The Sydney Theatre Awards are annual awards to recognise the strength, quality and diversity of professional theatre in Sydney, Australia. They were established in 2005 by a group of major Sydney theatre critics.[1] The awards recognise mainstage and independent plays and musicals.[2][3]
2023
The 2023 awards were announced on 29 January 2024.[4][5]
- Best Mainstage Production: The Visitors (Sydney Theatre Company and Moogahlin Performing Arts)
- Best Independent Production: A Streetcar Named Desire (Red Line Productions)
- Best Direction of a Mainstage Production: Shari Sebbens (Fences)
- Best Direction of an Independent Production: Alexander Berlage (A Streetcar Named Desire)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production: Catherine Văn-Davies (Constellations)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in an Independent Production: Sheridan Harbridge (A Streetcar Named Desire)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production: Andrew McFarlane (Hubris & Humiliation)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production: Catherine Văn-Davies (A Streetcar Named Desire)
- Best Stage Design of a Mainstage Production: Isabel Hudson (Constellations)
- Best Stage Design of an Independent Production: Nick Fry (Metropolis)
- Best Costume Design of a Mainstage Production: Isabel Hudson (Hubris & Humiliation)
- Best Costume Design of an Independent Production: Grace Deacon (An ox stand on my tongue)
- Best Lighting Design of a Mainstage Production: Benjamin Brockman (Constellations)
- Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production: Morgan Moroney (Collapsible)
- Best Sound Design of a Mainstage Production: James Brown (Constellations)
- Best Original Score of a Mainstage Production: Grace Ferguson (On the Beach)
- Best Sound Design and Composition of an Independent Production: Zara Stanton (Metropolis)
- Best New Australian Work: Lewis Treston (Hubris & Humiliation)
- Best Newcomer: Abigail Adriano (Miss Saigon)
- Best Ensemble: The Visitors (Sydney Theatre Company and Moogahlin Performing Arts)
- Best Production of a Musical: A Little Night Music (Hayes Theatre Co)
- Best Direction of a Musical: Dean Bryant (A Little Night Music)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical: Ruva Ngwenya (Tina The Tina Turner Musical)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Nancye Hayes (A Little Night Music)
- Best Musical Direction: Zara Stanton (Metropolis)
- Best Choreography in a Musical: Vi Lam (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee)
- Best Production for Children: Waru (Bangarra Dance Theatre and Sydney Festival)
- Best Production for Young People: The Lies We Were Told (Shopfront Arts and Monkey Baa)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Jane Seldon and Terence Clarke
2022
The 2022 awards were announced on 23 January 2023.[6][7]
- Best Mainstage Production: The Jungle and the Sea (Belvoir)
- Best Independent Production: Albion (Secret House, New Ghosts Theatre Company and Seymour Centre)
- Best Direction of a Mainstage Production: Kip Williams (Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)
- Best Direction of an Independent Production: Lucy Clements (Albion)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production: Heather Mitchell (RBG: Of Many, One)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in an Independent Production: Jane Phegan (The End of Winter)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production: Peter Carroll (The Tempest)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production: Merridy Eastman (Hand of God)
- Best Stage Design of a Mainstage Production: Mel Page (A Raisin in the Sun)
- Best Stage Design of an Independent Production: Grace Deacon and Kelsey Lee (Destroy, She Said)
- Best Costume Design of a Mainstage Production: Romance Was Born and Anna Cordingley (Amadeus)
- Best Costume Design of an Independent Production: Esther Zhong (Moon Rabbit Rising)
- Best Lighting Design of a Mainstage Production: Nick Schlieper (Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)
- Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production: Tyler Fitzpatrick (Moon Rabbit Rising)
- Best Sound Design of a Mainstage Production: Michael Toisuta (Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde)
- Best Original Score of a Mainstage Production: Arjunan Puveendran (The Jungle and the Sea)
- Best Sound Design and Composition of an Independent Production: Christine Pan (Moon Rabbit Rising)
- Best New Australian Work: The Jungle and the Sea (S. Shakthidharan and Eamon Flack)
- Best Newcomer: Masego Pitso (Chewing Gum Dreams)
- Best Ensemble: The Jungle and the Sea (Belvoir)
- Best Production of a Musical: Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Global Creatures)
- Best Direction of a Musical: Cameron Mitchell (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical: Stefanie Jones (Mary Poppins)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Simon Burke (Moulin Rouge! The Musical)
- Best Musical Direction: Chris King, Steven Kramer and Nigel Ubrihien (Jekyll and Hyde)
- Best Choreography in a Musical: Cameron Mitchell (Nice Work If You Can Get It)
- Best Production for Children: Yong (Monkey Baa Theatre)
- Best Production for Young People: The Deb (ATYP)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: John Robertson and William Yang
2021
The 2021 awards were announced on 31 January 2022.[8][9]
- Best Mainstage Production: The Picture of Dorian Gray (Sydney Theatre Company)
- Best Independent Production: Symphonie Fantastique (Little Eggs Collective in association with KXT)
- Best Direction of a Mainstage Production: Kip Williams (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
- Best Direction of an Independent Production: Tasnim Hossain (Yellow Face)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production: Eryn Jean Norvill (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in an Independent Production: Shan-Ree Tan (Yellow Face)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production: Aaron Tsindos (No Pay? No Way!)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production: Alfie Gledhill (The Removalists)
- Best Stage Design of a Mainstage Production: Marg Horwell and David Bergman (The Picture of Dorian Gray)
- Best Stage Design of an Independent Production: Charles Davis (Happy Days)
- Best Costume Design of a Mainstage Production: Genevieve Blanchett (Home, I’m Darling)
- Best Costume Design of an Independent Production: Esther Zhong (Three Fat Virgins Unassembled)
- Best Lighting Design of a Mainstage Production: Matt Scott (Fun Home)
- Best Lighting Design of an Independent Production: Benjamin Brockman (Symphonie Fantastique)
- Best Sound Design of a Mainstage Production: David Bergman (Green Park)
- Best Sound Design and Composition of an Independent Production: Oliver Shermacher (Symphonie Fantastique)
- Best New Australian Work: The Visitors (Jane Harrison)
- Best Newcomer: Kiana Daniele (SIX)
- Best Ensemble: Symphonie Fantastique
- Best Production of a Musical: Hamilton (Jeffrey Seller, Sander Jacobs, Jill Furman, The Public Theater and Michael Cassel)
- Best Direction of a Musical: Dean Bryant (Fun Home)
- Best Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical: Lyndon Watts (Hamilton)
- Best Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Marty Alix (Hamilton)
- Best Musical Direction: Carmel Dean (Fun Home)
- Best Cabaret Production: Is This All Then? (Philip Quast)
- Best Production for Children: Wilfrid Gordon McDonald Partridge (Sydney Opera House and Australian Chamber Orchestra)
- Best Production for Young People: I've Been Meaning to Ask You (The Good Room, Critical Stages Touring, ATYP and Riverside Theatres)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Gale Edwards and Tony Sheldon
2019
The 2019 awards were announced on 20 January 2020.[10][11]
- Best Mainstage Production: Counting and Cracking (Belvoir and Co-Curious)
- Best Independent Production: John (Outhouse Theatre Co and Seymour Centre)
- Best Direction of a Mainstage Production: Paige Rattray (The Beauty Queen of Leenane)
- Best Direction of an Independent Production: Dino Dimitriadis (Angels in America)
- Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production: Sheridan Harbridge (Prima Facie)
- Best Male Actor in a Leading Role in a Mainstage Production: Meyne Wyatt (City of Gold)
- Best Female Actor in a Leading Role in an Independent Production: Janine Watson (The Happy Prince)
- Best Male Actor in a Leading Role in an Independent Production: Justin Amankwah (Good Dog)
- Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production: Shari Sebbens (City of Gold)
- Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in a Mainstage Production: Hamish Michael (The Beauty Queen of Leenane)
- Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production: Catherine Văn-Davies (Angels in America)
- Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production: Joseph Althouse (Angels in America)
- Best Sound Design and Composition of an Independent Production:
- Best Independent Musical: American Psycho (BB Arts Entertainment and Two Doors Productions)
- Best New Australian Work: Counting and Cracking (S. Shakthidharan)
- Best Production of a Mainstage Musical: Fangirls (Belvoir, Queensland Theatre and Brisbane Festival in association with ATYP)
- Lifetime Achievement Award: Maggie Blinco
2018
The 2018 awards were announced on 21 January 2019.[12][13]
2017
The 2017 awards were announced on 22 January 2018.[14]
2016
The 2016 awards were announced at the Seymour Centre on 23 January 2017.[15] Recipients included:
2015
The 2015 awards were announced at the Paddington RSL on 18 January 2016.[16] Recipients included: