Annual Auckland Theatre Awards Explained

Auckland Theatre Awards
Country:New Zealand
Established:2008
Awarded For:excellence in the performing arts
Firstawarded:2008
Lastawarded:2019
Website:https://www.facebook.com/aktheatreawards

The Annual Auckland Theatre Awards (colloquially The Hackmans, and not to be confused with the Auckland Community Theatre Awards) are annual performing arts awards presented by in Auckland New Zealand. The awards are normally presented at the Civic Theatre in Auckland. The Excellence Awards were introduced in 2014, and are judged by a panel of four to six industry judges.[1] There is also a People's Choice section of awards. The awards were founded by Kip Chapman and Rachel Forman in 2008, and handed over to Eli Matthewson and Sophie Dowson in 2014.[2]

Awards for 2020

There were no awards presented for 2020.

Awards for 2019

The awards for 2019 were presented at the Civic on 16 January 2020.[3]

!Award!Winner!Notes
Excellence award for overall productionWorking On My Night MovesProduction team Te Aihe Butler, Julia Croft, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Calvin Hudson, Nisha Madhan, Kate Prior, Ruby Reihana-Wilson, Meg Rollandi, Jason Wright and Lydia Zanetti.The judges described Working on My Night Moves as Croft and Madhan's "most uncomfortably intoxicating work to date". The show was developed at the Battersea Arts Centre in London.
Excellence award for overall productionOnly Bones v1.0By Kallo Collective, featuring Thom Monckton and Gemma Tweedie.
Excellence award for overall productionPinayNew Zealand's first Filipino play, written by Marianne Infante, of Proudly Asian Theatre, and directed by James Roque, the judges commented it was "moving and heartfelt".
Excellence award for overall productionYes Yes YesYes Yes Yes, a play about consent, was designed for educational settings. Production team Eleanor Bishop, Rachel Marlow, Karin McCracken, Ruby Reihana-Wilson, Helen Sheehan and Lydia Zanetti.
Excellence award for overall productionSing It To My FaceBarbarian Productions assembled different generations of community choirs to sing to each other about generational issues.
Excellence in directionSophie RobertsFor The Wolves
Excellence in performanceArlo GreenFor Homos
Excellence in leadershipAhi KarunaharanIn 2019 Karunaharan directed two mainstage shows for Silo Theatre and Auckland Theatre Company, telling South Asian stories and featuring only South Asian performers.
Excellence in DesignRachel Marlow, Nic Smillie and Rachael WalkerFor Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead
Outstanding newcomer awardBrady PeetiAnkita SinghPeeti starred in Māori/Australian Aboriginal comedy, Black Ties.Singh runs her own production company, Oriental Maidens

Awards for 2018

The awards for 2018 were presented through a Facebook livestream rather than the usual live event at the Civic.[4]

!Award!Winner!Notes
Excellence for Overall ProductionThe Contours of HeavenA one-woman show by Ana Scotney
Excellence for Overall ProductionBurn HerWritten by Sam Brooks, produced by Smoke Labours Productions
Excellence for Overall ProductionHirSilo Theatre's Hir
Excellence for Overall ProductionTeaWriter and directed by Ahi Karunaharan
Community Spirit AwardNisha MadhanFor her mentoring work throughout the community
Excellence Award: PerformanceLeon WadhamFor his Comedy Festival piece Giddy
Excellence Award: PerformanceGoretti ChadwickFor Auckland Theatre Company's Still Life with Chickens.
Excellence Award: PerformanceThe ensemble cast ofThe Wizard of OtahuhuMade up of 50 actors aged between from 9 to 30
Excellence in Sound DesignClaire DuncanFor Medusa
Excellence in Impact by a CompanyEverybody Cool Lives Here
Excellence in Lighting DesignRachel Marlow For her body of work in 2018
Outstanding Newcomer AwardsMarianne InfanteMicheal McCabe

Petmal Lam

Emerging companyThe Maumahara Girlie teamProducer Vanessa Crofskey & director/creator Mya Morrison-Middleton, with Whetu Silver, Freddy Carr, Amanda Tito and Onehou Strickland.

Awards for 2017

The 9th Annual Auckland Theatre Awards were presented in the Wintergarden at The Civic on 4th December 2017. The ceremony was hosted by Johanna Cosgrove and directed by Sam Snedden. Jacinda Ardern presented the Hackman Cup. Jennifer Ward-Lealand presented the Excellence Awards.

!Award!Winner!Notes
Lifetime Achievement AwardJeremy CollinsDeveloping Philips Selecon, one of the world’s foremost producers of luminaires for theatre, as well as providing mentorship and advocacy to others in the industry.
Excellence Award: Overall Body of WorkJohn Verryt Set design
Excellence Award: Overall Body of WorkFAFSWAG
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionOTHER [chinese] Directed by Alice Canton, produced by Julie Zhu
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionMirror, MirrorDirected by Troy Tuua, produced by Mangere Arts Centre
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionNell GwynnDirected by Colin McColl, produced by Auckland Theatre Company
Excellence Award: PerformanceNicole WhippyFor The Mountaintop
Excellence Award: PerformanceRutene SpoonerFor Super HUGH-Man
Excellence Award: Innovation of FormPeter & the WolfCreated by Sophie Roberts and Leon Radojkovic, produced by Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Excellence in AdaptationE Kore A Muri E Hokia (Mo & Jess Kill Susie) by Te Rēhia Theatre
Excellence Award: Community SpiritAuckland Fringe festival
Hackman Cup for Most Original Production of the Year OTHER [chinese]

Awards for 2016

The awards for theatre during 2016 were presented on the 5th December 2016. The Excellence awards, which were presented by Jennifer Ward-Lealand, were judged by former Metro editor Simon Wilson, producer Angela Green, The Pantograph Punch founding editor, Rosabel Tan, and actor and director Jason Te Kare.[5]

!Award!Winner!Notes
Lifetime Achievement AwardCarla Van Zon
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionTe PōProduced by Theatre Stampede, Nightsong Productions, Auckland Arts Festival and the New Zealand Festival. Presented at Q Theatre.
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionPotato Stamp MegalomaniacProduced by Pressure Point Collective and presented at The Basement Theatre
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionThat Bloody WomanProduced by Auckland Theatre Company in association with The Court Theatre and The Christchurch Arts Festival. Presented at Sky City Theatre.
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionThe White GuitarProduced by The Conch in association with the Christchurch Arts Festival. Presented at Q Theatre by Tour-Makers
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionDon JuanProduced by A Slightly Isolated Dog and presented as part of the Matchbox Season at Q Theatre.
Excellence Award: DirectionAnapela PolataivaoFor her direction of the F.C.C production of Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, presented at Mangere Arts Centre.
Excellence Award: PerformanceFor her performance as Vanda Jordan in the Auckland Theatre Company production of Venus in Fur, presented in the Herald Theatre
Excellence Award: PerformanceJennifer LudlamFor her performance as Arthur in the Silo Theatre production of Boys Will Be Boys, presented at Q Theatre
Excellence Award: DesignAndrew FosterFor his set designs for Te Pō, To Kill a Mockingbird, Defending the J.J. Mac, Thomus & Vernon God Little, presented at Q Theatre, The Civic Theatre and The Basement Theatre
Excellence Award: Entrepreneurial Achievement Lester McGrathFor his leadership as general manager of Auckland Theatre Company in the creation of the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
Best Newcomer AwardsNicky Vella – ProducerNatasha Hoyland – Stage Manager & Producer

Tim Earl – Actor

Awards for 2015

The awards for 2015 were awarded on 7 December of that year.[6] The judges for the Excellence awards were Metro editor Simon Wilson, producer Angela Green, playwright Sam Brooks, actor and director Jason Te Kare, costume designer Elizabeth Whiting and vocal coach Linda Cartwright.[7]

!Award!Winner!Notes
Lifetime Achievement AwardGeorge Henare CNZM, OBE
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionThe Book of Everythingby Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionLittle Shop of Horrorsby Live Live Cinema
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionAll Your Wants and Needs Fulfilled Forever by PlayGround Collective
Excellence Award: Overall ProductionHudson & Halls Live!by Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Set Design and Lighting DesignTony Rabbit For A Doll's House
Excellence Award: Sound Design and CompositionThomas PressFor his work throughout 2015
Best NewcomersChristine Urquhart – Set & Costume designerJordan Keyzer – Stage Manager & Producer

Gaby Solomona - Actor

Awards for 2014

The awards for 2014 were announced on the 1 December of that year. The organisers introduced an Excellence Award section, judged by a panel of six.[8] Jacinda Ardern, who was a Labour MP and shadow minister for the arts, presented some of the awards. A nationwide initiative to honour service and dedication to theatre was also premiered. The Service Honour medals were awarded for achieving 25, 50 or 100 professional productions. Recipients were Silo Theatre director Sophie Roberts, playwright Roger Hall and actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand.

!Award!Winner!Notes
Lifetime Achievement AwardLinda CartwrightActor and vocal coach
Excellence Award for achieving excellence across all aspects of this ambitious productionShane Bosher and teamAngels In America, Silo Theatre
Achieving excellence with its original concept and execution360: A Theatre of RecollectionsTheatre Stampede and Nightsong Productions
Achieving excellence in a wide range of performancesStephen Lovatt
Achieving excellence in lighting designJane HakaraiaVarious projects
Achieving excellence in all aspects of producing their debut productionDaffodils: Bullet Heart Club
Achieving excellence in fostering new and emerging artists in Auckland CityThe Basement Theatre
Achieving excellence in physical performanceTrygve WakenshawVarious productions
Newcomer awardLavinia Uhila - Producer and ActorJess Sayer - Actor and Playwright

Amanaki Prescott - Dancer, Actor and Playwright

External links

Auckland Theatre Awards Facebook page

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 9 December 2015. The Auckland Theatre Awards 2015. live. 2021-06-05. Pantograph Punch. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605041107/https://pantograph-punch.com/posts/auckland-theatre-awards-2015.
  2. Web site: December 7, 2017. Another Huge Year for the Auckland Theatre Awards . 2021-06-05. www.scoop.co.nz. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605011322/https://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/CU1712/S00122/another-huge-year-for-the-auckland-theatre-awards.htm. live.
  3. Web site: 17 January 2020. Auckland Theatre Award winners named. live. 2021-06-05. NZ Herald. en-NZ. 3 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210603225605/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/auckland-theatre-award-winners-named/36ER45EZSONLORITOHYTN3LS6M/.
  4. Web site: 14 December 2018. Auckland theatre award winners named in new livestream format. live. 2021-06-05. NZ Herald. en-NZ. 24 February 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210224210553/https://www.nzherald.co.nz/entertainment/auckland-theatre-award-winners-named-in-new-livestream-format/7W3DTUBTUVVNIRBPEU7T7XOTDA/.
  5. Web site: 6 December 2016. AUCKLAND THEATRE AWARDS 2016 The Winners. live. 2021-06-05. www.theatreview.org.nz. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605025913/https://www.theatreview.org.nz/news/printnews.php?id=1543.
  6. Web site: 2015-12-10. Auckland Theatre Awards 2015. 2021-06-05. The Big Idea. en. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605032515/https://www.thebigidea.nz/stories/media-releases/204874-auckland-theatre-awards-2015. live.
  7. Web site: Auckland Theatre Awards winners. 2021-06-05. www.metromag.co.nz. en. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605032506/https://www.metromag.co.nz/arts/arts-theatre/auckland-theatre-awards-winners. live.
  8. Web site: Auckland Theatre Awards Winners 2014 Auckland Actors. 2021-06-05. www.aucklandactors.co.nz. 5 June 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210605034255/https://www.aucklandactors.co.nz/news/theatre/auckland-theatre-awards-winners-2014. live.