JERSEY BOYS et al. Win 2011 Sydney Theatre Awards

At a star-studded ceremony on January 17, the winners of the 2010 Sydney Theatre Awards were announced. Over 300 members of the Sydney theatre community packed the auditorium at Paddington RSL to celebrate the best of Sydney theatre throughout 2010.

Best Mainstream Production was awarded to Belvoir's production of Measure for Measure, which also won Best Direction (Benedict Andrews) and Best Stage Design (Ralph Myers with Sean Bacon). Best Independent Production was awarded to The Fence, produced by Urban Theatre Projects and Sydney Festival.

Belvoir's production of The Diary of a Madman won four awards - Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Yael Stone), Best Costume Design (Tess Schofield), Best Lighting Design (Mark Shelton) and Best Score or Sound Design (Alan John and Paul Charlier) - and Sydney Theatre Company's production of Uncle Vanya won two - Best Actor (Richard Roxburgh) and Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Hugo Weaving). Robyn Nevin was awarded Best Actress for her role in STC's Long Day's Journey Into Night.

Best New Australian Work went to Scott Rankin for Namatjira (Belvoir/Big hART), for which Derek Lynch won Best Newcomer. Best Production for Children was The Book of Everything (Belvoir/Theatre of Image).

Jersey Boys was awarded Best Production of a Musical, while the show's lead actor Bobby Fox won the Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical. The Judith Johnson Award for Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical went to Christine Anu, for her role in The Sapphires (Belvoir/BLACK SWAN State Theatre Company). Best Cabaret was awarded to Trevor Ashley for his show I'm Every Woman.

The 2010 Sydney Theatre Award for Lifetime Achievement was presented to John Bell, in recognition of his extraordinary career as an actor, director and producer.

For a complete list of winners, click here!

The Awards ceremony opened with a rousing performance of Putting It Together, with lyrics rewritten to reflect this year's award nominations. Other performances were given by Jan van de Stool (aka Queenie Van der Zandt) and musical theatre star Michael Cormick. Presenters at the ceremony included Hilary Bell, Annie Byron, Damien Cooper, Russell Dykstra, Adam Garcia, Pippa Grandison, Ros Horin, Tim Jones, Kate Mulvany and David Wenham.

The Sydney Theatre Awards are run by a group of theatre critics to celebrate the strength, quality and diversity of theatre in Sydney. The Sydney Theatre Reviewers are Elissa Blake (Sun Herald), Jason Blake (Sydney Morning Herald), Deborah Jones (The Australian), Alex Lalak (Daily Telegraph), Jo Litson (The Sunday Telegraph), John McCallum (The Australian) and Diana Simmonds (Stagenoise website).