King David trio nominated for Naledi Theatre Awards

There are lots of Naledi Theatre Awards nominations every year, but this year there are more than most that emanate from King David Schools. 

This year’s nominees include Aimèe Mica Komorowsky, a King David Linksfield (KDL) alum from 2006, nominated twice for Sarajevo: Best Lead Performance in a Play (Female) and Best New South African Script/Adaptation. Vicky Friedman, who matriculated from KDL in 1995, has been nominated as producer of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, recognised in Best Production for Children and Young Audiences. Micaela Tucker, a King David Victory Park (KDVP) 2016 alum, has been nominated for Best Performance in a Solo Comedy Production for her one-woman show, A Doll’s Life. 

Drama teacher at King David Renos Spanoudes explained that these nominations attest to the culture fostered at the schools, where a pupil’s love for something is nurtured. 

“Throughout the history of the schools, culture and art, music, dance, sports, and academics have been allowed to be discovered and expressed and to be participated in,” he said, “And what’s lovely is that the Jewish students who, in particular, are writers, directors, performers, and singers, over the years have excelled at school in the major productions and then later on in life. Some have gone on into the world and are following these activities as a career.” 

Friedman has been involved in theatre since childhood and joined her first professional production at age six. She has received several Naledi nominations over the years, including for Hairspray and an online production during the COVID-19 pandemic. She said this year’s nomination feels especially gratifying because Diary of a Wimpy Kid was the culmination of a collaboration between her and Theatre on the Square owner Daphne Kuhn. 

“It’s a very special production for me. It was something unique as no-one else in South Africa had staged the production before. It’s fairly new and was originally developed in the United States, so being nominated for it here makes it even more special.” 

Komorowsky said being nominated for Sarajevo, a play she wrote exploring love, friendship, and betrayal during the 1992–1995 Bosnian War siege through three friends, was especially meaningful. She said she was floating after seeing the Naledi nominations – two for herself and seven for the production overall – after working on the play for 10 years. 

“To finally just get acknowledged for it is just indescribable. It means everything; it just means that all of the hard work has paid off in a way,” she said. 

“In South Africa, it feels like work like this is overlooked because they just focus on work that is in a South African context. So it felt very special that work that isn’t about South Africa, and that isn’t set in the context of the country, is acknowledged.” 

Tucker, who was nominated in 2023, explained that she felt an immense pride when she saw she was nominated this year for Best Performance in a Solo Comedy Production, and that she was among comedy heavyweights, like Alan Committie, Riaad Moosa, Stuart Taylor, and Costa Carastavrakis. 

“I was delighted. Just being nominated is an achievement in itself,” she said, “And especially since the category that I’m in and the peers that I’m among are legendary people in our industry. I’m also the only female in the category. So that was quite exciting for me to be among all of these males who are comedic kings.” 

Tucker explained that being nominated for A Doll’s Life, a one-woman show she wrote and starred in, is particularly special because everything to do with the production came from her. 

“To be acknowledged for the work that you’ve created yourself is almost like a cherry on top of what would already be an amazing accolade. The fact that you’ve created what is being acknowledged and that it is a segment of your life, it’s quite special,” she said. “I’m also just so happy that Naledi judges came to see my show. I was really glad that such a mass audience was receiving it in a city that I don’t live in.” 

Komorowsky said that King David really opened the doors for her to even be able to write and make a production like this, as it fostered an intense connection to her Judaism and a love for history, which are two large elements in why she decided to embark on Sarajevo in the first place. 

“It fostered an intense connection to my heritage and my Judaism with a very strong reminder that I’m a third-generation Holocaust survivor, which I carry with me. It gave an understanding of this inherited trauma, and that, together with studying drama with Clara Taub, fostered a way to combine the two and gave a way to express that trauma into something.” 

Tucker said that throughout her time at KDVP, Spanoudes supported her and instilled in her the belief that she could create something for herself. 

KDVP 2018 alum Erin Blieden, who was the company manager for Diary of a Wimpy Kid, said that King David and Spanoudes ignited her passion for theatre, showing her the importance of teamwork when putting something together. 

“This came from working on exam practicals, play festivals, and the annual musical. There was always an emphasis on the importance of the team, and that’s why I’m so lucky and privileged to have been part of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid team, and it’s an honour to be nominated along with the team. Everyone was great, and that’s why it was as amazing as it was,” she said. 

Friedman explained that her love of performing was fostered during her time at KDL. “There was so much on offer, from the Glance team to musical productions, Shakespeare, debating, public speaking, and choir. Not every school has those opportunities. Being exposed to so many activities and having teachers who recognised and encouraged my interests made a huge difference.” 

The winners of the Naledi Awards will be announced on Monday, 23 March.