Candice van Litsenborgh is a South African actress, singer and voice artist. She also works as a playwright, dramaturg, script doctor and head shot photographer. She is a qualified drama teacher and learner facilitator, and has worked extensively in the education system with children with special needs.
She started drama classes in 1986 with Sharon Rother and continued studying and performing with the Rother Swain Drama Studio until 2000.
She made her professional debut a few months after finishing school after having been cast in the CAPAB production of Benjamin Britton's Noye's Fludde. She had auditioned for the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of Annie and was, unknowingly cast by the director, David Matheson, in both productions.
During her studies to become a drama teacher she continued to perform in local productions in her home town of Port Elizabeth, taking home Showtime awards for best actress in a musical and best actress in a play on 2 occasions each.
Notable roles between 1996 and 2000 include: Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Inez Serrano in Huis Clos (No Exit), Molly Seagrim in Tom Jones: A Foundling and Clytemnestra in The Golden Masque of Agamemnon .
She completed a year of study at Stageworld Theatre School and obtained distinction for her performance certificates in Musical Theatre and Acting through Trinity College of London before moving to the Western Cape to attend the University of Cape Town in 2001. During her time at UCT she appeared as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks, The Actress in The Blue Room and Gertrude in Hamlet.
She graduated top of her class with a BA in Theatre and Performance, specialising in Musical Theatre and with a minor in English Literature in 2004. She received awards for Learning Through Theatre and Drama, as well as Musical Theatre, and graduated with distinction in Drama and the full degree was awarded with distinction.
Upon graduating she appeared in the Maynardville Open Air Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing, followed by the international tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and the South African premiere of Chess.
In 2014 she wrote, produced and starred in a one-woman cabaret entitled, Understudy Blues. This sparked the beginning of Canned Rice Productions. Under Canned Rice she has written and script doctored a number of small scale theatre and radio productions including From The Heart, Vacancy, Court, Real Person Inc. and Sasolburg Common Birds of South Africa.
She is best known for her work in musical theatre, having been nominated and winning awards for her work in this genre as well as touring extensively over three continents during the course of the last two decades. She has appeared in 3 Sondheim musicals - Assassins (Emma Goldman), Sweeney Todd (ensemble and understudy Mrs Lovett) and Into The Woods (Jack's Mother).
During 2020, amidst the closure of theatres, she branched out more into television, voice over and dubbing work. In 2021 she played the role of Mother Zero in Netflix's Resident Evil series which required 6-7 hours of prosthetics.
She started drama classes in 1986 with Sharon Rother and continued studying and performing with the Rother Swain Drama Studio until 2000.
She made her professional debut a few months after finishing school after having been cast in the CAPAB production of Benjamin Britton's Noye's Fludde. She had auditioned for the local Gilbert and Sullivan Society production of Annie and was, unknowingly cast by the director, David Matheson, in both productions.
During her studies to become a drama teacher she continued to perform in local productions in her home town of Port Elizabeth, taking home Showtime awards for best actress in a musical and best actress in a play on 2 occasions each.
Notable roles between 1996 and 2000 include: Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Inez Serrano in Huis Clos (No Exit), Molly Seagrim in Tom Jones: A Foundling and Clytemnestra in The Golden Masque of Agamemnon .
She completed a year of study at Stageworld Theatre School and obtained distinction for her performance certificates in Musical Theatre and Acting through Trinity College of London before moving to the Western Cape to attend the University of Cape Town in 2001. During her time at UCT she appeared as Hucklebee in The Fantasticks, The Actress in The Blue Room and Gertrude in Hamlet.
She graduated top of her class with a BA in Theatre and Performance, specialising in Musical Theatre and with a minor in English Literature in 2004. She received awards for Learning Through Theatre and Drama, as well as Musical Theatre, and graduated with distinction in Drama and the full degree was awarded with distinction.
Upon graduating she appeared in the Maynardville Open Air Theatre production of Much Ado About Nothing, followed by the international tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and the South African premiere of Chess.
In 2014 she wrote, produced and starred in a one-woman cabaret entitled, Understudy Blues. This sparked the beginning of Canned Rice Productions. Under Canned Rice she has written and script doctored a number of small scale theatre and radio productions including From The Heart, Vacancy, Court, Real Person Inc. and Sasolburg Common Birds of South Africa.
She is best known for her work in musical theatre, having been nominated and winning awards for her work in this genre as well as touring extensively over three continents during the course of the last two decades. She has appeared in 3 Sondheim musicals - Assassins (Emma Goldman), Sweeney Todd (ensemble and understudy Mrs Lovett) and Into The Woods (Jack's Mother).
During 2020, amidst the closure of theatres, she branched out more into television, voice over and dubbing work. In 2021 she played the role of Mother Zero in Netflix's Resident Evil series which required 6-7 hours of prosthetics.
Recent TV and Film credits:
Barbara Berman in Just Now Jeffrey (currently in post production)
Mother Zero in Resident Evil (Netflix)
Dorette in Recipes For Love and Murder (Acorn TV)
Esme Smit in Desert Rose (M-Net)
Recent Theatre credits:
Trish in Kinky Boots
Jack's Mother in Into the Woods
Shirley in Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Mrs Pugh / Sophie / Perkins / Mrs Christmas / Sound lady and understudy Miss Hannigan in Annie
Ensemble and Understudy Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd
Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors
Recent Voice credits:
Anumpamaa in Anupamaa
Tijn in Oink (Afrikaans)
Lilian Larsen in The Bridge
Miss Macintosh in Asterix and Obelix: God Save Brittania
Akça Hatun in Alparslan: The Great Seljuks
Suzan Tuna in Seversin (Love and Hate)
Barbara Berman in Just Now Jeffrey (currently in post production)
Mother Zero in Resident Evil (Netflix)
Dorette in Recipes For Love and Murder (Acorn TV)
Esme Smit in Desert Rose (M-Net)
Recent Theatre credits:
Trish in Kinky Boots
Jack's Mother in Into the Woods
Shirley in Priscilla Queen of the Desert
Mrs Pugh / Sophie / Perkins / Mrs Christmas / Sound lady and understudy Miss Hannigan in Annie
Ensemble and Understudy Mrs Lovett in Sweeney Todd
Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors
Recent Voice credits:
Anumpamaa in Anupamaa
Tijn in Oink (Afrikaans)
Lilian Larsen in The Bridge
Miss Macintosh in Asterix and Obelix: God Save Brittania
Akça Hatun in Alparslan: The Great Seljuks
Suzan Tuna in Seversin (Love and Hate)
Musical Theatre
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Tv series
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REVIEWS FOR CANDICE'S WORK
"Candice van Litsenborgh personifies the evil diva in her role as the sea witch"
The Little Mermaid - Tracey Saunders - Cape Times
"Candice van Litsenborgh excels. Her comic timing, rich vocalising and stage presence make her a highlight of the show."
The Little Mermaid - Clifford Graham - Monday Missile
"Candice van Litsenborgh does a fantastic job of providing comic relief as a somewhat sozzled Mrs McKee"
The Great Gatsby - Terri Dunbar-Curran -Cape Times
"Candice van Litsenborgh personifies the evil diva in her role as the sea witch"
The Little Mermaid - Tracey Saunders - Cape Times
"Candice van Litsenborgh excels. Her comic timing, rich vocalising and stage presence make her a highlight of the show."
The Little Mermaid - Clifford Graham - Monday Missile
"Candice van Litsenborgh does a fantastic job of providing comic relief as a somewhat sozzled Mrs McKee"
The Great Gatsby - Terri Dunbar-Curran -Cape Times
"Candice van Litsenborgh takes on a nervous tennis player eager for a date and appalled by her temperamental "moron switch" that seems to flick at the most inopportune moments. She is wonderful as a woman waiting, in slippers and dressing gown, for a date to call her in the hilarious He Called Me which just begs for a huge Broadway stage. Her portrayal of a brave divorcee in The Very First Dating Video of Rose Ritz is moving"
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - Terri Dubar-Curran - The Cape Times
I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change - Terri Dubar-Curran - The Cape Times
REVIEWS FOR LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS
"As impressive as the puppetry of Audrey II might be, the person you can never take your eyes off is its namesake Audrey I played by Candice van Litsenborgh. Van Litsenborgh no longer has the Understudy Blues* as she shines as Audrey, acting and singing everyone, including the combined powers of the doo-wop trio, under the flower shop counter. In the hands of another actress the character of Audrey can easily be completely pathetic and annoying, but with her high pitched Frenchie-from-Grease voice von L injects the character with a lethal dose of comedy and heart."
Jana van Heerden - Jana Did This
"The standout performance comes from Candice Van Litsenborgh, who brilliantly portrays the kooky Audrey."
Andy Kasrils - Mail and Guardian
"As Audrey, Candice van Litsenborgh delivers a breakthrough performance in the role that possibly has the biggest shoes to fill, thanks to Ellen Greene's definitive portrayal of the role on stage and on film. But whether she is squeaking up a storm as Audrey's love for Seymour blossoms, quietly contemplating Audrey's life in "Somewhere That's Green" or belting out "Suddenly Seymour" like there's no tomorrow, Van Litsenborgh delivers her own take on the role while still honouring those mannerisms of Greene's that took root in Ashman's libretto for the show. Her Audrey is magnificent."
David Fick - Broadway World
"Seymour’s sweet but tacky love-interest Audrey is amusingly executed by Candice van Litsenborgh, who plays her as a squeaky-voiced character, masterfully transformed into a booming-voiced diva as she begins to sing."
Kelsey Kaplan - What's On In Cape Town
"The love interest comes in the shapely and astonishingly squeaky Aubrey, played by Candice van Litsenborgh. Her breasts arrive on stage long before the rest of her, and her shrill voice lingers after her departure. She’s a ditzy delight, but van Litsenborgh gives her far more substance than a mere cartoon caricature."
Lesley Stones - The Daily Maverick
"Van almal is dit Van Litsenborgh wat die meeste beindruk het. Sy sing voortreflik en haar komiese tydsberekening is in die kol."
Mariana Malan - Die Burger
Candice van Litsenborgh as Audrey has a convincing line in squeaks and whimpers, giving her character a believable, lovable airhead quality. But when she drops the tittering and opens up during her musical solos, she shows off a voice that requires an arena or even a stadium to do it justice. She exhibits a wonderful knowledge of vocal dynamics and uses all those techniques to thrill listeners.
Bruce Denhill (Bruce Dunhill.co.za and Radio Today)