Independent Theatre Association

This website is an initiative of the Independent Theatre Association.

Dramafest

The Independent Theatre Association holds an annual one act drama festival call Dramafest. The festival, usually held over the October long weekend holiday, is competitive with a single adjudicator watching, commenting on and judging all productions entered in the festival. Since 1997 there has been a separate Youthfest component to Dramafest.

Finley Awards

The Robert Finley Awards are annual awards presented to independent theatre in Western Australia

2006 Finley Awards - The Winners

Greetings All...
I have had several requests for the list on who won what at the recent ITA Finley Awards ceremony. Please note that I am no longer the 'official' publicist for the ITA, however on occasions the ITA do ask me to work on certain projects (including the Finleys)... I was all set to post the results up, however the efficient Kerri Hilton had posted the results in a reply to a thread.
So after several requests, here you are:

Please find following the nominees and winners of the 2006 Robert Finley Awards, along with the Top Ten Plays and Top Five Musicals.

Best Play:
Winner: The Judas Kiss  - Playlovers
2. A Midsummer Nights Dream – GRADS
3. Dinner – Playlovers

Best Musical : 
Winner: Seussical – Playlovers
2.  South Pacific – Old Mill Theatre.

Best Actor:
Winner: Scott Sheridan – Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS
Nominees:
Peter Clark – Judas Kiss – Playlovers
Chris Jukes – Round and Round the Garden – Old Mill Theatre
Scott Sheridan – Midsummer Nights Dream – GRADS

Best Actress:
Winner: Alex Desebrook – Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS
Nominees:
Alex Desebrook – Midsummer Nights Dream – GRADS
Sue Darge – Dinner – Playlovers
Julia Dalby – Midsummer Nights Dream – GRADS

Best other than lead Male:
Winner: Michael Balmer – Judas Kiss - Playlovers
Nominees:
George McCabe – Judas Kiss – Playlovers
Rodney Vermeij- Cemetery Club – Marloo
Nick Donald – Insignificance – Garrick

Best other than Lead Female:
Winner: Priscilla Busher – Teahouse of the August Moon - Roleystone
Nominees:
Shannyn Nicholas – Dinner – Playlovers
Jacqui Warner- Cemetery Club – Marloo
Rosemary Longhurst – Month of Sundays – Harbour
Priscilla Busher – Teahouse of the August Moon – Roleystone

Best Set:
Winner: Judas Kiss - Playlovers
Nominees:
Cemetery Club – Marloo
The Spiders Web – Old Mill theatre
Teahouse of the August Moon – Roleystone Theatre
A Month of Sundays – Harbour Theatre
Judas Kiss – Playlovers

Best Director:
Winners:  James Hough Neilson – Judas Kiss – Playlovers
and Stephen Lee – Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS
Nominees:
Stephen Lee – Midsummer Nights Dream – GRADS
Dean Schulze – Dinner – Playlovers
Claudette Ridout- Month of Sundays - Harbour
James Hough Neilson- Judas Kiss – Playlovers

Best Costumes:
Winner: Judas Kiss - Playlovers
Nominees:
Alice in Wonderland – Kwinana Theatre Workshop
Seussical – Playlovers
Judas Kiss – Playlovers

Best Musical Theatre Performer – Female
Winner: Sonni Byrne – South Pacific – Old Mill


Best Musical Theatre Performer – Male
Winner: Alex McLennan – Seussical – Playlovers

Elizabeth Crewes Award – Front of House: 
Stirling Players

Sheila Buchanan Award: 
Roleystone Theatre – Consistent Innovation in Set Design and Construction


Adjudicators Certificates:
- For Technical Wizardry Within a Play  - “Cash on Delivery” – Garrick Theatre
- For Technical Effort in Lighting and Sound – “The Diary of Frank Annie” – Phoenix Theatre
- For Attention to Period Detail – “The Cemetary Club” – Darlington Theatre Players
- For Innovative Staging of a Production – “Dinner” – Playlovers Inc.
- For Sensitive Direction in a Production – Claudette Ridout – “A Month of Sundays” – Harbour Theatre
- For Impressive and Innovative Visual Spectacle – Stephen Lee – “Midsummer Nights Dream” - GRADS

Top Ten Plays of 2006 (in no particular order)
“Blithe Spirit” – Garrick Theatre
“Cash on Delivery” – Garrick Theatre
“Cosi” – Graduate Dramatic Society
”Dinner” – Playlovers Inc.
“Insignificance” – Garrick Theatre
“Last of the Red Hot Lovers” – Northam Theatre Group
“Midsummer Nights Dream” – Graduate Dramatic Society
“A Month of Sunday” – Harbour Theatre
”The Cemetary Club” – Darlington Theatre Players
“The Judas Kiss” – Playlovers Inc.

Top Five Musicals of 2006 (in no particular order)
“Class of 77” – Roleystone Theatre
“Everything Must Go” – Playlovers Inc.
“Oliver” – Darlington Theatre Players
“South Pacific” – Old Mill Theatre
“Seussical” – Playlovers Inc.

2006 Finley Results

(Repost as people can't find other post) The 2006 Finley Nominees and Award winners were: Best Costumes: Nominees: Alice in Wonderland - Kwinana Theatre Workshopi Seussical - Playlovers The Judas Kiss - Playlovers Winner: The Judas Kiss - Playlovers Best Seti: Nominees: Cemetery Club - Marloo The Spiders Web - Old Mill Theatre Teahouse of the August Moon - Roleystone Month of Sundays - Harbour The Judas Kiss - Playlovers Winner: The Judas Kiss - Playlovers Best Other than Lead Female: Nominees: Shannyn Nicholas - Dinner - Playlovers Jacqui Warner - Cemetery Club- Darlington T.P. Rosemary Longhurst- Month of Sundays - Harbour Priscilla Busher - Teahouse of the August Moon - Roleystone Winner: Priscilla Busher - Teahouse of the August Moon - Roleystone Best Other Than Lead Male- Nominees; George McCabe - Judas Kiss - Playlovers Rodney Verminj - Cemetery Club - Darlinton TP Nic Donald - Insignificance - Garrick Michael Balmer - Judas Kiss - Playlovers Winner: Michael Balmer - Judas Kiss - Playlovers Best Actor: Nominees: Peter Clark - Judas Kiss - Playlovers Chris Jukes - Round and Round the Garden - Old Mill Theatre Scott Sheridan - Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS Winner: Scott Sheridan - Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS Best Actress: Nominees; Julia Dalby - Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS Sue Darge - Dinner - Playlovers Alex Desebrook - Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS Winner: Alex Desebrook - Midsumemr Nights Dream - GRADS Best Director: Nominees: Stephen Lee - Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS Dean Schulze - Dinner - Playlovers Claudette Ridout - Month of Sundays - Harbour James Hough Neilson - Judas Kiss - Playlovers Winners Stephen Lee and James Hough Neilson Best Musical Theatre Performer Male : Alex McLennan ( Seussical Playlovers) Best Musical Theatre Performer Female: Sonni Byrne ( South Pacific - Old Mill ) Best Play 3rd Place : Dinner - Playlovers 2nd Place: Midsummer Nights Dream - GRADS 1st Place : The Judas Kiss - Playlovers Best Musical 2nd Place; South Pacific - Old Mill 1st Place; Seussical - Playlovers Elizabeth Crewes Award - Front of Housei - Stirling Sheila Buchannan Award Roleystone Theatre, consistent innovation in seti design and construction.

Finley Song 2005

By request, here are the lyrics of the song performed at the opening of the Finleys this year, overwhelmingly assisted by members of the audience, and resultingly hampered by a guitar which got stage fright...




Sung to "On Broadway" (The Drifters)


I'd like to welcome you tonight to the Finleys.
We'll recognize 2005's best shows.
Which club is going to win Best Play?
Or take Best Musical away?
And who was nominated anyway? Who knows?

It's going to be a magic night, at the Finleys.
We'll celebrate Perth's theatre community.
If you directed, or trod the boards,
Designed a set, or sang some chords,
You might be up for some awards, wait and see.

The judges from the ITA deliberated,
To come up with the list of plays nominated.
We'll give out the awards, and in between
We'll entertain you with selected scenes.
..The drinks at interval have been refrigerated.

They say that it can open doors, winning a Finley.
Overnight success is yours, winning a Finley.
You used to be a nobody,
Even your mum said 'Who the hell's he?'
Now suddenly you're Stephen Lee with a Finley.

We've come to show some club support at the Finleys
There won't be any jealous thoughts tonight.
We'll smile politely, and all applaud,
And keep a tally of which clubs scored,
Then bitch about them afterward on the website.

Garrick, Stirling, Goldfields Rep, Melville and Harbour,
Phoenix, Darlington, Old Mill and Playlovers,
Irish Theatre Players, Blak Yak, KADS,
Murray Music and Drama, GRADS,
CATS Productions, Roleystone and Margaret River:

...They're the clubs that entered in this year's Finleys
...Who do you think's going to win this year's Finleys?
...It's time to let the show begin, it's the Finleys.




Cheers,
Craig

[%sig%]

Finley Song 2006

By request, and in keeping with tradition, here's the lyrics to the song for this year's Finleys. While I continued my other tradition of only writing it the night before, and consequently not really having it in my head, this was exacerbated by having the Billy Joel lyrics firmly entrenched in my head, and also by having flashbacks to another, less than appropriate version I did a few years ago to the same tune... To hear it they way I'd hoped it would sound, dig out your old L.P. version and sing along kareoke style... (Tune: Piano Man, by Billy Joel) It's 7.38 on a Saturday, the regular clubs are entered in, There's an air of some expectancy, each club wonders who's gonna win There's a song being played by the M.C., he's not really sure how it goes But he knows that this crowd likes to all sing out loud, and he'll get some help from the back rows. La la la .... This is the song of Perth Am-Dram. They give out the gongs tonight And we all hope that we'll be a nominee, but who'll get a Finley tonight? Now whether it's drama or pantomime, the Perth Theatre community Like to give it a go, they get on with the show, coz there's no place they'd rather be And I've just been out talking to Kimberley, she's the President of the ITA And she's Shaw she can guess the best musical, but can't figure out the best play La la la .... This is the song of Perth Am-Dram. They give out the gongs tonight And we all hope that we'll be a nominee, but who'll get a Finley tonight? (I'd like to thank) all of the ITA judges, who never had time for a life And if someone thinks maybe their decisions were crazy, they'll probably bitch on the website Yes we wait there for Gordon the Optometrist, he'll review us as soon as 'e gets home, Yes we'll share our opinions and our own reviews, but it's better if our real name's not known. This is the song of Perth Am-Dram. They give out the gongs tonight And we all hope that we'll be a nominee, but who'll get a Finley tonight? It's a pretty good crowd for the ITA, and we've managed to fill to the aisles So it seems the policy of not announcing nominees won't be getting revised for while And these amateurs are like professionals, with their tight performances it's clear That they've raised the bar higher, it should truly inspire some fan-tastic new plays this year La la la .... This is the song of Perth Am-Dram. They give out the gongs tonight And we all hope that we'll be a nominee, but who'll get a Finley tonight? Cheers, Craig ~<8>-/====\--------- 2004 song: http://www.theatre.asn.au/node/10743 2005 song: http://www.theatre.asn.au/forum_topic/finley_song_2005

The 2007 Finley Award Winners

Best Play My Very Own Story - Darlington Theatre Players Second Place Play The Vagina Monologues - Playlovers Third Place Play Picasso's Women - Blak Yak Theatre Best Musical Cabaret - Wanneroo Repertory Second Place Musical Eurobeat - Playlovers Third Place Musical By Jeeves - Roleystone Theatre Best Director Katy Mitton - My Very Own Story - Darlington Theatre Players Best Actor Dean Schulze - Art - Old Mill Theatre Best Actress - Joint Winners Analisa Bell - The Vagina Monologues - Playlovers Gemma Northover - Picasso's Women - Blak Yak Theatre Best Other Than Lead - Male Scott Northover - Black Books - Blak Yak Best Other Than Lead - Female Jayma Knudson - Pride and Prejudice - Melville Theatre Best Newcomer Nathan Da Cunha - Blood Brothers - Melville Theatre Best Set Goldfields Repertory - Journey's End Best Costumes Playlovers - Eurobeat Best Musical Direction Craig Dalton - Cabaret - Wanneroo Repertory Best Musical Theatre Performer Dixie Farinosi - Cabaret - Wanneroo Repertory Elizabeth Crewes Award for Front of House Murray Music and Drama Sheila Buchanan Achievement Award Melville Theatre Company - All productions in 2007 Brian Maddocks Adjudicators Youth Theatre Award WA Stage School - How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying ITA Life Memberships were awarded to Kerri Hilton Kimberley Shaw Hall of Fame Award Joey Leonard Top Ten Plays – no particular order Stirling The One Day Of The Year Playlovers Vagina Monologues Old Mill Art Melville Pride and Prejudice Mandurah Vagina Monologues KADS Bus Stop GRADS Birthday Party GRADS The Importance of Being Earnest Darlington My Very Own Story Blak Yak Picassos Women Top 6 Musicals –no particular order Darlington Jesus Christ Superstar Melville Blood Brothers Playlovers Eurobeat Roleystone By Jeeves WA Stage School How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying Wanneroo Cabaret Adjudicators Certificates 1. Tim Prosser – Impressive Committment to Set Design and Dressing for several productions in 2007 2. Goldfields Repertory – Impressive Achievement In Lighting – Journeys End 3. Blak Yak – Ambitious Set Dressing – Black Books 4. Garrick Theatre – Achievement in Makeup – House of Frankenstein 5. Playlovers – Impressive Achievement in Technical Wizardry – Eurobeat 6. Old Mill Theatre – Ensemble Work – Necessary Targets 7. Goldfields Repertory – Outstanding Attention to Detail and Continuity in Costuming - Journey's End 8. KADS – Creation of Atmosphere – Bus Stop 9. Andrew Dobosz – Achievement in Sound – My Very Own Story 10. Playlovers – Artistic Use of Lighting – The Vagina Monologues 11. Blak Yak Theatre – Innovative Staging and Presentation – Picassos Women

ITA - 25 years since incorporation in November 1984

Yes, its hard to believe, particularly those who have served for many years on the committee. It has come a long way from the early days of having a hand typed newsletter that a handful of people received by mail. There was a thread (which is no longer visible) proposing an alternative awards body be set up. I am not proposing this, but have another proposition. Perhaps it may be time for a meeting of members, in a "thinktank" session for want of a better word, to see where the organisation has been, where it is now, and perhaps to examine new directions for the future. I am not proposing an overthrow, or to raise peoples hackles, but I think that all organisations need to revisit their origins and aims, and examine if, over time, some of those aims or goals are still valid or viable. This thread is to put that thought out there, to evoke discussion that may lead to discovering a new sense of purpose, and perhaps some new directions. I would be interested what others may think of this idea...and please keep it polite and constructive, we have had far too much petty and spiteful behaviour on on this site of late. I would be interested in others constructive thoughts. Regards Robert.

ITA Forms

A range of ITA forms including membership are provided here for members, prospective members and member companies.

2009 Finley Entry Form

The 2009 Finley entry form.
Remember to get the entry forms in 3 weeks prior to your season commencing.

ITA Link Newsletter

The Independent Theatre Association publishes a monthly newsletter, the ITA Link. Copies of the newsletter are provided here as a free community service.

2008 LINK Newsletter

The ITA LINK Newsletters for 2008 are available for download

August 08 to February 09 Newsletters

you can subscribe to the LINK electronically at no cost and receive it mid-month OR join the ITA for $25 and get the Link posted to you as a hard copy of electronic copy at the beginning of the month (that's 12 issues)OR wait till the end of the month when it's posted here.
Contact itaperth@gmail.com if you'd like to subscribe, have any questions or if you have any information you think we'd be interested in publishing. We really need information and photos to help keep this publication alive and interesting.