2015 Sydney Theatre Awards Nominations Announced

Nominations were announced today for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2015, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday January 18, 2016 at 6pm at the Paddington RSL.

Leading the list with ten nominations is Of Mice And Men, presented by Sport for Jove in association with the Seymour Centre, followed by Heathers with nine nominations and Violet with eight nominations, both hits of the Hayes Theatre Co 2016 season. Belvoir's Ivanov received seven nominations, and Sydney Theatre Company's Endgame and Suddenly Last Summer were both awarded six. Nominations in the 36 categories were spread across a record 53 productions which played on Sydney stages during the calendar year of 2015.

The Sydney Theatre Awards are presented annually by a group of leading theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney. The Sydney Theatre Reviewers consist of Elissa Blake (Sun- Herald), Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Dee Jefferson (Time Out), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian), Ben Neutze (Daily Review), Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise website), Polly Simons (Daily Telegraph) and Cassie Tongue (Aussietheatre website).

The reviewers all felt 2015 was an outstanding year for theatre in Sydney. Jason Blake said, "From a regular theatregoer's perspective it's been a fascinating year, with some groundbreaking productions from the mainstage companies and fine work from a vibrant and diverse independent scene. We've all noted the shrinking gap in all facets of production between funded and unfunded work in this city, which speaks volumes about the depth of talent in Sydney theatre scene and increasing levels of contact and artistic cross-pollination between the sectors."

Jo Litson added, "With the increasingly vibrant independent sector changing the landscape of musical theatre in Sydney, we have decided this year to separate Best Musical into two categories, as we do with plays. And so, for the first time, there are nominations for Best Production of a Mainstage Musical and Best Production of an Independent Musical. It was an exciting year for musicals. Nominations across all the musical theatre categories were hotly contested, with many worthy nominees on the long list narrowly missing out."

Vying for Best Mainstage Production are Endgame (Sydney Theatre Company), Ivanov (Belvoir), The Present (Sydney Theatre Company), Suddenly Last Summer (Sydney Theatre Company) and The Wizard of Oz (Belvoir). The nominees for Best Independent Production are c*ck(Red Line Productions in association with Mardi Gras Festival), The Dapto Chaser (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Griffin Theatre Company), Grounded (Seymour Centre, Red Stitch and the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney), Misterman (Siren Theatre Co in association with Red Line Productions) and Of Mice and Men (Sport for Jove).

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2015 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARD NOMINATIONS:

MAINSTAGE

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Endgame (Sydney Theatre Company)

Ivanov (Belvoir)

The Present (Sydney Theatre Company)

Suddenly Last Summer (Sydney Theatre Company)

The Wizard of Oz (Belvoir)

BEST DIRECTION

Eamon Flack (Ivanov)

Andrew Upton (Endgame)

Kip Williams (Love and Information)

Kip Williams (Suddenly Last Summer)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Paula Arundell (The Bleeding Tree)

Cate Blanchett (The Present)

Jacqueline McKenzie (Orlando)

Eryn Jean Norvill (Suddenly Last Summer)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Colin Friels (Mortido)

Ewen Leslie (Ivanov)

Josh McConville (Hamlet)

Hugo Weaving (Endgame)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Blazey Best (Ivanov)

Jacqueline McKenzie (The Present)

Susan Prior (The Present)

Helen Thomson (Ivanov)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Matthew Backer (The Tempest)

John Bell (Ivanov)

John Howard (Ivanov)

Barry Otto (Seventeen)

BEST STAGE DESIGN

Alice Babidge (Suddenly Last Summer)

Marg Horwell (La Traviata)

Renée Mulder (The Bleeding Tree)

Nick Schlieper (Endgame)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Alice Babidge (Mother Courage and her Children)

Alice Babidge (Suddenly Last Summer)

Alicia Clements (After Dinner)

Marg Horwell (La Traviata)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Paul Jackson (Love and Information)

Nick Schlieper (Endgame)

Nick Schlieper (King Lear)

Emma Valente (The Wizard of Oz)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN

Stefan Gregory (Suddenly Last Summer)

Max Lyandvert (Endgame)

Max Lyandvert (The Wizard of Oz)

The Sweats (Love and Information)

INDEPENDENT

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Cock (Red Line Productions in association with Mardi Gras Festival)

The Dapto Chaser (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Griffin Theatre Company)

Grounded (Seymour Centre, Red Stitch and the US Studies Centre at the University of Sydney)

Misterman (Siren Theatre Co in association with Red Line Productions)

Of Mice and Men (Sport for Jove and Seymour Centre)

BEST DIRECTION

Shane Bosher (Cock)

Kate Gaul (Misterman)

Glynn Nicholas (The Dapto Chaser)

Iain Sinclair (Of Mice and Men)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Kate Box (Dolores)

Kate Cole (Grounded)

Belinda Giblin (Blonde Poison)

Matilda Ridgway (Cock)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

Thomas Campbell (Misterman)

Ben Gerrard (I Am My Own Wife)

Anthony Gooley (Of Mice and Men)

Andrew Henry (Of Mice and Men)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Taylor Ferguson (Good Works)

Lucy Goleby (Good Works)

Deborah Galanos (The House of Ramon Iglesia)

Natasha Herbert (The Unspoken Word is 'Joe')

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

James Bell (The Aliens)

Andre de Vanny (Of Mice and Men)

Christopher Stollery (Of Mice and Men)

Jeremy Waters (The Aliens)

BEST STAGE DESIGN

Simon Greer (Violet)

Michael Hankin (Deathtrap)

Michael Hankin (Of Mice and Men)

Hugh O'Connor (The Aliens)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Brendan Hay (Man of La Mancha)

Michael Hankin (Of Mice and Men)

Melanie Liertz (Love's Labour's Lost)

Angela White (Heathers)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Michele Bauer (Cock)

Ross Graham (Violet)

Sian James-Holland (Of Mice and Men)

Hartley TA Kemp (Misterman)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN

Nate Edmondson (Misterman)

Nate Edmondson (Of Mice and Men)

Jeremy Silver (Violet)

Daryl Wallis (The Dapto Chaser)

OTHER NOMINATIONS

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

The Bleeding Tree (Angus Cerini)

Boys Will Be Boys (Melissa Bubnic)

Kill the Messenger (Nakkiah Lui)

Mortido (Angela Betzien)

BEST NEWCOMER

Kerrie Anne Greenland (Les Miserables)

Charlotte Hazzard (War Crimes)

Lauren McKenna (Heathers)

Stephen Madsen (Heathers)

Lasarus Ratuere (Kill the Messenger)

BEST ENSEMBLE

After Dinner (Sydney Theatre Company)

Love and Information (Sydney Theatre Company)

Seventeen (Belvoir)

War Crimes (atyp)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MAINSTREAM MUSICAL

Anything Goes (Opera Australia and John Frost)

Les Miserables (Cameron Mackintosh)

Matilda (The Royal Shakespeare Company, Louise Withers, Michael Coppel and Michael Watt)

The Sound of Music (John Frost, Andrew Lloyd Webber, David Ian and the Really Useful Group)

BEST PRODUCTION OF AN INDEPENDENT MUSICAL

Dogfight (Neil Gooding Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

Heathers (Showqueen Productions and Working Management in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

Man of La Mancha (Squabbalogic)

Violet (Blue Saint Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Trevor Ashley (Heathers)

Mitchell Butel (Violet)

Neil Gooding (Dogfight)

Jay James-Moody (Man of La Mancha)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Hilary Cole (Dogfight)

Samantha Dodemaide (Violet)

Jaz Flowers (Heathers)

Amy Lehpamer (The Sound of Music)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Simon Gleeson (Les Miserables)

Stephen Madsen (Rent)

Tony Sheldon (Man of La Mancha)

Hayden Tee (Les Miserables)

FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Marika Aubrey (Matilda)

Jacqueline Dark (The Sound of Music)

Elise McCann (Matilda)

Lauren McKenna (Heathers)

FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Damien Bermingham (Violet)

Daniel Frederiksen (Matilda)

Stephen Madsen (Heathers)

James Millar (Matilda)

MUSICAL DIRECTION

Lucy Bermingham (Violet)

Paul Geddes (Man of La Mancha)

Isaac Hayward (Dogfight)

Bev Kennedy (Heathers)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION

Josie Lane (Asian Provocateur)

Elise McCann (Everybody Loves Lucy)

Rob Mills (Rob Mills is Surprisingly Good)

Phil Scott (Reviewing the Situation)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN

The 52-Storey Treehouse (CDP)

Erth's Prehistoric Aquarium (Erth)

The Listies Ruin Xmas (Sydney Opera House)

Snugglepot and Cuddlepie (CDP)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE

Shellshock (Riverside Productions)

A Town Named War Boy (ATYP)

The Unknown Soldier (Monkey Baa Theatre Company)

War Crimes (ATYP)

SPECIAL ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Molly Barwick, Sasha Rose, Georgia Taplin, Bella Thomas (Matilda)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Christine Dunstan

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