The nominations have been announced for the annual Sydney Theatre Awards for 2014. The nominations were spread across a record 49 productions, that played on live theatre stages in Sydney, both mainstream and independent, during calendar year 2014. All the reviewers responsible for selecting their nominations for the Sydney Theatre Awards, had the feeling that 2014 was an extraordinary year for live theatre in Sydney.
Hayes Theatre Company’s Sweet Charity has received a massive nine nominations. Sport for Jove’s All’s Well That Ends Well with eight nominations, and Sydney Theatre Company’s Switzerland and Squabbologic’s The Drowsy Chaperone each have seven nominations. Bell Shakespeare’s Henry V and Red Line Productions’ Howie the Rookie have both received six nominations.
The newly-formed independent Hayes Theatre Company comes out on top with 26 nominations, and Sydney Theatre Company with 25. Belvoir St Theatre received 15 nominations and Bell Shakespeare collected 11, while in the independent theatre categories, Sport for Jove has an impressive 17 mentions.
It is praiseworthy to note that 19 of the above nominations were for productions and/or performances at The Seymour Centre at The University of Sydney, as part of their curated Reginald and Education Programs and through their partnerships with Squabblelogic and Sport for Jove.
Reviewer Elissa Blake (Sun-Herald) said, “The Sydney theatre scene is growing stronger every year with many new independent companies creating gutsy, well-crafted productions that challenge what a night in the theatre can be. Audiences have seen ground-breaking queer theatre, provocative new Australian plays, many by women writers, much-needed stories from Asian cultures and a burgeoning of a new small-scale musical theatre scene. It all bodes well for 2015.”
Elissa Blake is part of The Sydney Theatre Reviewers, a group of leading theatre critics, are the Sydney based journalists who present these annual awards to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of live theatre in Sydney. The Sydney Theatre Reviewers include these well known journalists:- Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian), Ben Neutze (Crikey/Daily Review), John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald), Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise website), Polly Simons (Daily Telegraph) and Cassie Tongue (Aussietheatre website).
This year the Sydney Theatre Awards have added additional categories in the independent sector category (lighting design), musicals (musical direction), cabaret and ensemble cast performance.
2014 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARD NOMINATIONS
BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
* Henry V (Bell Shakespeare) *
The Glass Menagerie (Belvoir)
Switzerland (Sydney Theatre Company)
Tartuffe (Bell Shakespeare)
BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
* All’s Well That Ends Well (Sport for Jove) *
Constellations (Darlinghurst Theatre Company)
A Doll’s House (Sport for Jove)
Howie the Rookie (Red Line Productions in association with Strange Duck Productions and SITCo)
BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Jonathan Biggins (Noises Off)
Peter Evans (Tartuffe)
Sarah Goodes (Switzerland)
* Damien Ryan (Henry V) *
BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Dean Bryant (Sweet Charity)
* Jay James-Moody (The Drowsy Chaperone) *
Damien Ryan (All’s Well That Ends Well)
Toby Schmitz (Howie the Rookie)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Jacqueline McKenzie (Children of the Sun)
Ursula Mills (Kryptonite)
* Sarah Peirse (Switzerland) *
Pamela Rabe (The Glass Menagerie)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Eamon Farren (Switzerland)
Luke Mullins (The Glass Menagerie)
Steve Rodgers (Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography)
* Richard Roxburgh (Cyrano de Bergerac) *
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Emma Palmer (Constellations)
* Matilda Ridgway (A Doll’s House) *
Francesca Savige (All’s Well That Ends Well)
Gabrielle Scawthorn (Stop Kiss)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Anthony Gee (Music)
Julian Garner (The Crucible)
* Sean Hawkins (Howie the Rookie) *
* Andrew Henry (Howie the Rookie) *
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Helen Morse (Once In Royal David’s City)
* Kate Mulvany (Tartuffe) *
Eloise Winestock (Henry V)
Doris Younane (Jump for Jordan)
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Eugene Gilfedder (The Effect)
Marcus Graham (Hedda Gabler)
* Josh McConville (Noises Off) *
Yalin Ozucelik (Cyrano de Bergerac)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
* Georgia Adamson (The Crucible) *
Lily Newbury-Freeman (On the Shore of the Wide World)
Matilda Ridgway (The Crucible)
Francesca Savige (A Doll’s House)
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
* George Banders (All’s Well That Ends Well) *
Paul Bertram (On the Shore of the Wide World)
Robin Goldsworthy (Twelfth Night)
Anthony Gooley (A Doll’s House)
BEST STAGE DESIGN OF A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
* Anna Cordingley (Henry V) *
Michael Hankin (A Christmas Carol)
Ralph Myers (Is This Thing On?)
Michael Scott-Mitchell (Switzerland)
BEST STAGE DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Antoinette Barbouttis (All’s Well That Ends Well)
Lisa Mimmocchi (Howie the Rookie)
* Lauren Peters (The Drowsy Chaperone) *
Owen Phillips (Sweet Charity)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Alice Babidge with Renee Mulder (Cyrano de Bergerac)
Anna Cordingley (Tartuffe)
* Julie Lynch (Noises Off) *
Mel Page (A Christmas Carol)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Antoinette Barbouttis (All’s Well That Ends Well)
Mason Browne (Ruthless!)
Tim Chappel (Sweet Charity)
* Elizabeth Franklin (The Drowsy Chaperone) *
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
* Benjamin Cisterne (A Christmas Carol) *
Damien Cooper (The Long Way Home)
Sian James-Holland (Henry V)
Nick Schlieper (Macbeth)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Ross Graham (Sweet Charity)
Martin Kinnane (Ruthless!)
* Toby Knyvett (All’s Well That Ends Well) *
Sara Swersky (Constellations)
BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN OF A MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION
Steve Francis (The Long Way Home)
Steve Francis (Switzerland)
* Steve Francis and Drew Livingston (Henry V) *
Max Lyandvert (Macbeth)
BEST SOUND DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Marty Jamieson (Constellations)
Jeremy Silver (Howie the Rookie)
* David Stalley (All’s Well That Ends Well) *
David Stalley (The Crucible)
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Brothers Wreck (Jada Alberts)
Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography (Declan Greene)
Is This Thing On? (Zoe Coombs Marr)
Jump for Jordan (Donna Abela)
Kryptonite (Sue Smith)
* Switzerland (Joanna Murray-Smith) *
BEST NEWCOMER
Elena Foreman (Sugarland)
* Hunter Page-Lochard (Brothers Wreck, Black Diggers, Sugarland) *
Rose Riley (The Glass Menagerie)
Dubs Yunupingu (Sugarland)
BEST ENSEMBLE CAST
The Drowsy Chaperone
* Is This Thing On? *
Noises Off
Tartuffe
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
The Drowsy Chaperone (Squabbologic in association with Hayes Theatre Co)
Miracle City (Luckiest Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)
Strictly Ballroom (Global Creatures)
* Sweet Charity (Luckiest Productions and Gooding Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co) *
JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
* Blazey Best (Miracle City) *
Verity Hunt-Ballard (Sweet Charity)
Lisa McCune (The King and I)
Katrina Retallick (Ruthless!)
JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Stephen Anderson (Falsettos)
Martin Crewes (Sweet Charity)
* Jay James-Moody (The Drowsy Chaperone) *
Ian Stenlake (Truth, Beauty and a Picture of You)
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Hilary Cole (Miracle City)
Margi de Ferranti (Ruthless!)
Esther Hannaford (Miracle City)
* Debora Krizak (Sweet Charity) *
BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Alex Duncan (The Legend of King O’Malley)
Blake Erickson (Sondheim on Sondheim)
* Robert Grubb (Strictly Ballroom) *
Reg Livermore (Wicked)
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
Paul Geddes (The Drowsy Chaperone)
* Max Lambert (Miracle City) *
Nigel Ubrihien and Chris King (Falsettos)
Andrew Worboys (Sweet Charity)
BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
David Campbell Sings John Bucchino (David Campbell and John Bucchino)
O.C Diva (Hilary Cole)
* Love and Death and an American Guitar (Toby Francis) *
That 90s Show (Tom Sharah)
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
Circus Under My Bed (Flying Fruit Fly Circus)
Pete the Sheep (Monkey Baa Theatre Company)
Pinocchio (Windmill and State Theatre Company of South Australia presented by Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Opera House)
* The Piper (My Darling Patricia presented by Sydney Festival and Carriageworks) *
BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
A Christmas Carol (Belvoir)
M. Rock (atyp and Sydney Theatre Company)
* Sugarland (atyp) *
The Violent Outburst That Led Me To You (Griffin Independent and Siren Theatre Co)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
As announced during the 2014 Awards ceremony – Reg Livermore
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS
Honour Roll
Ingrid Berg – publicist
Kerrie Biddell – singer, cabaret performer
David Blenkinsop – festival director
Michael Boddy – actor, playwright
Joan Bruce – actor
Mark Byrne – agent
Margaret Cameron – actor, director, teacher
James Condon – actor
Peter Curtin – actor
Diana Denley – actor, director
Jerome Ehlers – actor
Jon Ewing – actor
Stephen Hall – festival director
Karen Hooker – props co-ordinator
Wendy Hughes – actor
Hartly Johnston – actor
Sarah Kemp – actor
Elaine Lee – actor
John Moulton – arts manager, technical director
Tiffany Moulton – former ballet dancer, arts administrator
Zika Nester – actor, teacher
Lola Nixon – actor
Daniel Scott – actor
Gary Smith – theatre critic, arts writer
Jeff Truman – actor, writer
James Waites – theatre critic, arts writer
John Walton – actor
Gough Whitlam – patron and champion of the arts
Betty Williams – voice coach
Graham Wills – wardrobe master
Neville Wran – arts supporter
Performers
Kyla Bartholomeusz, James Bryers, Kirby Burgess, Anna Freeland, Adam Murphy, Kurt Phelan, James D. Smith, Teagan Wouters
Emily Cascarino, Edward Grey
Jemma Rix
Musical Directors Dave Skelton and Chris King
Presenters
David Berthold, Justine Clarke, Lucy Durack, Jane Harders, Christopher Horsey, John Paramor, Craig McLachlan, Suzie Miller, Shannon Murphy, Marshall Napier, Susie Porter, Vanessa Scammell, Terry Serio and Dan Wyllie
The 2014 Sydney Theatre Awards will be presented at a gala ceremony for everyone in the Sydney Theatre Community starting from 6:00pm on Monday the 19th January 2015 at the Paddington RSL Club in Oxford Street, Paddington, NSW – – – THIS PAGE UPDATED 20th January 2015 with all the winners marked * – – –
http://www.sydneytheatreawards.com/history/2014
At the end of another outstanding year for the arts in Sydney, on Wednesday 31st December 2014, Sydney Arts Guide announced its 2014 awards in Stage and Screen categories:-
https://sydneyartsguide.com.au/sydney-arts-guide-festival-awards-2014/
The 2015 Helpmann Awards (Australia’s Awards for Live Entertainment) will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday 27th July 2015 at the Capitol Theatre, Sydney, NSW.
http://www.helpmannawards.com.au/
Tickets are on sale to the 4th AACTA Awards Event held on the evening of Thursday 29th January 2014 at The Star Event Centre, 80 Pyrmont Street, Pyrmont, SYDNEY, NSW. If unable to attend, then you can still enjoy the night with all the Australian star power, sophistication and style of the usual red carpet shenanigans and the whole Awards Ceremony, via the live telecast shown on Channel 10. Alternately you can watch the full encore screenings during Saturday 31st January 2014, when broadcast on Foxtel’s ARENA.
http://www.aacta.org/events/4th-aacta-awards-ceremony.aspx