2013 Matilda Award Nominations Announced

Celebrating more than 25 years of theatrical excellence in southeast Queensland, the Matilda Awards nominations for 2013 were recently announced.

There are five Gold Matilda Awards for outstanding work in any area of the professional theatre industry, including independent productions.  These awards may be for a single work in the preceding year or for a body of work and the winners will be announced at the Matilda Award Ceremony on the evening of 10th March at Gardens Theatre in Brisbane.

In addition to the 5 Gold Matildas, there are 12 Silver Matilda Award categories offering commendations for the best achievements among mainstage and independent productions, new Australian work, direction, actors and actresses in leading and supporting roles, design and emerging artist.

According to the Matilda Awards website, to be eligible theatre workers must demonstrate that they “have made, in the judges’ opinion, a commitment to the State, for example, by either beginning their careers or living and working mainly here, or by having a strong identification with Queensland. This means that interstate actors who come here for one production are not eligible, nor are touring productions that do not originate in Queensland.”

2013 Silver Matilda Award Nominations:

Best Mainstage Production:
1001 Nights, Queensland Theatre Company, Queensland Music Festival and Brisbane City Council in association with Zen Zen Zo
End of the Rainbow, Queensland Theatre Company
Tequila Mockingbird, shake + stir and QPAC
Venus in Fur, Queensland Theatre Company

Best New Australian Work:
1001 Nights, Michael Futcher and Helen Howard (adapters)
Motherland, Katherine Lyall-Watson
Tequila Mockingbird, Nelle Lee
This is Capital City, Sandra Carluccio

Best Independent Production:
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Queensland Shakespeare Ensemble
A Tender Thing, Full Circle Theatre
Motherland, Metro Arts and Ellen Belloo
This Is Capital City, Sandra Carluccio and La Boite Indie with the support of QPAC

Best Male Actor in a Leading Role:
Bryan Probets, Tequila Mockingbird
Dan Crestani, 1001 Nights
Michael Croome, A Tender Thing
Todd Macdonald, Venus in Fur

Best Female Actor in a Leading Role:
Barbara Lowing, The China Incident
Christen O’Leary, End of the Rainbow
Libby Munro, Venus in Fur
Margi Brown Ash, The Wizard of Oz

Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role:
Anthony Standish, End of the Rainbow
Hayden Spencer, End of the Rainbow
Ross Balbuziente, Tequila Mockingbird
Zac Kelty, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role:
Barbara Lowing, Tequila Mockingbird
Johancee Theron, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Louise Brehmer, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Tina Torabi, 1001 Nights

Best Director:
Andrea Moor, Venus In Fur
David Bell, End of the Rainbow
Michael Futcher, 1001 Nights
Rob Pensalfini, A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Best Design (Set and costumes):
Angel Kosch, costume design, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Bill Haycock, set design, 1001 Nights
Freddie Komp, set design, A Tender Thing
Simone Romaniuk, set design, The Pitch and The China Incident

Best Technical Design (Lighting, multimedia and sound design):
Ben Hughes, lighting design, 1001 Nights
Ben Hughes, lighting design, Mother Courage and Her Children
Guy Webster, sound design, Venus In Fur
Marcel Dorney and Steve Toulmin, music composition and arrangement, Prehistoric
Phil Slade, musical director, 1001 Nights

Bille Brown Award for the Best Emerging Artist:
Belinda McCormack, designer, 1066: The Bayeux Brought to Life
Johancee Theron, actor, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Sandra Carluccio, creator, This Is Capital City
Shannon Haegler, actor, Tequila Mockingbird

Best Musical or Cabaret:
Blood Brothers, Harvest Rain and QPAC
Next to Normal, Oscar Theatre Company and QPAC
The Lady of the House of Love, Metro Arts, Queensland Music Festival and Brisbane City Council
Rumour Has It: 60 Minutes Inside Adele, Judith Wright Centre and the little red company

Proudly supported by Arts Queensland and Brisbane City Council, The Matilda Awards ceremony will be hosted by Dash Kruck and Emily Curtin and held at the Gardens Theatre (QUT Gardens Point) in George Street, Brisbane on Monday 10 March.

The Matilda Awards is a free event but it is essential to register if you wish to attend. To register your attendance visit the Matilda Awards website: matildaawards.com.au