The third Ovations Awards for theatre, musicals, and cabaret were held at the Hellenic Club on Friday night.
The awards covered more than 30 categories, including performers, directors, designers, lighting, and costume, with a new cabaret category at this year’s event.
Among the big winners were Everyman Theatre’s production of The Inheritance and Free-Rain Theatre’s The Boy From Oz.
In a highlight of the evening, president of the Ovations, Michael Sparks, announced the winners of two additional awards.
The Standing Ovation, which went to Stage Manager Maggie Hawkins, acknowledges a “hero” of the Canberra and Queanbeyan performing arts community who may not otherwise be recognised.
The new Encore! Award for lifetime achievement, presented in memory of Stephen Pike went to Free Rain theatre director Anne Somes.
The 2025 winners are:
THEATRE
- Outstanding set, Cate Clelland, Canberra Repertory.
- Outstanding Lighting Design, Lachlan Houen, Everyman Theatre.
- Outstanding Sound Design, Nikki Fitzgerald & Nathan Patrech, Everyman Theatre Outstanding Costume Design, Fiona Leach, Everyman Theatre.
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Play, Alex Hoskison, Everyman Theatre.
- Outstanding Youth Performance in a Play (18 and under) Joshua James, Lord of the Flies, Canberra Repertory Society Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play – Drama Cameron Thomas Chaika Theatre and Michael Sparks Free-Rain Theatre Company.
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play – Comedy Steph Roberts and Stuart Roberts as Devon Tremaine, Canberra Repertory Society.
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play – Drama Amy Kowalczuk Free-Rain and Joel Horwood Everyman Theatre.
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Play – Comedy Bruce Hardie as Gordon/Dwight and Jess Waterhouse Canberra Repertory Society.
- Outstanding Direction of a Play Jarrad West Everyman Theatre.
MUSICAL THEATRE
- Outstanding Set Kristy Griffin and Matthew Ovenell, Free-Rain Outstanding Lighting Design Zac Harvey, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Sound Design Telia Jansen, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Costume Design Fiona Leach, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (2 awards) Katie Lis Canberra Philharmonic Society and Meaghan Stewart, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Youth Supporting Performance (18y and under) Blake Wilkins Free-Rain and Daniella Angelique Caisip, Gungahlin College Theatre Company.
- Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical Lachlan Elderton, Free-Rain and Lincoln Newell Pied Piper Productions.
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical, Alexander Unikowski, Dramatic Productions and Jared Newall, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Youth Lead Performance in a Musical (18 and under) Mitchell Clement Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Orchestra Tick Tick Boom, ACT Hub.
- Outstanding Musical Director (in memory of Norma Robertson), Callum Tolhurst-Close, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Choreographer, James Tolhurst-Close and Kristy Griffin, Free-Rain.
- Outstanding Direction of a Musical BJ Anyos, Child Players ACT.
CABARET
- Outstanding Cabaret Production, Green Oak Theatre
- Outstanding Cabaret Performance, Axl Beeby, Green Oak Theatre and Katie Cole, Theatre Marcel and Troy Davis, Green Oak Theatre.
MAJOR AWARDS
- Judges’ Awards for Outstanding Achievement.
- Theatre Glenn Gore Phillips for Achievement with Original Music Composition, Canberra Repertory Society.
- Judges’ Awards for Outstanding Achievement, Musical Theatre, Pied Piper Productions, Gungahlin College Theatre Company and Belinda Dawson, Canberra Philharmonic Society.
- Behind the Scenes Award, Theatre Neville Pye, Sound design for numerous shows.
- Behind the Scenes Award, Musical Theatre, Alex Rogers, Sarea Coates, Jessica Coates, Tam Connor and Judy Gould, Dramatic Productions and also Julie Heather, Pied Piper Productions.
- Outstanding Original Work or Adaptation, Theatre (In memory of Glenn Gore Phillips) Karen Vickery, Chaika Theatre, Shell Abdoo and Berin Denham, Marcel Cole, Theatre Marcel.
- Outstanding Production of a Play – Community Dead Man’s Cell Phone, Canberra Repertory Society Outstanding Production of a Play – Independent, The Inheritance, Everyman Theatre.
- Outstanding Musical Bring It On, Canberra Philharmonic Society and The Boy from Oz, Free-Rain Standing Ovation Maggie Hawkins.
- Encore! Award For Lifetime Achievement (In Memory of Stephen Pike) Anne Somes.
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