Its official! The winner of Outstanding Solo Show at the 2009 New York Fringe and Best Puppetry at this year's Adelaide Fringe - The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer - has picked up 3 of the 7 Blue Room Theatre Awards handed out at last week's ceremony back where the show was developed and premiered in 2009, The Blue Room Theatre.
The Weeping Spoon production, performed by Tim Watts and co-devised with Arielle Gray, took home the much sought-after Best Production Award which entitles the company to a four week production and/or development season at The Blue Room Theatre, plus cash support, in 2011. The Blue Room Theatre's 400-strong membership base agreed with the 2009 judges (PIAF's Marnie Karmelita, Propel Youth Arts WA's Susannah Day, and PACS Board member Chris Isaacs), awarding Alvin Sputnik the popular voted Members' Choice Award.
And proving they're not just great theatre makers but lovely to work with as well, Blue Room staff awarded the Weeping Spoon crew with the Best Production Team award.
Arielle Gray's co-production with Luke Milton, Nobody cares but you, earned independent publicist David Hall the Best Publicity award, while Hall can also take some credit in the newly renamed Audience Development Award given to The Duck House and The Wet Weather Ensemble for The Bearskinner which he also promoted (along with Alvin Sputnik. Preceding the Awards ceremony, Hall was also elected to The Blue Room Theatre Board at the organization's AGM. Go David)!
The Judges' Choice Award, given for any single outstanding element of a production, was awarded to former Blue Room Theatre board member Jeffrey Jay Fowler and his company Mythophobic's show A history of drinking, accepted by publicist - you guessed it - David Hall, as Fowler is currently ensconced in the Directing course at NIDA.
Full list of award categories and winners
Best Production | sponsored by The Blue Room Theatre, presented by Executive Director Louise Coles The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer | Weeping Spoon Productions
Audience Development Award | sponsored by Perth Theatre Company, presented by PTC Artistic Director Melissa Cantwell The Bearskinner | The Duck House and the Wet Weather Ensemble
Judges' Choice | sponsored by the Perth International Arts Festival, presented by PIAF Program Manager Marnie Karmelita A history of drinking | Mythophobic - nominated for outstanding writing and performance
Best Production Team | sponsored by The Blue Room Theatre, presented by Venue Operations Manager Roger Miller Weeping Spoon Productions | The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer
Best Publicity | sponsored by The Big Picture Factory, presented by The Blue Room Theatre Communications Manager Di Star Nobody cares but you | Luke Milton with Gray Ruby Productions
Members' Choice | sponsored by The Blue Room Theatre, presented by Gray Ruby Productions The Adventures of Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer | Weeping Spoon Productions