The Sydney Theatre Awards are a highly anticipated annual celebration of excellence across Sydney’s extraordinary theatre scene. We are delighted to congratulate our alumni honoured this year who bring their talent, craft and creativity to each production. The ceremony was hosted last night, Monday 19 January, by esteemed performer Marney McQueen (Acting, 2003). Alumni nominees have been italicised and winners bolded.
BEST NEWCOMER
Danny Howard (Acting, 2024) Jacky / Whitefella Yella Tree
Iolanthe (Acting, 2022) Sistren / The Edit
BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Gabrielle Scawthorn (Acting, 2009) The Edit
Nigel Turner-Carroll (Acting, 2008) Port
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Joseph Althouse (Acting, 2018) Whitefella Yella Tree
Albert Mwangi (Acting, 2021) Primary Trust
Toby Schmitz (Acting, 1999) Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Guy Simon (Acting, 2010) Jacky
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Janet Anderson (Acting, 2022) Sistren
Iolanthe (Acting, 2022) The Edit
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Danny Howard (Acting, 2021) Jacky
Phillip Lynch (Acting, 2021) Grief is the Thing with Feathers
Greg Stone (Acting, 1983) Jacky
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Deborah Galanos (Acting, 1989) Saints of Damour
Julian Garner (Acting, 1993) Furious Mattress
Faisal Hamza (Acting, 2021) Dear Elena Sergeevna
BEST STAGE DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Jeremy Allen (Design, 2015) The Shiralee
Kate Beere (Design for Performance, 2018 & Masters of Design, 2020) The Player Kings
BEST STAGE DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Soham Apte (Design for Performance, 2021) Mary Jane
Ruby Jenkins (Design for Performance, 2022) The Edit
Hannah Tayler (Design for Performance, 2021) and Paris Bell Lost & Finding
Emma White (Design, 2019) Sistren
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Dann Barber (Design, 2014) Meow Meow’s The Red Shoes
Kate Beere (Design for Performance, 2018 & Masters of Design, 2020), Ruby Jenkins (Design for Performance, 2022) and Lily Moody The Player Kings
Ella Butler (Design for Performance, 2017) and Hailley Hunt (Design for Performance, 2022) Orlando
Emma White (Design, 2019) The Talented Mr Ripley
BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Kate Beere (Design for Performance, 2018 & Masters of Design, 2020) Eureka Day
Lily Mateljan (Costume, 2022) IRL
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Damien Cooper (Technical Production, 1996) The Talented Mr Ripley
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Kelsey Lee (Design for Performance, 2018) Sistren
Topaz Marlay-Cole (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2024) IRL
Ryan McDonald (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2019) Furious Mattress
Phoebe Pilcher (Design for Performance, 2020) The Edit
BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Freya Schack-Arnott and Daniel Herten (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2021) Grief is the Thing with Feathers
BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Alyx Dennison and Madeleine Picard (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2023) The Edit
Daniel Herten (Technical Theatre and Stage Management, 2021) Sistren
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
The Edit by Gabrielle Scawthorn (Acting, 2009)
Grief is the Thing with Feathers by Simon Phillips, Nick Schlieper & Toby Schmitz (Acting, 1999)
Sistren by Iolanthe (Acting, 2022)
BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Alexander Berlage (Production, 2013 & Masters of Directing, 2017) Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
Sheridan Harbridge (Acting, 2006) Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical
Damien Ryan and Miranda Middleton (Directing, 2020) Bright Star
BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Calista Nelmes (Musical Theatre, 2018) Rent
BEST DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Dann Barber (Design, 2014) Set and Costume Design, Candide
Mason Browne (Design, 2003) Costume Design, Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical
Isabel Hudson (Design, 2015) Set Design, Bright Star
Hailley Hunt (Design for Performance, 2022) Set Design, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown
We would also like to congratulate all of our incredible alumni involved in the following winning productions:
BEST ENSEMBLE
The Player Kings (Sport for Jove in association with Seymour Centre)
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical (Hayes Theatre Co)
BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Belvoir and Andrew Henry Presents)
BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
Sistren (Green Door Theatre Company in association with Griffin Theatre Company)
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
Wolfgang in the Stars (Circa and Riverside Theatres)
BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE
Converted (ATYP)
HONOUR ROLE
Nicholas Eadie (Acting, 1980)
Ken Wilby (Design, 1980)
Special acknowledgment was given to NIDA’s General Manager of almost 40 years, Elizabeth Butcher AM, who was recognised with the LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD.
We would like to extend our congratulations and appreciation to all of the artists that make Sydney’s theatre scene so vibrant and exciting. For the full list of nominees and winners visit the Sydney Theatre Awards website.