2011 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

David Wiliamson is famous for his run ins with the critics.

But Australia's most famous playwright was given a rave review tonight winning the lifetime theatre award at the Sydney Theatre Awards.

The  Awards are presented annually by a group of leading theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney. 

"I felt like I was walking into the Lion's Den tonight," he joked.

"But instead I am being treated as a hero," he said.

The biggest winner of the night was Belvoir's production of The Wild Duck, with four awards including best mainstage production.

Best Musical went to Hairspray. Big winner in the Independent categories was The Libertine with three awards.

Cate Blanchett picked up best actress for Gross und Klein.

Her husband and co-artistic director Andrew Upton collected the award on her behalf.

"Cate is home with the kids...which is where she belongs," he said, empasizing that he was joking.

The Sydney Theatre reviewers who present these awards are  Elissa Blake (Sun Herald), Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Chris Hook (Daily Telegraph), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Darryn King (Time Out Sydney), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian) and Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise website).

The Sydney Theatre Awards for 2011 were presented at a gala ceremony on Monday January 16, 2012 at the Paddington RSL. Presenters at the ceremony included Robert Alexander, Fayssal Bazzi, Helen Dallimore, Michael Falzon, Belinda Giblin, Verity Hampson, Amanda Harrison, Jacob Nash,  Miranda Otto, Richard Roxburgh and David Williamson.

The entertainment featured Trevor Ashley and Marney McQueen opening the evening with a terrific, biting send-up of the year's productions to the tune of Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, an ensemble performance from the score of Truth, beauty and a picture of you, based on the music of The Whitlams, a musical workshopped by New Musicals Australia, and, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the original Australian production of Les Misérables at Sydney's Theatre Royal, Debra Byrne, our original Fantine, sang I Dreamed a Dream.

THE WINNERS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - The Wild Duck (Belvoir)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION - The Libertine (Sport for Jove Theatre in association with Darlinghurst Theatre Company)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL - Hairspray

BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Simon Stone (The Wild Duck)

BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION - Sarah Giles (The Ugly One)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Colin Moody (Julius Caesar)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Cate Blanchett (Gross und Klein)

BEST ACTOR IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION - Anthony Gooley (The Libertine)

BEST ACTRESS IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION - Danielle King (The Libertine)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL - Paul Capsis (The Threepenny Opera)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL - Jaz Flowers (Hairspray)

BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL - Martin Crewes (Doctor Zhivago)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Anita Hegh (The Wild Duck)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION - Anthony Phelan (The Wild Duck)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN - Snow on Mars (Kim Carpenter’s Theatre of Image in association with the Sydney Festival)

BEST NEWCOMER - Meyne Wyatt (The Brothers Size/Silent Disco/Bloodland)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN - Nick Schlieper (Baal)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN - Alan John and Steve Francis (The White Guard)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN - Alice Babidge (Gross und Klein)

BEST STAGE DESIGN - Nick Schlieper (Baal).

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK - The Dark Room (Angela Betzien)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD - David Williamson

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