2016 Matilda Awards

QTC has dominated the 2016 MATILDA AWARDS to be Queensland’s most lauded company for the second year running, associated with eleven of the 16 category winners through four of its productions.

Dead Puppets Society received the local industry’s ultimate honour, the Gold Matilda, for its body of work including QTC’s THE WIDER EARTH, which also claimed Silver Matildas for Best Director (David Morton) alongside three design bests: Costume (Morton and Aaron Barton)and the two new categories of Sound Design/Composition (Tony Brumpton) and Audio Visual Design (Justin Harrison (AV), Anna Straker (Illustration)).

The two-hander SWITZERLAND took out Best Mainstage Production and its stars Andrea Moor and Matthew Backer the lead acting honours.

Recent graduate Emily Weir scored a winning double for her comedic professional debut in TARTUFFE, taking out not only the Bille Brown Award for Best Emerging Artist, but also Best Supporting Actress.

Playwright Stephen Carleton’s BASTARD TERRITORY was declared Best New Australian Work, closing out QTC’s record haul.

Gold Coast-based Shock Therapy Productions made it back-to-back wins for Best Independent Production with its new self-devised work VIRAL.

Three productions staged at the Awards’ new host venue Brisbane Powerhouse figured in the remaining gongs.

CARRIE: THE MUSICAL, BRrisbane Powerhouse’s co-production with Wax Lyrical Productions won Best Musical or Cabaret and Best Lighting (Jason Glenwright), while Leah Shelton received Best Set Design for her self-devised one-woman cabaret show TERROR AUSTRALIS, with TRUE WEST’s Julian Curtis voted Best Supporting Actor.

Record numbers of industry, affiliates and theatre fans attended the ceremony on Monday, 20 February, swelling to meet the increased capacity provided by the Powerhouse Theatre.

Emphasising his commitment to the awards, Brisbane Powerhouse artistic director Kris Stewart helmed the ceremony co-hosted by double 2015 Matilda Award-winner Dash Kruck and former nominee Melissa Western.

Under the musical direction of fellow 2015 nominee Tnee Dyer, the evening’s entertainment showcased more leading local talent, with performances by THE VOICE alumnus Ellen Reid and the cast of BOY&GIRL, WOMEN IN VOICE and acrobatic duo Ale Wecked-Huck and Ellie Cox and the winner of the 2015 Best Emerging Artist Award Georgie Hopson.

Image: Andrea Moor and Matthew Backer in Switzerland - Queensland Theatre Company

2016 MATILDA AWARD WINNERS

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Switzerland, Queensland Theatre Company

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Viral, Shock Therapy Productions

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST MUSICAL OR CABARET

Carrie: The Musical, Brisbane Powerhouse and Wax Lyrical Productions

MATILDA AWARD 2016

Proudly supported by Brisbane City Council

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

Bastard Territory, Stephen Carleton

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST DIRECTOR

David Morton, The Wider Earth

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST MALE ACTOR

Matthew Backer, Switzerland

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST SUPPORTING MALE ACTOR

Julian Curtis, True West

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BILLE BROWN AWARD FOR BEST EMERGING ARTIST

Emily Weir, Tartuffe

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST FEMALE ACTOR

Andrea Moor, Switzerland

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE ACTOR

Emily Weir, Tartuffe

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST SET DESIGN

Leah Shelton, Terror Australis

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Aaron Barton & David Morton, The Wider Earth

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Jason Glenwright, Carrie: The Musical

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST SOUND DESIGN/COMPOSITION

Tony Brumpton, The Wider Earth

MATILDA AWARD 2016

BEST AUDIO VISUAL DESIGN

AV Justin Harrison, Illustration Anna Straker, The Wider Earth

GOLD MATILDA AWARD 2016

MATILDA AWARD 2016

Dead Puppets Society