Gala Final Winners
The Diagnosis is all good at Short+Sweet Auckland 2010
Auckland writer B.C. Thomson’s hilarious comedy about very modern malaise Diagnosis scooped the pool at the Gala Final of the highly successful inaugural Short+Sweet Auckland at the Herald Theatre at THE EDGE last night.
Diagnosis won the best director award for Cameron Rhodes, best actress for Bronwyn Bradley, Best Comedy Script for Thomson himself as well as the Short+Sweet Award, the major award for the Best Overall Production of the Festival.
The other half of the award winning cast was Mia Blake, who was also nominated for the night’s Best Actress award.
It was a wonderful home coming for Thomson who lives in Sydney these days and has known Rhodes for over twenty years.
Another local product scooped two of the major awards with The Oryza Foundation for the Asian Performing Arts production of evocative The Mooncake and the Kumara winning Best Drama Script for Kiel McNaughton and Mei-Lin Hansen as well as the Best Actor Runner-Up for Gary Young as a Chinese immigrant farmer in Manawatu trapped between a fading past and an uncertain future.
The other big winner on the night was Australian writer Andrew O’Keefe’s touching comedy of unrequited love, Uncomfortable Silences that won the People’s Choice Award for the most popular play/theatrework as voted by audiences throughout the festival as well as the Best Actor award for Mark Scott for his beautiful and funny performance as the love-lorn Nick.
Talented young writer, director and actor Tama Jarman took out the Wildcards Winner award for La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet), featuring the talents of dancer Justun Haiu as the mis-behaving marionette.
In other awards on the night Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu won Best Actress Runner Up for her funny and moving performance in Tipping Point and recent Unitec Garduate Chloe Lewer won Best New Talent for her stunningly versatile performances in two Gala Finalists 10,000 cigarettes and Wild Things.
Best Independent Theatre Company went to The Oryza Foundation for the Asian Performing Arts for their production of The Mooncake and the Kumara.
Award winners won first class wines from one of the festival primary sponsors, Destiny Bay Vineyards while the People’s Choice Winner also won a tour from Waitakere Tours.
The full list of prize winners and nominees is as follows:
Short+Sweet Auckland 2010
Gala Final Award Winners and Nominees
The Short+Sweet Award – for the best overall production
Nominations
The Mooncake and the Kumara
ITC: The Oryza Foundation for the Performing Arts
Director: Kiel McNaughton
Writers: Mei-Lin Hansen & Kiel McNaughton (Auckland)
Cast: Gary Young, Kura Forrester and Ally Xue
Diagnosis
ITC: Twin Otter
Writer: B.C. Thomson (Auckland)
Director: Cameron Rhodes
Cast: Mia Blake (Sue), Bronwyn Bradley (Lynne)
Uncomfortable Silences
Writer. Andrew O’Keefe (Australia)
Director. Vicky Yiannoutsos
Characters: Mark Scott (Nick), Lisa Brickell (Angela)
Winner: Diagnosis
The People’s Choice Award – for the most popular play/theatrework as voted by audiences throughout the festival.
Winner: Uncomfortable Silences
Writer. Andrew O’Keefe (Australia)
Director. Vicky Yiannoutsos
Characters: Mark Scott (Nick), Lisa Brickell (Angela)
Wildcards Winner
Nominations
Baby
Writer: Daniel Zollinger (Auckland)
Director: Reynald Castaneda
Cast: Anton Tennet (Tom), Virginia Frankovich (Lee), Steven Ciprian (Dad), Robyn Donnelly (Mum)
Homeless
Writer: Steve Deluxe (Wellington)
Director: Sean Spratt
Cast: Jennifer Clamp (Rachel), Matt Halliday (Gavin), Carl Smith (Charles), Philip Vaughan (Bob)
Tipping Point
Writer: Mark Andrew (Australia)
Director: Melissa Fergusson
Cast: Tama Jarman (Rob) and Josephine Stewart Tewhiu (Laura)
La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet)
Writer: Tama Jarman (New Zealand)
Director: Tama Jarman & Justin Haiu
ITC: Masquerade Ball
Cast: Tama Jarman (Pianist), Justin Haiu (Puppet)
Winner: La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet)
Writer: Tama Jarman (New Zealand)
Director: Tama Jarman & Justin Haiu
ITC: Masquerade Ball
Cast: Tama Jarman (Pianist), Justin Haiu (Puppet)
Best Comedy Script
Nominations
Diagnosis, written by B.C. Thomson
La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet), written by Tama Jarman
Uncomfortable Silences, written by Andrew O’Keefe
Winner: Diagnosis, written by B.C. Thomson
Best Drama Script
Nominations
Uncomfortable Silences, written by Andrew O’Keefe
The Mooncake and the Kumara, written by Keil McNaughton and Mei-Lin Hansen
Wild Things, written by Michelle Wallace
Finis, written by Garrick Burn
Winner : The Mooncake and the Kumara, written by Keil McNaughton and Mei-Lin Hansen
Best Director
Nominations
Tama Jarman and Justin Haiu for La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet),
Cameron Rhodes for Diagnosis
Kiel McNaughton for The Mooncake and the Kumara
Vicky Yiannoutsos for Uncomfortable Silences
Winner: Cameron Rhodes for Diagnosis
Best Actor
Nominations
Gary Young for The Mooncake and the Kumara
Mark Scott for Uncomfortable Silences
Mark Harrison for Finis
Justin Haiu for La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet)
Winners
Best Actor: Mark Scott for Uncomfortable Silences
Best Actor Runner Up: Gary Young for The Mooncake and the Kumara
Best Actress
Nominations
Bronwyn Bradley for Diagnosis
Mia Blake for Diagnosis
Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu for Tipping Point
Winners:
Best Actress: Bronwyn Bradley for Diagnosis
Best Actress Runner Up: Josephine Stewart-Tewhiu for Tipping Point
Best New Talent
Nominations
Tama Jarman for acting, writing and directing La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet) and acting in Tipping Point
Chloe Lewer for acting in 10,000 cigarettes and Wild Things
Garrick Burn for writing/directing Finis
Daniel Zollinger for writing Baby
Winner: Chloe Lewer for acting in 10,000 cigarettes and Wild Things
Best Independent Theatre Company
Nominations
The Oryza Foundation for the Asian Performing Arts for The Mooncake and the Kumara
Meddlers Three Productions for Finis
Twin Otter for Diagnosis
Masquerade Ball for La Vie Dans Une Marionnette (The Life in a Puppet)
Winner: The Oryza Foundation for the Asian Performing Arts for The Mooncake and the Kumara