Auckland Theatre Awards

AUCKLAND THEATRE AWARDS

Convenor: Ben Crowder

Participants: Jeremy Randerson, Claire Buckley, Sally Stockwell, Annie Whittaker, Roberto Nascimento, Charlie Unwin, Julia Croft, James Beaumont, Frith Walker, Stuart Murcott, Lester McGrath, Ian Hughes, Graham Dunster, Rex McIntosh, Melanie Smith, Mark Burlace, Kip Chapman, Jen Lawton, Sue Curnow, Ilona Rodgers, Merrin Cavel.

Priority: THIRD EQUAL (19 dots)

Notes:

From the number who turned up clear Auckland does want some theatre awards. Various people came forward suggesting money was not a problem to achieve them – perhaps a first in the arts if true!

Initially discussion as to why and outcomes with a bit of specific notions of event thrown in etc:

• Celebration key word.
• Party
• Wider audience
• Thought that needed to be more than just self congratulation
• Could there be a TV audience?
• A good event – theatrical/ entertaining – possibly extracts from shows etc
• Kudos for shows/companies – assist touring/marketing

Mary-Jane O’Reilly ‘popped in’ – to say Tempo do a dance awards for festival and how positive they have been for industry etc.

Talk turned to how judged:

Options looked at were:

• Voted on by an academy/guild of practitioners
• General public – most disagreed as thought would favour big budgeted shows etc – though the idea of a ‘people’s choice award’ from public was given some favour.
• Reviewers like Chapmann Tripp – thoughts were limited number of reviewers and part lack of industry respect for them!
• A panel of various people – i.e. one respected elder from theatre community, one designer, someone from festival  etc – potentially one reviewer on this etc. Felt important to have non partial people on panel – i.e. no-one with strong affiliation to anyone up for lots of awards – i.e. no-one from silo/ATC etc. However recognized people would need to be people that already went to a lot of theatre. Some talk if a sponsor of whole event or specific award if they should be involved.
• A secret panel!
• Some thought transparency was key

Suggestion to go bigger include dance, opera – fairly muted reaction to this – so seems more energy for just theatre side

Some discussion of fact theatre awards already underway in terms of an idea.

One person came up with info that perhaps Chapman Tripp awards were possibly looking at an Auckland version??

Also the people who organize the amateur awards said money and structure there to run the professional ones form their end. Some debate as to what constituted a professional show and if you’d need to register – or if like Wellington you would just get judged.

Talk of looking at Chapman Tripp model and borrowing best bits / look at weaknesses if any

Some thoughts on event:

• Talk of need to be prestigious
• A booze sponsor essential
• Cabaret seating
• Sell tickets
• Sustainable model
• Short – not too long and boring
• To have towards Christmas as a fun way to end year etc
• To be run by a Trust – named ‘The Auckland Theatre Awards Trust’

Talk turned to upcoming Hackman Theatre Awards

General congratulation to fabulous Kip Chapman for just going ahead and doing his own thing – getting started.

Some suggestions for other categories etc – Felt this is Kip’s entity and should be run in his own style etc. Some of the slightly anarchic, funny style was considered good to feed into any future upscale awards – others felt needed to keep ‘serious’.