Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards: Winners announced

December 7, 2009
Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards: Winners announced

The winners of the 18th annual Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards were named last night, with Auckland-based Wellingtonian Arthur Meek scooping the major prizes for his production Collapsing Creation.

Collapsing Creation, which ran at Downstage Theatre November 5 to 28, won the premier category of the Chapman Tripp Award for Best Production, along with three other categories from nine nominations. All winners and categories are listed on following pages.

Theatre stalwart Bill Sheat was honoured as the recipient of the Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to the Theatre. The accolade recognises the lifetime achievements and commitment by someone who is a pioneer in the performing arts. Since 1964, the Wellington lawyer has held posts on a variety of arts bodies, from the Queen Elizabeth II Arts Council and the NZ Film Commission, to the Embassy Theatre and NZ Theatre Trusts, to chairing the Royal NZ Ballet and Shakespeare Globe Centre NZ.

In other significant categories, The Blackening's Jed Brophy picked up the Gail Cowan Management and Odd Management Award for Best Actor, and the Museum Hotel Award for Best Director was shared by Leo Gene Peters (Death and the Dreamlife of Elephants) and Tim Spite (Biography of my Skin).

The award ceremony was held at Wellington's St James Theatre and was followed by dinner and entertainment, provided by Ruth Pretty Catering and band The Canapés, respectively.

Taika Cohen, whose latest feature film Boy was recently selected in competition to the prestigious Sundance Film Festival, hosted the event, which was produced by Mark Westerby.

100 theatre productions qualified for this year's awards, judged in 19 categories. Judges John Smythe (Theatreview), Lynn Freeman (Capital Times), Laurie Atkinson (The Dominion Post), Uther Dean (Salient), Helen Sims (Lumiere) and Elspeth Sandys (The Listener) judged the categories, with Harry Ricketts serving as arbiter.

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Full list of categories and winners follows:

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards
Winners List 2009

MONTANA AWARD FOR MOST ORIGINAL PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
The Intricate Art Of Actually Caring - The Playground Collective

DOWNSTAGE THEATRE AWARD FOR THE MOST PROMISING MALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Jack Sergent-Shadbolt - The Intricate Art Of Actually Caring

CIRCA AWARD DONATED BY TACT FOR THE MOST PROMISING FEMALE NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
Sophie Roberts - Wolf's Lair

TOI WHAKAARI: NZ DRAMA SCHOOL & VICTORIA UNIVERSITY OF WELLINGTON AWARD FOR THE MOST PROMISING NEW DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Eleanor Bishop - The Intricate Art Of Actually Caring

THE THEATRE AWARDS TRUST AWARD FOR COSTUME DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Dawa Devereux - A Most Outrageous Humbug

GROUSE LIGHTING AWARD FOR LIGHTING DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Adam Walker - Death And The Dreamlife Of Elephants

WETA WORKSHOP AWARD FOR SET DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Tracey Monastra - Death And The Dreamlife Of Elephants

WESTERN AUDIO ENGINEERING AWARD FOR SOUND DESIGNER OF THE YEAR
Stephen Gallagher - The Blackening

CONSTANCE SCOTT KIRKCALDIE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COMPOSER OF MUSIC
Erika Grant, Isaac Smith & Amanda Mclean - Bedlam

PETER HARCOURT AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEW PLAYWRIGHT OF THE YEAR SPONSORED BY BATS THEATRE & TAKI RUA PRODUCTIONS
Arthur Meek - Collapsing Creation

THE ORBIT CORPORATE TRAVEL AWARD FOR SUPPORTING ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Michelle Amas - Rock 'n' Roll

CHAPMAN TRIPP AWARD FOR SUPPORTING ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Christopher Brougham - Collapsing Creation

MAYOR’S AWARD FOR SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE THEATRE
Bill Sheat

THE ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY OUTSTANDING NEW NEW ZEALAND PLAY OF THE YEAR
Collapsing Creation - Arthur Meek

EAT WELLINGTON ACCOLADE FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
Miranda Harcourt - Biography Of My Skin

ST JAMES THEATRE CHARITABLE TRUST ACCOLADE FOR OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE
Geraldine Brophy - Blood Wedding

CHAPMAN TRIPP AWARD FOR ACTRESS OF THE YEAR
Erin Banks - A Brief History Of Helen Of Troy

GAIL COWAN MANAGEMENT & ODD MANAGEMENT AWARD FOR ACTOR OF THE YEAR
Jed Brophy - The Blackening

THE MUSEUM HOTEL AWARD FOR DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR
Joint winners:
Leo Gene Peters - Death And The Dreamlife Of Elephants
Tim Spite - Biography Of My Skin

CHAPMAN TRIPP AWARD FOR PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR
Collapsing Creation – Downstage Theatre and Conditional Productions

ENDS

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