Celebrating Waterford theatre, arts and culture
IT’S Awards season. Nominations are in the air and the Waterford News & Star is delighted to be in the mix with our Green Room Awards. The nominations are published here today and Awards Night is Sunday, February 26, at the Theatre Royal. Details of booking arrangements are available below and nominees are advised to book early.
There’s a huge mix of awards and nominations over professional, amateur, culture and heritage, and musical categories, and it’s certain to generate conversations over the next few weeks. All will be revealed on Sunday, February 26, at the Theatre Royal. So… book early to be sure of being there!
Remember the entire arts community of Waterford will be there.
Thanks to our lead sponsors, Waterford City and County Council and Liberty Blue Estate Agents, for supporting the Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards.
Booking arrangements
Tickets are €20 and go on sale via the Theatre Royal Box Office tomorrow, Wednesday, February 1, for nominees; tickets go on general sale from Saturday, February 4.
And the Nominees are…
PROFESSIONAL THEATRE
Best Stage Management:
Nominations: My Fair Lady (Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal); Chess (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Dick Meany Auditorium); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stagemad, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Anything Goes (Jack Cunningham Productions, Theatre Royal); Macbeth (Little Red Kettle, Theatre Royal); Jack and the Beanstalk (Waterford Pantomime Society, Theatre Royal)
Best Sound and Lighting:
Nominations: Spring Awakening (South Eastern Theatre Co., Garter Lane); The Flags (Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); My Fair Lady (Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal); The Possession Project (SETU Drama Dept., Waterford Museum of Treasures); Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Stagemad, Garter Lane)
Best Set:
Nominations: Spring Awakening (South Eastern Theatre Co., Garter Lane); The Flags (Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); Happy Birthday Dear Alice (Four Rivers Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Heaven (Fishamble Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Stagemad, Garter Lane)
Best Opera: TBA
Best New Play:
Nominations: How to Fall Flat on your Face (Katie Honan, Garter Lane Arts Centre); Awful Auntie (David Walliams, Theatre Royal), The Attack (Pat Daly, Theatre Royal); People Wipe Me (Derbhile Dromey, Tramore Coastguard Station); Lights Out (Four Rivers Theatre Co., Garter Lane)
Best Supporting Actor in a Professional Play:
Nominations: Mark Lambert (Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Theatre Royal); Darragh Feely (The Flags, Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); Michael Quinlan (Macbeth, Theatre Royal); Adam Phelan (Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stagemad, Garter Lane); Naoise Dunbar (The Cavalcaders, Druid Theatre Co., Theatre Royal)
Best Supporting Actress in a Professional Play:
Nominations: Sarah Madigan (Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Theatre Royal); Elishka Lane (Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Theatre Royal); Jenny Fennessy (The Flags, Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); Éilish McLaughlin (The Cavalcaders, Druid Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Lauren Cardiff (Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stagemad, Garter Lane)
Best Male Performance in a Professional Play:
Nominations: Dylan Kennedy (The Flags, Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); Garrett Lombard The Cavalcaders (Druid Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Fintan Kelly (Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stagemad, Garter Lane); Andrew Bennett (Fishamble Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Jamie Beamish (Macbeth, Theatre Royal)
Best Female Performance in a Professional Play:
Nominations: Catherine Byrne (Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Theatre Royal); Katie Honan (How to Fall Flat on your Face, Garter Lane Arts Centre); Ann O’Riordan (Macbeth, Theatre Royal); Noelle Clarke (Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stagemad, Garter Lane); Janet Moran (Heaven, Fishamble Theatre Co., Theatre Royal)
Best Director in a Professional Play:
Nominations: Jim Nolan (Happy Birthday Dear Alice, Theatre Royal); Aaron Monaghan (The Cavalcaders, Druid Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Liam Butler (The Attack, Theatre Royal); James Power (Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? Stagemad, Garter Lane); Jim Culletton (Fishamble Theatre Co., Heaven, Theatre Royal)
Best Professional Play:
Nominations: Happy Birthday Dear Alice, (Bernard Farrell, Theatre Royal); The Flags (Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane); The Cavalcaders (Druid Theatre Co., Theatre Royal); Who’s afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Stagemad, Garter Lane); Heaven (Fishamble Theatre Co., Theatre Royal)

Pictured at the Theatre Royal for the launch of the Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards were, from left, Maria Clifford and Regina Mangan, Liberty Blue Estate Agents, lead sponsor, Pat McEvoy, Arts Correspondent Waterford News & Star, Dermot Quinn, Theatre Royal Technical Manager, Mairin Walsh, Waterford Treasures, representing Waterford City & County Council, lead sponsor, and Mary Frances Ryan, Editor, Waterford News & Star. The awards take place on Sunday, February 26. Photo: Joe Evans
AMATEUR DRAMA
Best Supporting Actor in an Amateur Drama:
Nominations: Barry Comerford as Roland Maule (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter); Dean Sullivan as Bottom and Pyramus (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Tom Rogers as Demetrius (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Darren Malone (Little Red Kettle, Theatre Royal, Macbeth)
Best Supporting Actress in an Amateur Drama:
Nominations: Samantha O’Regan as Annelle (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias); Aisling Giles as Shelby (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias); Eadaoin Power as Puck (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Niamh Fennessy as Helena (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Clodagh Power as Lady Macduff (Little Red Kettle, Theatre Royal, Macbeth)
Best Male Performance in an Amateur Drama:
Nominations: Paul Sheehan as Garry Essendine (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter); Leon Sheehan as Oberon (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore)
Best Female Performance in an Amateur Drama:
Nominations: Karen Steenson (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias); Catherine McVicker as Liz (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter); Aileen O’Keefe as Joanna (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter); Clare Smith as Titania (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Japanese Gardens, Tramore)
Best Director in an Amateur Drama:
Nominations: James Power, Stagemad (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Jack Cunningham (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias); Suzanne Shine (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter)
Best Amateur Drama:
Nominations: Steel Magnolias (Jack Cunningham Productions, Garter Lane); Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Present Laughter (Brewery Lane Theatre)
ART, CULTURE & HERITAGE
Best Exhibition:
Nominations: Tramore artists (Protestant Hall, Church Rd., Tramore); Tramore Art Group Exhibition (Coastguard Cultural Centre, Tramore); Anoushka Joyce Exhibition (Tramore Art Group Exhibition, Westown, Tramore); John Cullinan Art Studio; Waterford Gallery of Art: Portraits
Best Historical Talks:
Nominations: Theatre Royal: Strolling through Ulysses with Robert Grogan; Waterford Museum of Treasures: The Broderick Lectures on The Lynch Years; Momo Restaurant: An Gorta Mór – Eamon Grennan, Seán Coyne and Tegolin Knowland, Imagine Arts Festival; Cathedral Square: Behind Closed Doors, Imagine Arts Festival; Jordan’s Bar: Let’s Talk Waterford with Andrew Doherty, Imagine Arts Festival
Best Radio Series:
Nominations: On The Fringe (Geoff Harris, WLR FM); Showtime on WLR FM with Wayne Brown; End of Term (Noel Kelly playwright, Newstalk); Muintir na nDéise 2 (An Corsaiceach, WLR FM)

Pat McEvoy, Waterford News & Star Arts Correspondent
MUSIC & MUSICALS
Best Youth Show:
Nominations: Matilda (David Hennessy Stage School, Dungarvan Sports Hall); Oliver! (Jack Cunningham’s Stage School, Garter Lane); Sister Act (David Hennessy Stage School, Garter Lane); I’m just a girl… what the f**k would I know (Waterford Youth Arts, Garter Lane); Back to the Eighties (De La Salle College Musical, De La Salle School Hall); Oliver! (Stage Coach Musical Theatre, Barron Hall, Stradbally)
Best Youth Performance:
Nominations: Alex Kavanagh as Miss Honey (Matilda, David Hennessy Stage School, Dungarvan Sports Hall); Nataliya O’Neill (SETU Concert Strings, Concerto in A minor by Jean Baptiste Accolay, SETU Chapel); Alan Power as Eddie (Sister Act, David Hennessy Stage School, Garter Lane); Anabel Linnea as Baby Princess Hope (Waterford Youth Arts, “I’m only a girl… what the f**k would I know, Garter Lane); Caoilan Walsh as Fergal (DLS College, Back to the Eighties); Aidan Lawlor as Oliver (Stage Coach Stage School, Oliver!, Barron Hall Stradbally)
Best Costumes, Hair and Makeup:
Nominations: My Fair Lady (Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal); Spring Awakening (Southeastern Theatre Co., Garter Lane); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Stagemad, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Anything Goes (Jack Cunningham Productions, Theatre Royal); Jack and the Beanstalk (Waterford Pantomime Society, Theatre Royal)
Best Concert:
Nominations: Dick Hayes Tribute (Theatre Royal); SETU Strings (SETU Manor Hill Campus); Musical Magic (Jack Cunningham Productions, St. Patrick’s Gateway Centre); National Youth Orchestra of Ireland, (Symphony Club of Waterford, SETU Arena Campus); Cellist Christian-Pierre La Marcaand and accordionist Félicien Brut (Waterford-Music, The Large Room); Haydn’s Creation (Notable Works, St. John’s Church)
Best Choir:
Nominations: Intonations; Mount Sion Choir; Notable Works Choir; Lions Club Christmas Concert Choir
Best Male Comic Performance:
Nominations: Paul Sheehan as Garry Essendine (Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir, Present Laughter); Fionnán Fatz Dunphy as Monsgr. O Hara (David Hennessy Stage School, Sister Act, Garter Lane); Fionnán Fatz Dunphy as Public Enemy No. 1 (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal); Tony Corcoran as Nanny Nula (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal); Tobie Hickey (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal)
Best Female Comic Performance:
Nominations: Lisa Kearney as Ouiser (Jack Cunningham Productions, Steel Magnolias, Garter Lane); Aileen O’Keefe as Joanna (Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir, Present Laughter); Brenda Corcoran as Governor Ruthless (Waterford Panto, Theatre Royal); Brian Flynn as Miss Trunchbull (David Hennessy Stage School, Matilda, Dungarvan Sports Hall)
Best Supporting Male Performance in a Musical:
Nominations: Ray Collins as Doolittle (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady); Tobie Hickey as Col. Pickering (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady); Neil Bourke as Molokov (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre); Pádraig Di Fusco as Moritz (Southeastern Musical Society, Garter Lane); Shane Downey as Hanschen (Southeastern Musical Society, Garter Lane)
Best Supporting Female Performance in a Musical:
Nominations: Martine Rogers as Mrs. Pierce (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady); Katie O’Shea as Kitty (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Aisling Giles as Princess Elvina (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal); Tarryn Attlee as the Arbiter (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre); Anne-Marie Collins as the Mother (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal)
Best Male Performance in a Musical:
Nominations: Rory Walsh as Prof. Higgins (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady); Pádraig Di Fusco as Moritz (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Emmet Donlan as Freddie Trumper (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre); Conor Lyons as Bill Crocker (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal); Brian Tuohy as Jack (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal)
Best Female Performance in a Musical:
Nominations: Susan Boyce as Eliza (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady); Sarah Corcoran as Wendla (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Sandra Power as Florence Vassy (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Strand Theatre); Jennifer White as Reno Sweeney (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal); Susan Boyce as Jill (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal)
Best Choreographer:
Nominations: David Hennessy (Matilda, David Hennessy Stage School, Dungarvan Sports Hall); Ali Reville (My Fair Lady, Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal); Michelle Condon (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Edel Quinlan (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre); Jack Cunningham (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal); Ali Reville (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal)
Best Musical Director:
Nominations: Wayne Brown (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady Theatre Royal); Jimmie Brockie (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Fergal Carroll (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre); Wayne Brown (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal); David Hayes (David Hennessy Stage School, Sister Act, Garter Lane); Kevin O’Carroll (Notable Works, Haydn’s Creation, St. John’s Church)
Best Director in a Musical/Opera:
Nominations: Andrew Holden (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady Theatre Royal); David Hennessy (David Hennessy Stage School, Matilda, Dungarvan Sports Hall); Jack Cunningham (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal); David Hennessy (Southeastern Musical Society, Spring Awakening, Garter Lane); Tony Corcoran (Waterford Panto, Jack and the Beanstalk, Theatre Royal)
Best Musical:
Nominations: My Fair Lady (Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal); Sister Act (David Hennessy Stage School, Garter Lane); Anything Goes (Jack Cunningham Productions, Theatre Royal); Spring Awakening (Southeastern Musical Society, Garter Lane); Jack and the Beanstalk (Waterford Panto, Theatre Royal)
AWARDS FINALE
€1,000 Bursary Award: TBA
The People’s Choice Award
(to be decided by public vote)
Adjudicators’ Shortlist: Imagine Arts Festival; Waterford Youth Arts; Blackwater Valley Opera Festival; Waterford Gallery of Art; Spraoi; Symphony Club of Waterford; Mount Sion Choir; Waterford Walls; Comeragh’s Wild Festival; Music Generation Waterford
Outstanding Theatrical/Artistic Event of the Year
Nominations: My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal); The Possession Project (Waterford Medieval Museum); Lurline (National Concert Hall); SETU: National Youth Orchestra of Ireland (SETU Arena); Waterford Gallery of Art opening (Cultural Quarter, O’Connell St.); Wayne Brown Showtime & Theatre Archive WLR FM; A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore)
Lifetime Achievement Award: TBA