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Cate Blanchett in The War of the Roses ... the STC production received nine nominations for the 2009 Sydney Theatre Awards.

POSTED: 27 DECEMBER 2009

War of the Roses tops 2009 awards nominations*

Nominations have been announced for the 2009 Sydney Theatre Awards, which will be presented at a gala ceremony at 6pm on Monday 18 January at the new venue of the Showroom of Club Swans, Kings Cross.

Leading the list of nominations is the Sydney Theatre Company/ Sydney Festival production of The War of the Roses with nine nominations, including Best Mainstage Production, Best Director (Benedict Andrews), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Cate Blanchett), Best Actress in a Leading Role (Pamela Rabe), Best Actor in a Leading Role (Ewen Leslie), Best Actor in a Supporting Role (John Gaden), Best Set Design (Robert Cousins), Best Costume Design (Alice Babidge) and Best Lighting Design (Nick Schlieper).

When the Rain Stops Falling, a Brink Productions and Sydney Theatre Company production, received six nominations, STC’s A Streetcar Named Desire received five, while receiving three nominations each were Company B’s Happy Days, The Hayloft Project /B Sharp’s The Only Child and STC’s The City. In Musical Theatre categories, Chicago led with four nominations, followed by WICKED and Avenue Q, each with three. Nominations were spread across 32 different productions produced in Sydney during the calendar year of 2009.

The Sydney Theatre Awards are run by a group of theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney. The Sydney Theatre Reviewers consist of Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Alex Lalak (Daily Telegraph), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian), Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise) and John Shand (Sydney Morning Herald).

Diana Simmonds, co-founder of the Sydney Theatre Reviewers and Stagenoise.com, said: “Ever since we rebirthed credible awards for the theatre makers of Sydney we’ve wondered what each successive year would bring. We've always hoped for the best and each year we have been thrilled, surprised and proud of the work we have witnessed in theatres of all sizes. We are privileged to live in interesting times and the 2009 nominees prove that there is more than one way to interpret the Chinese proverb. Right across the spectrum we see wonderful work, great actors, creative imaginations and extraordinary value for money. The live experience – you and the actor – is priceless and yet again Sydney proves to be a treasure chest.”

NOMINATIONS FOR 2009 SYDNEY THEATRE AWARDS

BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION

Happy Days (Company B)

A Streetcar Named Desire (Sydney Theatre Company)

The War of the Roses (Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Festival)

When the Rain Stops Falling (Sydney Theatre Company and Brink Productions)

BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION

Beyond the Neck (Bambina Borracha Productions in association with B Sharp)

The Bougainville Photoplay Project (Version 1.0 in association with the Tamarama Rock Surfers)

Norm & Ahmed/ Shafana & Aunt Sarrinah (Alex Buzo Company)

The Only Child (The Hayloft Project in association with B Sharp)

BEST DIRECTION

Benedict Andrews (The City)

Benedict Andrews (The War of the Roses)

Chris Drummond (When the Rain Stops Falling)

Marion Potts (Venus and Adonis)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE

Cate Blanchett (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Cate Blanchett (The War of the Roses)

Julie Forsyth (Happy Days)

Pamela Rabe (The War of the Roses)

BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

Joel Edgerton (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Darren Gilshenan (Strange Attractor)

Ewen Leslie (The War of the Roses)

Ben Winspear (Baghdad Wedding)

BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Blazey Best (Strange Attractor)

Anita Hegh (The City)

Kris McQuade (When the Rain Stops Falling)

Kerry Walker (The Man From Mukinupin)

BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

Gareth Davies (The Only Child)

John Gaden (The War of the Roses)

Yalin Ozucelik (Baghdad Wedding)

Tim Richards (A Streetcar Named Desire)

BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK

Beyond the Neck (Tom Holloway)

The Only Child (Simon Stone with Thomas Henning)

Savage River (Steve Rodgers)

When the Rain Stops Falling (Andrew Bovell)

BEST NEWCOMER

Travis Cardona (Savage River)

Josh McConville (The Call + Strange Attractor)

Susie Mathers (Mamma Mia!)

BEST SET DESIGN

Robert Cousins (The War of the Roses)

Michael Scott Mitchell (Travesties)

Anna Tregloan (Venis and Adonis)

Hossein Valamanesh (When the Rain Stops Falling)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Alice Babidge (War of the Roses)

Julie Lynch (Travesties)

Bruce McKinven (The Alchemist)

Tess Schofield (The Wonderful World of Dissocia)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Paul Jackson (Happy Days)

Paul Jackson (The Telltale Heart)

Niklas Pajanti (When the Rain Stops Falling)

Nick Schlieper (The War of the Roses)

BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN

Paul Charlier (A Streetcar Named Desire)

David Franzke (The Wonderful World of Dissocia)

Alan John (The City)

BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Avenue Q

Chicago

Jerry Springer The Opera

Wicked

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Lucy Durack (Wicked)

Amanda Harrison (Wicked)

Sharon Millerchip (Chicago)

Caroline O’Connor (Chicago)

JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Damien Bermingham (Chicago)

Mitchell Butel (Avenue Q)

Luke Joslin (Avenue Q)

James Millar (Gutenberg the Musical)

BEST CABARET PRODUCTION

Red Hot and Saucy — Rhonda Burchmore (Civic Cabaret)

Meow to the World — Crisis is Born (Sydney Opera House)

‘Tegrity: Britney Spears in Cabaret – Christie Whelan (Raval)

Tim Draxl — Under the Influence (Supper Club)

BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN

The Gruffalo (Christine Dunstan Productions)

The Nargun and the Stars (Erth and Sydney Festival)

The Wizard of Oz (Windmill and Sydney Theatre Company)

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

To be announced at the Awards ceremony

*Based on media release issued by Sydney Theatre Awards..

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