The 50th Annual Robert Finley Award Results

Held on Saturday 17th January 2026 at Joy Shepherd Performing Arts Centre at St Hilda’s Anglican School for Girls. For the performance year of December 2024 to November 2025.

Featured performances from Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company, Guys and Dolls — Koorliny Arts Centre, Xanadu — Art in Motion Theatre Company, Shrine — Darlington Theatre Players, Dare to Dream — Western Theatrics.

Where nominees are listed, the winners are marked in bold.

Special Awards

ITA Committee

Life Member

Krispin Maesalu

Hall of Fame

Stephen Carr

Adjudicators

The Shiela Buchanan Achievement Award

Western Theatrics

The Yvonne Hough Neilsen Award

For continued performance excellence throughout the year and for embodying the spirit of community theatre, Grant Malcolm

One Acts

Top Five One Act Productions (In No Particular Order)

Before I Do — Stirling Players

Flushed — Roxy Lane Theatre

Salad Day — Irish Theatre Players

The Heist — Garrick Theatre Club

What If, If Only — Melville Theatre Company

The Mike Binns Award for Best Director of a One Act

Natalie Burbage for What If, If Only — Melville Theatre Company

Lynne Devenish for The Heist — Garrick Theatre Club

Sandhya Krishnan for Flushed — Roxy Lane Theatre

The Rob De Vaack Award for Most Innovative One Act

What If, If Only — Melville Theatre Company

The Peter Kemeny Encouragement Award in a One Act

For writing and direction, Audrey Poor for Playing for Sheep Stations — Joondalup Encore Theatre Society

The Jenny McNae Adjudicators Award in a One Act

The Heist — Garrick Theatre Club

The Beryl Silvester Award for Best New Writing in a One Act

Yvette Wall for Before I Do — Stirling Players

Audrey Poor for Playing for Sheep Stations — Joondalup Encore Theatre

Sean Guy for Therapy Go Round — Garrick Theatre Club

The Peter Mann Award for Best Costumes in a One Act

Adam Giltrow for Sure Thing — Darlington Theatre Players

Chloe Wiggers & Taneal Thompson for Queens — Darlington Theatre Players

Megan Lilley for Before I Do — Stirling Players

Best Actor in a One Act

Neale Paterson as Sean in Salad Day — Irish Theatre Players

Gerard F Rosman as Max in Disharmonies — Marlequin Productions

Marc Obi as Justin in 21 Chump Street — Darlington Theatre Players

Best Actress in a One Act

Lucy Eyre as Someone in What If, If Only — Melville Theatre Company

Lis Hoffmann as Marita in Therapy Go Round — Garrick Theatre Club

Susan Lynch as Patricia in Salad Day — Irish Theatre Players

Best Supporting Actor in a One Act

James Nailen as Edgar in Playing For Sheep Stations — Joondalup Encore Theatre Society

Andreas Petalas as Lenny in The Heist — Garrick Theatre Club

Ian Lawrence as Peter in Before I Do — Stirling Players

Best Supporting Actress in a One Act

Catherine Jane as Meg in Flushed — Roxy Lane Theatre

Ann Spiecher as Sonia in Before I Do — Stirling Players

Chloe Wiggers as The Fool in Queens — Darlington Theatre Players

The Dorothy Barber Award for Best One Act Production

What If, If Only — Melville Theatre Company

Musicals

Top Ten Musicals (In No Particular Order)

Assassins — Roleystone Theatre

Xanadu — Art in Motion Theatre Company

Tuck Everlasting — Darlington Theatre Players

Chicago: Teen Edition —Bel Canto Performing Arts

Tick Tick Boom!  — Wanneroo Repertory Club

Shrek — Koorliny Arts Centre

The Mikado — Gilbert & Sullivan Society of WA

Alice by Heart — Wanneroo Repertory Club

American Idiot — Art in Motion Theatre Company

Guys and Dolls — Koorliny Arts Centre

The Mary Webb Award for Best Director of a Musical

Sophie David – Tuck Everlasting – Darlington Theatre Players

Best Musical Director

Callum Presbury, Zac Skelton, Krispin Maesalu for American Idiot – Art in Motion Theatre Company

Best Choreographer

Keely Roper for Alice By Heart - Wanneroo Repertory Club

Best Actor in a Musical

Mark Thompson, “John Wilkes Booth” in Assassins – Roleystone Theatre Company

Best Actress in a Musical

Ciara Taylor, “Fiona” in Shrek - Koorliny Arts Centre

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical

Jamie Jewell, “Nicely Nicely Johnson” in Guys and Dolls – Koorliny Arts Centre

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

Breanna Redhead, “Callipe” in Xanadu – Art in Motion Theatre Company

The Carole Dhu Award for Best Ensemble in a Musical

American Idiot – Art in Motion Theatre Company

The Veronica Overton-Low Award for Youth in a Musical

Calum Blakemore, “Amos” in Chicago (Teen Edition) - Bel Canto Performing Arts 

The Terry McAuley Award for Best Costumes in a Musical

Costume team, led by Escher Roe: (the late Ardea Murphy), Escher Roe, Natalie Wiles, Natalie Hamblin, Olga Blake-Mckenzie, Rae Saheli, Jasmine Decke, Tatiana Sheverda & Shelley McGinn – Alice by Heart, Wanneroo Repertory Club

The Kevan Hook Award for Best Set in a Musical

Aaron Lucas – Tuck Everlasting – Darlington Theatre Players

Technical Achievement in a Musical

Tuck Everlasting – Darlington Theatre Players

The Jeff Hansen Award for Excellence in Lighting Design in a Musical

Shelly Miller and Ellie Jones – Tuck Everlasting- Darlington Theatre Players

the Elizabeth Crewes Award for Front of House in a Musical

The 12 Days of Christmas – Irish Theatre Players

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

Tuck Everlasting — Darlington Theatre Players

PLAYS

Top Ten Plays (In No Particular Order)

At Sea, Staring Up — Hayman Theatre

On a First Name Basis — Kalamunda Dramatic Society

The Lady in the Van — Old Mill Theatre

Hansard — Garrick Theatre Club

Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Midnight Murder at Hamlington Hall — Garrick Theatre Club

Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Killing Katie, Confessions of a Bookclub — Stirling Players

Looped — Old Mill Theatre

The Susan Hayward Award for Best Director of a Play

Geoff Leeder for Red Silk — Melville Theatre Company

Jacqui Warner for Looped — Old Mill Theatre

Barry Park for Hansard — Garrick Theatre Club

Vanessa Jensen for Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Connie Wetherilt for She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Best Actor in a Play

Grant Malcolm as Robin in Hansard — Garrick Theatre Club

Zane Alexander as Clov in Endgame — Kalamunda Dramatic Society

Jason Dohle as Martin in Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

Thomas Dimmick as Ted in Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

Grant Malcolm as Henry IV in Henry IV — GRADS Theatre Company

Best Actress in a Play

Kylie Isaia as Tallulah in Looped — Old Mill Theatre

Suzannah Churchman as Diana in Hansard — Garrick Theatre Club

Sharon Menzies as Lucy in On a First Name Basis — Kalamunda Dramatic Society

Natalie Burbage as Pat in Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Krysia Wiechecki as Anne in Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

Best Supporting Actor in a Play

Ieuan Wheelan as Neville in The Great Emu War — Goldfields Repertory Club

Jeff Watkins as the Player in Rosencrants and Guildenstern are Dead — GRADS Theatre Company

Luca Daniel as Chuck in She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Zac Porter as Edger Linton in Wuthering Heights — Arena Theatre Productions

Brett Kranz-Little as Detritus in Men at Arms — Roleystone Theatre

Best Supporting Actress in a Play

Madelaine Page as June in Shrine — Darlington Theatre Players

Keziah George as Dympie in After Dinner — Roxy Lane Theatre

Sophie Harvey-Lissienko as Anna in Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Jenny Howard as Augustine in 8 Women — Playlovers

Lucy Eyre as Marie in Shush — Irish Theatre Players

The Terry Hackett Award for Best Ensemble in a Play

At Sea, Staring Up — Hayman Theatre

All About Women — Shantaranga

Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead — GRADS Theatre Company

Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

The Brian Maddocks Award for Youth in a Play

Bonnie Creelman as Vicky in Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo — Murray Music and Drama Club

Darien Peckover as Lockie Leonard in Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo — Murray Music and Drama Club

Emily Little as Lilly in A Composite Arrangement — Spectrum Theatre

Marshall Kranz-Little as Werewolf in Men at Arms — Roleystone Theatre

Mia Fellows as Lucy in The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe — Garrick Theatre Club

The Brenda Stanley Award for Best Costumes in a Play

Sarah Boyle for Men at Arms — Roleystone Theatre

Michelle Sharp for Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Kira Siva for The Watsons — Hayman Theatre

Celeste Lopez for Perfect Arrangement — Roxy Lane Theatre

Merri Ford for She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

The David Crewes Award for Best Set in a Play

Gary Wetherilt for She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Vanessa Jensen for Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Bradley Vogels, Kathleen del Casale, Barry Gordon, Julie Gordon & George Boyd for Picnic at Hanging Rock — Old Mill Theatre

Dam Ramsell, Will Hults & Bradley Townten for Men at Arms — Roleystone Theatre

The Hywell Williams Award for Technical Achievement in a Play

Washing Machine and Visual Effects in At Sea, Staring Up — Hayman Theatre

Monsters and Effects in She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Projects, Bombs, and Visual Effects in Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Setting and Car in Shrine — Darlington Theatre Players

Setting and Visual Effects in The Watsons — Hayman Theatre

The Pauline Lawrence Award for Excellence in Lighting Design in a Play

Shelly Miller for She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Virginia Moore-Price for The Chairs — Melville Theatre Company

Virginia Moore-Price for Endgame — Kalamunda Dramatic Society

Lars Jensesn for Chalkface ­— Melville Theatre Company

Lauren Westphal-Groves for At Sea, Staring Up — Hayman Theatre

The Gwyne Marshall Award for Front of House for a Play

Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

The Great Emu War — Goldfields Repertory Club

Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo — Murray Music and Drama Club

A Composite Arrangement — Spectrum Theatre

Breakthrough Award for Plays

Connie Wetherilt for She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

Nathan Roy for Wuthering Heights — Arena Theatre Productions

Aaron Murphy for A Composite Arrangement — Spectrum Theatre

Jay Shaw for On a First Name Basis — Kalamunda Dramatic Society

Third-placed Play

Hansard — Garrick Theatre Club

Second-placed Play

Red Silk — Koorliny Arts Centre

The Robert Finley Award for Best Play

Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

Adjudicator Certificates

Schools

For a stand-out performance in a minor role, Raf Donovan as the Cortina Man in Made in Dagenham — Presbyterian Ladies’ College

For Gokul Krishnakogulan as Patty in School of Rock — Wesley College

For supporting roles and playing live instruments, Leticia Ferreira Marques, Matt Durey and Ollie Pink as Freddy, KT and Mason in School of Rock — Wesley College

For taking on the roles of Rosalie Mullins in School of Rock and Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Lilian Cacho

For performing keys three at such a young age, Larayne Lim in The Little Mermaid — Holy Cross College

For providing such a creative and modern twist on the choreography, Aleisha Cheetham Taylor for Oliver Jr — Wanneroo Secondary College

For brilliant piano playing whilst still playing a character, Daniel Nievelstein Zen Zen Zo’s The Tempest — St Stephens School

For an incredible drum solo, Jett Newton in Freaky Friday — St Mark’s Anglican School 

To the choreographer and ensemble for a brilliant tap ensemble, Guys and Dolls — Aquinas College 

One Acts

For a wonderfully authentic brother and sister dynamic, Jayden Pope and Kate De Abreu in Disharmonies — Marlequin Productions

For delivering a theatrical renewal of exceptional quality — Joondalup Encore Theatre Society

For a very clever and inventive use of theatre space, Therapy go Round — Garrick Theatre Club

For an imaginative and creative stage exit, A Sure Thing — Darlington Theatre Players

For an outstanding partnership in a one act, Susan Lynch and Neale Paterson in Salad Day — Irish Theatre Players

Musicals

For their “Dad Jokes in a Panto”, Alex Baker and Clodagh Rush in 12 Days of Christmas — Irish Theatre Players

For their innovative staging of Guys and Dolls — Goldfields Repertory Club

For the camel costumes, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat — Primadonna Productions

For their excellent synchronicity in the audience, the seagulls in Finding Nemo Jr — The Production Academy

For their detailed Props in Assassins — Roleystone Theatre

The “Jack of all trades” Tayla Cherie in 9 to 5 — Bunbury Musical Comedy Group

For a perfectly depicted, colourful and entertaining caterpillar, Alice by Heart — Wanneroo Repertory Club

For “the connections” in Big Fish — Murray Music and Drama Club

For their interval entertainment, Hallelujah Selepe and Jioji Nawanana in Guys and Dolls — Koorliny Arts Centre

For their fantastic Bower Bird and Peacock, costumes and onstage antics in Dot and the Kangaroo — To Western Theatrics

For his humourous, consistent and believable drunk performance, Charlie Darlington in Guys and Dolls — Koorliny Arts Centre

The “show must go on award” for stepping in, Mark Thompson and Peter Carr in Sweeney Todd — Garrick Theatre Club

For resilience in difficult circumstances, Idrus Wake in Moana Jr — Primadonna Productions

For her backstage work, Berkley Blizzard in Finding Nemo Jr. — the Production Academy

For the “Cinderella Transformation” in Cinderella — The Murray Music and Drama Club

Plays

For “The Dragon” in She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

For a detailed program with such attention to detail, The Lady in the Van — Old Mill Theatre

For their creative use of space and stage, Frankenstein — Wanneroo Repertory Club

For ensemble acting within a show, Candice Preston, Verity Lux and Mary Carter in She Kills Monsters — Darlington Theatre Players

For painting a beautiful oil painting, Wayne Herring for 8 Women ­— Playlovers

For their detailed rebuilding of the set every performance, Chalkface — Melville Theatre Company

For the choice of incidental music by a young director, Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo — Murray Music and Drama Club

For puppetry creation and operation, Keaton Howe in Great Emu War — Goldfields Repertory Club