Play Club Celebrates the Best Of Cape Town and David Sedaris at Miao

This Sunday, Play Club kicks off its third year with the second annual Dassie Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence in Cape Town, along with the cynical and witty one-act one-hander THE SANTALAND DIARIES, the ultimate send-up to the holidays by acclaimed American memoirist, David Sedaris, all at the beautiful new space Miao in De Waterkant.

Play Club continues its tradition of celebrating the holidays with THE SANTALAND DIARIES, following on previous years' IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY and OTHER DESERT CITIES. This year, Daniel Barnett stars in a brilliant evocation of what a slacker's Christmas must feel like. Out of work, he decides to become a Macy's elf during the holiday crunch. At first, the job is simply humiliating, but once the thousands of visitors start pouring through Santa's workshop, he comes battle weary and bitter. Taking consolation in the fact that some of the other elves were television extras on ONE LIFE TO LIVE, he grins and bears it, occasionally taking out his frustration on the children and parents alike. Written by David Sedaris and adapted for the stage by Joe Mantello, THE SANTALAND DIARIES will also feature Laura Bosman as the chirpy Macy's announcer.

The Dassie Awards, which will follow the reading of THE SANTALAND DIAREIS, were created for Play Club to honour theatrical excellence and are now in their second year. Named for the local animals found on Table Mountain, Play Club believes in the future of local theatre and nominations are presented by the club to fellow theatremakers, colleagues and students in the spirit of the dassie, recognising work that is both beautiful and rare. The awards recognise the best of both Cape Town and Play Club itself, and can be followed in social media with the hashtag #Dassies.

The complete list of nominees for Play Club Dassie Awards includes:

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Daniel Barnett, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME and THE SANTALAND DIARIES
Aidan Whytock, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Richard Wright-Firth, BLITHE SPIRIT, SHADOWLANDS and THE ELEPHANT MAN

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Laura Bosman, OTHER DESERT CITIES
Luella Holland, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
Lee-Anne Summers, BLITHE SPIRIT
Jess Sutton, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Candice van Litsenborgh, SHADOWLANDS

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Daniel Barnett, THE ELEPHANT MAN
David Fick, OTHER DESERT CITIES
Shannyn Fourie, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Tamryn Spiers, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Rowan Studti, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
Candice van Litsenborgh, THE ELEPHANT MAN
Megan Young, BLITHE SPIRIT

BEST ACTOR IN A CAMEO ROLE

Andre de Klerk, ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS
Courtney Ferrell, THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME
Christopher McArthur, SHADOWLANDS

THE 2014 DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI

Adrian Galley, THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
Sean Cameron Michael, BLACK SAILS
Richard Wright-Firth, BLACK SAILS

PLAY CLUB MEMBER OF THE YEAR

Laura Bosman
Candice van Litsenborgh
Jacqui Wigg

BEST NEW INTERNATIONAL PLAY

ONE MAN, TWO GUVNORS by Richard Bean
OTHER DESERT CITIES by Jon Robin-Baitz
THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME by Mark Haddon, adapted by Simon Stephens

The complete list of nominees for "Best in Cape Town" Dassie Awards includes:

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

SHOW BOAT
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
THE SOUND OF MUSIC

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT
...MISKIEN
SLOWLY
WAR HORSE

BEST INDIE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

FERGUS OF GALLOWAY
STEALING THE SHOW: BETTE MIDLER
UNDERSTUDY BLUES

BEST INDIE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

ASHES
CRAZY IN LOVE
SALT
THE PERVERT LAURA

BEST CHILDREN'S PRODUCTION

ALICE IN WONDERLAND
HANSEL AND GRETEL
TREE/BOOM/UMTHI

BEST PROFESSIONAL VENUE

Alexander Bar Upstairs Theatre
The Baxter Theatre
The Fugard Theatre

BEST SOUTH AFRICAN PLAY

A HUMAN BEING DIED THAT NIGHT by Nicholas Wright
CRAZY IN LOVE by Rob Murray
SALT by Wynne Bredenkamp
SILENT VOICE by Aubrey Sekhabi
UNDONE by Wessel Pretorius, translated by Hennie van Greunen.

THE 2014 PLAYWRIGHT AWARD

Wynne Bredenkamp
Wessel Pretorius and Hennie van Greunen
Louis Viljoen
Nicholas Wright

BEST ACTOR'S INITIATIVE

Play Things (Jon Keevy, Alexander Bar Upstairs),
The Actor's Gym (Leon Clingman and Aidan Whytock)
Theatre Arts Admin Collective (Caroline Calburn)

THEATREMAKER OF THE YEAR

Wynne Bredenkamp (independent writer and producer)
Daniel Galloway (outstanding audience development)
Robin Malan (advocate and publisher)
Theatre Scene Cape Town (emerging media)

THE 2014 STUDENT TO WATCH

Shonisani Masutha (UCT)
Jess Sutton (ACT Cape Town)
David Viviers (UCT)

The Dassies will also honour acclaimed director, producer and professor, Christopher Weare with the Dassie Award for Lifetime Achievement, having shaped and influenced countless theatremakers through his work at UCT Drama and productions playing stages across South Africa.

Play Club is a pop-up theatrical initiative in Cape Town, bridging together all corners of the theatre and film communities to chew on some of the world's greatest playwrights. The club is dynamic, joyful and actor-driven. In short, it is about community.

THE SANTALAND DIARIES and the 2014 Dassie Awards Ceremony will be presented at Miao, 20 Jarvis in De Waterkant. Tickets can be booked for a suggested donation of R50 and are available on Quicket. Limited seating is available. A full kitchen and bar menu are also available. For more information, visit www.playclub.co.za.

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