A small south coast theatre company has claimed the top prize in an event designed to showcase regional performers.
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Moruya's Red Door Theatre Company took out best production and best actor in the open category at One Act Wonders. The event was staged at Goulburn Performing Arts Centre (GPAC) on Sunday, October 1 and Monday, October 2 as part of the Festival of Regional Theatre. It was sponsored by Mark Bradbury Legal.
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The theatre company staged Lost and Found, written and directed by Jack Spahr. Mr Spahr said the short play was about coercive control in relationships but also despair, courage and hope.
"I wrote it about three or four months ago as a stand-alone play and with no specific intention for its staging until we found One Act Wonders. We thought we'd have a crack," he said.
The work triumphed over eight other short-plays to claim the $500 first prize. Mark Bradbury, former GPAC manager, Raina Savage and producer, director, actor and writer, Jarrad West judged the works.
"Engaging dynamic script, delivered with subtlety and nuance. Shows strong dramatic arch with minimalist production," they wrote of Lost and Found.
Red Door Theatre Company's actor, Liz Fisher, also won best actor for her "stillness and clarity in a role that is not the main focus."
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President, Anthony Mayne was full of praise for his team and the event.
"For a first-time entrant to walk away with best production and best actor is phenomenal," he said.
"This (event) is brilliant and is a real opportunity to support small theatre companies...The venue is also phenomenal and is the best place I've acted."
The short play united actors Nichola Creighton, Anthony Mayne, Stefanie Foster and Liz Fisher.
![Event sponsor and judge, Mark Bradbury presents the best junior actor award to Goulburn's Lieder Youth Theatre's Jaiyanna Khalil, watched by co-judge, Raina Savage. Picture supplied. Event sponsor and judge, Mark Bradbury presents the best junior actor award to Goulburn's Lieder Youth Theatre's Jaiyanna Khalil, watched by co-judge, Raina Savage. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/95d87358-c133-4061-9c54-81370526208f.jpg/r743_363_3191_2358_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Red Door started in 2016 from an idea. Mr Mayne, who trained in Melbourne as an actor and later moved to the south coast, thought Moruya needed a theatrical outlet. 'How hard could it be,' he asked himself.
"It was harder than I thought," he said.
"But a few of us got together on a wet night...and out of that was born the Moruya Red Door Theatre Company. We've just put on our ninth play and to have won this (One Act Wonders) is just so rewarding. As president, I'm so proud."
Ruth Myer from Milton Follies scored the best original script and best director categories for After the Fire, a play about a woman who lost her home in the Black Summer bushfires. Judges said they'd like to see it developed into full production and praised it for its "strong command of highly emotional and intense content."
The play's narrator, Tracey Wynter, was highly commended.
Goulburn's Lieder Youth Theatre also performed well, winning best production in the junior section for The Magic Lunchbox. Jaiyanna Khalil also claimed the best junior actor category for a performance judges said "showed confidence, clarity, and command (with a) great sense of comic timing."
Another Lieder Youth Theatre actor, Arabella Motbey-Joyce, was highly commended for" for a strong comic performance and delivery."
All award categories received a trophy. The best production and best director winners both received a $500 cheque, while best production junior scored a $200 cheque.
The event capped off a big weekend for GPAC, which also included the premiere of Goulburn playwright, David Cole's play, The Russian Doll.
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