Short + Sweet Melbourne 2008
Awards announced!
Presented by the Arts Centre, Short + Sweet is the biggest and best annual 10-minute theatre competition! Every year hundreds of writers, actors and directors get involved, with winners being awarded in a number of categories, including a People's Choice award.
Short + Sweet 2008 Winners
The winners of Short & Sweet 2008 were announced on Saturday night at the FairfaxStudio at the Arts Centre, with Born In A Taxi’s 6 Hours Later winning the $5,000 prize for Best Overall Production, the $2,000 prize for Best Director, the $3,000 prize for Best Independent Theatre Ensemble, and the $2,000 prize for Best Female Actor(Penny Baron) – a total of $12,000 in prize money.
For the People’s choice Awards, Religion Shop was the audience favourite out of the Top 20 and Independent Theatre Ensemble plays, whilst To Let was the audience favourite out of the Wildcards. Best Male Actor went to Josh Futcher for his performance in The Celine Dion
Songbook. Here is the full list of winners:
1. Best Drama Writing
Nominations:
David Sharpe – Mandragora
Jodi Crammond – Alchemy
Carly Nugent – The Bullfrog
Dan Giovannoni – Kanat and the Red Army
Runner Up ($1000):
David Sharpe – Mandragora
Winner ($2500):
Dan Giovannoni – Kanat and the Red Army
2. Best Comedy Writing
Nominations:
Company 13 – Grimm
Interior Theatre – Last Drinks
Tom Taylor – Falling praying
Adam Gelin – Religion Shop
Runner Up ($1000):
Adam Gelin – Religion Shop
Winner ($2500):
Interior Theatre – Last Drinks
3. Best Director
Nominations:
Nancy Black – Morbid Porn
Heath Miller – Kanat and the Red Army
Daniel Koerner – Tinsel Town
Born In A Taxi – Six Hours Later*
Runner Up ($1000):
Heath Miller – Kanat and the Red Army
Daniel Koerner – Tinsel Town
* Due to a clerical error Born In A Taxi was presented with Best Director at the awards ceremony.
4. Best Male Actor
Nominations:
Paul Reichstein – Tinsel Town
Jack Angwin – Mandragora
Elijah Ungvary – Kanat and the Red Army
Josh Futcher – The Celine Dion Song Book
Runner Up ($1000):
Jack Angwin – Mandragora
Winner ($2000):
Josh Futcher – The Celine Dion Song Book
5. Best Female Actor
Nominations
Zoe Dawson - Kanat and the Red Army
Anne Smith – The Cellar Children
Tamara Rewse – Morbid Porn
Penny Baron – 6 Hours Later
Runner Up ($1000):
Tamara Rewse – Morbid Porn
Winner ($2000):
Penny Baron – 6 Hours Later
6. Best Independent Theatre Ensemble
Nominations:
Company 13 – Grimm
Spilt Second – Tinsel Town
Born in a Taxi – 6 Hours Later
Dislocate – Tea For Two
Winner ($3000):
Born in a Taxi – 6 Hours Later
Special Mention:
Company 13 – Grimm
7. Full Tilt Creative Development Award
Skite Vikingr – Morbid Porn
Spilt Second – Tinseltown
8. PEOPLE’S CHOICE – WILDCARDS
Week 1 Job Specs
Week 3 To Let
Overall Winner ($3000):
Week 3 To Let
9. PEOPLE’S CHOICE – TOP 20/Independent Theatre Ensemble
Week 1 Kanat and the Red Army
Week 2 Tinsel Town
Week 3 Religion Shop
Overall Winner $3000
Week 3 Religion Shop
10. Short & Sweet Award for Judges’ Choice – Best Overall
Nominations:
Falling Praying – Tom Taylor, Jacqui Schulz, Sonya Kerr, Josh Futcher
Kanat and the Red Army – Dan Giovannoni, Heath Miller, Zoe Dawson, Elijah
6 Hours Later – Born In A Taxi
Tinsel Town – Spilt Second
Winner ($5000):
Born in a Taxi – 6 Hours Later
Special Mention
Kanat and The Red Army
Judges
Jeff Khan – Artistic Director of Next Wave Festival
Emily Sexton – Creative Producer of Melbourne Fringe Festival
John Bailey – Arts Journalist, The Age
Richard Sarell – Director and Acting Teacher
Yvonne Virsik – Artistic Director or Monash University Student Theatre
Short + Sweet™ was conceived by Mark Cleary, developed by Alex Broun and first produced at Newtown Theatre, Sydney.
2008 marks the end of Short + Sweet at the Arts Centre. In 2009 the Arts Centre will continue to support the development of a wide range of artists through its multi-layered Creative Development programs, such as FULL TILT. Details of new performance initiatives for performers, designers, directors, writers and ensembles will be announced in coming months.
Short + Sweet™ was conceived by Mark Cleary, developed by Alex Broun and first produced at Newtown Theatre, Sydney.
