2010 Irish Times Theatre Award winners announced
The 13th annual Irish Times Theatre Awards were announced on Sunday at a ceremony held in Dublin’s Vicar Street.
Our Director, Fiach Mac Conghail, was on hand to present the special tribute award to his predecessor, celebrated actor, playwright and director, Tomás MacAnna. Tomás is no stranger to award success, having won a Tony for his direction on our production of The Borstal Boy in 1971. He has also worked at the Abbey as a set and costume designer and as a scenic artist, and has written several plays including Winter Wedding, Scéal Scéalaí and the docu-drama Glittering Spears. We were thrilled to see his great contribution to our own programme and to the arts in Ireland honoured again last night.
Amongst others successful on the night was Denis Conway, who picked up the award for Best Actor for his role as The Irish Man in Druid Theatre’s production of The Gigli Concert by Tom Murphy. Denis is currently playing the part of the Canon in Thomas Kilroy’s play Christ Deliver Us! which will run on the Abbey stage until 13th March.
Sinéad Wallace, who designed the lighting for Christ Deliver Us!, picked up the award for Best Lighting for Landmark’s production of David Harrower’s Knives in Hens. This is Sinéad’s second time to win the award.
The award for Best Production went to No Worst There is None, directed by Dylan Tighe for the Stomach Box in association with Poetry Ireland. Scenography for the play was by Philip Mac Mahon, our Writer in Association for 2009/2010.
We were especially delighted for Ben Delaney and Conor Linehan, winners in the new Best Sound category for their work on our recent production of Tom Murphy’s The Last Days of a Reluctant Tyrant.
And we would like to extend our congratulations and our thanks to Tania Banotti of Theatre Forum, whose tireless work and leadership in the National Campaign for the Arts won her The Judges’ Special Award on the evening.
Highlights from the event will be screened on TG4’s Imeall on Wednesday at 11pm, and you can read the full list of winners in the Irish Times online now.