Over 300 members of the Sydney theatre community turned out for the 2009 Sydney Theatre Awards ceremony at Club Swans in Kings Cross on Monday. Cate Blanchett stole the show, winning the award for Best Actress for her performance in A Streetcar Named Desire. The STC production also picked up awards for Best Supporting Actor (Tim Richards) and Best Score or Sound Design (Paul Charlier). But, as expected, the big winner of the night was the STC/Sydney Festival production The War of the Roses. It collected five awards (out of nine nominations) for Best Mainstage Production, Best Direction (Benedict Andrews), Best Actor (Ewan Leslie), Best Set Design (Robert Cousins) and Best Lighting Design (Nick Schlieper).
The 2009 Sydney Theatre Award for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Wendy Blacklock, in recognition for her work as an actress and as general manager of Performing Lines.
The winners:
BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION
The War of the Roses (Sydney Theatre Company and Sydney Festival)
BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION
The Only Child (The Hayloft Project in association with B Sharp)
BEST DIRECTION
Benedict Andrews (The War of the Roses)
BEST ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Cate Blanchett (A Streetcar Named Desire)
BEST ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Ewen Leslie (The War of the Roses)
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Anita Hegh (The City)
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Tim Richards (A Streetcar Named Desire)
BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK
When the Rain Stops Falling (Andrew Bovell)
BEST NEWCOMER
Josh McConville (The Call + Strange Attractor)
BEST SET DESIGN
Robert Cousins (The War of the Roses)
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Julie Lynch (Travesties)
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Nick Schlieper (The War of the Roses)
BEST SCORE OR SOUND DESIGN
Paul Charlier (A Streetcar Named Desire)
BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Chicago
JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Sharon Millerchip (Chicago)
JUDITH JOHNSON AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Damien Bermingham (Chicago)
BEST CABARET PRODUCTION
Meow to the World: Crisis is Born (Sydney Opera House)
BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN
The Gruffalo (Christine Dunstan Productions)
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Wendy Blacklock
a sisyphean task 