycott the Naledi Awards because he feels it fails to represent black practitioners.
Motloung and other theatre practitioners accused the awards that took place on Tuesday night at Gold Reef City's Lyric Theatre of lack of transparency in the judging process since its inception.
The awards were further accused of excluding black productions in major categories.
"What we see at the Naledi Awards is a true reflection of our industry and the people who control it. I am not against white actors who win, they do not nominate themselves. It's like when they choose that individual who is deserving, they give him or her an award just to keep us quiet."
His sentiments were echoed by artists in the corridors of the Lyric Theatre.
Motloung's utterances come eight years after Lebo M of Lion King fame's outburst at the same awards over the same issue of the under-representation of black theatre.
Theatre director Julian Seleke- Mokoto said he did not have faith in the judging process of the awards.
Seleke-Mokoto said a few years ago his show, Money Maker, had a successful run, performing in front of a packed theatre daily, but it never got a nomination.
"I have actually given up on these awards. They do not validate my artistic talent."
Motloung said it was confusing that a director will win the best director award but no actor that he directed in a show has won.
"How do you judge someone's directing skills if the actors were not good enough to win."
Dawn Lindberg, executive director of the awards, refuted the claims by Motloung and Seleke-Mokoto, stating that the Naledis reflected excellence in theatre in the year under review.
"We do not select nominations by 'quota' and we do not 'manipulate' the results on a racially based quota basis. Interestingly enough, we received reverse criticism in 2015, when a large number of the awards were won by people of colour," she said.
She made an example of the fact that Aubrey Sekhabi's Marikana, The Musical won nine awards last year.
She said the judging panel was open to new applicants all the time.
She added that the current panel consisted of journalists who cover the arts, teachers of drama and technical people with lots of experience in theatre.
bambalelep@sowetan.co.za
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