| What: 20 Years of the Tony Awards – presented by LAMTA Director/choreographer: Bethany Dickson When: December 4-13, 2025 Where: Theatre on the Bay, Cape Town Bookings: Webtickets Set design: Bethany Dickson, Frankie van Straten and Jacquie Reed Script: Christopher Dudgeon Costume design: Frankie van Straten Sound design: David Classen Lighting design: Lorenzo Samuels |
OhMy! Bowled over by 20 Years of the Tony Awards Lamta – Luitingh Alexander Musical Theatre Academy, directed and choreographed by Bethany Dickson Mahnke with a cracker of a script by Christopher Dudgeon and intriguing conceptual arc. If the run was longer, I would go again. Ends Dec 13, 2025 at Theatre On The Bay.
I was expecting a tribute to two decades of the Tonys but it is much more than a tribute. It is more than an end of the year showcase of LAMTA. It is hearty tasting menu of Broadway musicals, most of which have not been staged in Cape Town. Dudgeon’s deliciously droll script gives us insights into the musicals – the musicals which won each year – and LAMTA’s choice of song – not always in synch with the winning song.
In a sense, it is as Anton Luitingh remarked, “edutainment”. For those of us not familiar with these musicals, it is as I mentioned a tasting menu of musicals.
With Fleur du Cap Theatre Awards winning Bethany Dickson, conceptualizing, there is a sense of song cycle that we are watching – rather than a “best of” compendium. Each song is a story, with the show getting progressively darker as the company moves through recent years, steering us along, inviting us out of our corner, of familiarity of musicals that we have seen umpteen times in SA. Musicals are staged on repeat in this county, because of our small market in SA. We know that but what a treat to be given a taste of musical theatre that we are not generally familiar with, performed, sung, danced by these young and talented artists.
In his script, Christopher provides context to each musical – for instance he tells us that with all the death and kak in the world, we should consider that in 2025, Death Becomes Her, received 10 Tony nominations. And the winner? Maybe Happy Ending. Laugh or cry or do both.
For the finale, we get a musical which should be familiar with – Les Miserables. That was way back in 1987 – Reagan et al in that landscape.
Sublime choral work as an ensemble, with character driven solos, under the musical direction of Amy Campbell Buitendag. Loved the costumes (Frankie van Straten) – predominately black and white with some glitz but very sophisticated, amazing assortment of shoes and no sneakers in sight. Van Straten designed the set with Dickson and Jacquie Reed. The space is beautifully framed with draped curtains and with chandeliers suspended, glittering, adding a glam factor. The LAMTA students build the set as they go along – moving rostrums into different configurations. There is the eye of Dickson, with seamless transitions between sets as the dance and movement emerges, grounded on the levels. The dance is sensational but it is not just about showcase of talent, there is theatrical gravitas, with the movement expressing the narratives of the songs. I now want to dip into all of these musicals on YouTube – because of this incredible tasting menu of Tony award winning musicals.
More directorial gigs, please for Bethany Dickson who has not only directed but choreographed most of the sets. There are three numbers choreographed by others – two by Duane Alexander and one by Anna Olivier. The rest is by Dickson – impressive -and absolutely captivating. A gorgeous show – visually, dance, song and conceptually.
Don’t miss. Awww
✳ Featured image: Death Becomes Her featuring Xivono Chabalala in 20 Years of the Tony Awards – presented by LAMTA, Cape Town. Pic: Jesse Kramer. Supplied.
