2018 Sydney Theatre Award Nominations Announced

Nominations were announced today for the Sydney Theatre Awards for 2018, which will be presented at a gala ceremony on Monday 21 January 2019 at 6pm at the York Theatre, Seymour Centre.

Leading the list with 11 nominations is The Harp in the South: Part One and Part Two, produced by the Sydney Theatre Company, followed by Cry-Baby from LPD and Hayes Theatre Co and Sydney Theatre Company's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, both on nine nominations. In the Heights, produced by Blue Saint Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co, was awarded eight nominations, while The Flick from Outhouse Theatre Company and Seymour Centre received seven nominations.

Nominations in the 33 categories were spread across 49 productions which played on Sydney stages during 2018. Sydney Theatre Company has a clean sweep in the Best Mainstage Production category with Blackie Blackie Brown, The Harp In The South, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui and Saint Joan all vying for the award, the first time one theatre company has dominated all nominations in this category. The nominees for Best Independent Production are The Flick (Outhouse Theatre Company in association with Seymour Centre), Metamorphoses (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Red Line Productions), Stupid f-ing Bird (New Theatre) and There Will Be A Climax (Red Line Productions in partnership with NIDA).

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 panel consist of Elissa Blake (Audrey Journal), Jason Blake (Audrey Journal), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Jo Litson (Limelight), John McCallum (The Australian), Joyce Morgan (The Sydney Morning Herald), Ben Neutze (Time Out), John Shand (The Sydney Morning Herald) Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise), Cassie Tongue (Time Out) and Suzy Wrong (Suzy Goes See).

The reviewers all felt 2018 was a very strong year for Sydney theatre. Ben Neutze said, "It's always a huge privilege to witness the work of our city's talented, devoted and often criminally underappreciated theatre makers. This has been an outstanding year in a number of ways, particularly with new plays at mainstage companies. We've seen outstanding productions that grapple with Australia's position in the world, take outsider perspectives on our society, and dig into our history to imagine a way forward.

"It's unusual that one company has dominated the Best Mainstage Production category - and we hope for more equitable representation in future - but it must be said that Sydney Theatre Company's season was packed with highlights. Similarly, Griffin Theatre Company and Hayes Theatre Co continue to punch well above their weight, as is reflected in the nominations."

Diana Simmonds agreed, saying, "It's hard to believe this is the 14th year of the Awards, but wonderful to be able to say it was a vintage year, from mainstage to independent. The quality and ambition are thrilling, particularly in new Australian works, and the participation of women of all ages is growing and we want to see no going back on that."

Peter Lowry OAM, President of the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation, has confirmed the Foundation's sponsorship of the 2019 Sydney Theatre Awards. "We are so pleased to be able to again support the Awards and are honoured to be a major sponsor. The Friends of the Foundation represent hundreds of enthusiastic, regular theatre-goers who are always excited by the tremendous talent that will be acknowledged and celebrated at the 14th annual Sydney Theatre Awards," he said. "Congratulations to all nominees and winners. We also congratulate the leading theatre critics responsible for these Awards as, once again, they recognise and reward the strength, quality and diversity of outstanding, professional mainstage and independent plays, musicals and performances produced in Sydney over the last twelve months."

Following the wishes of founding President Dr Rodney Seaborn AO OBE, the Foundation proudly supports a wide variety of performing arts initiatives through funding, attending performances and preserving precious theatrical records for education and research as well as providing accessible and affordable space for rehearsals and small performances.

NOMINATIONS FOR 2018 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Blackie Blackie Brown (Sydney Theatre Company)

The Harp in the South (Sydney Theatre Company)

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui (Sydney Theatre Company)

Saint Joan (Sydney Theatre Company)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

The Flick (Outhouse Theatre Company in association with Seymour Centre)

Metamorphoses (Apocalypse Theatre Company in association with Red Line Productions)

Stupid f-ing Bird (New Theatre)

There Will Be a Climax (Red Line Productions in partnership with NIDA)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Leticia Cáceres (random)

Imara Savage (Saint Joan)

Kip Williams (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

Kip Williams (The Harp in the South)

BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Craig Baldwin (The Flick)

Alexander Berlage (There Will Be a Climax)

Dino Dimitriadis (Metamorphoses)

Warwick Doddrell (Stupid f-ing Bird)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Claire Lovering (The Feather in the Web)

Zahra Newman (random)

Sarah Snook (Saint Joan)

Megan Wilding (Blackie Blackie Brown)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Jimi Bani (My Name is Jimi)

Jack Finsterer (The Harp in the South)

Yalin Ozucelik (The Norman Conquests)

Hugo Weaving (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Gabrielle Scawthorn (Ironbound)

Ella Scott-Lynch (King of Pigs)

Nikki Shiels (They Divided the Sky)

Bishanyia Vincent (Nell Gwynn)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Justin Amankwah (The Flick)

Mansoor Noor (Stupid f-ing Bird)

Jeremy Waters (The Flick)

Elijah Williams (The Rolling Stone)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Kate Box (Top Girls)

Julie Forsyth (Accidental Death of an Anarchist)

Michelle Lim Davidson (The Feather in the Web)

Contessa Treffone (The Harp in the South)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Mitchell Butel (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

Ash Flanders (Blackie Blackie Brown)

Colin Moody (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

Guy Simon (The Harp in the South)

BEST FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Morgan Maguire (Home Invasion)

Wendy Mocke (Moby Dick)

Annie Stafford (Stupid f-ing Bird)

Kaitlyn Thor (Stupid f-ing Bird)

BEST MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Simon Burke (Strangers in Between)

Damon Manns (The Rolling Stone)

Mandela Mathia (The Rolling Stone)

Christopher Stollery (Ear to the Edge of Time)

BEST STAGE DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Robert Cousins (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

David Fleischer (The Harp in the South)

Elizabeth Gadsby, Oh Yeah Wow and Verity Hampson (Blackie Blackie Brown)

Jonathon Oxlade (Accidental Death of an Anarchist)

BEST STAGE DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Jonathan Hindmarsh (Metamorphoses)

Isabel Hudson (Cry-Baby)

Isabel Hudson (The View UpStairs)

Maya Keys (The Wolves)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Alice Babidge (A Cheery Soul)

James Browne (Josephine Wants to Dance)

Renée Mulder (The Harp in the South)

Renée Mulder (Top Girls)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Mason Browne (Cry-Baby)

Elizabeth Franklin (In the Heights)

Nicholas Fry (There Will Be a Climax)

Jonathan Hindmarsh (Metamorphoses)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Damien Cooper (Top Girls)

Verity Hampson (Blackie Blackie Brown)

Nick Schlieper (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

Nick Schlieper (The Harp in the South)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Benjamin Brockman (Metamorphoses)

Martin Kinnane (The Flick)

Trent Suidgeest (Darlinghurst Nights)

Trent Suidgeest (The View UpStairs)

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Nate Edmondson (The Harp in the South)

Stefan Gregory (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

Max Lyandvert (Saint Joan)

Jethro Woodward (Sami in Paradise)

BEST ORIGINAL SCORE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

William Barton (The Long Forgotten Dream)

Stefan Gregory (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui)

The Sweats (The Harp in the South)

Clemence Williams (A Cheery Soul)

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Nate Edmondson (The Flick)

Ben Pierpoint (Metamorphoses)

Ben Pierpont and Mary Rapp (Stupid f-ing Bird)

Clemence Williams (The Wolves)

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

The Almighty Sometimes (Kendall Feaver)

Blackie Blackie Brown (Nakkiah Lui)

The Feather in the Web (Nick Coyle)

The Harp in the South (Kate Mulvany)

Kill Climate Deniers (David Finnigan)

The Sugar House (Alana Valentine)

BEST NEWCOMER

Marty Alix (In the Heights)

Justin Amankwah (The Flick)

Damon Manns (The Rolling Stone)

Grace Truman (Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam)

Nadia Zwecker (The Wolves)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

The Book of Mormon (Anne Garefino, Scott Rudin, Important Musicals and John Frost)

Cry-Baby (LPD in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

In the Heights (Blue Saint Productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

The View UpStairs (Invisible Wall Productions and Sugary Rum productions in association with Hayes Theatre Co)

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Alexander Berlage (Cry-Baby)

Luke Joslin (In the Heights)

Lee Lewis (Darlinghurst Nights)

Shaun Rennie (The View UpStairs)

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

Tina Arena (Evita)

Caitlin Berry (She Loves Me)

Loren Hunter (Evie May)

Ashleigh Rubenach (Cry-Baby)

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

Ryan Gonzalez (In the Heights)

Ryan Gonzalez (Jersey Boys)

Justin Smith (Darlinghurst Nights)

Rowan Witt (She Loves Me)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Beth Daly (Cry-Baby)

Laura Murphy (Cry-Baby)

Zahra Newman (The Book of Mormon)

Bishanyia Vincent (Evie May)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Marty Alix (In the Heights)

Joel Granger (She Loves Me)

Jay James-Moody (She Loves Me)

Rowan Witt (The Book of Mormon)

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Lucy Bermingham (In the Heights)

Geoffrey Castles (Aspects of Love)

Nicholas Griffin (Cry-Baby)

Max Lambert (Darlinghurst Nights)

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL

Leslie Bell (She Loves Me)

Amy Campbell (In the Heights)

Madison Lee (The Wild Party)

Cameron Mitchell (Cry-Baby)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION

Bosom Buddies (Nancye Hayes and Todd McKenney)

Meow Meow's Pandemonium

Since Ali Died (Omar Musa)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN OR YOUNG PEOPLE

Alice in Wonderland (Sydney Festival)

Charlie Pilgrim (atyp)

Josephine Wants to Dance (Monkey Baa)

The Wider Earth (Queensland Theatre and Dead Puppet Society)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

To be announced at the Awards ceremony