The annual Kenya Theatre Awards took place on Thursday night at a Gala event held at the Kenya National Theatre to honour Kenyan playwrights, actors and theatre production houses.
Among the winners of the night was Daniel Mbugua, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Kenyan art and four winners chosen in the Jury’s Special Award: Caroline Ngorobi, Martha Galavu and Masidza Galavu and Esther Kamba.
Below is the full list of winners.
Best Playwright – Original Script
Yafesi Musoke – Bad Girls of the Bible, ChemiChemi Players (winner)
Best Director
Mugambi Nthiga – Free Me, Taji and Co. Production Limited (winner)
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role (Play)
Lucy Wache – Picha, Prevail Presents (winner)
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role (Play)
Michael Ndunda – Picha, Prevail Presents (winner)
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role (Play)
Joyce Musoke – Bad Girls of the Bible, ChemiChemi Players (winner)
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting (Play)
Tobit Tom – Free Me, Taji and Co. Production Limited (winner)
Best Breakthrough Female Performer
Renee Gichuki – Free Me, Taji and Co. Production Limited (winner)
Best Breakthrough Male Performer
Daljit Ochieng – Against the Tide, Son of Man Productions (winner)
Best Children’s Play
Beauty and the Beast – Braeburn Players (winner)
Best Costumes Design
Nancy Aluoch – Bad Girls of the Bible, ChemiChemi Players (winner)
Best Kikwetu Production
Wangu wa Makeri – Kwa Ndego Productions (winner)
Best Learning Institution (Schools)
Braeburn Gitanga Rd (winner)
Best Lighting Design
Charles Stephen – Midnight Poetry, Maina Mind Productions (winner)
Best Musical Score, Arrangement or Adaptation
Modest Chabari – Midnight Poetry, Maina Mind Productions (winner)
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Monologue
Makena Kahuha – Miss Understood, Astar Productions (winner)
Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Gathoni Waweru – Wangu wa Makeri, Kwa Ndego Productions (winner)
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Monologue
Cosmas Kirui – Locked In, Astar Productions & Sanaa Post (winner)
Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical
Jazz Moll – Oliver, Braeburn Players (winner)
Best Performance by a Young Female Actor
Tana Gachoka – Just Juliet, Kenya Amateur Dramatics (KADS) (winner)
Best Performance by a Young Male Actor
Prajeet Ghose – Beetlejuice: The Musical, Braeburn School (winner)
Best Producer
Julisa Rowe – ChemiChemi Players (winner)
Best Production
Free Me – Taji and Co. Production Limited (winner)
Best set Design
Mercy Muriuki and Mr Geoffrey Namulala – Into the Woods JR, Braeburn Garden Estate (winner)
Best Sound Design
Philip Mbaka & Tonny Koome – In the Name of the Father, Kenda Creatives (winner)
Best Spoken Word Production
Midnight Poetry – Maina Mind Productions (winner)
Best Stage Managed Production
Rita Gitau- Midnight Poetry, Maina Mind Productions (winner)
Best Two-hander Production
Of Cords and Discord – Prevail Presents
Theatre Company of The Year
Prevail Presents (winner)
Best Original Choreography in a Musical/Play
Aperture Africa Productions – The Matatu From Watamu Drove Into The Sea, Aperture Africa Productions Ltd (winner)
Jury’s Special Award (3 winners)
Caroline Ngorobi, Jukwaa Arts Production
Martha Galavu and Masidza Galavu, Shujaa Stories
Esther Kamba, Playreading KE
Lifetime achievement award (living)
Daniel Mbugua
Lifetime achievement award (posthumously)
Margaretta wa Gacheru
Ushirika Award
Royal Media Services
World Impact Award
Adam Chienjo
