Another Huge Year for the Auckland Theatre Awards
Media Release: For Immediate Release
Another Huge Year for the Auckland Theatre Awards
The 9th Annual Auckland Theatre Awards were an uproarious success on Monday night in the Wintergarden at The Civic. Hosted by the hilarious Johanna Cosgrove and directed by Sam Snedden, the awards celebrated the breadth of the theatre community in Auckland with a live band, full dance numbers and more costume changes then you can shake a stick at (thanks to Miss Crabb). The community was honoured to welcome Rt Hon Jacinda Ardern to the proceedings, and showed their support by an instantaneous standing ovation on her arrival.
The Prime Minister also presented the Hackman Cup for Most Original Production of the Year to ‘OTHER [chinese]’, and was serenaded onstage by Cosgrove playing Chariots of Fire on the saxophone. Ardern responded to her welcome by saying, “I’ll add to my list of many firsts this year.”
She went on
to say:
“I personally crave the day when we
don’t have to keep talking about [why the arts are
important], when we all just know it. When we mention the
word well-being, and we think about the arts. When we
mention the word community, and we think about the arts.
When we mention togetherness, identity, culture, our
heritage, and we think about the arts. And I crave the day
when we stop explaining ourselves, and people just know
it.”
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Jeremy Collins, whose career in theatre began in lighting design at Mercury Theatre. Jeremy went on to develop Selecon (now Philips Selecon), one of the world’s foremost producers of luminaires for theatre, as well as providing mentorship and advocacy to others in the industry.
The Excellence Awards, which were judged by a panel of five industry judges were awarded as follows by presenter Jennifer Ward-Lealand:
Overall Body of Work: John
Verryt (Set Design)
Overall Body of
Work: FAFSWAG
Overall Production:
OTHER [chinese] directed by Alice Canton,
produced by Julie Zhu
Overall Production:
Mirror, Mirror directed by Troy Tuua,
produced by Mangere Arts Centre
Overall
Production: Nell Gwynn directed by Colin
McColl, produced by Auckland Theatre
Company
Performance: Nicole Whippy for
The Mountaintop
Performance: Rutene
Spooner for Super
HUGH-Man
Innovation of Form: Peter & the
Wolf, created by Sophie Roberts & Leon
Radojkovic, produced by Silo Theatre
Excellence
in Adaptation: E Kore A Muri E Hokia (Mo & Jess Kill
Susie) by Te Rēhia Theatre
In 2017, the judges also chose to add a further and inaugural excellence award for Community Spirit to the Auckland Fringe festival.
This year the Outstanding Newcomer Awards sponsored by Jonty Crane were kept secret - and the winners on the night were Leki Jackson-Bourke, Julie Zhu and Bronwyn Ensor.
The
People’s Choice Awards were awarded as
follows:
• The Actors Equity Award for Best Show by
Breakthrough or Emerging artists: ‘I Ain’t Mad At Cha'
written by Turene Jones, directed by Jatinder Singh,
produced by Ngahiriwa Rauhina and presented by WAITĪ
Productions.
• The Sharu Loves Hats Award for Best
Pash: Ashleigh Taylor & Lucy Lawless and then Lucy Lawless &
Liv Tenant in ‘Pleasuredome’
• Gail Cowan
Management’s Best Entrance Award: The women in the cast of
ATC's 'BOYS'
• Tour Makers’ Award for Travelling
Hero: ‘Hudson & Halls Live!’
• The Mangere Arts
Centre Best Ensemble Performance went to two winners: Sau E
Siva's ‘Lalelei’ & ‘Swabhoomi’: Borrowed Earth by
Prayas Theatre
• The Philips
Entertainment Award for Best Lighting Design: Rachel Marlow
for… too many shows to mention.
• The Pantograph
Punch Award for Best Review: Kate Prior's ‘Pleasuredome’
review
• Te Pou Theatre Award for Best Show
Not Made by Pakeha (or Dirty D Word Award): ‘Meet the
Fakas’ by Leki Jackson-Bourke, Maree Webster & Jayne Tupou
Uhi
• The Playmarket Award for Best Line in a Kiwi
show: “I’m more cooked than a Kaikohe P den” - Johanna
Cosgrove in ‘AUNTY’
• APRA’s Award for Best Music
or Sound Design: Leon Radojkovic for
‘Amadeus’
• The Johnson & Laird Management Award
for Best Supporting Cast Member: Byron Coll in
everything!
• Auckland Actors Award for Best Onstage
Death or Injury: Tim Carlsen for cutting his hand off in
‘Spirit House’
• Inside Out Most Innovative Set
Award: ‘Peter & the Wolf’ by Dan Williams
• iTICKET
Award for Best Producer: Zanetti Productions
• The
Actors Program Award for Best Nudity: Arlo Gibson and Ash
Jones in 'Non-Flower Elements'
• The Elephant Publicity
Award for Best Poster: ‘Earthquakes in London’ by Sacha
Stejko & Last Tapes Theatre
• The Action Actors Award
for Best Portrayal of a Real Job: Jack Buchanan in ‘Peer
Gynt’ as a Tortured Playwright
• PatronBase Award
Best Unsung Venue Staff Member: Bar Manager at the Basement
Theatre Faith Tapsell
Also, by the ever-accurate clap-o-meter, iTICKET was awarded the best dressed on the night.
The Auckland Theatre Awards are by the community, and for the community, and it wouldn’t be impossible without the generous support of our Principal Sponsor Auckland Live and major industry sponsors Entertainment Accounting Services Ltd, Basement Theatre, Auckland Theatre Company, Silo Theatre, Q Theatre and the Auckland Arts Festival, as well as patron saint of this year’s Awards, Michelle Lafferty.
We were also supported by Delmaine Fine Foods and newcomer Wild Wheat for nibbles for our guests!