VICTORIAN DRAMA LEAGUE AWARDS
The Victorian Drama League awards were announced at Merrimu Receptions in Murrumbeena on Sunday 4 December 2011 with twenty eight companies vying for the judges’ attention.
FAMDA was thrilled to receive six nominations for its June production of Heroes.
Nominations went to
……. Geoff Davey for Set Design
……. Rob Ellis for Sound Design
……. Andrew Oldroyd x 2 for Lighting Design and also as Director of a Comedy
……. Bruce Grainger was nominated as a lead male performer in a Comedy
…… FAMDA’s Heroes was one of five comedies nominated as Best Comedy
Jennifer Paragreen, Dianne Paragreen and Norman Willoughby with FAMDA's VDL nomination certificates for 'Heroes'.
MOaRTZ Theatre from Moe also earned two nominations.
. ….. Best actress in a comedy
.. …. Sharon King as Myra Marlowe/Sis Sadie in A Bad Year For Tomatoes by John Patrick
.. …. Best supporting actress in a comedy
…. .. Janie-Lee Zwagerman as Reba Harper in A Bad Year For Tomatoes by John Patrick
The award for Best Comedy went to Beaumaris Theatre Company for its staging of The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde.
Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre won the Best Drama trophy for its production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.
Plays nominated in the best production categories were:
BEST PRODUCTION – COMEDY
‘Allo! ‘Allo! by Jeremy Lloyd & David Croft – Werribee Theatre Company
Cosi by Louis Nowra – Gemco Players Community Theatre
Heroes by Gerald Sibleyras - FAMDA
The History Boys by Alan Bennett – Heidelberg Theatre Company
* The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde – Beaumaris Theatre Company
BEST PRODUCTION – DRAMA
* Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller – Lilydale Athenaeum Theatre Company
Life After George by Hannie Rayson – Encore Theatre
Speaking in Tongues by Andrew Bovell - Dandenong Theatre Company
The Farnsworth Invention by Aaron Sorkin - Malvern Theatre Company
A full list of Victorian Drama League nominations and winners can be found at www.theatrecraft.org.au
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The Music Theatre Guild of Victoria’s Bruce Awards were presented at Frankston Arts Centre on Saturday 10 December.
Congratulations to Wonthaggi Theatrical Group – winner of the Best Musical brick for Cabaret, in a tie with The Boy from Oz staged by leading note theatre from Ballarat.
Other awards won by Wonthaggi’s Cabaret
Colin Mitchell – Direction
Colin Mitchell – Costumes
Elly Poletti as Fräulein Kost - Female Performer in a Supporting Role
Britt Lewis as Sally Bowles - Junior Performer in an Open Production
Elly Poletti as Fräulein Kost - Gladys Moncrieff Award for First Performance in a Featured Role
In a year when the awards were shared across quite a few companies, the large number of tied awards was indicative of the high standard and competitive nature of the entries.
There was even a triple dead heat for Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role between
…… Daniel Carison, Henry Higgins, My Fair Lady, M2 Theatre Company
…… Adrian Callegari, Leo Frank, Parade, St Michael’s Grammar School
…… Matthew Douglas, Ko Ko, The Mikado, Scotch College & Presbyterian Ladies’ College
Wonthaggi Theatrical Group’s Cabaret and new Ballarat company, leading note theatre’s The Boy From Oz were involved in a tie for both Best Production and also for Direction (Colin Mitchell and Stephen O’Neil).
In the Junior Performer in an Open Production category Britt Lewis as Sally Bowles in Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group tied with Georgia Wilkinson as Maria in West Side Story for Babirra Music Theatre.
Nearly every company nominated in the Production of the Year category received at least one award.
Kiss of the Spiderwoman, SHooSH! Productions
Avenue Q, Altona City Theatre
Design Award – Kristen Mitchelmore, Puppets
Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
Production of the Year (Tied)
Direction (Tied) – Colin Mitchell
Wardrobe – Colin Mitchell
Female Performer in a Supporting Role – Elly Poletti, Fräulein Kost
Junior Performer in an Open Production (Tied) – Britt Lewis, Sally Bowles
Gladys Moncrieff Award for First Performance in a Featured Role – Elly Poletti, Fräulein Kost
West Side Story, Babirra Music Theatre
Musical Direction – Ben Hudson
Choreography – Leigh Barker / Ashley Tynan
Junior Performer in an Open Production (Tied) – Georgia Wilkinson, Maria
Dancer’s Award – Robbie Carmelotti, Bernardo
The Boy from Oz, leading note theatre
Production of the Year (Tied)
Direction (Tied) – Stephen O’Neil
Male Performer in a Leading Role – Andrew Ronay-Jenkings, Peter Allen
Floyd Collins, Octave Theatre
Aspects of Love, CLOC Musical Theatre
Settings – Brendan Staples
Technical Achievement
Chicago, Williamstown Musical Theatre Company
Lighting – Jason Bovaird
Female Performer in a Leading Role – Katie Weston, Roxie Hart
Male Performer in a Supporting Role – Angelo De Cata, Billy Flynn
Two awards went to companies not nominated in the Production of the Year category
Cameo Performance
Lachy Joyce, YMCA receptionist and others, Sweet Charity, Footlight Productions
Ensemble Performance
The cast, I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Beaumaris Theatre
The Junior Production of the Year trophy was awarded to The Mikado staged by Scotch College in conjunction with Presbyterian Ladies’ College
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Congratulations to the many Gippsland performers earning nominations or commendations.
MTGV NOMINATIONS
PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
Kiss of the Spiderwoman, SHooSH! Productions
Avenue Q, Altona City Theatre
* * * Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group = Winner
West Side Story, Babirra Music Theatre
* * * The Boy from Oz, leading note theatre = Winner
Floyd Collins, Octave Theatre
Aspects of Love, CLOC Musical Theatre
Chicago, Williamstown Musical Theatre Company
MTGV GIPPSLAND NOMINATIONS
PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
* * * Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group – WINNER
DIRECTION
* * * Colin Mitchell, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group = WINNER
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Carmel Slater, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
CHOREOGRAPHY
Bron Kalos, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
SETTINGS
Colin Mitchell, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
Colin Mitchell, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
WARDROBE
* * * Colin Mitchell, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group – WINNER
Libby and David Panther, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
MALE PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE
Will Hanley, Emcee, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
FEMALE PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE
Britt Lewis, Sally Bowles, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
John Watson, Herr Schultz, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
* * * Elly Poletti, Fräulein Kost, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group – WINNER
JUNIOR PERFORMER IN AN OPEN PRODUCTION
Callum Mackay, Rolf, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
* * * Britt Lewis, Sally Bowles, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group = WINNER
Siobhan Barry, Sarah Brown, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
GLADYS MONCRIEFF AWARD FOR FIRST PERFORMANCE IN A FEATURED ROLE
* * * Elly Poletti, Fräulein Kost, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group – WINNER
Elizabeth Barry, Emma Carew, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
Josiah Brooks, Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Nathan McLean, Nicely Nicely, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
DANCER’S AWARD
Anthony DiDonato, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Will Hanley, Emcee, Cabaret, Wonthaggi Theatrical Group
ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
The prisoners, Kiss of the Spiderwoman, SHooSH! Productions (includes Will Hanley)
The Salzburg children, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
MTGV COMMENDATIONS
PRODUCTIONS
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Beaumaris Theatre
Spring Awakening, BLOC Music Theatre
Curtains, UMMTA (University of Melbourne Music Theatre Association)
The Sound of Music, BLOC Music Theatre
Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
Nine, Four-Letter-Word Theatre
MTGV GIPPSLAND COMMENDATIONS
PRODUCTIONS
Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
DIRECTION
Christine Skicko, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Michelle Carrigy, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Nathan Eva, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
MALE PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE
Bernard Detering, Captain von Trapp, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Tristan Vanyai, Nathan Detroit, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Josiah Brooks, Sky Masterson, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Andrea Carcassi, Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
FEMALE PERFORMER IN A LEADING ROLE
Brodie Dorling, Maria, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Siobhan Barry, Sarah Brown, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Rebecca Bickerton, Miss Adelaide, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
Brodie Dorling, Lucy Harris, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
MALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Lawrie Fildes, Max Detweiller, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Callum Mackay, Rolf, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Nathan McLean, Nicely Nicely, Guys and Dolls, Warragul Theatre Company
FEMALE PERFORMER IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Samantha Grumley, Liesl, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
Elizabeth Barry, Emma Carew, Jekyll and Hyde, Leongatha Lyric Theatre
Tamika Ball, Jenny Dillingham, Aspects of Love, Cardinia Performing Arts Company
JUNIOR PERFORMER IN AN OPEN PRODUCTION
Samantha Grumley, Liesl, The Sound of Music, Latrobe Theatre Company
There were 72 Open Section productions in 2011.
For complete lists of all winners, nominations and commendations in both the open and youth sections, visit www.musictheatreguildvic.org
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December 14th, 2011 at 1:42 pm
That really captures the spirit of it. Thanks for posting.