2023 Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards

CLOC Musical Theatre was the big winner at the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards, taking out 11 awards including production of the year for their season of Chess the Musical.

In the School/Junior division Emmaus College was the big winner taking out 5 awards for their production of Little Women.

The 36^th annual Bruce Awards took place at the Costa Hall in Geelong, and included, as always, a smorgasbord of entertainment from companies which staged musicals across Victoria in 2023.

Here is the full list of winners.

Production of the Year

Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Direction

Shaun Kingma, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Musical Direction

Tyson Legg, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Choreography

Tamara Finch, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Settings

Jeremy Swan, Double Homicide at the Manchester Manchester and Haberdashery Factory Outlet, Fab Nobs Theatre

Costumes

Brian Ahern, Ladies in Black, Leongatha Lyric Theatre

Lighting

Brad Alcock, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Sound

Marcello Lo Ricco & Nick O’Connor, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Creative Design and/or Technical Achievement

Colin Mitchell & Zac Krause, Projection Design, The Producers, Leongatha Lyric Theatre

Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role

Will Hanley, Peter Allen, The Boy From Oz, Williamstown Musical Theatre Company

Lead Performer in a Female Presenting Role

Rosa McCarty, Florence, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role

Jake Turner-Clarkson, Molokov, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role

Vikaye Sithole, Sylvia, All Shook Up, Babirra Music Theatre

Cameo or Minor Role

Chris Brown, JJ Silvers, Strictly Ballroom the Musical, PLOS Musical Productions

Junior Performing in an Open Production

Taine Lowe, Carmen, The Producers, Leongatha Lyric Theatre

First Feature Performance

Jake Turner-Clarkson, Molokov, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Dancer’s Award

Tyler-Rose Shattock, Catch Me If You Can, CLOC Musical Theatre

Ensemble

The Ensemble, Chess the Musical, CLOC Musical Theatre

Concert / Revue

75th Anniversary Special, Camperdown Theatre Compan

Awards of Excellence

• Fab Nobs Theatre Double Homicide at the Manchester Manchester and Haberdashery Factory Outlet
• Stars and The Moon School of Rock
• Horsham Arts Council Seussical the Musical
• Windmill Theatre Company Seussical the Musical
• Ladies in Black, Leongatha Lyric Theatre

Junior Awards

Production of the Year

Little Women, Emmaus College

Direction

Elise Cavallo, Little Women, Emmaus College

Musical Direction

John Collins & Susannah Phelps, Little Women, Emmaus College

Choreography

Courtney Reardon & Celia Davidson, The Addams Family, Adamson Theatre Company

Creative Design

Carolyn Harrison, Melissa Prichard, Tara Driscoll & Ella Bedggood, Costume Design, Finding Nemo Junior, BCMA – Ballarat Centre of Music and the Arts

Lead Performer in a Male Presenting Role

John Yanko, Dewey Finn, School of Rock, Brentwood Secondary College

Lead Performer in a Female Presenting Role

Matilda Wilby, Mabel, The Pirates of Penzance, Nexus Bendigo Youth Theatre

Supporting Performer in a Male Presenting Role

Cooper Marin, Audrey II, Little Shop of Horrors, St Bernard’s College & St Columba’s College

Supporting Performer in a Female Presenting Role

Alexia Handrinos, Marmee March, Little Women, Emmaus College

Minor / Cameo Role

Rosa Pastor, Toto Puppeteer, The Wizard of Oz, Mount Scopus Memorial College

Ensemble

The Ensemble, Little Women, Emmaus College

Dancer’s Award

Nick Waddington, Anastasia, Yarra Valley Grammar
Dion Sanelli, Chicago: High School Edition, St Helena Secondary College (Joint Winners)

Awards of Excellence

• The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Eltham College
• Frozen Junior, MDMS
• Little Women, Emmaus College

The 2023 Musician’s Award has been awarded to Shirley White.

2023 Life Membership to the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria has been awarded to Ann Hubbard.

The 2023 Edith Harrhy Award for Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre has been awarded to Marcy Paynter.