Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards Presentation 2010
Last night’s Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Twenty Fourth Annual Awards Presentation was held at the George Wood Performing Arts Centre, Yarra Valley Grammar. Inaugurated in 1987 by Guild founder Bruce McBrien, the “Bruce” awards reward excellence in a number of categories, and are designed to acknowledge the talent and expertise in the diverse productions of Guild member companies. They are not intended as a competition - to receive a nomination is an achievement in itself. The nominees and award winners are selected by a panel of seven judges, at least three of whom must see each production submitted for judging. Each judge also presents an individual award, usually for an achievement that has captured his/her notice but has not been nominated for a major award.
Awards Judge Dr Graeme Cope opened the evening with an official welcome and congratulated all award nominees. Whilst not commenting on any particular production, Cope made a sweeping statement to all companies regarding sound balancing during the judging year. A number of companies had issues balancing pit/orchestra volume with the singer/singers on stage and Cope had to wonder whether directors were actually sitting in the audience and listening for this issue themselves. Interestingly, the evening was plagued with just this problem. The on-stage orchestra (led by Bev Woodford) frequently overpowered the performers and my companion had to point out that there were actually a group of singers sitting in the orchestra – I hadn’t even noticed, firstly as a screen obscured my view, but, more disturbingly, I hadn’t actually heard them singing all evening.
Highlights of the evening included Shanon Cordes’ powerful rendition of “Heaven on Their Minds” (for which she received the well-deserved award for Junior Female Performer in a Leading Role); the audience whistling throughout “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life;” and the Ensemble Performance nomination for “The Student Body, Bare” that drew a number of giggles from the seats around me.
As always there were surprises. Jason Bovaird received four nominations for the Lighting award (there were only seven nominations in total) yet it was presented Brent Van Vliet for his work with MUMCo’s Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, and the Direction award was received by Peter Tulloch for BLOC’s Singin’ in the Rain that was only his 99th theatrical production! Goes to show that practice really does make perfect.
A full list of nominations and award recipients (in bold) can be found below. Please note there were multiple joint-recipients this year.
Ian Nisbet
December 5, 2010
Music Theatre Guild of Victoria
Awards for Excellence 2010
NOMINATIONS
OPEN SECTION
Production of the Year
Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
West Side Story, Footlight Productions
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, BLOC Music Theatre
Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Direction
Peter Nethercote, Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Martin Croft, West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Emil Freund, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, BLOC Music Theatre
Robbie Carmellotti, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
Peter Tulloch, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Richard Perdriau, Godspell, Phoenix Theatre Company
James Cutler, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Tyler Hess, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Nathan Firmin, Nunsense, Catchment Players of Darebin
Robert Ray, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Musical Direction
John Shawcross,West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Ben Hudson, Little Women, NOVA Music Theatre
Ian Govan, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Bev Woodford, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Daniel Puckey, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Ian Govan, A Hot August Night in Ballarat, Ballarat Lyric Theatre
Dean Pratt, A Chorus Line, Panorama Theatre Company
John Ferguson, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Choreography (Sponsored by David Spicer Productions & Stage Whispers)
Jordan Punsalang,West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Alister Smith, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Joel Bow, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Robert Ray, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Robbie Carmellotti, Altar Boyz, Fab Nobs Theatre
Settings
Peter Nethercote, Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Michael Fletcher, Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
Robbie Carmellotti, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
Nathan Weyers, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Brenton Staples, Dusty - The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Tyler Hess / Yossi Torbiner, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Graham McGuffie, Man of La Mancha, CLOC Musical Theatre
Ben Shearer, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Wardrobe
Louise Stewart, Return to the Forbidden Planet, Mornington CEF Players
Peter Nethercote, Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Brett Wingfield, Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
Peter Tulloch, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Victoria Horne, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Tyler Hess, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Phillip Rhodes, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Lighting
Jason Bovaird / Michael Brasser, Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
Jason Bovaird, Little Women, NOVA Music Theatre
Jason Bovaird, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Jason Bovaird, Miss Saigon, Windmill Theatre Company
Damien Calvert, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Brenton Van Vliet, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Brad Alcock / Vanessa Burke, Rent, Whitehorse Musical Theatre
Technical Achievement
Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Rent, Whitehorse Musical Theatre
Man of La Mancha, CLOC Musical Theatre
My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Male Performer in a Leading Role
Shaun Kingma, Marvin, Falsettos, SHooSH! Productions
Brad Dylan, Peter, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
Scott Beaton, King Arthur, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Luke Rice, Cosmo Brown, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Dan Gale, Freddy Benson, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Zak Brown, Cervantes / Don Quixote, Man of La Mancha, CLOC Musical Theatre
Jamie McGuane, Georg von Trapp, The Sound of Music, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Brad Dylan, Gordon Schwinn, A New Brain, UMMTA (University of Melbourne Music Theatre Association)
Peter Maver, Henry Higgins, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Nick Kong, Freddie Benson, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Williamstown Musical Theatre Company
Female Performer in a Leading Role
Carolyn Bennett, Mrs Eleanor Bold, Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Jacqui Levitas, Jo March, Little Women, NOVA Music Theatre
Jodie Symes, Dusty, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Bek Chapman, Maria Rainer, The Sound of Music, Beaumaris Theatre
Maree Barnett, Sally Bowles, Cabaret, ASPECT Inc.
Lucia Craven, Christine Colgate, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Jocelyn Mackay, Maria Rainer, The Sound of Music, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Laura Slavin, Eliza Doolittle, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Male Performer in a Supporting Role
Jared Smith, Sir Robin, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Tyler Hess, Laurie Laurence, Little Women, NOVA Music Theatre
Daniel Mottau, The Caliph, Kismet, Babirra Music Theatre
Samuel Kitchen, Rodney, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Jonathan Guthrie-Jones, Pilate, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mountain District Musical Society
Nick Riley, Mitch Mahoney, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, PLOS Musical Productions
Barry Mitchell, Padre, Man of La Mancha, CLOC Musical Theatre
Phil Haby, Tom Collins, Rent, Whitehorse Musical Theatre
Josiah Lulham, Mr Bungee, A New Brain, UMMTA (University of Melbourne Music Theatre Association)
Tim McDonald, KoKo, Hot Mikado, Players Theatre Company
Ron Pidcock, Colonel Pickering, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
David McLean, Alfred Doolittle, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Female Performer in a Supporting Role
Kym Ivory, Mrs Susan Grantly,Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Jacqui Bunting, Claire, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
Sallie Burke-Muller, Lina Lamont, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Rachel Whitelaw, Reno, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Rosa McCarty, Ellen Scott, Miss Saigon, Windmill Theatre Company
Latecha Cadle, Sheila, A Chorus Line, Panorama Theatre Company
Terri Powell, Mother Abbess, The Sound of Music, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Anna Marinelli, Muriel, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Williamstown Musical Theatre Company
Junior Performer in an Open Production
Andrew Coates, Will Parker,Oklahoma!, Holiday Actors
Justin Powell, Andrew Carnes, Oklahoma!, Holiday Actors
Anthony Sheppard, Jason, Falsettos, SHooSH! Productions
Caleb Vines, Tony, West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Josh Gardiner, Chip Tolentino, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, FAMDA (Foster Amateur Music and Drama Association)
Michaela Powell, Maria,West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Sharon Wills, Kim, Miss Saigon, Windmill Theatre Company
Simone West, Little Girl, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Gladys Moncrieff Award for First Performance in a Featured Role
Michaela Powell, Maria,West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Scott Beaton, King Arthur, Monty Python’s Spamalot, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society
Jacqui Levitas, Jo March, Little Women, NOVA Music Theatre
Sharon Wills, Kim, Miss Saigon, Windmill Theatre Company
Dan Gale, Freddy Benson, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
Dancer’s Award
Fletcher Diamantis, Dream Curly,Oklahoma!, Holiday Actors
Sonia Wilson, Dream Laurey, Oklahoma!, Holiday Actors
Jack O’Riley, Riff, West Side Story, Footlight Productions
Male dancers, Pippin, SPX Waterdale Players
Luke Rice, Cosmo Brown, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Lauren Stannard, My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Cameo Performance
Gail Sjogren, The Countess de Courcy, Barchester, Ballarat National Theatre
Michael Fletcher, guard, Monty Python’s Spamalot, PLOS Musical Productions
Julie Stacey, Dora Bailey / Miss Dinsmore, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Tiffany Carter, Queen of Transylvania,My Fair Lady, OSMaD (The Old Scotch Music and Drama Club)
Ensemble Performance
The cast, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, BLOC Music Theatre
The student body, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
The ensemble, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
The ensemble, Jesus Christ Superstar, Mountain District Musical Society
The cast, Once on This Island, Octave Theatre
Female ensemble, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, MUMCo (Monash University Musical Company)
The cast, Nunsense, Catchment Players of Darebin
The cast, Altar Boyz, Fab Nobs Theatre
Design Award
Robbie Carmellotti, floor design, Bare, New Beat Theatre Company
Natalie Pharaoh, audio-visuals, Mornington CEF Players, Seasons of Love: A Musical Journey Through the Calendar Year
Peter Tulloch / Matthew Heenan / John Poynton, audio-visuals, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Damian Muller, rain effect, Singin’ in the Rain, BLOC Music Theatre
Richard Perdriau / Brenton Van Vliet, audio-visual design, Godspell, Phoenix Theatre Company
Richard Perdriau / Anne Dewar / Craig Moloney, puppetry, Godspell, Phoenix Theatre Company
David Wisken, wiggery, Dusty – The Original Pop Diva, CLOC Musical Theatre
Ljerka Kelly, Von Trapp living room set, The Sound of Music, Beaumaris Theatre
Glenn Fisher, audio-visuals, A Hot August Night in Ballarat, Ballarat Lyric Theatre
Concert/Revue Performance
Mornington CEF Players, Seasons of Love: A Musical Journey Through the Calendar Year
Ballarat Lyric Theatre, A Hot August Night in Ballarat
Awards for Excellence
Awards for Excellence will be given to individuals associated with productions by Ballarat National Theatre, Geelong Lyric Theatre Society, SPX Waterdale Players and Ballarat Lyric Theatre.
JUNIOR SECTION
NOMINATIONS
Junior Production of the Year
13, St Michael’s Grammar School
Sweeney Todd(School Edition), Glen Waverley Secondary College
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Loyola College
Jesus Christ Superstar, Aitken College
Honk! Jr, Catchment Players of Darebin
Seussical, BLOC Music Theatre
Jesus Christ Superstar, St Leonard’s College
Barnum, Ballarat Grammar Senior School Production
Direction of a Junior Production
Simon Parris,13, St Michael’s Grammar School
Karl McNamara, Sweeney Todd (School Edition), Glen Waverley Secondary College
Michael O’Keeffe, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Loyola College
Michael Cooper, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aitken College
Brad Fischer, Honk! Jr, Catchment Players of Darebin
Kim Anderson, Jesus Christ Superstar, St Leonard’s College
Andreas Litras, Barnum, Ballarat Grammar Senior School Production
Nathan Armstrong / Clare Cooper, Just So, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Road
Musical Direction of a Junior Production
Christopher Eury, Sweeney Todd (School Edition), Xavier College and Genazzano FCJ College
Andrew Leach,13, St Michael’s Grammar School
Peter Cavenagh, Fiddler on the Roof, M2 Theatre Company
Jemima Bunn, Sweeney Todd (School Edition), Glen Waverley Secondary College
Andrew Dale, Barnum, Ballarat Grammar Senior School Production
Jayne Turner, The Sound of Music, Presbyterian Ladies’ College in conjunction with Scotch College
Amy Wert, Jesus Christ Superstar, St Joseph’s College
Sarah Patterson, Just So, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Road
Junior Male Performer in a Leading Role
Todd Jacobsson, Darryl, The Witches of Eastwick, Ballarat Clarendon College Senior School
Adrian Callegari, Evan, 13, St Michael’s Grammar School
Daniel Carison, Tevye, Fiddler on the Roof, M2 Theatre Company
Benjamin Hodges, Bobby Child, Crazy for You, St Monica’s College
David Delmenico, Sweeney Todd, Sweeney Todd (School Edition), Glen Waverley Secondary College
Dylan Breshears, Jesus, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aitken College
Daniel Ridolfi, Ugly, Honk! Jr, Catchment Players of Darebin
James Kernick, Horton the Elephant, Seussical, BLOC Music Theatre
Nic Davey-Greene, Eldest Magician, Just So, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Road
Junior Female Performer in a Leading Role:
Shannon Cordes, Judas, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ivanhoe Grammar School – Ridgeway Campus
Bethany McKay, Jane, The Witches of Eastwick, Ballarat Clarendon College Senior School
AmeliaWilson, Judas, Jesus Christ Superstar, Aitken College
Rachael Findlay, Florence, Chess, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Rd
Hannah Wright, Florence, Chess, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Rd
Millicent Kavenagh, Audrey, Little Shop of Horrors, Trinity College Colac
Mollie Fisher, Gertrude McFuzz, Seussical, BLOC Music Theatre
Junior Male in a Supporting Role
Daniel Ridolfi, Herod, Jesus Christ Superstar, Ivanhoe Grammar School – Ridgeway Campus
Dante Kurth, Archie, 13, St Michael’s Grammar School
Joseph Lotesto, Jud Fry, Oklahoma!, Parade College with Santa Maria College
James Young, Cogsworth, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Loyola College
Joshua Kerr, Gaston, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Loyola College
Aidan Puglielli, Drake, Honk! Jr, Catchment Players of Darebin
Martin Quinn, Molokov, Chess, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Rd
Ryan Murphy, Molokov, Chess, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Rd
Riley Spadaro, Ali Hakim, Oklahoma!, Elisabeth Murdoch College
David McNamara, Pontius Pilate, Jesus Christ Superstar, St Joseph’s College
Junior Female in a Supporting Role
Erynn Christensen, Rizzo, Grease, Carey Musical Theatre Company
Georgina Goodwin, Beggar Woman, Sweeney Todd (School Edition), Glen Waverley Secondary College
Elissa Rodger, Joyce Heth / Blues Singer, Barnum, Ballarat Grammar Senior School Production
Emily Domingo, Mother Abbess, The Sound of Music, Presbyterian Ladies’ College in conjunction with Scotch College
Kelly Trenery, Ida, Honk! Jr, Catchment Players of Darebin
Melanie Paxton, Ado Annie, Oklahoma!, Elisabeth Murdoch College
Natasha Rayner, Aunt Eller, Oklahoma!, Elisabeth Murdoch College
Sarah Occhino, Cogsworth, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast Jr, ACTion Youth Theatre
Ellie Carroll, JoJo, Seussical, BLOC Music Theatre
Meg Duncan, Zebra, Just So, The Adamson Theatre Company at Wesley College St Kilda Road
Five Awards for Excellence
Awards for Excellence will be presented to individuals associated with productions by
St Michael’s Grammar School, Presbyterian Ladies’ College in conjunction with Scotch College, Aitken College, Ballarat Grammar Senior School Production and St Bernard’s College in conjunction with St Columba’s College.
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