Here is the shortlist for The Irish Times Theatre Awards 2010. The judging panel saw more than 170 performances in what was, despite the doom and gloom, a particularly strong year for Irish theatre.

On this year’s panel are: Jack Gilligan, former arts officer with Dublin City Council; Christine Madden, journalist and dramaturge; and artist Bernadette Madden.

You can read Sara Keating’s interview with the judging panel in today’s newspaper and leave your comments below. And before you start wondering why some key plays appear to have been left out, please note that the Gate Theatre has again chosen to be excluded from these awards – much to the dismay of the judging panel.

The awards will be presented on February 27th. You can read Sara Keating’s interview with the judging panel here. and And the nominees are ….

BEST ACTOR

Louis Lovett – as B and Brian in B for Baby at the Abbey Theatre, written by Carmel Winters and directed by Mikel Murfi
Malcolm Adams – as Tim Hartigan in Slattery’s Sago Saga, written by Arthur Riordan, directed by Jo Mangan for Performance Corporation
Marty Rea – as Hamlet in Hamlet, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Alan Stanford for Second Age Theatre Company
Karl Shiels – as Quinn in Penelope, written by Enda Walsh and directed by Mikel Murfi for Druid Theatre Company

BEST ACTRESS

Olwen Fouéré – as the woman in Sodome, My Love, written by Laurent Gaudé, translated by Olwen Fouéré and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Hilary O’Shaughnessy – as the tour guide in Berlin Love Tour, written by Lynda Radley and directed by Tom Creed for Playgroup
Eileen Walsh – as Medea in Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson and directed by Selina Cartmel for Siren Productions
Aoife Duffin – as Winnie Butler in Christ Deliver Us!, written by Thomas Kilroy and directed by Wayne Jordan for the Abbey Theatre

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR

Laurence Kinlan – Mossy Lannigan in Christ Deliver Us!, written by Thomas Kilroy and directed by Wayne Jordan for the Abbey Theatre
Joe Hanley – as Fluther Good in The Plough and the Stars, written by Sean O’Casey and directed by Wayne Jordan for the Abbey Theatre
Ronan Leahy – as Tutor/Messenger in Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson and directed by Selina Cartmel for Siren Productions
Conor MacNeill – as Lyokha in Plasticine, written by Vassily Sigarev and directed by Pat Kiernan for Corcadorca Theatre Company

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS

Andrea Irvine – as Lady Macduff in Macbeth, written by William Shakespeare and directed by Jimmy Fay for the Abbey Theatre
Eleanor Methven – as Miss Prism in The Importance of Being Earnest, written by Oscar Wilde and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Karen Ardiff – as Mrs Cregan and Sheelagh Mann in The Colleen Bawn, written by Dion Boucicault and directed by Jimmy Fay for Bedrock Productions, Civic Theatre and Project Arts Centre
Brid Brennan – as Madge in Philadelphia, Here I Come!, written by Brian Friel and directed by Dominic Dromgoole for Woodpecker Productions

BEST DIRECTOR

Selina Cartmell – Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson, produced by Siren Productions
Jo Mangan – Slattery’s Sago Saga, written by Arthur Riordan, produced by Performance Corporation
Wayne Jordan – Christ Deliver Us!, written by Thomas Kilroy, produced by the Abbey Theatre
Rachel O’Riordan – Over the Bridge, written by Sam Thompson and adapted by Martin Lynch, produced by Green Shoot Productions

BEST SET

Aedín Cosgrove – The Rehearsal, Playing the Dane, directed by Gavin Quinn, produced by Pan Pan Theatre
John Comiskey – Sodome My Love, written by Laurent Gaudé, translated by Olwen Fouéré and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Tom Pye – John Gabriel Borkman, written by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Frank McGuinness, directed by James Macdonald

BEST COSTUMES

Bláithín Sheerin – Phaedra, written by Hilary Fannin and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Joan Bergin – John Gabriel Borkman, written by Henrik Ibsen in a new version by Frank McGuinness, directed by James Macdonald
Miriam Duffy – The Birthday of the Infanta, directed and adapted from a story by Oscar Wilde by Bairbre Ní Chaoimh for Bewley’s Café Theatre

BEST LIGHTING

Paul Keogan – Plasticine, written by Vassily Sigarev and directed by Pat Kiernan for Corcadorca Theatre Company
Sinéad Wallace – Happy Days, written by Samuel Beckett and directed by Annie Ryan for Corn Exchange
Sinéad McKenna – Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson and directed by Selina Cartmel for Siren Productions

BEST SOUND

Dennis Clohessy – Sodome My Love, written by Laurent Gaudé, translated by Olwen Fouéré and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Ellen Cranitch – Phaedra, written by Hilary Fannin and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company
Philip Stewart – The Early Bird, written by Leo Butler and directed by Donnacadh O’Briain for Natural Shocks

BEST PRODUCTION

The Rehearsal, Playing the Dane, directed by Gavin Quin for Pan Pan Theatre
Medea, written by Euripedes in a new version by Robin Robertson and directed by Selina Cartmel for Siren Productions
World’s End Lane, directed by Louise Lowe for Anu Productions
Phaedra, written by Hilary Fannin and directed by Lynne Parker for Rough Magic Theatre Company

BEST NEW PLAY

What’s Left of the Flag by Jimmy Murphy – directed by Charlie Bonner for Theatre Upstairs @ the Plough
Slattery’s Sago Saga by Arthur Riordan – directed by Jo Mangan for Performance Corporation
National Anthem by Colin Bateman – directed by Rachel O’Riordan for Ransom Theatre Company
B for Baby by Carmel Winters – directed by Mikel Murfi for the Abbey Theatre

BEST OPERA

Roméo et Juliette by Charles Gounod, directed by Annilese Miskimmon for Opera Ireland
The Diary of Anne Frank by Grigory Frid, co-directed by Annilese Miskimmon and Ingrid Craigie for Opera Theatre Company
Virginia by Saverio Mercadante, directed by Kevin Newbury for Wexford Festival Opera
Postcards from Dumbworld by Brian Irvine, directed by John McIlduff for Dumbworld/Brian Irvine Ensemble

JUDGES’ SPECIAL AWARD

Project Brand New
For their long-term dedication to supporting and providing a platform for the gestation of innovative new work.

Theatre Upstairs
To Karl Shiels, Paul Walker and Andy Cummins for their tenacity and commitment to bringing new Irish plays to a wider audience.

Carysfort Press
For their wide-ranging documentation of Irish theatre over the last 10 years, creating awareness of Irish theatre practice both at home and abroad.

Louise Lowe/Anu Productions
For continuing to present challenging theatre in unusual locations that illuminates darker, often ignored parts of society and makes her audience question what theatre can be.