Annual Auckland Theatre Awards

The Annual Auckland Theatre Awards (colloquially The Hackmans, and not to be confused with the Auckland Community Theatre Awards) are annual performing arts awards presented by in Auckland New Zealand. The awards are normally presented at the Civic Theatre in Auckland. The Excellence Awards were introduced in 2014, and are judged by a panel of four to six industry judges.[1] There is also a People's Choice section of awards. The awards were founded by Kip Chapman and Rachel Forman in 2008, and handed over to Eli Matthewson and Sophie Dowson in 2014.[2][1]

Auckland Theatre Awards
Awarded forexcellence in the performing arts
CountryNew Zealand
Established2008
First awarded2008
Last awarded2019
Websitehttps://www.facebook.com/aktheatreawards

Awards for 2020

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There were no awards presented for 2020.

Awards for 2019

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The awards for 2019 were presented at the Civic on 16 January 2020.[3]

Award Winner Notes
Excellence award for overall production Working On My Night Moves Production team Te Aihe Butler, Julia Croft, Sarah Foster-Sproull, Calvin Hudson, Nisha Madhan, Kate Prior, Ruby Reihana-Wilson, Meg Rollandi, Jason Wright and Lydia Zanetti.

The judges described Working on My Night Moves as Croft and Madhan's "most uncomfortably intoxicating work to date". The show was developed at the Battersea Arts Centre in London.

Excellence award for overall production Only Bones v1.0 By Kallo Collective, featuring Thom Monckton and Gemma Tweedie.
Excellence award for overall production Pinay New Zealand's first Filipino play, written by Marianne Infante, of Proudly Asian Theatre, and directed by James Roque, the judges commented it was "moving and heartfelt".
Excellence award for overall production Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes, a play about consent, was designed for educational settings. Production team Eleanor Bishop, Rachel Marlow, Karin McCracken, Ruby Reihana-Wilson, Helen Sheehan and Lydia Zanetti.
Excellence award for overall production Sing It To My Face Barbarian Productions assembled different generations of community choirs to sing to each other about generational issues.
Excellence in direction Sophie Roberts For The Wolves
Excellence in performance Arlo Green For Homos
Excellence in leadership Ahi Karunaharan In 2019 Karunaharan directed two mainstage shows for Silo Theatre and Auckland Theatre Company, telling South Asian stories and featuring only South Asian performers.
Excellence in Design Rachel Marlow, Nic Smillie and Rachael Walker For Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead
Outstanding newcomer award Brady Peeti

Ankita Singh

Peeti starred in Māori/Australian Aboriginal comedy, Black Ties.

Singh runs her own production company, Oriental Maidens

Awards for 2018

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The awards for 2018 were presented through a Facebook livestream rather than the usual live event at the Civic.[4]

Award Winner Notes
Excellence for Overall Production The Contours of Heaven A one-woman show by Ana Scotney
Excellence for Overall Production Burn Her Written by Sam Brooks, produced by Smoke Labours Productions
Excellence for Overall Production Hir Silo Theatre's Hir
Excellence for Overall Production Tea Writer and directed by Ahi Karunaharan
Community Spirit Award Nisha Madhan For her mentoring work throughout the community
Excellence Award: Performance Leon Wadham For his Comedy Festival piece Giddy
Excellence Award: Performance Goretti Chadwick For Auckland Theatre Company's Still Life with Chickens.
Excellence Award: Performance The ensemble cast of

The Wizard of Otahuhu

Made up of 50 actors aged between from 9 to 30
Excellence in Sound Design Claire Duncan For Medusa
Excellence in Impact by a Company Everybody Cool Lives Here
Excellence in Lighting Design Rachel Marlow For her body of work in 2018
Outstanding Newcomer Awards Marianne Infante

Micheal McCabe

Petmal Lam


Emerging company The Maumahara Girlie team Producer Vanessa Crofskey & director/creator Mya Morrison-Middleton, with Whetu Silver, Freddy Carr, Amanda Tito and Onehou Strickland.


Awards for 2017

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The 9th Annual Auckland Theatre Awards were presented in the Wintergarden at The Civic on 4th December 2017.[2] The ceremony was hosted by Johanna Cosgrove and directed by Sam Snedden. Jacinda Ardern presented the Hackman Cup. Jennifer Ward-Lealand presented the Excellence Awards.

Award Winner Notes
Lifetime Achievement Award Jeremy Collins Developing Philips Selecon, one of the world’s foremost producers of luminaires for theatre, as well as providing mentorship and advocacy to others in the industry.
Excellence Award: Overall Body of Work John Verryt Set design
Excellence Award: Overall Body of Work FAFSWAG
Excellence Award: Overall Production OTHER [chinese] Directed by Alice Canton, produced by Julie Zhu
Excellence Award: Overall Production Mirror, Mirror Directed by Troy Tuua, produced by Mangere Arts Centre
Excellence Award: Overall Production Nell Gwynn Directed by Colin McColl, produced by Auckland Theatre Company
Excellence Award: Performance Nicole Whippy For The Mountaintop
Excellence Award: Performance Rutene Spooner For Super HUGH-Man
Excellence Award: Innovation of Form Peter & the Wolf Created by Sophie Roberts and Leon Radojkovic, produced by Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Excellence in Adaptation E Kore A Muri E Hokia (Mo & Jess Kill Susie) by Te Rēhia Theatre
Excellence Award: Community Spirit Auckland Fringe festival
Hackman Cup for Most Original Production of the Year OTHER [chinese]

Awards for 2016

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The awards for theatre during 2016 were presented on the 5th December 2016. The Excellence awards, which were presented by Jennifer Ward-Lealand, were judged by former Metro editor Simon Wilson, producer Angela Green, The Pantograph Punch founding editor, Rosabel Tan, and actor and director Jason Te Kare.[5]

Award Winner Notes
Lifetime Achievement Award Carla Van Zon
Excellence Award: Overall Production Te Pō Produced by Theatre Stampede, Nightsong Productions, Auckland Arts Festival and the New Zealand Festival. Presented at Q Theatre.
Excellence Award: Overall Production Potato Stamp Megalomaniac Produced by Pressure Point Collective and presented at The Basement Theatre
Excellence Award: Overall Production That Bloody Woman Produced by Auckland Theatre Company in association with The Court Theatre and The Christchurch Arts Festival. Presented at Sky City Theatre.
Excellence Award: Overall Production The White Guitar Produced by The Conch in association with the Christchurch Arts Festival. Presented at Q Theatre by Tour-Makers
Excellence Award: Overall Production Don Juan Produced by A Slightly Isolated Dog and presented as part of the Matchbox Season at Q Theatre.
Excellence Award: Direction Anapela Polataivao For her direction of the F.C.C production of Wild Dogs Under My Skirt, presented at Mangere Arts Centre.
Excellence Award: Performance Morgana O'Reilly For her performance as Vanda Jordan in the Auckland Theatre Company production of Venus in Fur, presented in the Herald Theatre
Excellence Award: Performance Jennifer Ludlam For her performance as Arthur in the Silo Theatre production of Boys Will Be Boys, presented at Q Theatre
Excellence Award: Design Andrew Foster For his set designs for Te Pō, To Kill a Mockingbird, Defending the J.J. Mac, Thomus & Vernon God Little, presented at Q Theatre, The Civic Theatre and The Basement Theatre
Excellence Award: Entrepreneurial Achievement Lester McGrath For his leadership as general manager of Auckland Theatre Company in the creation of the ASB Waterfront Theatre.
Best Newcomer Awards Nicky Vella – Producer

Natasha Hoyland – Stage Manager & Producer

Tim Earl – Actor

Awards for 2015

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The awards for 2015 were awarded on 7 December of that year.[6] The judges for the Excellence awards were Metro editor Simon Wilson, producer Angela Green, playwright Sam Brooks, actor and director Jason Te Kare, costume designer Elizabeth Whiting and vocal coach Linda Cartwright.[1][7]

Award Winner Notes
Lifetime Achievement Award George Henare CNZM, OBE
Excellence Award: Overall Production The Book of Everything by Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Overall Production Little Shop of Horrors by Live Live Cinema
Excellence Award: Overall Production All Your Wants and Needs Fulfilled Forever by PlayGround Collective
Excellence Award: Overall Production Hudson & Halls Live! by Silo Theatre
Excellence Award: Set Design and Lighting Design Tony Rabbit For A Doll's House
Excellence Award: Sound Design and Composition Thomas Press For his work throughout 2015
Best Newcomers Christine Urquhart – Set & Costume designer

Jordan Keyzer – Stage Manager & Producer

Gaby Solomona - Actor

Awards for 2014

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The awards for 2014 were announced on the 1 December of that year. The organisers introduced an Excellence Award section, judged by a panel of six.[8] Jacinda Ardern, who was a Labour MP and shadow minister for the arts, presented some of the awards. A nationwide initiative to honour service and dedication to theatre was also premiered. The Service Honour medals were awarded for achieving 25, 50 or 100 professional productions. Recipients were Silo Theatre director Sophie Roberts, playwright Roger Hall and actor Jennifer Ward-Lealand.[8]

Award Winner Notes
Lifetime Achievement Award Linda Cartwright Actor and vocal coach
Excellence Award for achieving excellence across all aspects of this ambitious production Shane Bosher and team Angels In America, Silo Theatre
Achieving excellence with its original concept and execution 360: A Theatre of Recollections Theatre Stampede and Nightsong Productions
Achieving excellence in a wide range of performances Stephen Lovatt
Achieving excellence in lighting design Jane Hakaraia Various projects
Achieving excellence in all aspects of producing their debut production Daffodils: Bullet Heart Club
Achieving excellence in fostering new and emerging artists in Auckland City The Basement Theatre
Achieving excellence in physical performance Trygve Wakenshaw Various productions
Newcomer award Lavinia Uhila - Producer and Actor

Jess Sayer - Actor and Playwright

Amanaki Prescott - Dancer, Actor and Playwright

References

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  1. ^ a b c "The Auckland Theatre Awards 2015". Pantograph Punch. 9 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Another Huge Year for the Auckland Theatre Awards". www.scoop.co.nz. 7 December 2017. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  3. ^ "Auckland Theatre Award winners named". NZ Herald. 17 January 2020. Archived from the original on 3 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  4. ^ "Auckland theatre award winners named in new livestream format". NZ Herald. 14 December 2018. Archived from the original on 24 February 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  5. ^ "AUCKLAND THEATRE AWARDS 2016 The Winners". www.theatreview.org.nz. 6 December 2016. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  6. ^ "Auckland Theatre Awards 2015". The Big Idea. 10 December 2015. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  7. ^ "Auckland Theatre Awards winners". www.metromag.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Auckland Theatre Awards Winners 2014 | Auckland Actors". www.aucklandactors.co.nz. Archived from the original on 5 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
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