Sydney Theatre Award winners

At a star-studded ceremony last night, the winners of the 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards were announced. Over 300 members of the Sydney theatre community packed the auditorium at Paddington RSL to celebrate the best of Sydney theatre throughout 2010.

At a star-studded ceremony last night, the winners of the 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards were announced. Over 300 members of the Sydney theatre community packed the auditorium at Paddington RSL to celebrate the best of Sydney theatre throughout 2010.

Best Mainstream Production was awarded to Belvoir’s production of Measure for Measure, which also won Best Direction (Benedict Andrews) and Best Stage Design (Ralph Myers with Sean Bacon). Best Independent Production was awarded to The Fence, produced by Urban Theatre Projects and Sydney Festival.

Belvoir’s production of The Diary of a Madman won four awards – Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Yael Stone), Best Costume Design (Tess Schofield), Best Lighting Design (Mark Shelton) and Best Score or Sound Design (Alan John and Paul Charlier) – and Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Uncle Vanya won two – Best Actor (Richard Roxburgh) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugo Weaving). Robyn Nevin was awarded Best Actress for her role in STC’s Long Day’s Journey Into Night.

Best New Australian Work went to Scott Rankin for Namatjira (Belvoir/Big hART), for which Derek Lynch won Best Newcomer. Best Production for Children was The Book of Everything (Belvoir/Theatre of Image).

Jersey Boys was awarded Best Production of a Musical, while the show’s lead actor Bobby Fox won the Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical. The Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical went to Christine Anu, for her role in The Sapphires (Belvoir/Black Swan State Theatre Company). Best Cabaret was awarded to Trevor Ashley for his show I’m Every Woman.

The 2010 Sydney Theatre Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to John Bell, in recognition of his extraordinary career as an actor, director and producer.

The Awards ceremony opened with a rousing performance of Putting It Together, with lyrics rewritten to reflect this year’s award nominations. Other performances were given by Jan van de Stool (aka Queenie Van de Zandt) and musical theatre star Michael Cormick. Presenters at the ceremony included Hilary Bell, Annie Byron, Damien Cooper, Russell Dykstra, Adam Garcia, Pippa Grandison, Ros Horin, Tim Jones, Kate Mulvany and David Wenham.

The Sydney Theatre Awards are run by a group of theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney.

WINNERS OF 2010 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
Measure for Measure (Belvoir)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
The Fence (Urban Theatre Projects and Sydney Festival)

BEST DIRECTION
Benedict Andrews (Measure for Measure)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE
Robyn Nevin (Long Day’s Journey Into Night)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE
Richard Roxburgh (Uncle Vanya)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Yael Stone (The Diary of a Madman)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Hugo Weaving (Uncle Vanya)

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
Scott Rankin (Namatjira)

BEST NEWCOMER
Derek Lynch (Namatjira)

BEST STAGE DESIGN
Ralph Myers with Sean Bacon (Measure for Measure)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Tess Schofield (The Diary of a Madman)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Mark Shelton (The Diary of a Madman)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN
Alan John and Paul Charlier (The Diary of a Madman)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Jersey Boys (Dodger Theatricals, Rodney Rigby, Dainty Consolidated Entertainment, Joseph J Grano, Tamara and Kevin Kinsella, Pelican Group, Michael Watt)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Christine Anu (The Sapphires)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Bobby Fox (Jersey Boys)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
I’m Every Woman – Trevor Ashley (Sydney Opera House)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
The Book of Everything (Belvoir/Theatre of Image)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
John Bell