Winners announced in 2022 Performing Arts WA Awards
WA’s performing arts industry celebrated the outstanding achievements of actors, directors, producers, theatre- and dance-makers at last night’s 2022 Performing Arts WA Awards.
The host – Artist Relief Fund WA – bestowed 46 awards across theatre, dance, musicals and opera, to a full house at the State Theatre Centre of WA.
Revenge fairy tale The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini from The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael led the charge with four awards including Best Independent Production and Outstanding Ensemble, with director Ian Michael picking up the award for Outstanding Direction of an Independent Production and composer Rachael Dease winning Best Sound Design.
Beanstalk by Spare Parts Puppet Theatre – a retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk written and performed by Sam Longley – took out the award for Best Mainstage Production; Luke Hewitt (Every Brilliant Thing, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA) and Alison van Reeken (Nocturna by Ian Sinclair, The Kabuki Drop) both won awards for Outstanding Performers In Leading Roles; and Tobias Muhafidin won Outstanding Newcomer and Outstanding Performer in A Supporting Role for his performance in Minneapolis from Performing Lines WA.
Empowering new dance work Archives of Humanity from Co3 Contemporary Dance was bestowed three awards in the dance category including Best Mainstage Production and Outstanding Ensemble, with artistic director Raewyn Hill, design associate Bruce McKinven and sculptural artist Naoko Yoshimoto together taking out the award for Outstanding Stage Design. Steamworks Art’s JULIA won Best Independent Production.
Mesmerising dance presentation Slow Burn, Together from Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival won Outstanding New Work with one of the main performers, Francesca Fenton, winning Outstanding Newcomer.
In the Musical & Opera category, Angels & Devils – a reimagining of Suor Angelica from Freeze Frame Opera – won Best Production with soprano Harriet Marshall winning Outstanding Performer in A Leading Role and director Rachel McDonald winning Outstanding Direction, Movement Direction or Choreography.
Heavily nominated ET-inspired musical comedy, The Summer of Our Lives from The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects also won four awards including Outstanding Musical Direction, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding New Work, with actor/singer Nick Maclaine winning Outstanding Performer in A Supporting Role.
A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Chrissie Parrott AO for her extensive work in the creative industries as a dancer, lecturer, choreographer, arts festival director, director for theatre, TV, and film; set designer and costumes, teacher of multimedia and animation, and creator of large-scale digital artworks.
Artist Relief Fund WA secretary Nick Maclaine congratulated the nominees and winners, saying each year the Performing Arts WA Awards seem to get bigger:
Thank you to everyone who made 2021 a year worth celebrating, These awards are powered by volunteers and reflect thousands of hours of commitment and creativity by professionals right across the arts sector.
We congratulate the winners, salute the nominees, and thank our generous sponsors and volunteer judges for making this essential event possible.
Additional presentations on the night included the Artist Relief Fund’s Student Endowments supported by Minderoo Foundation, which support promising second year Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) students. Winners included Lucy Arnall (Aboriginal Performance), Ruby Henaway (Acting), Tegan Carter (Dance), Mia Guglielmi (Music Theatre), Harrison Lorenz-Daniel (Performing Arts) and Elouise Greenwell (Production & Design).
Many individual winners received cash prizes on the night thanks to the generous sponsorship of CircuitWest, Sandy Anghie, North Perth Community Bank Branch of Bendigo, Harlequin Floors, Media Super / Cbus, MEAA, Artist Management Australia, Moore Creative Artists, and Minderoo Foundation.
2022 PERFORMING ARTS WA AWARD NOMINEES AND WINNERS
THEATRE AWARDS
BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY BANK BRANCH OF BENDIGO
WINNER: Beanstalk, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Black Brass, Performing Lines WA
Every Brilliant Thing, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
Whistleblower, The Last Great Hunt for Perth Festival
BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY BANK BRANCH OF BENDIGO
WINNER: The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
Savage Grace, Steam works Arts
Ugly Virgins, The Blue Room Theatre & Lindstedt & Davies
Watch and Act, The Blue Room Theatre & Katie McAllister
What of It, FRINGE WORLD & Lazy Yarns
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PRESENTED BY SANDY ANGHIE BESIDE, WA Youth Theatre Company for Perth Festival
WINNER: The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini,
The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
The Tempest, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
What of It, FRINGE WORLD & Lazy Yarns
Whistleblower, The Last Great Hunt for Perth Festival
OUTSTANDING NEW WORK PRESENTED BY NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY BANK BRANCH OF BENDIGO
WINNER: Amberly Cull, Nick Pages-Oliver, Melanie Robinson & Carmel Dean, The One Who Planted Trees
Tarryn Gill & Katt Osborne, Unheimlich
Arielle Gray, Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd & Tim Watts, Whistleblower
Sam Longley, Beanstalk
Will O’Mahony, Minneapolis
OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER PRESENTED BY MEAA
WINNER: Tobias Muhafidin, Minneapolis, Performing Lines WA
Ashton Brady, Whale Fall, The Kabuki Drop for Perth Festival
Katie McAllister, Watch and Act, The Blue Room Theatre & Katie McAllister
OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS IN SUPPORTING ROLES PRESENTED BY MEDIA SUPER
WINNER: Ben Mortley, YORK, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
WINNER: Tobias Muhafidin, Minneapolis, Performing Lines WA
Jono Battista, Love Letters to the Revolution, The Blue Room Theatre & Sian Murphy
Manjula Radha Krishnan, Children of the Sea, Performing Lines WA and Encounter Theatre for Perth Festival
Ben Mortley, The Cherry Orchard, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Tegan Mulvany, Dating Black, Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company
Alison van Reeken, YORK, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS IN LEADING ROLES PRESENTED BY MOORE CREATIVE ARTISTS & ARTIST MANAGEMENT AUSTRALIA
WINNER: Luke Hewitt, Every Brilliant Thing, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
WINNER: Alison van Reeken, Nocturna by Ian Sinclair, The Kabuki Drop
Humphrey Bower, The Tempest, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Isaac Diamond, HOUSE, Barking Gecko Theatre for Perth Festival
Andrea Gibbs, Animal Farm, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Arielle Gray, Bite The Hand, The Last Great Hunt
Sam Longley, Beanstalk, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Sarah Nelson, Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
Mararo Wangai, Black Brass, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Arielle Gray, Tim Watts and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd, Whistleblower, The Last Great Hunt for Perth Festival
Melissa Cantwell, Whale Fall, The Kabuki Drop for Perth Festival
Matt Edgerton, The Tempest, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Philip Mitchell, The One Who Planted Trees, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Katt Osborne, Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Ian Michael, The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
Susie Conte, MoR, The Blue Room Theatre & Third Culture Kids
Leah Mercer, Queer as Flux, The Blue Room Theatre & The Nest Ensemble
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT BY AN INTERSTATE ARTIST
WINNER: Stace Callaghan, Queer as Flux, The Blue Room Theatre & The Nest Ensemble
DANCE AWARDS
BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION PRESENTED BY HARLEQUIN FLOORS
WINNER: Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Coppélia, West Australian Ballet
Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
STATE, West Australian Ballet
Structural Dependency, Brooke Leeder & Dancers for Perth Festival
BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
WINNER: JULIA, Steamworks Arts with Feisty Dame Productions
Cry Baby, Parkin Projects
OUTSTANDING DUET OR ENSEMBLE PRESENTED BY SANDY ANGHIE
WINNER: The Ensemble, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
The Ensemble, Cry Baby, Parkin Projects
Dayana Hardy Acuna & Oscar Valdes, Giselle, West Australian Ballet
The Ensemble, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Ella-Rose Trew & Francesca Fenton, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
The Ensemble, Structural Dependency, Brooke Leeder & Dancers for Perth Festival
OUTSTANDING NEW WORK PRESENTED BY NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY BANK BRANCH OF BENDIGO
WINNER: Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Cry Baby, Parkin Projects
JULIA, Steamworks Arts with Feisty Dame Productions
“Slow Haunt” as part of STATE, West Australian Ballet
OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER PRESENTED BY MEAA
WINNER: Francesca Fenton, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Ziggy Debrincat, “Slow Haunt” as part of STATE, West Australian Ballet
Alex Kay, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Jessica Pettitt, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
OUTSTANDING PERFORMER PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Natalie Allen, JULIA, Steamworks Arts with Feisty Dame Productions
WINNER: Juan Carlos Osma, The Sleeping Beauty, West Australian Ballet
WINNER: Carina Roberts, Coppélia, West Australian Ballet
WINNER: Ella-Rose Trew, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Brooke Leeder, Structural Dependency, Brooke Leeder & Dancers for Perth Festival
Emma Fishwick, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Raewyn Hill, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Kimberley Parkin, Cry Baby, Parkin Projects
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT BY AN INTERSTATE ARTIST
WINNER: Melanie Lane, “Slow Haunt” as part of STATE, West Australian Ballet
MUSICAL & OPERA AWARDS
BEST PRODUCTION
WINNER: Angels & Devils, Freeze Frame Opera
The Barber of Seville, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
Cinderella, Zealous Productions
The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE PRESENTED BY SANDY ANGHIE
WINNER:The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
The Barber of Seville, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
OUTSTANDING NEW WORK PRESENTED BY NORTH PERTH COMMUNITY BANK BRANCH OF BENDIGO
WINNER: Tyler Jacob Jones & Robert Woods, The Summer of Our Lives
Gina Williams & Guy Ghouse, Koolbardi wer Wardong
OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER PRESENTED BY MEAA
WINNER: Amber Scates, Cinderella, Zealous Productions
Ruth Burke, Angels & Devils, Freeze Frame Opera
Tory Kendrick, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
Elliot Peacock, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
Emily Semple, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS IN SUPPORTING ROLES
WINNER: Nick Maclaine, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
WINNER: Elethea Sartorelli, Cinderella, Zealous Productions
Ruth Burke, Angels & Devils, Freeze Frame Opera
Erin Hutchinson, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
Penny Shaw, Cinderella, Zealous Productions
Nicole Youl, The Marriage of Figaro, West Australian Opera & Queensland Opera
OUTSTANDING PERFORMERS IN LEADING ROLES PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Harriet Marshall, Angels & Devils, Freeze Frame Opera
WINNER: Paul O’Neill, Cav & Pag, West Australian Opera
James Clayton, The Barber of Seville, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
Brigitte Heuser, The Barber of Seville, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
Emma Matthews, Cav & Pag, West Australian Opera
Gina Williams, Koolbardi wer Wardong, West Australian Opera
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION, MOVEMENT DIRECTION OR CHOREOGRAPHY PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Rachel McDonald, Angels & Devils, Freeze Frame Opera
Katt Osborne, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTION OR CONDUCTING PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Joe Louis Robinson, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
Chris van Tuinen, The Marriage of Figaro, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT BY AN INTERSTATE ARTIST
WINNER: Warwick Fyfe, The Barber of Seville, West Australian Opera & Opera Queensland
DESIGN AWARDS
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Rachael Dease, The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
Joe Paradise Lui & Annika Moses, JULIA, Steamworks Arts with Feisty Dame Productions
Brett Smith, Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
OUTSTANDING COMPOSITION OR ARRANGING PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER :Louis Frere-Harvey, Structural Dependency, Brooke Leeder & Dancers for Perth Festival
Joe Louis Robinson, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
Melanie Robinson & Carmel Dean, The One Who Planted Trees, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Robert Woods, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Joe Paradise Lui, Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
Chris Donnelly, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Nemo Gandossini-Poirier, Structural Dependency, Brooke Leeder & Dancers for Perth Festival
Mark Haslam, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Peter Young, The Summer of Our Lives, The Blue Room Theatre & Western Sky Projects
OUTSTANDING STAGE DESIGN PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Raewyn Hill, Bruce McKinven & Naoko Yoshimoto, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Zoë Atkinson, YORK, Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA
Taryn Gill & Laura Heffernan, Unheimlich, Performing Lines WA
Leon Hendroff & Clare Testoni, The One Who Planted Trees, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
Tyler Hill, The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
Georgi Ivers, Beginning at the End (of Capitalism), The Blue Room Theatre & Phoebe Sullivan
Bruce McKinven, Slow Burn, Together, Performing Lines WA for Perth Festival
Bryan Woltjen, Beanstalk, Spare Parts Puppet Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN PRESENTED BY CIRCUITWEST
WINNER: Matt McVeigh, Koolbardi wer Wardong, West Australian Opera
Raewyn Hill, Bec Simpkins & Nora Stelter, Archives of Humanity, Co3 Contemporary Dance for Perth Festival
Tyler Hill, The Bleeding Tree by Angus Cerini, The Blue Room Theatre & Ian Michael
SPECIAL AWARDS
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT
Chrissie Parrott AO
THE ARTIST RELIEF FUND’S STUDENT ENDOWMENTS SUPPORTED BY MINDEROO FOUNDATION
Aboriginal Performance Lucy Arnall
Acting Ruby Henaway
Dance Tegan Carter
Music Theatre Mia Guglielmi
Performing Arts Harrison Lorenz-Daniel
Production & Design Elouise Greenwell
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