Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards 2014 - Winners

An Evening Celebrating Community and Theatrical Excellence!

Another fantastic year of the Cultural Capital’s theatrical excellence was celebrated Sunday 14 December, at the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards in Paramount Cinema.

After a tumultuous year full of heavy loss for the community, these Awards were a reflection of the importance to support each other through the good and bad times. “We are a community and this is not a competition. It’s a quest” – a statement that perfectly encapsulated the tone of the evening from Simon Haren (winner of Most Original Production with Isobel MacKinnon – Dinner with Izzy & Simon)

Big winners on the night were Equivocation (Promising Newcomer, Best Costume, Best Director and Production of the Year), Kiss the Fish (Best Music Composition, Outstanding New NZ Play and Best Supporting Actress), and Watch (Best Set, Best Sound Design and Outstanding Performance).

The Theatre Practitioners Service Awards is an exciting new nationwide initiative was unveiled by Paul Foster-Bell, list MP based in Wellington. Practitioners who have reached milestone achievements by participating in 25, 50 or 100 professional shows are eligible to receive the honours. These honours will be presented annually at the regional theatre awards and end of year celebrations. Much like the rugby capping ceremony the awards intend to celebrate commitment and longevity.

Also honoured on the night was Judges’ Wildcard Deb McGuire – for technical operation and extraordinary support beyond the call of duty. A very popular choice for this award – Deb was met with ovations.

The Mayor’s Award for Significant Contribution went to ‘the two Simons’ – Simon Bennett and Simon Elson, who are the founders of the current model of BATS Theatre. Their policy in 1988 was to rekindle the popularity and accessibility of theatre for young people and to provide a venue, a training ground and a way in for young people struggling to forge careers in the difficult world of professional theatre.

Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards wishes to sincerely thank our sponsors for making this special evening possible: Chapman Tripp, Wellington City Council, Circa Theatre, BATS Theatre, Taki Rua, Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, Victoria University, Constance Scott Kirkcaldie, Emerging Artist Trust, Whitireia Performing Arts, Grouse Lighting, WETA Workshop, Park Road Post Productions, The Mayor Celia Wade-Brown, Playmarket, Capital E National Theatre for Children, ProActors, eCaster, Multi Media Systems, Paramount Theatre, The Dominion Post, we warmly welcome our new sponsors New Zealand Arts Festival and Sileni Estate.

The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards wish to sincerely thank our esteemed MC’s were Rachel Henry and Cohen Holloway, the hard working critics panel, all the theatres, the theatre community and the wonderful audiences continuing to make Wellington such an exciting Cultural Capital!

And the winners are . . .

WINNERS LIST – 2014 Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards

Circa Award Donated by TACT Most Promising Male Newcomer 2014
Tom Eason - Equivocation

Emerging Artist Trust / Whitireia Most Promising Female Newcomer 2014
Neenah Dekkers-Reihana - 4 Billion Likes!

The George Webby Most Promising New Director sponsored Toi Whakaari: New Zealand Drama School / Victoria University of Wellington
Samuel Phillips - A Midsummer Night's Dream

The Peter Harcourt Outstanding New Playwright sponsored by BATS Theatre / Taki Rua Productions
Chris Molloy - Putorino Hill

Grouse Lighting Award for Lighting Designer
Rowan McShane - A Play about Fear

Weta Workshop Set Designer
Meg Rollandi - Watch

Paul Jenden Award for Costume Designer sponsored by Chapman Tripp
Donna Jefferis – Equivocation

Park Road Post Sound Designer
Tane Upjohn-Beatson - Watch

Constance Scott Kirkcaldie Composer of Music
David Ward - Kiss the Fish

Absolutely Positively Most Original Production of the Year
Dinner with Izzy & Simon - Isobel MacKinnon and Simon Haren

Playmarket/ Capital E-National Theatre for Children Outstanding New New Zealand Play
Kiss the Fish - Jacob Rajan and Justin Lewis

Sileni Estate Award for Supporting Actor of the Year
Calum Gittins - Riding In Cars with (Mostly Straight) Boys

Chapman Tripp Award for Supporting Actress of the Year
Julia Croft - Kiss the Fish

The Richard Campion Accolade for Outstanding Performance sponsored byt Chapman Tripp and massivepics.com
Hannah Banks - Watch

The Dorothy McKegg Actress of the Year sponsored by Chapman Tripp
Erin Banks - Constellations

The Grant Tilly Actor of the Year sponsored by The ProActors and eCaster
Gavin Rutherford - A View from the Bridge

New Zealand Festival Director of the Year
Peter Hambleton - Equivocation

Chapman Tripp Award for Production of the Year
Equivocation - Circa Theatre

Critic's Wildcard Award
Deb McGuire - For technical operation and extraordinary support beyond the call of duty.

The Mayor’s Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre
Simon Bennett

The Mayor’s Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre
Simon Elson

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