The 49th Annual Robert Finley Award Results
Held on Saturday 11th January 2025 at Marist Auditorium at Newman College. For the performance year of December 2023 to November 2024.
Featuring performances from The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre, Annie Jr — Murray Music and Drama Club, Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players, Come From Away — Koorliny Arts Centre, The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre.
Where nominees are listed, the winners are marked in bold.
Special Awards
ITA Committee
Life Member
Rachel Vonk
Hall of Fame
Yvette Drager Wetherilt
Linda Leighton
Unsung Hero
Andy Peckover
Adjudicators
The Shiela Buchanan Achievement Award
Rp van der Westhuizen
The Yvonne Hough Neilsen Award
This award tonight recognises the creative debut of three people for one show, Director, Musical Director and Choreographer, making their creative debuts in one show. Kieran Ridgway, Jasper Cruden and Brianne Lucas for Evil Dead, The Musical
The Yvonne Lynch Breakthrough Award
Ben Clarke for First time on stage acting in The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
Nick Navarra for First time musical directing in Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Elisha Caulfied for First time on stage in Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi — Margaret River Theatre Company
The Creatives from Evil Dead The Musical Kieran Ridgway, Jasper Cruden and Breanne Lucas, Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Abby Kotara for First time lead in a play in The Girl on the Train — The Murray Music and Drama Club
Youth Productions
Top Five Youth productions (In No Particular Order)
Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr — Western Theatrics
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Corpus Christi College
Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Clue on Stage — Presbyterian Ladies' College
The Devil of the Second Stairs — Presbyterian Ladies' College
The Ailsa Travers Award for Best Youth Production
Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
One Acts
Top Five One Act Productions (In No Particular Order)
The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Cut — Darlington Theatre Players
The Mysterious Tramp — Garrick Theatre Club
A Marriage Proposal — Roleystone Theatre
The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
The Mike Binns Award for Best Director of a One Act
Andre Victor for The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Michael McCall for The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Harrison Ricci for Cut — Darlington Theatre Players
The Rob De Vaack Award for Most Innovative One Act
Fremantle is the Centre of the Universe — Performing Arts Association of Notre Dame (PAANDA)
The Peter Kemeny Encouragement Award in a One Act
Georgia Stidwell and Brianna Thompson for Red House Monster — Darlington Theatre Players
The Jenny McNae Adjudicators Award in a One Act
Melanie De Cull for The Mysterious Amateur Tramp — Garrick Theatre Club
The Beryl Silvester Award for Best New Writing in a One Act
Andre Victor for The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Yvette Wall for Not a Boring Life — Playlovers
Siobhan Wright for The Local — Stirling Players
The Peter Mann Award for Best Costumes in a One Act
Catherine Edis for The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Marjorie DeCaux and Lynda Stubbs for The Mysterious Amateur Tramp — Garrick Theatre Club
Kathryn Wackett for The Red House Monster — Darlington Theatre Players
Best Actor in a One Act
Harry McGuire as Billy in The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Carl Flynn as Paddy in The Local — Stirling Players
Shivas Lindsay as Smirnov in The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Best Actress in a One Act
Grace Edwards as Elena in The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Amanda Watson as Catherine in Ashes to Dust — Irish Theatre Players
Sharon Menzies as Natasha in The Choking — Melville Theatre Company
Best Supporting Actor in a One Act
Benjamin Small as Old Bill in The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Michael Balmer as Dhavit in Ashes to Dust — Irish Theatre Players
Robert McDonough as Luca in The Bear — Irish Theatre Players
Best Supporting Actress in a One Act
Caitlyn Boyle as Caitlin in The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Kerry Goode as Mrs Partridge in Not a Boring Life — Playlovers
Eliza Webb as Kate in Fremantle is the Centre of the Universe — Performing Arts Association of Notre Dame (PAANDA)
The Dorothy Barber Award for Best One Act Production
The Simple Gift — Roleystone Theatre
Musicals
Top Ten Musicals (In No Particular Order)
Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
The Producers — Primadonna Productions
Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
We Will Rock You — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
The Gondoliers — Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA
Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Hands on a Hard Body — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Corpus Christi College
The Mary Webb Award for Best Director of a Musical
Katherine Freind and Allen Blachford for Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Stephen Carr and Nicola Beard for Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. — Western Theatrics
Kieran Ridgway for Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Terence Smith for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Blake Jenkins for Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Best Musical Director
Kate McIntosh for Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Jasper Cruden for Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory
Tara Oorjitham for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Neville Talbot for Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
Zac Skelton for The Guy Who Didn't Like Musicals — Art in Motion Theatre Company
Best Choreographer
Matilda Jenkins for Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Chloe Palliser for How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying — Roleystone Theatre
Jordan D'Arcy for The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
Sophie David for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Andrea Le Page and Carmen Fasolo for We Will Rock You — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
Best Actor in a Musical
Felix Malcolm as Frederick Frankenstein in Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Chris McCaffertey as J.D Drew in Hands on a Hardbody — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Tadgh Lawrence as Kevin in Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Rea Selepe as Bob in Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Ben Clarke as Man in Chair in The Drowsy Chaperone— Stirling Players
Best Actress in a Musical
Helen Carey as Janis in Hands on a Hard Body — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Helen Kerr as Elizabeth in Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Mahali as Hannah in Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Escher Roe as Cheryl in Evil Dead the Musical— Wanneroo Repertory Club
Lucy Eyre as Beulah in Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Aaron Lucas as Monster in Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Nic Gaynor as Franz in The Producers — Primadonna Productions
Christian Dichiera as Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
Rp van der Westhuizen as Igor in Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Zac Porter as Duke of Plaza-toro in The Gondoliers — The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Sarah McCabe as Frau Blucher in Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Belinda Butler as Doña Alhambra in The Gondoliers — The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA
Susie Chapman as Mrs Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
Mary Carter as Roz in 9 to 5 — Art in Motion Theatre Company
Eilish Marie Blackmore as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music — Melville Theatre Company
The Carole Dhu Award for Best Ensemble in a Musical
Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
We Will Rock You — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
The Veronica Overton-Low Award for Youth in a Musical
Matt Ballantine as Bert in Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Josh Diaz as Grandpa Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Corpus Christi College
Jocelyn Dale as Paulette in Legally Blonde The Musical Jr. — Western Theatrics
Ari Rangé as Gilbert Chilvers in Betty Blue Eyes — Perth College
Lily Wakeling as Mary Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
The Terry McAuley Award for Best Costumes in a Musical
Jodie James and Linda Leighton for We Will Rock You — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
Gail Reading and Veronica Hudson for The Gondoliers — The Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA
Kathryn Wackett and Eloise Carter for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Lyn Hutcheon for The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
Melissa Kelly for Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
The Kevan Hook Award for Best Set in a Musical
Aaron Lucas for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Stephen Carr and Peter 'Pear' Carr for Disney's The Little Mermaid Jr. — Western Theatrics
Stephen Carr for Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
Peter 'Pear' Carr for Disney's Newsies Jr. — Darlington Theatre Players
Luke Miller for Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Technical Achievement in a Musical
Props in Mary Poppins Jr — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Projections in Disenchanted — Art in Motion Theatre Company
The fish and underwater creatures make-up in Disney's Finding Nemo Kids — Western Theatrics
Wayne Herring for Clever set design choices in The Drowsy Chaperone — Stirling Players
The Car in Hands on a Hardbody — Wanneroo Repertory Club
The Jeff Hansen Award for Excellence in Lighting Design in a Musical
Kat Brieden for Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr — Western Theatrics
Shelly Miller for Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Devlin Turbin for Young Frankenstein — Darlington Theatre Players
Peter Giles and Alison Mack for Hands on a Hardbody — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Keely Johnston for The Addams Family: A New Musical — Roleystone Theatre
The Elizabeth Crewes Award for Front of House in a Musical
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory — Snapshot Youth and Peter Moyes Anglican Community College
Santa Claus The Panto — Irish Theatre Players
Evil Dead the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Mary Poppins Jr. — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Mamma Mia! — Rockingham Theatre Company
The Yvonne Lynch Breakthrough Award for Musicals
Ella McCaughey – Alice by Heart – Wanneroo Repertory Club
Third-placed Musical
American Idiot — Art in Motion Theatre Company
Second-placed Musical
Chicago: Teen Edition — Bel Canto Performing Arts
Robert Finley Award for Best Musical
Come from Away — Koorliny Arts Centre
PLAYS
Top Ten Plays (In No Particular Order)
The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea — Melville Theatre Company
Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi — Margaret River Theatre Company
Emma — Arena Productions
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Lost In Yonkers — Roxy Lane Theatre
The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Exit Laughing — Old Mill Theatre
The Regina Monologues — Goldfields Repertory Club
Sweet Road — Melville Theatre Company
The Susan Hayward Award for Best Director of a Play
Christopher Alvaro for Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Vanessa Jensen for Sweet Road — Melville Theatre Company
Barry Park for The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Thomas Dimmick for Othello — GRADS Theatre Company
Lynne Devenish for Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
Best Actor in a Play
Matthew Jones as Dr Van Helsing and Mina in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Martyn Churcher as Mendy in The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Jamie Jewell as Dr Westfeldt and Renfield in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Matthew Walford as Dracula in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Adam Poole as Stephen in The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Best Actress in a Play
Analissa Cicchini as Claudia Roe in Enron — Hayman Theatre
Kylie Calwell as Ouiser in Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
Anna Head as Hester in The Deep Blue Sea — Melville Theatre Company
Madelaine Page as Jo in Sweet Road — Melville Theatre Company
Tatum Stafford as Lucy and Kitty in Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Best Supporting Actor in a Play
Patrick Downes as Mike in The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Tadgh Lawrence as Iago in Othello — GRADS Theatre Company
Jason Dohle as Oliver de Boys in As You Like It — GRADS Theatre Company
Neale Paterson as Sir William Collyer in The Deep Blue Sea — Melville Theatre Company
Toby Shepherd as Jacob in Lost in Yonkers — Roxy Lane Theatre
Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Sarah House as Grandma in Lost in Yonkers — Roxy Lane Theatre
Kerry Goode as Mrs Cropley in The Vicar of Dibley — Harbour Theatre
Krysia Wiechecki as Cassio in Othello — GRADS Theatre Company
Ashlee McKenna as Jane Austen in Jane Austen's Emma — ARENA Theatre Productions
Mary Del Casale as Poppy Bleak Expectations — Wanneroo Repertory Club
The Terry Hackett Award for Best Ensemble in a Play
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Exit Laughing — Old Mill Theatre
Joan Must Die — Hayman Theatre Company
The Regina Monologues — Goldfields Repertory Club
Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
The Brian Maddocks Award for Youth in a Play
Daniel Keenan as Artie in Lost in Yonkers — Roxy Lane Theatre
Luke Chappell as Bottom A Midsummer Night's Dream — Holy Cross College
Claire Trainor as Wadsworth Clue: On Stage — Presbyterian Ladies' College
Annie Dahn as Poe in Poe, Dreams of Madness — Garrick Theatre Club
Kristen King as Ariel in The Tempest — Newman College
The Brenda Stanley Award for Best Costumes in a Play
Cherie Alvaro for Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Kylie Clifford for Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi — Margaret River Theatre Company
Taneal Thompson, Megan Mak and Yen Arcilla for Jane Austen's Emma — ARENA Theatre Productions
Sarah Boyle for Guards! Guards! — Roleystone Theatre
Sreekanth Gopalakrishnaan for Crimson Gully — The Great Indian Theatre Company
The David Crewes Award for Best Set in a Play
Oliver Craze and Chad Whetton for Clue on Stage — Presbyterian Ladies' College
Tuesday Task Force for Bleak Expectations — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Brad Towton and Daniel Ramsell for Guards! Guards! — Roleystone Theatre
Barry Park for The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Ali McNamara for Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
The Hywell Williams Award for Technical Achievement in a Play
Inventive puppet work, use of stage and quick changes throughout in Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
The creation and playing of projections in The Girl on the Train — The Murray Music and Drama Club
Exceptional sound operating in The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Interactive and immersive rear screen projection in Blackadder the Third — Rockingham Theatre Company
Detailed, working dragon and a 6-foot moving and speaking 'Death' character in Guards! Guards! — Roleystone Theatre
The Pauline Lawrence Award for Excellence in Lighting Design in a Play
Oliver Craze for The Devil of the Second Stairs — Presbyterian Ladies' College
Nathan Berry for The Girl on the Train — The Murray Music and Drama Club
Danielle Lucas for Blackadder the Third — Rockingham Theatre Company
Cat Broom for Joan Must Die — Hayman Theatre Company
John Woolrych for Exit Laughing — Old Mill Theatre
The Gwyne Marshall Award for Front of House for a Play
‘Allo ‘Allo — Esperance Theatre Guild
The Shifting Heart — Stirling Players
Guards! Guards! — Roleystone Theatre
Third-placed Play
The Lisbon Traviata — Garrick Theatre Club
Second-placed Play
Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi — Margaret River Theatre Company
The Robert Finley Award for Best Play
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors — Koorliny Arts Centre
Adjudicator Certificates
For a highly energetic and engaging fight scene that showed ability and created suspense, Othello — GRADS Theatre Company
For the ability of the young cast to maintain focus despite adversity from a very noisy audience, Queens — St Marks Anglican Community College.
For some very clever, inventive and interactive scenes with the characters inside the screen and on stage, Blackadder the Third — Rockingham Theatre Company
For a fun and consistent performance inside an orangutan suit! Trent Herbertson from Guards!Guards! — Roleystone theatre
For beautiful, moving and symbolic choreography in Crimson Gully, Sindu Nair — Great Indian Theatre Company
For beautiful choral work in a young cast that was moving and engaging, the cast of the Devil of the Second Stairs — Presbyterian Ladies' College
For elegance, symbolism and gorgeous choreographed movements, Kristen King as Ariel in Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest — Newman College.
For set dressing and creation of atmosphere, Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi — Margaret River Theatre Company
For a whole cast debut showing maturity and sense of character, A night on the tiles — Performing Arts Association of Notre Dame (PAANDA)
Creation of atmosphere entering the auditorium, Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest — Newman College.
Creation of eerily real animal heads for the set, Stanley Hall and Cait Edwards for the House Amongst the Willows — Esperance Theatre Guild
For a spectacular special effect perfectly executed, God of Carnage — Melville Theatre Company
For a clever and thoughtful use of a revolve in a play, Sweet Road — Melville Theatre Company
For a sincere representation of iconic characters, Steel Magnolias — Garrick Theatre Club
Creation of a multi layered setting in a very small space, Pygmalion — Garrick Theatre Club
Elegant, engaging aging of characters in The Regina Monologues — Goldfields Repertory.
Outstanding clarity, diction, pace and projection in everything, Grace Edwards
Great comic duo performance in Once upon a Pantomime, Sully Lawrence and Ethan Lucas.
Clever use of videography and eBay humour, The Gladiators — Primadonna Productions
The youngest member of the cast portraying a great statesman Teddy Roosevelt, Ronan Young in Newsies Jr.
For taking a puppet and bringing to life a loveable pig, for her puppetry skills, Amelia Jones in Betty Blue Eyes — Perth College
For driving a Torana into the side of the auditorium and using it for a scene, Class of 77 — Spectrum Theatre
Scene stealing performances, Nicholas Willey and Audrey Fernando, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang — Corpus Christi College
For great comic timing as Buddy, Kevin McCreeton in We Will Rock You — Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
For a beautiful, flawless performance, the musicians in The Gondoliers — Gilbert and Sullivan Society of WA
For an engaging performance as a delivery man, Logan Lin Baker in Legally Blonde Jr — Western Theatrics
To encourage the growth and career in direction, Peregrine Carr, Finding Nemo Kids — Western Theatrics
For the authentic passing of time as represented through lighting design, Peter Giles and Allison Mack, Hands on a Hard Body — Wanneroo Repertory Club
For a clever and engaging preshow to create the set, Disney’s Frozen Jr— St George’s Anglican Grammar School
For the clever prop use in turning human beings into aliens through blue lights in their mouths, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals — Art In Motion Theatre Company
Excellent creation of masks, Kylana McIntosh for Evil Dead, the Musical — Wanneroo Repertory Club
Beautiful staging and stunning opening scene, The Sound of Music — Melville Theatre Company
For comic timing in a one act, Kerry Goode in Not a Boring Life — Playlovers
For ensemble acting, The Mysterious Amateur Tramp — Garrick Theatre Club