Nominations have been announced for the 2024 Sydney Theatre Awards, which will be presented at an industry gala ceremony on Monday 20 January 2025 at the York Theatre – Seymour Centre. Nominations in the 28 categories were spread across 48 different productions, which played on Sydney stages during 2024.
Leading the list with eight nominations were The Lewis Trilogy (produced by Griffin Theatre Company) and Stolen (Sydney Theatre Company), while The Inheritance (Shane Anthony, Daniel Cottier Productions, Sugary Rum Productions and Seymour Centre) received seven. Zombie! The Musical (Hayes Theatre Co) received five nominations, and Yentl (Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, Monstrous Theatre, Neil Gooding Productions and Shalom) received six.
The nominees for Best Mainstage Production are August: Osage County (Belvoir), The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time (Belvoir), The Lewis Trilogy (Griffin Theatre Company) and Stolen (Sydney Theatre Company).
The nominees for Best Independent Production are The Inheritance (Shane Anthony, Daniel Cottier Productions, Sugary Rum Productions and Seymour Centre), POV (re:group performance collective and 25A), Trophy Boys (Soft Tread, Seymour Centre and The Maybe Pile) and Yentl (Kadimah Yiddish Theatre, Monstrous Theatre, Neil Gooding Productions and Shalom).
Vying for Best Production of a Musical are Jesus Christ Superstar (Crossroads Live and Work Light Productions), Ride The Cyclone (Hayes Theatre Co), Titanique (Michael Cassel Group) and Zombie! The Musical (Hayes Theatre Co).
The Sydney Theatre Awards have been presented annually since 2005 by a group of Sydney’s leading theatre critics to celebrate the strength and diversity of Sydney’s theatre artists and productions. Judging panels have been bolstered over the past five years to include prominent industry specialists who see all eligible productions in their area and vote on the nominations.
“In 2024, Australian theatre showcased a wealth of expansive epic stories and compelling narratives, featuring large ensemble casts, prominent female voices and dynamic new Australian writing amongst revisits of contemporary plays, with strong explorations of intergenerational themes and our nation’s complex recent history,” said Panellist, actor and director Kenneth Moraleda.
“We’re witnessing a rise of new artists confidently asserting themselves in the independent scene, alongside the ongoing evolution of our established creatives on the main stages,” said Moraleda.
“Theatre has a way of reflecting the present, even though productions are planned well in advance and may be set in the past,” added Sydney Morning Herald theatre critic, John Shand. “So many plays powerfully reflected a year of savage conflict. Among the highs came notable breakthroughs in the depiction of people challenged physically or behaviourally. A potent list of nominations.”
The Sydney Theatre Awards gratefully thanks major sponsor, the Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation, without which the Awards would not be possible.
The Seaborn, Broughton & Walford Foundation is a charity founded to assist the performing arts and, following the wishes of founding President Dr Rodney Seaborn AO OBE, proudly supports a wide variety of performing arts initiatives through funding, attending performances and preserving precious theatrical records for education and research, as well as providing accessible and affordable space for rehearsals and small performances.
Other sponsors of the Sydney Theatre Awards include The William Fletcher Foundation, Showcast, Currency Press, Ticketmaster, Actors Benevolent Fund, JPJ Audio, LL Co Creative, Helen Constance and Seymour Centre.
The 2024 Sydney Theatre Awards will be presented on Monday 20 January 2025 at the York Theatre – Seymour Centre. For more information and full list of Nominees, visit: www.sydneytheatreawards.com for details.
Image: Matilda Ridgway, Daniel R. Nixon and Brigid Zengeni in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – photo by Brett Boardman | Michael Paynter and Cast in Jesus Christ Superstar – photo by Jeff Busby