GLUGS Annual Theatre Awards 2015

Beloved Sydney theatre group THE GLUGS – now in their 48^th year – proudly present nominations for the 2015 GLUGS THEATRE AWARDS. The awards ceremony will be held on Monday 2 February 2015 at their home base, The Castlereagh Inn.

In 1966 a group of theatre-lovers – critics, journalists, actors and theatre-goers – met occasionally for lunch. Among them famous theatre critic Norman Kessell, JCW’s PR man John Love, and ABC producer Allan Kendall. The group invited international and local theatre guests who spoke about the profession over lunch and a glass of wine.

By 1969 it was decided the group should have a name. British actor Barry Morse was in Sydney following his Broadway stint and Australian tour of Hadrian the Seventh. He was presented a gift from the group – C.J.Dennis’s tongue-in-cheek poems The Glugs of Gosh. Barry urged the group to continue luncheons as a regular event to help other overseas performers feel at home just like he did, and with a wave of his hand he ceremoniously declared ‘‘I hereby christen you – The Glugs’’.

THE GLUGS continues with luncheons on the first Monday of every month at The Castlereagh Inn, and applauds the best of every year’s Sydney theatre with their annual awards. New members are always welcome.

NOMINATIONS FOR 2015 GLUG AWARDS (based on 2014 theatre)

NORMAN KESSELL MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING ACTOR

FEMALE

Lucy Bell – Emerald City – Griffin

Toni Scanlon – All My Sons – Darlinghurst Theatre

Fiona Press – Neighbourhood Watch – Ensemble

Kate Mulvany – Tartuffe – Bell Shakespeare

Deborah Kennedy – Other Desert Cities – Ensemble

MALE

Sean Taylor – Blue/Orange – Ensemble

Ian Meadows – Blue/Orange – Ensemble

Dorian Nkono – Blue/Orange – Ensemble

Glenn Hazeldine – The Jack Manning Trilogy – Ensemble

Steve Rodgers – Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography – Griffin

JEFFRY JOYNTON-SMITH MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR

FEMALE

Kate Fitzpatrick – Cruise Control – Ensemble

Michelle Doake – Cruise Control – Ensemble

Kate Fitzpatrick – On the Shores of the Wide, Wide World – Griffin

Diana Maclean – Other Desert Cities – Ensemble

MALE

Andrew Henry – All My Sons – Darlinghurst Theatre

Matt Edgerton – Richard III – Ensemble

Ron Haddrick – Noises Off – STC

Sean O’Shea – Tartuffe – Bell Shakespeare

COLLEEN CLIFFORD MEMORIAL AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN MUSIC THEATRE

FEMALE

Verity Hunt-Ballard – Sweet Charity – Luckiest Productions/ Neil Gooding Productions

Katrina Retallick – Ruthless – The Theatre Division

Lisa McCune – The King and I – Opera Australia

MALE

Ian Stenlake – Truth, Beauty and a Picture of You – Neil Gooding Productions

Martin Crewes – Sweet Charity – Luckiest Productions/ Neil Gooding Productions

COLLEEN CLIFFORD MEMORIAL AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMER IN MUSIC THEATRE

FEMALE

Geraldine Turner – Ruthless – The Theatre Division

Debra Krizak – Sweet Charity – Luckiest Productions/ Neil Gooding Productions

Debra Krizak – Sondheim on Sondheim – Squabbalogic

Meredith O’Reilly – Ruthless – The Theatre Division

Heather Mitchell – Strictly Ballroom – Global Creatures

MALE

Drew Forsythe – Strictly Ballroom – Global Creatures

Tom Sharah – The Drowsy Chaperone – Squabbalogic

Toby Francis – Truth, Beauty and a Picture of You – Neil Gooding Productions

Reg Livermore – Wicked – GFO

Ross Chisari – The Drowsy Chaperone – Squabbalogic

MOST OUTSTANDING NEWCOMER

Hunter Page-Lochard – Brother’s Wreck – Belvoir

Toby Francis – Love and Death and an American Guitar – Highway Run Productions

Kelsi Boyden – Beauty and the Beast – Neil Gooding Productions

Jake Lyall – God of Hell – MopHead Productions

TAFFY DAVIES MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MOST OUSTANDING INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION – sponsored by Beverley Davies

Sondheim on Sondheim – music/lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, dir. Jay James-Moody – Squabbalogic

On the Shores of the Wide, Wide World – by Simon Stephens – dir. Anthony Skuse – Pantsguys/Griffin Independent

The Drowsy Chaperone – music by Lisa Lambert & Greg Morrison, lyrics by Bob Martin & Don McKellar, dir. Jay James-Moody – Squabbalogic

All My Sons – by Arthur Miller – dir. Iain Sinclair – Darlinghurst Theatre

Ruthless – book/lyrics by Joel Paley, music by Marvin Laird – dir. Lisa Freshwater – The Theatre Division

November Spawned a Monster – by Alex Broun – dir. Robert Chuter – Fly-on-the-Wall Theatre/SITCO

JOHN WEST MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING NEW AUSTRALIAN PERFORMED WORK

Jump for Jordan – by Donna Abela – dir. Iain Sinclair – Griffin

Eight Gigabytes of Hardcore Pornography – by Declan Greene – dir. Lee Lewis – Griffin/PTC

Black Diggers – by Tom Wright – dir. Wesley Enoch – Brisbane/Sydney Festivals

Once in Royal David’s City – by Michael Gow – dir. Eamon Flack – Belvoir

Pete the Sheep – adapted from the book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley by Eva Di Cesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge – music/lyrics by Phil Scott – dir. Jonathan Biggins – Monkey Baa Theatre Co.

AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING CHILDREN’S THEATRE PRODUCTION -sponsored by Rose Peterson

Pete the Sheep – adapted from the book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley by Eva Di Cesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge – music/lyrics by Phil Scott – dir. Jonathan Biggins – Monkey Baa Theatre Co.

Snow White – adapted by Helen Martin, dir. Rebecca Jones and Laura Gava – Marian Street Theatre for Young People

The Witches – by Roald Dahl, adalpted from the stage play by David Wood – dir. Lucas Jervies – Griffin

ROBERT DAVIS MEMORIAL AWARD FOR MOST OUTSTANDING MAINSTREAM PRODUCTION

Blue/Orange – by Joe Penhall – dir. Anna Crawford – Ensemble

Henry V – by Shakespeare – dir. Damien Ryan – Bell Shakespeare

Strictly Ballroom – book & lyrics by Baz Luhrman & Craig Pearce, music by Elliot Wheeler – dir. Baz Luhrman – Global Creatures

Pete the Sheep – adapted from the book by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley by Eva Di Cesare, Tim McGarry and Sandra Eldridge – music/lyrics by Phil Scott – dir. Jonathan Biggins – Monkey Baa Theatre Co.

The King and I – by Rogers and Hammerstein – dir. Christopher Renshaw – musical dir. Peter Casey – Opera Australia

AWARDS GENOROUSLY SPONSORED BY THE SEABORN BROUGHTON & WALFORD FOUNDATION

For more information about the Glugs or to join us on 2 Feb, contact secretary

Beverley Davies O.A.M., 9568 3412, beverleydd@gmail.com

For media enquiries about The 2014 Glug Theatrical Awards contact publicist

Maryann Wright, 0414 621 917, info@maryannwright.com.au

Christmas luncheon

To wrap up a wonderful year of theatre-making, join us for LE GRANDE CHRISTMAS LUNCH with stellar entertainment by Toby Francis, Andrew Worboys, Ian Stenlake, Maryann Wright, Catherine Alcorn, Jeremy Brennan, Debora Krizak and Meredith O’Rielly.

Masonic Club/Castlereagh Inn, 169 Castlereagh St. Sydney.

Cost: 2- course lunch with soft drinks or wine – $55.00.

A Few seats left, but hurry!

READING: 84, Charing Cross Road

84, Charing Cross Road – Adapted for the stage by James Roose-Evans from the true life story told by the eccentric and joyous New York bibliophile, Helene Hanff.  Her correspondence and the development of strong and loving relationships across the Atlantic, so humourously and wonderfully realised is sure to amuse and delight.

August Newsletter

Read the August edition of our monthly newsletter here:

Glugs August 2014 newsletter

September Luncheon

The next GLUGS luncheon is on Monday 1 September at the Castlereagh Inn (169 Castlereagh Street, Sydney). Special guests to be announced shortly. Call Beverley on 9568 3412 to RSVP.

 

Four Places – Tap Gallery

Bad Boy a New Hope for Outhouse Theatre

‘Bad Boy Bubby’ actor and AFI winner, Nicholas Hope, is making his full- length directorial debut with Four Places, a critically lauded script by US playwright Joel Drake Johnson and presented by Outhouse Theatre Co.

Formed in NYC by two Australian actors, Outhouse Theatre Co successfully produced the US premieres of three Australian plays. Eight years after its formation, Four Places will be the company’s inaugural Australian production.

Recently wrapping on Channel 9’s Gallipoli, Nicholas Hope takes the reigns on this LA Times “Critics’ Choice” script, partnering with actors Amanda Stephens Lee (On The Shore of The Wide World) and Jeremy Waters (2013 Sydney Theatre Awards Best Supporting Actor nominee for Jerusalem) in bringing Outhouse Theatre Co home to Australia. A published author, acting teacher and scholar (he holds a PhD in performance studies from the University of Sydney), Nicholas Hope now adds Director to his list of credits.

Hope says of the project, “The journey of the piece involves a layered series of reveals that take us gradually into a deeper area of understanding. The human need to hang on to a familiar world, no matter what, is explored in painstaking detail. It is quite exquisite! I first worked with Outhouse Theatre Co in Los Angeles. I’ve been inspired by the energy, commitment and insight they bring to their work.”

Four Places will be performed at The Tap Gallery from July 29 to August 10.

David Williamson’s RUPERT

Daniel Sparrow Productions presents

 

Never let the truth get in the way of a good story

 

Exclusive Sydney Premiere Season – Three Weeks Only

From Tuesday 25 November 2014, Theatre Royal
 

“Truly captivating…wonderfully vulgar caricatures” – The Age

“It barrels along at terrific pace” – Time Out

“Energetic, ruthless…the crowd was in hysterics” – Crikey

 

On Thursday 29 August 2013 the Melbourne Theatre Company presented the World Premiere of Rupert, David Williamson’s take on the greatest media mogul of all time, which enjoyed a sell-out season and critical acclaim.  The production then had its USA premiere at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, where it received standing ovations.

Rupert is now heading to Sydney for an exclusive premiere season at Sydney’s Theatre Royal opening on Saturday 29 November 2014 for a strictly limited three week season.  This Sydney season precedes a transfer to London’s West End in 2015.

With 2 actors playing the roles of Older and Younger Rupert and featuring a 6 strong ensemble cast in a myriad of over 60 roles, Rupert is a timely, theatrically inventive, often hilarious, cabaret infused recounting of the life and times of this influential yet elusive man who has shaped our world.  Charting his stellar rise to the top, Rupert tap dances (sometimes literally) his way through his first newspaper acquisitions, discoes toward his American breakthrough, shares a fiery flamenco with Margaret Thatcher, and charms some of the most colourful characters of the 20th century, including Tony Blair, Ronald Reagan and Wendi Deng.  But what happens when the man behind the news suddenly becomes the news?

“Murdoch is the most powerful Australian in the world” – ABC

Born in Melbourne in 1931 into one of the Australia’s most powerful and influential families, Rupert Murdoch’s passion for print saw him build an unrivalled global media empire.  Yet few would argue his rise to the top has not been without controversy or sacrifice.  Following the Leveson Inquiry into News International’s phone hacking scandal, Williamson’s play looks behind the news to the man himself – a political kingmaker, devoted father, loving son, ruthless businessman – as he forges his destiny.

“Murdoch is the most admired – and feared – media mogul of all time” – Business Review Australia

“David Williamson has no peer in depicting modern life” – The Age

David Williamson’s impressive career spans film, TV and theatre. The production of Rupert will make it a record-breaking 9^th Williamson play to be presented in Sydney in 2014.  Williamson’s major works include The Removalists, Don’s Party, Don Parties On, The Department, Dead White Males, The Club, Travelling North, The Perfectionist, Emerald City, The Year of Living Dangerously, Gallipoli, Let the Sunshine and his most recent hit Cruise Control. His many awards include twelve Australian Writers’ Guild AWGIE Awards and five Australian Film Institutes’ Awards for Best Screenplay.

“Lee Lewis sets a cracking pace and her cast don’t miss a beat” – The Australian

Lee Lewis directs Rupert, with an all-star cast soon to be released.  The cast play a host of powerful characters including Margaret Thatcher, David Frost, Gough Whitlam, Bob Hawke, Paul Keating, Tony Blair, Wendi Deng, Rebecca Brookes, Barry Diller, Roger Ailes and Rupert Murdoch.

Lee Lewis is the Artistic Director of Griffin Theatre Company. Her Griffin directing credits include The Bull the Moon and the Coronet of Stars, A Hoax, Silent Disco, The Call and The Nightwatchman. Other directing credits include The School For Wives, Twelfth Night for Bell Shakespeare; Honour, ZEBRA! and Love Lies Bleeding for Sydney Theatre Company; This Heaven, That Face for Belvoir; and Highway of Lost Hearts for Darwin Festival.

Producer, Daniel Sparrow is an Olivier Award winning West End producer who is originally from Australia but moved to the UK some 14 years ago where he has since produced 9 plays and musicals in London and in New York.  Rupert will be his first production as producer in his homeland.

West End productions include Almodovar’s All About My Mother (Best New Play 2008 Whastonstage Awards), Three Days of Rain, starring James McAvoy, the UK premiere of Holding the Man starring Guy Edmonds and Jane Turner (Kath & Kim), Michel Legrand The Umbrellas of Cherbourgâ directed by Emma Rice, in collaboration with Kneehigh Theatre, the 2013 Olivier Award winning Sweeney Todd starring  Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, Stiles and Drewe new musical Soho Cinders, the recent Palladium revival of A Chorus Line and on Broadway, Exit the King, starring Geoffrey Rush and Susan Sarandon.

Think you know this man – think again!

www.rupertonstage.com

On Sale:                             Tickets On Sale Friday 25 July

Venue:                                Theatre Royal, 108 King Street, Sydney

Season:                             Previews from Tuesday 25 November 2014

Opening Night Saturday 29 November 2014 at 7pm

Performance times:        Tues – Wed 7pm, Thurs – Sat 8pm (except 29/11 at 7pm),

Matinee performances Wed at 1pm, Sat at 2pm, Sun at 3pm

Ticket prices:                    From $50

Booking Details:              Ticketmaster.com.au or 1300 723 038

Groups 10+ 02 8240 2290

Dark Voyager

World Premiere

DARK VOYAGER  by John Misto

Director: Anna Crawford; Designer: Anna Gardiner; Lighting Designer: Matthew Marshall

With Eric Beecroft, Jeanette Cronin, Belinda Giblin, Lizzie Mitchell, & Kate Raison

 

Hollywood, 1962. Bette Davis (Jeanette Cronin) and Joan Crawford (Kate Raison) are at war – their careers are on the skids, they are aging rapidly, and they are locked in a titanic struggle for top-billing on their latest movie. When America’s most feared columnist, Hedda Hopper (Belinda Giblin), invites them to supper, they call an uneasy truce. However the evening turns chaotic when an unexpected guest arrives – a very young and very drunk  Marilyn Monroe (Lizzie Mitchell). Will old age and treachery defeat youth and courage? Or is there more to Marilyn than anyone could have guessed?  From the writer of such hits as The Shoe-Horn Sonata and Harp on the Willow comes a sparkling new comedy inspired by real events, as biting and crisp as a dry martini.

 

Director Anna Crawford (Great Falls, Seminar, Becky Shaw, My Wonderful Day, A Year With Frog and Toad) has assembled a wonderful cast for this World Premiere production. Jeanette Cronin (Bette Davis) has a regular role in the current ABC TV series Janet King, and recently appeared on television in Crownies and Rake. Her stage credits include The Boys, Bug and Quack for Griffin Theatre, The Taming Of The Shrew for Bell Shakespeare, A Dolls House for STC, The Women Of Troy for Belvoir and Reasonable Doubt for the New York International Fringe Festival. Belinda Giblin (Hedda Hopper) has had a distinguished career in film, TV and on stage over four decades. Earlier this year she appeared in John Misto’s The Shoe-Horn Sonata at Parramatta Riverside, reprising the role she played originally for Railway St. Theatre, which toured nationally in 2005 and again in 2007. Other theatre credits include Absurd Person Singular and Noises Off for Ensemble, Away for STC, Love Child, Dinner and Wicked Sisters for Griffin plus national tours of Steaming and The Vagina Monologues. Early career highlights include regular roles on the TV series Skyways, Sons and Daughters, The Sullivans and The Box. Lizzie Mitchell (Marilyn Monroe) has previously appeared at Ensemble in Neighbourhood Watch and two seasons of the children’s musical A Year With Frog and Toad. Other theatre credits include Bedroom Farce for Darlinghurst Theatre and Karaoke the Musical for Highlight Entertainment. Kate Raison (Joan Crawford) has had a long association with Ensemble Theatre appearing in more than 20 productions over the last 30 years, most recently The Gingerbread Lady, At Any Cost, Ninety, Let The Sunshine and Mary Stuart. Her television roles include the current Channel 10 series Wonderland, and she enjoyed many years playing ongoing roles in All Saints, E Street and A Country Practice. Eric Beecroft (Skip) is a WAAPA graduate and has appeared at Ensemble Theatre in The Glass Menagerie. Other theatre credits include Macbeth and Romeo and Juliet for Sport For Jove, The Will for Abercrombie St Theatre . He also appeared in the film Red.

 

“Misto’s writing gifts are so enormous as to be daunting”  Sydney Morning Herald (for Gossamer)

 

“It is truly a masterpiece by a sensitive and intuitive Australian playwright” The Daily Telegraph (for The Shoe-Horn Sonata)

 

“John Misto’s playwriting combines an acutely sensitive humanity with an imagination that’s out of the ordinary and a mischievous sense of humour.” The Sun Herald (for The Shoe-Horn Sonata)

 

SEASON DETAILS: DARK VOYAGER

VENUE:  Ensemble Theatre, 78 McDougall Street, Kirribilli, NSW, 2061

DATES:  Previews from 24 July 2014, opening night Wed 30 July, 2014, playing to Sat 30 August, 2014.

PRICES: $25 – $69 (booking charges may apply)  School groups $25 per student (one teacher free per 12 students)

BOOKINGS: 02 9929 0644 or www.ensemble.com.au

PERFORMANCE TIMES: Tues 7.30pm, Wed – Fri 8.15pm, Sat 4.30pm & 8.15pm, Sun 5pm. Some Tues and Thurs 11am.

RUNNING TIME: Approx 2 hrs 20 mins including interval

Bastille Day Brunch

  

The Sydney Opera House Ladies’ Committee raise money to enable underprivileged youngsters and children with disabilities to enjoy the magic and wonder of performance.

Their next function is a Bastille Day Brunch at the Union Club (corner of Elizabeth and Bent Streets, 25 Bent Street) on Monday 14th July, 10:30am.

The brunch is a celebration of all things French and special guest artists include cabaret singer Meredith O’Reilly (currently starring in Ruthless at the Seymour Centre) singing songs by Jacques Brel and Edith Piaf et al. She is accompanied by her husband, well-known conductor, broadcaster and columnist Guy Noble.

There are a few places left at $60 a ticket, but bookings should be made by 9th July to Sandra Bartels on 02 9449 8646 or sandrabartels@bigpond.com.

The Bold and the Musical

 

The outrageous, hilarious musical of the world’s most popular TV soap.

 

THE BOLD & THE MUSICAL

THURSDAY 14th AUGUST

 

“One of the wildest, wackiest shows to ever hit the stage! You’ll die laughing!” – David Jude Allen

 

Bitch fights and fisticuffs, love triangles, wedding crashing ex-fiancés, transient amnesiac husbands and wives who rise from the dead, it could only be a musical version of “The Bold and The Beautiful”!

 

The hilarious standout of Slide’s Third Annual Cabaret Festival of 2014 returns after selling out its world premiere performance last month.

 

Roar with laughter as an incredible cast of stage and screen performers with impeccable comedic timing bring the “surely they won’t go there” scenarios of television’s most loved soap opera to life. Featuring actual dialogue from the TV series, this genre busting mash-up is an all-singing and dancing satire of life with the famous Forrester Family.

 

The successful live show was created by Aussie songwriter Bianca Moon whose own music for the famed TV show has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy. Says Bianca, “We actually have their blessing to turn the TV show into a musical. Though, frankly I can’t believe no one thought of this earlier, the material is just so, so ripe for parody!”

 

Featuring a stellar cast of award winning Australian stage and screen actors including:

P.J. Lane as Ridge Forrester

Lesley Hancock as Stephanie Forrester

Debora  Krizak as Brooke Logan

and Barry Quin as Eric Forrester

 

Date:                 Thursday 14 August

Venue:             Slide Lounge, 41 Oxford Street, Darlinghurst 2010

Prices:              $30 Show Only.  $70 for 3 Course Dinner and Show

Doors:              Doors open 7pm for Dinner. Show time 7:30pm.

Bookings:       02 8915 1899 www.slide.com.au