Short+Sweet Sydney 2024 reached its glittering climax last weekend with its Gala Awards Final at the new Turner Hall Theatre in Ultimo – a cooperative initiative of Short+Sweet and TAFE.
Press Release
Sydney
Thirteen short plays – each under 10 minutes in length – competed in the “Biggest Little Theatre Festival in the World”. Australia’s own original export, now in its 21 st year, Short+Sweet has satellite festivals in a range of genres, all over the world including South-East Asia, the Middle East, UK, Hollywood. And Sydney is its original, founding, home! Festival director Luke Berman said this year’s finalists (selected by industry judges and audience votes from almost 80 pieces performed during the festival) were among the best over. Nine finalists
were by new Australian writers who benefitted from the ‘alchemy’ of this annual creative melting pot of writers, directors, actors and other local creatives. Presenters included TAFE NSW Executive Director Dr. Raffaele Marcellino and Short+Sweet founder and executive producer Mark Cleary.
Winners:
BEST PLAY:
Brave People
by Allen Staples (New York) saw Ben & Nicole receiving grim news from a doctor. They embrace an uncertain future with love, humility and humour. Kay Paynter directs Jasmin Certoma and Kirk Hastings.
PEOPLE’S CHOICE:
Three Sides To Every Story
by Copacabana’s Sally Bartley, directed by Daniel Maher is a love-triangle story exploring coming of age. Three teenagers at a house party navigate the challenges of adolescence, identity and self-image. Starring Ashley Fraser, Samuel Zerger & Henry Twomey.
BEST SCRIPT (shared):
Main Character Energy
(a winner from Short+Sweet Illawarra), written and directed by Newtown’s Freia Kirkaldy with Rima Chakrabarty assisting, starred Franca Lafosse as a young graduate in a high pressure job – a tour-de-force solo performance.
A Thing of Hope by Geraldine Marcellino
a powerful solo piece by Sydney writer Geraldine Marcellino – was self-directed and performed by Brea Macey, a graduate of Actors Centre Australia. This monologue explores the hopes and fears of a young neurodiverse woman who fashions a passion for the clouds into a way of understanding.
BEST DIRECTOR:
Kai Paynter (Brave People)
BEST ACTOR:
Brea Macey of Hurstville Grove (A Thing of Hope)
BEST ACTOR
Runner-up: Jasmin Certoma of Rozelle (Brave People)
Details
