Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards Presentation 2010

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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