Results of the 48th Annual Robert Finley Awards

Presented in January 2024, these awards celebrate the 2023 performance season.

Finley Award Results

THE SUSAN HAYWARD AWARD - BEST DIRECTOR (PLAY)

Virginia Moore-Price, No Exit, KADS

BEST ACTOR (PLAY)

Jacob Lane, John, The Man From Earth, Old Mill Theatre

BEST ACTRESS (PLAY)

Suzannah Churchman, Inez, No Exit, KADS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (PLAY)

Tony Petani, Clarence and Lord Mayor, Richard III, GRADS

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (PLAY)

Susan Lynch, Mrs Kilbride, By the Bog of Cats, Irish Theatre Players

THE DAVID CREWES AWARD - BEST SET (PLAY)

Jake Newby, Much Ado About Nothing, Darlington Theatre Players

THE BRENDA STANLEY AWARD - BEST COSTUMES (PLAY)

Kathryn Wackett & Marjorie DeCaux, Much Ado About Nothing, Darlington Theatre Players

THE BRIAN MADDOCKS AWARD - YOUTH IN A PLAY

Skye Wiltshire, Josie Killbride, By the Bog of Cats, Irish Theatre Players

THE TERRY HACKETT AWARD - BEST ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY

Through These Lines, Darlington Theatre Players

THE CAROLE DHU AWARD- BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL

Catch Me If You Can, Koorliny Arts Centre

THE MARY WEBB AWARD - BEST DIRECTOR (MUSICAL)

Katherine Freind, Catch Me If You Can, Koorliny Arts Centre

BEST ACTOR (MUSICAL)

Joshua Firman, Frank Abagnale Jr, Catch Me If You Can, Koorliny Arts Centre

BEST ACTRESS (MUSICAL)

Verity Lux, Son, The Trail To Oregon!, Art In Motion Theatre Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (MUSICAL)

Marshall Brown, Squip, Be More Chill, Art In Motion Theatre Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS (MUSICAL)

Belinda Butler, Mad Margaret, Ruddigore, The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER

Kate Leeder, Catch Me If You Can, Koorliny Arts Centre

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

James Turner & Roger Hey, Mamma Mia!, Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company

THE KEVAN HOOK AWARD - BEST SET (MUSICAL)

Findlay MacNish, Grease, Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company

THE TERRY MACAULEY AWARD - BEST COSTUMES (MUSICAL)

Melissa Kelly, Anything Goes: Youth Edition, Bel Canto Performing Arts

THE VERONICA OVERTON-LOW AWARD - YOUTH IN A MUSICAL

Holly Creelman, Rafiki, Lion King Jr, Primadonna Productions

TOP FIVE YOUTH PRODUCTIONS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

13, Colourblind Theatre Company
Anything Goes: Youth Edition, Bel Canto Performing Arts
School of Rock, Aquinas College
Lion King Jr, Primadonna Productions
Disney Frozen Jr, Kalamunda Senior High School

THE AILSA TRAVERS AWARD - YOUTH PRODUCTION

Anything Goes: Youth Edition, Bel Canto Performing Arts

THE YVONNE LYNCH BREAKTHROUGH AWARD

Joshua Hollander (Musical Director), The Trail To Oregon!, Art In Motion Theatre Company

THE HYWELL WILLIAMS AWARD - TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Quiz, Melville Theatre Company

THE PAULINE LAWRENCE AWARD - BEST LIGHTING IN A PLAY

Virginia Moore-Price, The Man From Earth, Old Mill Theatre

THE JEFF HANSEN AWARD – BEST LIGHTING IN A MUSICAL

John Woolrych, Seven Little Australians, Stirling Players

THE ELIZABETH CREWES AWARD - FRONT OF HOUSE

Nuncrackers, Goldfields Repertory Club

THE SHIELA BUCHANEN ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Art In Motion Theatre Company

THE YVONNE HOUGH NIELSEN AWARD

This award tonight is recognising a particular company. This company was newly established in 2023. Through dramaturgy and insightfulness they have educated todays audience of a particular time in history. The cast and creative team delivered a sensitive performance and should be proud of their overall dramatic meaning of the performance, The Final Line. This award goes to The Great Indian Theatre Company.

TOP 10 PLAYS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

Private Lives, Old Mill Theatre
Much Ado About Nothing, Darlington Theatre Players
Richard III, GRADS
Banging Denmark, Harbour Theatre
No Exit, KADS
The Man From Earth, Old Mill Theatre
The Final Line, The Great Indian Theatre Company
The Normal Heart, GRADS
By the Bog of Cats, Irish Theatre Players
The Wind in the Willows, Darlington Theatre Players

THIRD-PLACED PLAY

The Man From Earth, Old Mill Theatre

SECOND-PLACED PLAY

By the Bog of Cats, Irish Theatre Players

ROBERT FINLEY AWARD FOR BEST PLAY

No Exit, KADS

TOP FIVE MUSICALS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

The Trail To Oregon!, Art In Theatre Motion Theatre Company
Catch Me If You Can, Koorliny Arts Centre
Anything Goes: Youth Edition, Bel Canto Performing Arts
Once Upon A Mattress, Art In Theatre Motion Theatre Company
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Murray Music and Drama Club

THIRD-PLACED MUSICAL

Anything Goes: Youth Edition, Bel Canto Performing Arts

SECOND-PLACED MUSICAL

Once Upon A Mattress, Art In Theatre Motion Theatre Company

ROBERT FINLEY AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL

Catch Me If You Can,  Koorliny Arts Centre

ITA Awards

HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES

Gordon ‘The Optom’ Johnston
Neroli Sweetman

LIFE MEMBERS

Bronwyn Hammond
Liam Gobbert

UNSUNG HEROES AWARD

Yvonne Starr, Garrick Theatre

Finley Adjudicators’ Certificates

Adjudicators’ Certificate for Best School Production - School of Rock, Aquinas College

For holding strong and true to his harmonies – Lucas Johnson, Seussical Junior, Aquinas College

For a most prissy and rat-like performance – Chloe Wiggers, The Wind in the Willows, Darlington Theatre Players

For the most joyful conducting – Kieran Ridgway, Be More Chill, Art In Motion Theatre Company

For a very clever butterfly effect of stationary flying from a cupboard giving a great visual for the audience – Setare Mogharebin, Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Hayman Theatre Company

For the double Dewey award, for excellent characterisation from both actors in the role of Dewey – Jack Zaninovich and Jake Zito, School of Rock, Aquinas College

For maintaining front of house professionalism and care for the audience despite the difficulties currently presented as the building awaits new management – Harbour Theatre

For the next level group dynamics, filled with fun and animal energy, the ferret and weasel crew – Suzy June Wakeling, Tashlin Church, Aaron Lucas, Sully Lawrence. William Swadling, Harrison Ricci, Harley Miletic, Myles Curran-West, Wind In The Willows, Darlington Theatre Players

For bringing passion and vigour, as well as complete and utter commitment to the instrument of the maraca – Sebastian Robinson-Cook, The Western Jukebox, Playlovers

For giving an electrical shock performance – Paul Anderson, Absurd Person Singular, Stirling Players

For providing believability to the recreation of the park scene whilst remaining completely professional and not scene stealing – Hudson the Dog, Sweet Charity, Roleystone Theatre

For the Spanish brothers, with their characters delivering a comical performance – Titouan Lesourd and Nathan Bonham, The Odd Couple, Roleystone Theatre

For reviving the spirit, energy and devotion towards the spirit of cooking in the guise of Julia Child – Owen Hinton, Nuncrackers, Goldfields Repertory Club

For her colourful panel design – Beth Grant, Man From Earth, Old Mill Theatre

For the sensitive direction of a grief filled story, whilst also performing main roles – Christopher Hill and Erin Hegarty, Rabbit Hole, Old Mill Theatre

For being convincing non-player characters – Charlie Darlington and Chloe Smith, Be More Chill, Art In Motion Theatre Company

For creative and talented sound design playing percussion – Alison Mak, The Persians, Hayman Theatre Company

For being super-efficient, well skilled and organised with the many props and costumes pieces required throughout their whole performance as The Cat In The Hat - Ollie Baumwol, Seussical Jr, Aquinas College

For his composition of music throughout the whole performance – Myles Wright, The Normal Heart, GRADS

For being an amazing young performer with solo dance routine – Mila Rose Campbell, Seven Little Australians, Stirling Players

For bringing to the theatre, a great initiative, having Auslan sign language at a performance – Melville Theatre Company