Monday, February 27, 2023

 

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees!

 

WITH Awards season in full swing, we can now reveal the winners of the Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards 2023, which were presented at a spectacular show at Theatre Royal, Waterford on Sunday night, February 26.

Including a huge mix over professional and amateur theatre, art, culture and heritage, and musical categories, the nominations generated plenty of conversations among Waterford’s arts community over the last few weeks.

Thanks to our lead sponsors, Waterford City and County Council and Liberty Blue Estate Agents, for their proud support of the Waterford News & Star Green Room Awards.

Congratulations to all the winners and nominees.

DRUM ROLL… the Green Room Award Winners 2023 are:

 

PROFESSIONAL THEATRE

 

Best Stage Management

WINNER: Chess (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Dick Meany Auditorium)

 

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

WINNER: Spring Awakening (South Eastern Theatre Co., Garter Lane)

 

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

WINNER: Dermot Quinn (The Flags, Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane)

 

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

WINNER: Orfeo ed Euridici (Blackwater Valley Opera Festival, Lismore Castle)

 

Best New Play

WINNER: How to Fall Flat on your Face (Katie Honan, Garter Lane Arts Centre)

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

WINNER: Michael Quinlan (Macbeth, Theatre Royal)

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

WINNER: Jenny Fennessy (The Flags, Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane)

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

WINNER: Jamie Beamish (Macbeth, Theatre Royal)

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

WINNER: Katie Honan (How to Fall Flat on your Face, Garter Lane Arts Centre)

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

WINNER: Liam Butler (The Attack, Theatre Royal)

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 Culleton (Fishamble Theatre Co., Heaven, Theatre Royal)

 

Best Professional Play

WINNER: The Flags (Red n’ Blue Theatre Co., Garter Lane)

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)

 

 

AMATEUR DRAMA

 

Best Supporting Actor in an Amateur Drama

WINNER: Dean Sullivan as Bottom and Pyramus (Stagemad: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens)

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, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore); Darren Malone (Little Red Kettle, Theatre Royal, Macbeth)

 

Best Supporting Actress in an Amateur Drama

WINNER: Samantha O’Regan as Annelle (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias)

 

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

WINNER: Paul Sheehan as Garry Essendine (Brewery Lane Theatre: Present Laughter)

 

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

WINNER: Karen Steenson (Garter Lane: Steel Magnolias)

 

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, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore)

 

Best Director in an Amateur Drama

WINNER: James Power, Stagemad (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens)

 

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

WINNER: Stagemad – A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens, Tramore)

 

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

WINNER: Tramore Art Group Exhibition (Coastguard Cultural Centre, Tramore)

 

Nominations: Tramore artists (Protestant Hall, Church Rd., Tramore); Tramore Art Group Exhibition (Coastguard Cultural Centre, Tramore); Anouschka Joyce Exhibition (Coastguard Cultural Centre, Tramore); John Cullinan Art Studio; Waterford Gallery of Art: Portraits

 

Best Historical Talks

WINNER: Momo Restaurant: An Gorta Mór – Eamon Grennan, Seán Coyne and Tegolin Knowland, Imagine Arts Festival

 

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

WINNER: Showtime on WLR with Wayne Brown

 

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)

 

 

MUSIC & MUSICALS

 

Best Youth Show

WINNER: Matilda (David Hennessy Stage School, Dungarvan Sports Hall)

 

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

WINNER: Nataliya O’Neill (SETU Concert Strings, Concerto in A minor by Jean Baptiste Accolay, SETU Chapel)

 

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

WINNER: Jack and the Beanstalk (Waterford Panto Society, Theatre Royal)

 

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

WINNER: Cellist Christian-Pierre La Marca and accordionist Félicien Brut (Waterford-Music, The Large Room)

 

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

WINNER: Intonations

 

Nominations: Intonations; Mount Sion Choir; Notable Works Choir; Lions Club Christmas Concert Choir

 

Best Male Comic Performance

WINNER: Fionnán Fatz Dunphy as Monsgr. O Hara (David Hennessy Stage School, Sister Act, Garter Lane)

 

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

WINNER: Aileen O’Keefe as Joanna (Brewery Lane Theatre, Carrick-on-Suir, Present Laughter)

 

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

WINNER: Neil Bourke as Molokov (Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society, Chess, Strand Theatre)

 

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

WINNER: Martine Rogers as Mrs. Pierce (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady)

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

WINNER: Rory Walsh as Prof. Higgins (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady)

 

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

WINNER: Susan Boyce as Eliza (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady)

 

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

WINNER: Jack Cunningham (Jack Cunningham Productions, Anything Goes, Theatre Royal)

 

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

WINNER: Wayne Brown (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady Theatre Royal)

 

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

WINNER: Andrew Holden (Waterford Musical Society, My Fair Lady Theatre Royal)

 

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

WINNER: My Fair Lady (Waterford Musical Society, Theatre Royal)

 

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

 

The People’s Choice Award

WINNER: Mount Sion Choir

 

Nominations: 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

 

€1,000 Bursary Award: Hannah Carberry

 

Outstanding Theatrical/Artistic Event of the Year 

WINNER: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (presented by Stagemad Theatre Company at Lafcadio Hearn Japanese Gardens)

 

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

Presented to: Betty Bible Mulcahy