Hoërskool Ermelo’s Somnium has brought its 2026 theatre season to a close on a high note after competing at the Allegretto Teen Theatre Final at the State Theatre in Pretoria, where the production formed part of the Top 8 high school productions in South Africa.
The national appearance capped off a successful season that saw Somnium earn recognition at several stages of competition.
Earlier in the season, Somnium was named the overall winning production during the Allegretto Theatre Festival’s Ermelo Week, while also receiving a host of special awards. These included Best Choreography, Best Sound Operator, Best Lighting Operator, Best Technical Aspects, Best Lighting Design, Best Ensemble, Best Female Lead in a Drama, Best Male Lead in a Drama and Best “Other” Production.
The production’s success continued during the ATKV Tienertoneel competition. As previously reported by iNews, Somnium finished among the Top 3 productions in Gauteng before competing in the regional final at the UNISA Little Theatre on 22 August.
At the regional final, Somnium received Gold awards for Production, Script, Direction, Set Design, Soundtrack Design and Lighting Design. The production also received Silver awards for Costume Design, Lighting Operator and Sound Operator, while Franco Gibbens received Bronze for Individual Acting and An-Euné van Niekerk and Mia van Deventer each received Silver.
The season then culminated at the Allegretto Teen Theatre Final in Pretoria, where Somnium received national nominations in several categories:
- Best Choreography – Mia van Deventer
- Best Make-up – Sabrina van Buren
- Best Actress in a Leading Drama Role – An-Euné van Niekerk
- Best Actor in a Leading Drama Role – Franco Gibbens
- Best Sound Operator – Nina Te Water
- Best Lighting Operator – Oden Duvenhage
- Best Soundtrack Compilation – Talitha van Buren, Oden Duvenhage, Franco Gibbens and Nina Te Water
- Best Lighting Design – Oden Duvenhage
- Best Other Production – Somnium
The final also delivered another major achievement for the production, with Oden Duvenhage winning the 2026 award for Best Lighting Design.
From winning the Ermelo leg of the Allegretto Theatre Festival to earning provincial and national recognition, Somnium concluded its season as one of the country’s Top 8 high school productions.
Garsfontein was named the overall Best Production at the national final.