Results of the 49th Annual Robert Finley Awards
Presented in January 2025, these awards celebrate the 2024 performance season.
Finley Award Results
TOP FIVE ONE ACT PRODUCTIONS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
The Bear, Irish Theatre Players
Cut, Darlington Theatre Players
The Mysterious Amateur Tramp, Garrick Theatre
A Marriage Proposal, Roleystone Theatre
The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
THE MIKE BINNS AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A ONE ACT
Andre Victor- The Simple Gift – Roleystone theatre
THE ROB DE VAACK AWARD FOR MOST INNOVATIVE ONE ACT
Fremantle is the Centre of the Universe - Performing Arts Association of Notre Dame Australia
THE PETER KEMENY ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD | ONE ACT
Georgia Stidwell and Brianna Thompson, Red House Monster, Darlington Theatre Players
THE JENNY MCNAE ADJUDICATORS AWARD | ONE ACT
Melanie De Cull for The Mysterious Amateur Tramp, Garrick Theatre
THE BERYL SILVESTER AWARD FOR BEST NEW WRITING IN A ONE ACT
Andre Victor, The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
THE PETER MANN AWARD FOR BEST COSTUMES IN A ONE ACT
Catherine Edis, The Bear, Irish Theatre Players
BEST ACTOR IN A ONE ACT
Harry McGuire, Billy, The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A ONE ACT
Grace Edwards, Elena, The Bear, Irish Theatre Players
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A ONE ACT
Caitlyn Boyle, Caitlin, The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A ONE ACT
Benjamin Small, Old Bill, The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
THE DOROTHY BARBER AWARD FOR BEST ONE ACT
The Simple Gift – Roleystone Theatre
TOP FIVE ONE ACT PRODUCTIONS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
The Bear, Irish Theatre Players
Cut, Darlington Theatre Players
The Mysterious Amateur Tramp, Garrick Theatre
A Marriage Proposal, Roleystone Theatre
The Simple Gift, Roleystone Theatre
THE SUSAN HAYWARD AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY
Christopher Alvaro – Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY
Matthew Jones, Dr Van Helsing and Mina, Dracula, A comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Analissa Cicchini, Claudia Roe, Enron, Hayman Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Patrick Downes, Mike, The Lisbon Traviata, Garrick Theatre
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Sarah House, Grandma, Lost in Yonkers, Roxy Lane Theatre
THE DAVID CREWES AWARD FOR BEST SET IN A PLAY
Oliver Craze and Chad Whetton, Clue: On Stage, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
THE BRENDA STANLEY AWARD FOR BEST COSTUMES IN A PLAY
Cherie Alvaro , Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
THE BRIAN MADDOCKS AWARD FOR YOUTH IN A PLAY
Daniel Keenan, Artie, Lost in Yonkers, Roxy Lane Theatre
THE TERRY HACKETT AWARD FOR BEST ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
THE CAROLE DHU AWARD FOR BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
Come From Away, Koorliny Arts Centre
THE MARY WEBB AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Katherine Freind and Allen Blachford , Come from Away, Koorliny Arts Centre
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Felix Malcolm, Young Frankenstein, Darlington Theatre Players
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Helen Carey, Janis, Hands on a Hardbody, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Aaron Lucas, Monster, Young Frankenstein, Darlington Theatre Players
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sarah McCabe, Frau Blucher, Young Frankenstein, Darlington Theatre Players
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
Matilda Jenkins, Mary Poppins Jr, Bel Canto Performing Arts
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Kate McIntosh, Come From Away, Koorliny Arts Centre
THE KEVAN HOOK AWARD FOR BEST SET IN A MUSICAL
Aaron Lucas, Young Frankenstein, Darlington Theatre Players
THE TERRY MACAULEY AWARD FOR BEST COSTUMES IN A MUSICAL
Jodie James and Linda Leighton, We Will Rock You, Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
THE VERONICA OVERTON-LOW AWARD FOR YOUTH IN A MUSICAL
Matt Ballantine, Bert, Mary Poppins Jr, Bel Canto Performing Arts
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 YOUTH PRODUCTION
Mary Poppins Jr, Bel Canto Performing Arts
THE YVONNE LYNCH BREAKTHROUGH AWARD
Ben Clarke, First time on stage acting, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stirling Players
THE HYWELL WILLIAMS AWARD FOR TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT IN A PLAY
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT IN A MUSICAL
Props in Mary Poppins Jr, Bel Canto Performing Arts
THE PAULINE LAWRENCE AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LIGHTING DESIGN IN A PLAY
Oliver Craze, The Devil of the Second Stairs, Presbyterian Ladies’ College
THE JEFF HANSEN AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN LIGHTING DESIGN IN A MUSICAL
Kat Brieden, Disney’s The Little Mermaid Jr, Western Theatrics
THE ELIZABETH CREWES AWARD FOR FRONT OF HOUSE FOR A MUSICAL
Snapshot Youth Theatre Company - Peter Moyes Anglican Community School, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
THE GWYNE MARSHALL AWARD FOR FRONT OF HOUSE FOR A PLAY
‘Allo ‘Allo , Esperance Theatre Guild
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 Breanne Lucas for Evil Dead The Musical
TOP 10 PLAYS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Deep Blue Sea, Melville Theatre Company
Steel Magnolias, Garrick Theatre
Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi, Margaret River Theatre Group
Jane Austen’s Emma, ARENA Theatre Productions
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
Lost In Yonkers, Roxy Lane Theatre
The Lisbon Traviata, Garrick Theatre
Exit Laughing, Old Mill Theatre
The Regina Monologues, Goldfields Repertory Club
Sweet Road, Melville Theatre Company
THIRD-PLACED PLAY
The Lisbon Traviata, Garrick Theatre
SECOND-PLACED PLAY
Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi, Margaret River Theatre Group
ROBERT FINLEY AWARD FOR BEST PLAY
Dracula: A Comedy of Terrors, Koorliny Arts Centre
TOP TEN MUSICALS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)
Evil Dead The Musical, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
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 & Sullivan Society of WA
Mary Poppins Jr., Bel Canto Performing Arts
Hands on a Hardbody, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Corpus Christi College
THIRD-PLACED MUSICAL
Evil Dead The Musical, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
SECOND-PLACED MUSICAL
Young Frankenstein, Darlington Theatre Players
ROBERT FINLEY AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL
Come From Away, Koorliny Arts Centre
ITA Awards
HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES
Yvette Drager Wetherilt
Linda Leighton
LIFE MEMBERS
Shelly Miller
Rachel Vonk
UNSUNG HEROES AWARD
Andy Peckover, The Murray Music and Drama Club
Finley Adjudicators’ 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 Mark’s 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 from The 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 Group
For a whole cast debut showing maturity and sense of character – A Night on the Tiles, Performing Arts Association of Notre Dame Australia
Creation of atmosphere entering the auditorium – Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest, Newman College.
Creation of eerily real animal heads for the set – Stanley Halls 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
For creation of a multi layered setting in a very small space – Pygmalion, Garrick Theatre
For elegant, engaging aging of characters – The Regina Monologues, Goldfields Repertory Club
For outstanding clarity, diction, pace and projection in everything – Grace Edwards
For great comic duo performance – Sully Lawrence and Ethan Lucas in Once upon a Pantomime, Darlington Theatre Players
For clever use of videography and eBay humour – The Gladiators, Primadonna Productions
For the youngest member of the cast portraying a great statesman – Ronan Young at Teddy Roosevelt in Newsies Jr., Darlington Theatre Players
For taking a puppet and bringing to life a loveable pig, for her puppetry skills – Amelia Jones, 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
For scene-stealing performances – Nicholas Willey and Audrey Fernando, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Corpus Christi College
For great comic timing as Buddy – Kevin McCreton, We Will Rock You, Albany Light Opera and Theatre Company
For a beautiful, flawless performance – the musicians in The Gondoliers, Gilbert & Sullivan Society of WA
For an engaging performance as a delivery man – Logan Bin 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 Hardbody, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
For a clever and engaging pre-show 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 - Micheal Carroll and Lukas Perez, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, Art In Motion Theatre Company
For excellent creation of masks – Kylana McIntosh, Evil Dead The Musical, Wanneroo Repertory Inc.
For beautiful staging and stunning opening scene – The Sound of Music, Melville Theatre Company
For comic timing in a one act – Kerry Goode, Not a Boring Life, Playlovers
For ensemble acting – The Mysterious Amateur Tramp, Garrick Theatre