DIRECTOR, PRODUCER and co-founder of Rough Magic Theatre Company Lynne Parker received a special tribute award at the 12th annual Irish TimesTheatre Awards last night.
Parker, who is artistic director of Rough Magic and whose productions with the company include Copenhagen, Improbable Frequency, The Taming of the Shrewand Don Carlos,was presented with the award for her contribution to Irish theatre by Pauline McLynn.
Actors Mark O’Regan and Michael James Ford were comperes for the event, which took place at the Burlington Hotel in Ballsbridge.
Tom Vaughan Lawlor received the award for best actor for his role as Arturo Ui in the Abbey Theatre's production of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Uiby Bertolt Brecht, translated by Ralph Manheim.
The award for best actress went to Derbhle Crotty for her portrayal of Masha in the Abbey's production of Brian Friel's version of Chekhov's Three Sisters.
Rupert Goold was named best director for the Gate Theatre production of No Man's Land by Harold Pinter.
Mikel Murfi won best supporting actor for his portrayal of Patsy in Druid's production of The New Electric Ballroomby Enda Walsh. Dearbhla Molloy's performance as Eileen in the Druid and Atlantic production of The Cripple of Inishmaanby Martin McDonagh garnered her the award for best supporting actress.
Loose Canon took the award for best production for Phaedra's Loveby Sarah Kane, which was directed by Jason Byrne.
Enda Walsh's The New Electric Ballroomwon the best new play award.
Wexford Festival Opera's production of The Mines of Sulphurby Richard Rodney Bennett, directed by Michael Barker-Caven, received the award for best opera.
Rae Smith took the best costume designer award for the Abbey Theatre production of Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband. Best set designer went to Owen MacCárthaigh for the Cork Opera House/Association of Regional Theatres (NI) production of Seán O'Casey's Juno and the Paycock.The best lighting designer award went to Kevin Treacy for the Performance Corporation's production of The Noseby Nikolai Gogol, adapted by Tom Swift.
The judges’ special award on the night went to Wexford Festival Opera for the opening of the first custom-built, multi-purpose opera house in Ireland.
The three judges, Madeline Boughton, Sara Keating and Donal Shiels, chose last night’s winners from the more than 180 new theatre productions all over the country which they viewed last year.
Pictures and full coverage of the awards will appear in tomorrow's Irish Times, while highlights of last night's ceremony will be screened on TG4's arts programme Imeallon Wednesday at 11pm.
Special tribute award: Lynne Parker
Best actress: Derbhle Crotty ( Three Sisters, Abbey Theatre)
Best actor: Tom Vaughan Lawlor ( The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui by Bertolt Brecht, Abbey Theatre)
Best supporting actor: Mikel Murfi ( The New Electric Ballroom, Druid)
Best supporting actress: Dearbhla Molloy ( The Cripple of Inishmaan, Druid and Atlantic Theatre)
Best director: Rupert Goold ( No Man's Land, Gate Theatre)
Best production: Loose Canon ( Phaedra's Love)
Best new play: The New Electric Ballroom(Druid Theatre Company)
Best opera: Mines of Sulphur, Wexford Opera.
Best costume design: Rae Smith ( An Ideal Husband, Abbey Theatre)
Best set designer: Owen MacCárthaigh ( Juno and the Paycock; Cork Opera House/ Association of Regional Theatres, NI)
Best lighting designer: Kevin Treacy ( The Nose, The Performance Corporation)
Special award: Wexford Opera House.