Best of the Best of 2009
GEELONG'S Virtual Oscars recognise excellence in the region's theatre performers and performances. Judged annually in late December they are awarded by a panel of no-nonsense reviewers from the entertainmentgeelong.com website. The panel is chaired by editor Colin Mockett.
Winners of the inaugural 2009 Geelong Virtual Oscars were...
Tony Wasley took the top acting honour in our Virtual Oscar theatre awards for 2009.
Tony (right) took our Best Male Lead Actor award for his portrayals in the lead roles of Dracula (Geelong Rep) and as Peter Allen in Footlight Productions' The Boy From Oz. Accepting his virtual statuette, Tony said he was "delighted to be honoured with the inaugural award," adding that "Geelong has needed something like this for decades. So I'm first delighted that they are now taking place - and to actually receive one makes it doubly special."
The Judges' comments described Tony's 2009 performances - including as Rum Tum Tugger in Footlight's Cats - as "outstanding in every aspect in three very different roles." They were especially impressed with his title role in Dracula, "which is so well-known and hackneyed, it could easily have slipped into caricature. But Tony instilled it with credibility and menace - so different from his bright and vital Peter Allen in The Boy From Oz."
Runner-up in the category was Geoff Gaskill, for his dual role in Geelong Rep's Shakespearian compilation comedy The Popular Mechanicals directed by Peter Jukes at the Woodbin Theatre in June.
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The Geelong region's Best Stage Production award went to Footlight's The Boy From Oz, in a segment that the judges noted was hotly contested with more than a dozen productions worthy finalists. But The Boy From Oz, which was directed by Martin Croft and staged in the Ford Theatre in February was praised for its "faultless casting and professional gloss."
Judged runner-up in this category was Season's Greetings directed by Scott Beaton for Geelong Rep, staged in the Woodbin Theatre in November.
The Best Director award went to Anglesea Performing Arts Iris Walshe-Howling for her innovative productions All Souls and Self Accusation. Accepting her Virtual Oscar, Iris said that much credit was due to her All Souls co-director Janine McKenzie, adding that "It's truly a great honour to be judged the best by your peers." The Judges praised Ms Walshe-Howling for her "innovative choice of material, excellent casting, vision and attention to detail" as well as commending her for "bringing an edgy, ultra-professional gloss to the region's theatre scene."
Runner-up in this highly-contested category was Scott Beaton for Geelong Rep's Season's Greetings.
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Winner of our region's Best Female Lead Actor award was
Mary Steuten for her impressive one-woman virtuoso part, sparring and shadow-boxing in Dario Fo's The Same Old Story directed by Carole Mallett at Drysdale's Potato Shed in June. The Judges described her performance as 'breathtaking in its range and depth' while Mary said she was "both thrilled and honoured to receive the recognition." She praised director Carole as "inspirational, and so dedicated to presenting the play in its best possible way."
In what was again a crowded list on nominations, the runner-up was Lauren O'Callaghan for her part in Rep's Season's Greetings.
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Geelong's Best Supporting Male Actor went to Fred Preston for his part as the butler Sebastien in Torquay Theatre Troupe's Nude With Violin, directed by Ross Pearce and staged at Torquay in May. Fred said he was "Surprised, flattered and so pleased" to take the award. He has no stage parts in the immediate future, "I'm planning an overseas trip," he said. "But I'll certainly be looking for parts in the second half of the year."
Runner up in this section went to Neil Fletcher for his part as a poker-machine addict in The House Always Loses directed by Kelly Clifford for Geelong Rep in May.
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The title of Geelong's Best Supporting Female Actor was awarded to delightful Rebecca Bennett for her role as a beautifully tuned-out assistant to puppeteer Barry Eeles in Geelong Rep's memorable Season's Greetings. Rebecca said she was "thrilled, delighted, flattered and privileged" to receive the award, heaping praise on the play's cast and crew. "It was such fun to do," she said. "We were celebrating Christmas from about August." Runner-up in this section went to another Geelong Rep player, Tina Rettke for her part as Robin Starveling in The Popular Mechanicals.
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In an impressive debut, first-time director Scott Beaton took two awards, first the Virtual Oscar for Geelong Theatre's Most Innovative Feature for his novel touches in Season's Greetings. These ranged from foyer scene-setting to his leggy, vamp-Santa 'Greetettes' who sang sexy Christmas songs during scene changes. Runner-up in this section was another Rep director, Colin Urquhart for his decision to shift the original Dracula into the Nazi-influenced 1930s.
But then Scott also took Geelong Theatre's Most Refreshing Newcomer award, for all the above reasons, edging out Heather Dempsey who was both assistant director and late-replacement actor in Theatre Of Winged Unicorn's The Hollow.
When handed his dual Virtual Oscars, Scott described the feeling as "overwhelming.
We had such a good time with that play," he said. "And now this... I'd like to spread the awards around to all the cast and crew of Season's Greetings - everybody involved made it such a delightful experience."
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And the Nominations were..
The full list of nominations for Geelong's 2009 Virtual Oscars were:
Best Production:
The Boy From Oz (Footlight Productions)
Private Lives (Theatre of Winged Unicorn)
Dracula (Geelong Rep)
Season's Greetings (Geelong Rep)
Best Director:
Colin Urquhart (Dracula)
Iris Walshe-Howling (All Souls)
Elaine Mitchell (Private Lives)
Scott Beaton (Season's Greetings)
Best Male Lead Actor
Tony Wasley (Dracula, Boy From Oz)
Geoff Gaskill (Popular Mechanicals)
Ubaldino Mantelli (Gross Indecency)
Steven Georgiardis (Private Lives, Pop Mechanicals)
Best Female Lead Actor
Jocelyn Mackay (Private Lives)
Ashleigh Watson (Shout!)
Mary Steuten (The Same Old Story)
Lauren O'Callaghan (Season's Greetings)
Best Supporting Male Actor
Bryan Eaton (Dracula)
Fred Preston (Nude With Violin)
Philip Besancon (All Souls)
Neil Fletcher (Write Stuff, The House Always Loses)
Best Supporting Female Actor
Rebecca Bennett (Season's Greetings)
Tina Rettke (Popular Mechanicals)
Debbie Fraser (Popular Mechanicals)
Davina Smith-Crowley (The Hollow)
Most Innovative Feature
Colin Urquhart (dir. Dracula - shifting to 1930s)
Scott Beaton (dir. Season's Greetings Greetettes etc)
Travis Eccles (dir. Gross Indecency- journo chorus)
Kirstin Honey (music, All Souls)
Most Refreshing Newcomer
Scott Beaton (dir. Season's Greetings)
Kerrie Reynolds (Let Me In)
Travis Eccles (dir. Gross Indecency)
Heather Dempsey (The Hollow)
Popular award-winner
Geelong Rep's Shakespeare-based comedy The Popular Mechanicals took four trophies from the Victorian Drama League awards night mid-December 2009. 
The play was awarded Best Comedy, with Best Comedy Director to Peter Jukes, Best Supporting Actress to Tina Rettke (right) and Best Supporting Actor to Geoff Gaskill (left).
Congratulations to all - especially for promoting Geelong's talent in the State arena.