The Sydney Arts Journo Awards!

I promise this is just a short foray back into the blogosphere... I mean, I had to come back with my alternative list of awards again, didn't I?

And it's a perfect time to start a debate about what the Sydney Theatre Awards means to the industry. Back in 2005 when Diana Simmonds and Ian Phipps resurrected the awards, the industry was on the verge of some big changes.

The independent sector was growing at a rapid rate, the professional world was becoming more mature and the industry as a whole was expanding.

In short, the timing of Simmonds and Phipps was perfect.

But as the role of the mainstream media has changed and the world of the online reviewer comes to the fore, isn't it time the Sydney Theatre Awards were, themselves, reviewed?

"On 20 December 2005 nominations were publicly announced for the inaugural Sydney Theatre Awards," the website states.

"These awards came about after months of informal discussion among a group of senior Sydney critics, naming themselves The Sydney Reviewers and meeting by invitation only."

"The original reviewers were, in A-Z order: Stephen Dunne (Sydney Morning Herald), Bryce Hallett (Sydney Morning Herald), John McCallum (The Australian), Colin Rose (Sun-Herald), Diana Simmonds (Sunday Telegraph), John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald) and co-ordinator Ian Phipps (ABC Radio)."

In 2005, these people represented the majority of publicly available opinion.

But that world has changed.

This year the panel is Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Alex Lalak (Daily Telegraph), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian), Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise) and John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald).

It is interesting to note that the panel is mostly made up of the mainstream media but now also includes one single online/blog reviewer. But where are the other online websites?

Collectively, blogs and pages such as ArtsHub, AussieTheatre, James Waites, Augusta Supple, Kevin Jackson and Australian Stage would easily outrank the above in online hits. Where is their voice? Many of their writers easily see a lot more theatre than members of the panel.

It's time the two organisers of the awards open up the voting to a wider panel. But not just within the online world, but also to the industry. A model such as the Green Room Awards in Melbourne would be perfect.

As I wrote twelve months ago;

"...don't be fooled into thinking the judges see all of the shows.

"As Simmonds said about the Helpmann Awards earlier this year, "the likelihood of the nominating "judges" having seen all or even nearly all nominees in a category is virtually nil". The same of course goes for these awards so don't be dismayed if you aren't nominated."

And as you can imagine, saying that went down like a lead balloon with a few people. But I still believe it's a fair point, and you'll see a couple of yawning gaps in the nominations.

The 'invitation only' policy needs a major revision and must be made far less exclusive if the awards are to maintain what is a lessening legitimacy. In its fifth year, maybe the Sydney Theatre Awards needs to be given over to the industry - not just a small part of the industry, but the industry as a whole.


And so here are my own AWARDS based unashamedly on the Sydney Theatre Awards list. Beware: you'll see awards to shows not even nominated.



Drum roll please....!


NOMINATIONS FOR 2009 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Happy Days (Company B)
A Streetcar Named Desire (Sydney Theatre Company)
The War of the Roses (Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Festival)
When the Rain Stops Falling (Sydney Theatre Company and Brink Productions)

SAJ Award
Poppea (Sydney Opera House)

Special Mention
When the Rain Stops Falling (Sydney Theatre Company and Brink Productions)


BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Beyond the Neck (Bambina Borracha Productions in association with B Sharp)
The Bougainville Photoplay Project (Version 1.0 in association with the Tamarama Rock Surfers) Norm & Ahmed/ Shafana & Aunt Sarrinah (Alex Buzo Company)
The Only Child (The Hayloft Project in association with B Sharp)

SAJ Award
Missing the Bus to David Jones (Theatre Kantanka & Performance Space)

Special Mention
The Only Child (The Hayloft Projectin association with B Sharp)


BEST DIRECTION
Benedict Andrews (The City)
Benedict Andrews (The War of the Roses)
Chris Drummond (When the Rain Stops Falling)
Marion Potts (Venus and Adonis)

SAJ Award
Barrie Kosky (Poppea)

Special Mention
Chris Drummond (When the Rain Stops Falling)


BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Cate Blanchett (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Cate Blanchett (The War of the Roses)
Julie Forsyth (Happy Days)
Pamela Rabe (The War of the Roses)

SAJ Award
Melita Jurisic (Poppea)

Special Mention
Julie Forsyth (Happy Days)


BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Joel Edgerton (A Streetcar Named Desire)
Darren Gilshenan (Strange Attractor)
Ewen Leslie (The War of the Roses)
Ben Winspear (Baghdad Wedding)

SAJ Award

Darren Gilshenan (Elling)

Special Mention
Colin Moody (The City)


BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Blazey Best (Strange Attractor)
Anita Hegh (The City)
Kris McQuade (When the Rain Stops Falling)
Kerry Walker (The Man From Mukinupin)

SAJ Award
Kerry Walker (The Man From Mukinupin)

Special Mention
Anita Hegh (The City)


BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Gareth Davies (The Only Child)
John Gaden (The War of the Roses)
Yalin Ozucelik (Baghdad Wedding)
Tim Richards (A Streetcar Named Desire)

SAJ Award
Ewen Leslie (The Promise)

Special Mention
Tom Wren (The Only Child)


BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Beyond the Neck (Tom Holloway)
The Only Child (Simon Stone with Thomas Henning)
Savage River (Steve Rodgers)
When the Rain Stops Falling (Andrew Bovell)

SAJ Award
Holiday (Raimondo Cortese)

Special Mention
When the Rain Stops Falling (Andrew Bovell)


BEST NEWCOMER
Travis Cardona (Savage River)
Josh McConville (The Call + Strange Attractor)
Susie Mathers (Mamma Mia!)

SAJ Award
Travis Cardona (Savage River)


BEST SET DESIGN
Robert Cousins (The War of the Roses)
Michael Scott Mitchell (Travesties)
Anna Tregloan (Venis and Adonis)
Hossein Valamanesh (When the Rain Stops Falling)

SAJ Award

Claude Marcos (The Only Child)

Special Mention
Alice Babidge (Wonderful World of Dissocia)


BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Alice Babidge (War of the Roses)
Julie Lynch (Travesties)
Bruce McKinven (The Alchemist)
Tess Schofield (The Wonderful World of Dissocia)

SAJ Award
Tess Schofield (The Wonderful World of Dissocia)

Special Mention
Julie Lynch (Travesties)


BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Paul Jackson (Happy Days)
Paul Jackson (The Telltale Heart)
Niklas Pajanti (When the Rain Stops Falling)
Nick Schlieper (The War of the Roses)

SAJ Award
Niklas Pajanti (When the Rain Stops Falling)

Special Mention
Teegan Lee (The Only Child)


BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN
Paul Charlier (A Streetcar Named Desire)
David Franzke (The Wonderful World of Dissocia)
Alan John (The City)

SAJ Award

Barrie Kosky (Poppea)


BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Avenue Q
Chicago
Jerry Springer The Opera
Wicked

SAJ Award
Chicago


JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lucy Durack (Wicked)
Amanda Harrison (Wicked)
Sharon Millerchip (Chicago)
Caroline O’Connor (Chicago)

SAJ Award

Sharon Millerchip(Chicago)


JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Damien Bermingham (Chicago)
Mitchell Butel (Avenue Q)
Luke Joslin (Avenue Q)
James Millar (Gutenberg the Musical)

SAJ Award
Craig Annis (The Man from Mukinupin)


BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
Red Hot and Saucy – Rhonda Burchmore (Civic Cabaret)
Meow to the World: Crisis is Born (Sydney Opera House)
‘Tegrity: Britney Spears in Cabaret – Christie Whelan (Raval)
Tim Draxl - Under the Influence (Supper Club)

SAJ Award
Meow to the World: Crisis is Born (Sydney Opera House)


BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
The Gruffalo (Christine Dunstan Productions)
The Nargun and the Stars (Erth and Sydney Festival)
The Wizard of Oz (Windmill and Sydney Theatre Company)

SAJ Award
The Nargun and the Stars

The Full List of Awgie Award Winners

In case you missed the announcement... And what anamazing collection of winners.


AWGIE Award winners



Childrens Television - C Classification

CJ the DJ – Si’s Slide by John Armstrong



Childrens Television - P Classification

Zigby Zigby and the Mango by Suzie Wicks



Childrens Theatre

The Tragical Life of Cheeseboy – by Finegan Kruckemeyer



Theatre for Young Audiences

Tenderness – Slut by Patricia Cornelius



Community and Youth Theatre

Watermark by Alana Valentine



Stage

When the Rain Stops Falling by Andrew Bovell



Interactive Media

FIND815 by Anthony Mullins



Radio- Original Broadcast

There’s Something about Eels… by Noëlle Janaczewska



Radio - Adaptation

Aurora Calling: The Results of a Joint Observation by Catherine Ryan



Documentary - Public Broadcast

First Australians- Episode 1 by Louis Nowra and Rachel Perkins



Documentary - Corporate Training

Not My Sister by Scott Xavier Higgins



Short Film

Champions by Anita Beckman



Comedy - Sketch or Light Entertainment

Good News Week 2:07 - The 2008 Jet - Sparrow Awards

Ian Simmons, Dave Bloustien, Bruce Griffiths, Simon Dodd, Warwick Holt, and Paul Livingston with Mat Blackwell, Patrick Cook and Celia Pacquola



Comedy - Situation or Narrative

Review with Myles Barlow – Episode 3 by Phil Lloyd with Trent O’Donnell



Television - Serial

Home and Away - Episode 4649 by Sean Nash



Television - Series

Rush – Episode 4 by John O’Brien and Christopher Lee



Telemovie (Original)

Saved by Belinda Chayko



Television Mini Series - Original

The Circuit – Series 2 by Kelly Lefever, Dot West, Mitch Torres and Wayne Blair



Feature Film Screenplay - Adaptation

Blessed by Andrew Bovell, Melissa Reeves, Patricia Cornelius, Christos Tsiolkas



Feature Film Screenplay (Original)

Samson and Delilah by Warwick Thornton



Major AWGIE Award

Samson and Delilah by Warwick Thornton




Special Awards



Monte Miller Award – Long Form

Box by James Greville



Monte Miller Award – Short Form

Broken by Mitchell Forrester



Richard Lane Award

Recognising Outstanding Service and Dedication to the Australian Writers’ Guild- Jack Brislee



Hector Crawford Award

For a Significant Contribution to the Craft via a Body of Script Editing Work- May-Brit Akerholt



Richard Wherrett Prize

Tenderness – Slut by Patricia Cornelius



FOXTEL Fellowship for Excellence in Television Writing

Christopher Lee



Kit Denton Fellowship

Back to Back Theatre



John Hinde Award for Science Fiction

Shayne Armstrong and S.P Krause

Serpent's Teeth Honoured

Congratulations to Daniel Keene who scored the NSW Premier's Literary Prize for playwriting.

In a very tough field (Andrew Bovell's When The Rain Stops Falling and Damien Millar's The Modern International Dead were both in the running) it's good to seem Keene, a Melbourne playwright often ignored in Sydney, get the gong.

It must be a good sign of the rising standards of playwriting when such a strong group of writers are in the mix. I share the sentiments about the lack of female voices. However Debra Oswald won it last year.

So congratulations to Daniel.

Literary Awards Shortlist Announced

A tip of the hat to these fine individuals...


The Play Award

The Play Award ($30,000) is offered for a play or a work of music drama given its first production in Australia between 3 November 2007 and 3 October 2008.

Assessment is made primarily on the literary merit of the written text, and not on the merits of a particular production, although the judges will take into account the success of the work within the medium for which it has been written.

Previous winners of the Play Award include Louis Nowra, Michael Gow, Tommy Murphy and Debra Oswald.

2009 shortlisted writers are...
Andrew Bovell - When the Rain Stops Falling
Brendan Cowell - Ruben Guthrie
Tom Holloway - Don't Say the Words
Daniel Keene - The Serpent's Teeth
Damien Millar - The Modern International Dead
Tom Wright - The Women of Troy

Judges comments can be found HERE.


Script Writing Award

The Script Writing Award ($30,000) is offered for the screenplay of a feature-­length fiction film, for the script of a documentary film, for the script of a play or documentary for radio, or for the script of a television program (whether fiction or non-­fiction).

Assessment is made primarily on the literary merit of the written text, and not on the merits of the resulting film, radio or television program, although the judges will take into account the success of the work within the medium for which it has been written.

Previous winners of the Script Award include Jane Campion and Gerard Lee, Rolf de Heer, Christine Olsen and Anna Broinowski.

2009 shortlisted writers are...
David Caesar - Prime Mover
Greg Haddrick, Felicity Packard & Peter Gawler - Underbelly: Series 1
Anna-Maria Monticelli - Disgrace
Sean Nash - All Saints Episode 447: Not What You'd Expect
Louis Nowra and Rachel Perkins and Beck Cole - First Australians


Judges comments can be found HERE.


Other award shortlist details can be found HERE.

Who's Who in Creative Sydney?

For your interest...

Creative Sydney is a new festival of ideas that gives creative people the platform to discuss how we can make Sydney the best place in the world to create new film, art, design, music, technology, events and more.

It is part of Vivid Sydney, a unique new public festival featuring Luminous music festival at Sydney Opera House, Smart Light Sydney and Fire Water. Vivid Sydney is one of five anchor events in the first ever NSW Master Events Calendar created by Events NSW on behalf of the NSW Government.

And there will be a festival celebrating the wealth and diversity of the city’s creative talents from May 27- June 13.

As part of that Creative Sydney will be recognising the outstanding talent we have in Sydney; artists, performers and producers, and the people working behind the scenes to build the culture of our city.

They’re applauding the work of 100 Creative Catalysts, individuals who have developed original projects, products or services within their creative field, and who inspire and support other creative people.

And they want your input. Who inspires you? Creative Sydney is open to suggestions as they compile the Creative Catalysts list. They could be friends or peers, people you admire or icons you want to emulate.

Post your nominations on Facebook by April 3.

Register for the newsletter for updates and full launch details at http://creativesydney.com.au/

Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/creativesydney


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For the purposes of Creative Sydney the creative industries include: advertising, architecture, visual art, computer software & web development, design (interior, graphic, object), fashion, photography, film, video, animation, performing arts, music, literature and publishing, radio and television, crafts and video games.

Sydney Theatre Award winners announced

At a rather stuffy hall somewhere in Paddington, the winners of the 2008 Sydney Theatre Awards were announced. They are below. Details of the judging panel can be found HERE.


BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION: The Women of Troy (Sydney Theatre Company)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION: My Name is Rachel Corrie (Bareboards Productions and B Sharp) Producer Ben Jobberns collected the award.

BEST DIRECTION: Barrie Kosky (The Women of Troy)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE: Robyn Nevin (The Women of Troy)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE: Trevor Jamieson (Ngapartji Ngapartji)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Yael Stone (The Kid)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE: Christopher Stollery (Killer Joe)

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK: Damien Millar (The Modern International Dead)

BEST NEWCOMER: Yael Stone (The Kid + Frankenstein)

BEST SET DESIGN: Alexandra Sommer and Bradley Clark (All the Blood and All the Water)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Tess Schofield (The Great)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: Nick Schlieper (The Serpent's Teeth)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN: David Gilfillan (The Women of Troy)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL: Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical (Back Row Productions, Specific Films, Alan Scott, John Frost and Chugg Entertainment)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Michelle Doake (The Hatpin)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION: The Kransky Sisters (Sydney Opera House Studio)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN: Just Macbeth (Bell Shakespeare)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD: Nancye Hayes and Toni Lamond

By the way...

Most of you probably thought I had disappeared off the face of the planet with the complete lack of blog updates over the last couple of months. 

Quietly, I have been preparing for the live Sydney Festival blog which I am writing for the Daily Telegraph and launched on Saturday.

There's been some technical problems which are slowly being ironed out with me re-uploading a whole heap of entries and images.

But we are getting there - so if you get the chance, check it out by CLICKING HERE. 

I am now even experimenting by using video in some of the posts to try and capture the mood of the festival - especially when I am surrounded by your average punter - such as last night ...

For what it's worth my picks for the festival are No Dice, Lipsynch, The Pianist, The Nargun and the Stars, the Cinematic Orchestra, Ivanov, The Swell Season and the FBi Night with Four Tet.

As a few of my Melbourne friends have acknowledged, our little summer festival in Sydney is a breath of fresh air to the Melbourne version which is all indoorsy. Hence the great music, outdoor events and general popular revelry. It's a delicious time of year to be here.

The Sydney Theatre Critics Awards are also on Monday night. It should be another lovely night to catch up, share notes and get ready for another year of theatre shenanigans. I'll be there of course, but will be heading off early to catch some Kosky madness with The Tell-Tale Heart at Carriageworks. 

Until then, I'll see you on the other side of the festival when we all come back down to earth.

Sydney Critics Announce Nominations

The Diana Simmonds and Ian Phipps Club of Theatre Critics has put together their yearly list of nominations for the very best in Sydney's Performing Arts.

I went along to the awards ceremony last year for the first time and it was a very good night filled with a lot of good-will, humility and celebration. Indeed, the Sydney Theatre Critics' Awards are probably the most representative of any of the awards for the performing arts in Sydney.

And as Jason Blake says in the media release;
“The Sydney Theatre Awards is a chance to celebrate a year’s-worth of work, compare notes and come together as a community. That’s part of the reason we’re delighted to be back at the Paddington RSL – it’s a place where people can be a crowd rather than an audience. The drinks are way cheap, too.”

Indeed.

But don't be fooled into thinking the judges see all of the shows.

As Simmonds said about the Helpmann Awards earlier this year, "the likelihood of the nominating "judges" having seen all or even nearly all nominees in a category is virtually nil". The same of course goes for these awards so don't be dismayed if you aren't nominated

The panel of judges consists of Stagenoise blogger Simmonds along with Stephen Dunne, Bryce Hallett and John Shand from the Sydney Morning Herald, Jason Blake from the Sun Herald, Jo Litson from the Sunday Telegraph, John McCallum from The Australian, blogger and SMH reviewer James Waites and finally ABC Radio's Ian Phipps.

The list for this year's awards is a pretty narrow in scope and a little underwhelming. It's all confined within the circl between Kings Cross, Redfern and Walsh Bay with not a single production from Carriageworks nominated or even a physical theatre piece recognised.

Below is the list, with what's missing and my picks.


NOMINATIONS FOR 2008 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
The Great (STC)
Ngapartji Ngapartji (Company B)
The Pillowman (Company B)
The Women of Troy (STC)

What's missing?
Scorched (Company B)

SAJ Pick - Scorched (Company B)
Close Second - The Pillowman (Company B)



BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Killer Joe (Adam Booth and B Sharp)
My Name is Rachel Corrie (Bareboards Productions and B Sharp)
Ruben Guthrie (murri fulla films & B Sharp)
Spring Awakening (The Hayloft Project and B Sharp)

What's missing?
Miss Julie (B Sharp)
Fearless N (Theatre Kantanka)
Twelfth Night (Siren Theatre Company)
The Packer (Old Fitzroy)
Salome (The Rabble)
Stoning Mary (Stablemates)

Pool (no water) (Darlinghurst Theatre Company)

SAJ Pick - Salome (The Rabble)
Close second - Miss Julie (B Sharp)



BEST DIRECTION
Craig Ilott (The Pillowman)
Barrie Kosky (The Women of Troy)
Shannon Murphy (My Name is Rachel Corrie)
Scott Rankin (Ngapartji Ngapartji)

SAJ Pick - Miss Julie (Vladislavs Nastavshevs)
Close second - Craig Ilott (The Pillowman)



BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Belinda Bromilow (My Name is Rachel Corrie)
Melita Jurisic (The Women of Troy)
Robyn Nevin (The Women of Troy)
Greta Scacchi (Mary Stuart)

SAJ Pick - Yael Stone (Stoning Mary)
Close second - Melita Jurisic (Women of Troy)



BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Damon Herriman (The Pillowman)
Trevor Jamieson (Ngapartji Ngapartji)
Toby Schmitz (Ruben Guthrie)
Sean Taylor (Death of a Salesman)

SAJ Pick - Damon Herriman (The Pillowman)
Close second - Jay Ryan (The Packer)



BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Judi Farr (The Pig Iron People)
Genevieve Mooy (Queen C)
Genevieve Picot (Rock n Roll)
Yael Stone (The Kid)

SAJ Pick - Maggie Blinco (The Beauty Queen of Leenane)
Close second - Yael Stone (The Kid)



BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Marton Csokas (The Pillowman)
Steve Rodgers (The Pillowman)
Toby Schmitz (The Great)
Christopher Stollery (Killer Joe)

SAJ Pick - Christopher Stollery (Killer Joe)
Close second - Marton Csokas (The Pillowman)



BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Brendan Cowell (Ruben Guthrie)
Tony McNamara (The Great)
Damien Millar (The Modern International Dead)
Peter Rutherford and James Millar (The Hatpin)

SAJ Pick - Salome (The Rabble)
Close Second - Noelle Janaczewska (Fearless N)



BEST NEWCOMER
Akos Armont (The Kid)
Ivan Donato (The Age of Consent)
Ian Meadows (The Modern International Dead)
Yael Stone (The Kid + Frankenstein)

SAJ Pick - Yael Stone (The Kid, Frankenstein)
Close second - Ivan Donato (The Age of Consent)



BEST SET DESIGN
Alice Babidge and Barrie Kosky (The Women of Troy)
Fiona Crombie (The Great)
Nicholas Dare (The Pillowman)
Alexandra Sommers and Bradley Clark (All the Blood and All the Water)

SAJ Pick - Kate Davis and The Rabble (Salome)
Close Second - Kate Gaul (Twelfth Night)



BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Alexandra Sommers and Bradley Clark (Gallipoli)
Roger Kirk (My Fair Lady)
Tess Schofield (The Great)
Kate Shanahan (Queen C)

SAJ Pick - Kate Davis and The Rabble (Salome)
Close Second - Ailsa Paterson (Twelfth Night)



BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Damien Cooper (The Great)
Paul Jackson (Moving Targets)
Nick Schlieper (The Serpent’s Teeth)
Matt Scott (Rock n Roll)

SAJ Pick - Nick Schlieper (The Serpent's Teeth)
Close second - Emma Valente (Salome)




BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN
Brett Collery (Anatomy Titus Fall of Rome)
David Gilfillan (The Women of Troy)
Steve Francis and Alan John (The Great)
Max Lyandvert, Mark Blackwell and Tony Melov (The Age I’m In)

SAJ Pick - Daryl Walis (Twelfth Night)
Close second - Max Lyandvert and Eva Mueller (Salome)




BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Little Women (Kookaburra Musical Theatre Company)
My Fair Lady (Opera Australia)
The Phantom of the Opera (The Really Useful Company and the Gordon/Frost Organisation)
Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical (Back Row Productions, Specific Films, Alan Scott, John Frost and Chugg Entertainment)

SAJ Pick - My Fair Lady (Opera Australia)



JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Gemma Ashley-Kaplan (The Hatpin)
Michelle Doake (The Hatpin)
Taryn Fiebig (My Fair Lady)
Kate Maree Hoolihan (Little Women)

SAJ Pick - Taryn Fiebig (My Fair Lady)



JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Richard E Grant (My Fair Lady)
Todd McKenney (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical)
Tony Sheldon (Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Musical)
Anthony Warlow (The Phantom of the Opera)

SAJ Pick - Richard E Grant (My Fair Lady)



BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
The Fabulous Frances Faye (Nick Christo)
The Kransky Sisters (Sydney Opera House Studio)
LoveBites (White Box)
Vamp (Meow Meow at Sydney Opera House studio)

SAJ didn't see any cabaret this year.



BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
The Arrival (Spare Parts Puppet Theatre)
Just Macbeth (Bell Shakespeare)
Special Delivery (Patch Theatre)
The Wiggles (The Wiggles)

SAJ didn't see any kids theatre this year.



LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
To be announced at the ceremony

The undergound gets an airing

Sydney’s underground cultural scene came together arm in arm with the cultural establishment last night as independent youth radio station FBi presented their inaugural Sydney Music, Arts and Culture Awards (SMACs) at the Opera House.

In a marquee overlooking the harbour, an eclectic gathering of inner city artists, rockers, musicians and performers drank champagne as awards were handed out to those “people who make Sydney the vibrant, exciting cultural capital that Melbourne insists we're not”.

In a sign that the arts, and more particularly the underground arts scene in Sydney is finally coming of age, the SMAC of the Year Award was given to out-going Sydney Festival director, Fergus Linehan for the way he has brought the city alive in what is now the best cultural event of the year.

The irony of an underground awards ceremony

 honouring someone who is at the head of an organisation in the middle of the cultural establishment was not lost on the crowd gathered with their fashionista apparel. But Linehan is different to all the other members of the establishment from the Biennale to the major performing arts companies who were all ignored.

Compared to the rather dour and high-brow Melbourne Festival, the festival in Sydney after four years with Linehan at the helm has brought cultural events out onto the streets to make it more of a people’s festival. From Hyde Park to Martin Place to the Botanic Gardens and the forecourt of the Opera House, Linehan has untapped something that makes the locals see their city in a whole new light.

The timing of Linehan’s appointment four years ago could not have been more perfect as the

 underground cultural scene was starting to wake from its long slumber, suffocated by the most expansive amount of archaic licensing and public entertainment red-tape in the western world.

FBi Radio who call themselves ‘an independent, community-based radio station, delivering the best in new music and emerging culture’ with a charter which demands they broadcast 50%

 Australian music, with half of that from Sydney is just another example of how the cultural fabric of Sydney is changing. Local artists and musicians are now getting more exposure than ever before.

The SMAC in Your Face Award, which honours those that have been shaking up the cultural scene went to the Raise the Bar initiative which publicly lobbied the community, the media and eventually the pollies on Macquarie Street to transform the liquor licensing laws to allow smaller bars, more live entertainment and less poker machines.
The Best Arts Event Award went to a small and diverse collective of young artists and cultural organisers for the Underbelly Public Arts Lab and Festival 08 which showcases experimental performance from emerging artists. Sydney just hasn’t seen anything like this in years.

What all this means is that artists, musicians and collectives in Sydney are no longer just sitting back and complaining about the lack of funding, venues or opportunities and they have finally found a way to get what we wanted – our own type of Melbourne arts industry. It’s a DIY cultural scene that’s emerging and legislators, councils and government agencies are going to have to run to keep up.



For a lit of all the winners, click here.

Disclaimer: I was on the judging panel for the awards.

Griffin Award announced

In what was reportedly a fine affair, Griffin Theatre announced the recipient of the 2008 Griffin Award was Whore by young writer and performer Rick Viede (right).

It really is about time that there were plays being recognised with such short, sharp and straight up names. And who better to deliver such a play than Viede who is quickly becoming a feature of the fringe theatre, cabaret and grunge drag scenes.

A packed Stables Theatre was then treated to a reading of Whore followed by a journey across the road to the lush Victoria Room for drinking shenanigans.

According to the Griffin website, one hundred entries were received from across the country with the shortlist comprising of the following eight plays:

Alana Valentine - Redfern Heights (NSW)
Catherine Ryan - Precipice (VIC)
Christine Evans - Trojan Barbie (Overseas Resident)
Julian Hobba - Father Son Rule (VIC)
Rick Viede - Whore (NSW)
Ross Mueller - Concussion (VIC)
Simon Luckhurst - Lines in the Sand (NSW)
Sue Smith - In the Violet Time (NSW)

Here's hoping that Viede not only gets the $5,000 and a new laptop but also a production of his script at Griffin, which oddly sometimes doesn't seem to follow after the award has been handed out.

It's that time of year again

The 2008 Helpmann Awards® nominations (don't you just love the little trademark next to award names), named in honour of Sir Robert Helpmann who is undoubtedly this country's most prolific and well known arts figure, were announced today.

Last year it was a pretty tough year with Hedwig, Keating, the Lost Echo and Honour Bound really taking the cake. This year's batch however is a bit on the uninspiring side, mainly due to a weaker year for the professional theatre industry - in Sydney especially.

The big story of course is that Billy Elliot has eleven nominations. The not so real big story is The Hatpin got snubbed. What a surprise.

In the theatre category, best direction of a play has drawn up Benedict Andrews' Who's Afraid Of Virginia Woolf, Neil Armfield's Toy Symphony, Barrie Kosky's The Tell-Tale Heart and John Tiffany's Black Watch.

Not bad, but a little ho-hum.

Why isn't Aalst in there? It was the most astonishing production of the Sydney Festival that was the ants pants on all of the above. In fact Aalst only has one nomination, Kate Dickie for best female actor.

Peter Brooks' Sizwe Banze is Dead is also mysteriously missing. (Now, that's a snub!)

An Audience With Stephen Sondheim is nominated as one of the best 'special events', which would have been alright if the compere, Jonathan Biggins, hadn't relied on Wikipedia for his research. I think the ABC's Choir of Hard Knocks might pip the Biggins fiasco at the post.

The best choreography category is probably one of the toughest. Tanja Liedtke's Construct is in company with DV8's To Be Straight With You, Chunky Moves' Glow and The Australian Ballet's After the Rain© (another copyright symbol??).

So to is the Best Visual or Physical Theatre Production award which places James Thieree's Au Revoir Parapluie, Chunky Moves' Mortal Engine, Cirque Ici's Secret and Branch Nebula's Paradise City.

Considering that I absolutely loathed Secret, for me it makes it a tight contest between Au Revoir and Paradise City.

There's heaps of other categories in opera, live concerts and music. So for all the other nominations etc etc check out the full list.

The Helpmanns Registered Trademark Awards Night will be held on 28 July.

Image: Jonathan Biggins

Dark Stories A Winner

Debra Oswald has managed to secure 15,000 big ones and a whole lot of prestige after her play Stories in the Dark won the 2008 NSW Premier's Play Award this week.

Published by that god-send publishing house Currency Press, the play was up against a tough field this year and had to beat a field which included the absolutely stunning Parramatta Girls by Alana Valentine, The Story of the Miracles at Cookie's Table by Wesley Enoch and Tender by Nikki Bloom.

I haven't seen or read Stories in the Dark, so I will have to rely on the blurb sent out by Currency Press;

Stories in the Dark explores the power of storytelling, mingling the magic and earthy wisdom of folk tales with the hard-edged story of violence, conflict and the struggle to survive: In a war-torn city, 12-year-old Tomas and 16-year-old Anna seek refuge in a derelict house. To distract them both from the horrors lurking outside, Anna tells Tomas folk stories she remembers from her childhood. And so begins a journey into the shifting, shimmering world of ogres, princes, singing bones, foolish lads and wolf-mothers.

The play, which was written for an Australian Theatre for Young People production, was presented at Riverside Theatres in May last year. It is presently the only outing for the play, but after this week's recognition that will hopefully change.

So too Parramatta Girls by Alana Valentine. I am told that some Melbourne theatres are wary of staging it because it has 'Parramatta' in the title. All that Sydney blah blah Melbourne rivalry bollocks.
Let me assure all of you that it will be worth every cent if you present this very important and theatrically stunning story.

And maybe Stories in the Dark as well.

The Ten Most Influential

This week's Bulletin magazine goes into award territory with its presentation of Australia's 100 'best and brightest'.

Category 2# is dedicated to the Arts & Entertainment, judged by Adelaide Festival Director Brett Sheehy who is described by the magazine as an 'arts and entertainment expert'.

There is always a problem when the media throw in Arts AND Entertainment into the same category. The Sydney Morning Herald do it prolifically and all of sudden you have a community represented by TV, Film, Visual Arts, Ballet, Classical Music, Contemporary Music, Commercial Music, Dance, Theatre, Photography, Singing, New Media, Opera, Musical Theatre, Writing, Installation, Sculpture and so on and so on. You may as well lump Sport and Entertainment into the same category.

Even editor Jane Albert had difficulty coming to terms with these two very different industries. "The Australian arts and entertainment scene is facing a conundrum," she said. "There is an abundance of talent and the sector is in better shape financially following the federal government's recent overdue funding boost. But with a growing number of artists creating evocative, provocative, work and ongoing competition from cheap electronic home entertainment, audiences are spoilt for choice."

That's probably about as close as you are going to get to bridge the two together.

Albert explains that the final ten were chosen because they "weren't simply exploiting their natural talents but were using them to go that little bit further.., are all eager to collaborate.., [had] a sense of fun.., [and] who take a global view of art and Australia's place in the international scene".

Sheehy adds that he 'looked for courage, enterprise, people who aren't just handed things on a platter, artists who are being smart about how they create, how they get their work seen'.

The ten finalists were composer, violist and conductor Brett Dean, choreographer Kate Champion, artistic director Michael Kantor, writer and actor Chris Lilley, visual artist Callum Morton, lobbyist Sue Nattrass, actor Richard Roxburgh, rock musician Andrew Stockdale, designer Gabriela Tylesova and music director Antony Walker.

It was decided out of the pool and the shortlist that the most impressive achievement came from Brett Dean, presently a director at the Australian National Academy of Music. Sheehy explains that Dean "is a great polymath - violist, composer, artistic director, teacher, curator and collaborator."

He goes on to say that, "Brett is arguably Australia's best hope for contributing to the relevance and security of classical music in the immediate future, and with his keen interest in developing the next generation of musicians and composers, into decades beyond his own time".

Sound like a pretty worthy Arts recipient to me. Now, about that Entertainment category...

Image: demodungeon.com