The powerhouse Brisbane duo that created visual effects for many Queensland stage shows in 2014 has been honoured at the state's annual theatrical awards ceremony, the Matildas.
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Optikal bloc received a Silver Matilda for Best Technical Design for Pale Blue Dot, La Boite's whimsical tale of a suspected alien abduction, as well as a Gold Matilda for its body of work across the year.
Partners Stephen Brodie and Craig Wilkinson also created video projections and other effects for QTC's The Mountaintop and Gasp!; for Shake & Stir's Wuthering Heights and 1984; and Opera Queensland's La Boheme.
The Matildas, which are judged by a 10-member panel of critics and arts administrators, were held at the QUT Gardens Point Theatre on Monday night in front of a capacity crowd of 450, the largest in its 27-year history.
Gloria, produced by the Queensland Theatre Company, was awarded Best Mainstage Production, with Spamalot taking out Best Musical/Cabaret for Harvest Rain.
A Doll's House, a co-production between La Boite and the Brisbane Festival, received the most gongs in total, with Helen Christinson, Damien Cassidy and Cienda McNamara receiving acting awards and Best Director going to Steven Mitchell Wright.
Sven Swenson won Best Male Actor for Angel Gear, which also won Best Independent Production, and the Bille Brown Award for Best Emerging Artist for Casey Woods.
Brisbane playwright Richard Jordan was awarded the prize for Best New Australian Work for his play Machina, part of the La Boite Indie program.
2014 Silver Matilda Award Winners
Best Mainstage Production: Gloria, Queensland Theatre Company
Best New Australian Work: Machina, written by Richard Jordan, La Boite Indie & MadCat Creative Connections with the support of QPAC
Best Independent Production: Angel Gear, La Boite Indie & Pentimento Productions with the support of QPAC
Best Male Actor in a Leading Role: Sven Swenson, Angel Gear
Best Female Actor in a Leading Role: Helen Christinson, A Doll's House, La Boite Theatre Company & Brisbane Festival
Best Male Actor in a Supporting Role: Damien Cassidy, A Doll's House
Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role: Cienda McNamara, A Doll's House
Best Director: Steven Mitchell Wright, A Doll's House
Best Design (Set and Costumes): Simone Romaniuk, Macbeth, Queensland Theatre Company in association with Grin and Tonic Theatre Troupe
Best Technical Design (Lighting, Multimedia or Sound): optikal bloc, Pale Blue Dot, La Boite Theatre Company
Bille Brown Award for Best Emerging Artist: Casey Woods, Angel Gear
Best Musical or Cabaret: Spamalot, Harvest Rain Theatre Company
2014 Gold Matilda Award Winners (for a body of work)
Steven Mitchell Wright
Tim O'Connor
optikal bloc
Simone Romaniuk
Sven Swenson
