Bay Landscapes Nelson Fringe Virtual Festival Awards 2020
A note from Jennifer O’Sullivan, Head Judge
On behalf of the entire judging panel I want to congratulate and thank everyone for their incredible work putting together the third iteration of the Nelson Fringe 2020. This year has thrown endless spanners at us all and whether you were able to present your work or not, we want to acknowledge the countless hours that you put in, the creativity you developed and presented, and the beautiful work which may not have seen the light of day but we know and you know exists in spirit.
The judging panel watched as much of the Fringe as we could in the five days your work was online, and we now present to you our nominations and awards for 2020. We have not awarded all categories, and this is because several of the awards felt too difficult to judge fairly in the final iteration of the festival, watching a filmed version of art that is so often reliant on a live audience. In particular we have not awarded a Best of Fringe, and instead offer a list of Highly Commended works that we felt best embodied the variety, quality and overall Fringe-y-ness that Nelson Fringe has become known for.
Thank you all again for your mahi, arohanui to those who could not take part, and congratulations to all nominees and winners.
Outstanding Performer/s
Winner: Derek Doddington - Elusive
Also Nominated
Roger Lusby & Rebecca Myers - A Pair of Poets
Ren Lunicke - SHE + THEY
Rebecca Myers - St. Brigid's Eve
Most Promising Emerging Talent
Winner: Monica Pausina & Kate Shaw
Also Nominated
Youth Ensemble - City Life of Cats
Vaughan Birss - St. Brigid's Eve
Monica Pausina - Attenborough's Question
Monica Pausina & Kate Shaw - St. Brigid's Eve
Best Ensemble
Winner: The Cell by Wintergreen Creative
Also Nominated
City Life of Cats by Cre8 Theatre Co.
Trio Jackson
SHE + THEY by Zir Productions
The Magic in Me by Kath Bee & Ms. Fizzberry
Best Script
Winner: A Pair of Poets by Roger Lusby & Rebecca Myers
Also Nominated
The Cell by Wintergreen Creative
Elusive by Cat House Films
Waste Not Want Not: Bethany's Guide to the Thrift Life by Bethany Miller
Best Design
Winner: Kaguya-Hime: The Princess of the Moon by Koru Sakura Theatre Group
Also Nominated
What's The Purpose of This Project by Potentially Playing Productions
The Boy with Wings by Birdlife Productions
Waste Not Want Not: Bethany's Guide to the Thrift Life by Bethany Miller
Venetian Obscura by Get Frocked
Bay Landscapes Most Original Concept
Winner: What's the Purpose of This Project by Potentially Playing Productions
Also Nominated
The Cell by Wintergreen Creative
Venetian Obscura by Get Frocked
Level Heads: A Flat Earth Podcast by Gerald Allen Yelson-Samuels
Best Kids' Show
Winner: The Magic in Me by Kath Bee & Ms. Fizzberry
Also Nominated
Fireflight! by Wakefield School
Kaguya-Hime: The Princess of the Moon by Koru Sakura Theatre Group
The Boy with Wings by Birdlife Productions
Best Solo Show
Winner: The Cool Mum by Jo Ghastly
Also Nominated
BLUE Experience by Sophie Ricketts
Waste Not Want Not: Bethany's Guide to the Thrift Life by Bethany Miller
Best Comedy
Winner: Nostalgia by Dan Allan, Laura Irish and Jonathan Moffat
Also Nominated
Ironing Man by Mark Darbyshire
The Cool Mum by Jo Ghastly
Nelson Fringe 2020 Highly Commended
A Pair of Poets
Nostalgia
Elusive
BLUE Experience
SHE + THEY
Audience Favourite
Winner: The Cool Mum by Jo Ghastly
First Runner-Up: BLUE Experience by Sophie Ricketts
Second Runner-Up: The Boy with Wings by Birdlife Productions
Spirit of the Fringe
It would have been easy to cancel it the first time they lost a venue. Easy to give up when the whole April festival was indefinitely postponed. And easier again to throw in the towel when the remounted, reprogrammed, selling-out festival this August was scuppered by level restrictions. And yet, this year, the Fringe team organised and re-organised their festival three separate times to bring us a unique event, working fast with the resources they had and throwing everything into bringing the Fringe artists’ work to audiences. This team committed so, so hard to the promise of their festival.
On behalf of the artists, the audience, and the judges, we are delighted and grateful to award Spirit of the Fringe 2020 to the entire Nelson Fringe Team.
2020 Judging Panel
Wiremu Tuhiwai
Wiremu Tuhiwai is teacher, entertainer and lover of improvisation based in the nations capital city, Wellington. Teaching numerous levels of improvisation from adult evening classes for beginners, through to teaching brand new formats at the NZ Improv Festival on multiple occasions.
He has performed with some of Wellington's best, with the Wellington Improvisation Troupe, Best on Tap and the Soap Factory here in Wellington. To having the opportunity to perform with other shows around the country, such as Scared Scriptless with the Court Jesters in Christchurch, Spontaneous in Palmerston North and The Deep End in Nelson.
A huge love for musicals and stage productions continued in Wellington with The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Spamalot, Footloose through to Shakespeare productions of Antony and Cleopatra, The Tempest and personal favourite A Midsummer Night's Dream at Lower Hutt Repertory.
Wiremu recently finished a Zoom Production with Wintergreen Creative of The Cell, and remains very heavily involved in the Wellington improvisation scene with frequent shows and teachings today.
Jennifer O'Sullivan
Jennifer O’Sullivan is an improvisor, director and creative producer living in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington, New Zealand). With an a MFA (Creative Practice) in Theatre from Victoria University, she is the co-founder and director of Locomotive, the director of the New Zealand Improv Festival and the creative lead for Kickin’ Rad Productions, as well as a freelance administrator, designer, and teacher. The last decade has seen her performing and producing in Wellington and across NZ and Australian festivals, as well as advocating for women, improv, LGBTQ*, and creative safety throughout the performance industry. In 2016 she created Late Night Knife Fight at BATS Theatre to encourage innovation and experimentation in improv forms, and to have a good time. Also, she has a very cute dog.
Alison B Buck
Alison B Buck is the Executive VP at Bohemia Group managing clients in the US, Europe, UK, Australia and NZ. From series regulars to actors just starting in the business, Bohemia likes to think they keep actors' feet on the ground without killing their dreams. Working in both management and casting has allowed Alison to be a control freak in multiple areas – which she likes.
Growing up in a musical and theatrical family, entertainment was always the goal. A brief stint in the corporate world gave Alison insight on how to “play the game”, but after many years she craved something more creative. With a smile and an oath to never wear pantyhose again, she hopped a plane to Los Angeles.
Since this realization, Alison has also built up a diverse casting resume. She has cast union and nonunion films, traditional format and new media, small and larger budget films and has a knack for being able to attach professional and skilled talent no matter what the budget of the project. She only has one caveat – a passion for the script.
Alison is currently enjoying a functioning workaholic existence in Lower Moutere.
Rohan O’Neill-Stevens
Rohan O’Neill-Stevens is a Nelson City Councillor, activist, and avid campaigner. His creative credentials include an award-winning show in Nelson’s 2017 Fringe, serving on Arts Council Nelson, and a raft of work with improvisation. Most often found at speaking events and in and around the community, he loves Nelson’s artistic spirit.
Giles Burton
Giles is a theatre director and producer based in Nelson. He has worked widely in theatre in the UK and Hong Kong before arriving in New Zealand. He worked at Edinburgh Fringe for many years and has also worked on festivals including New Zealand International Festival , Wexford Opera Festival, and Tbilisi Festival of the Arts. He was a founder, and still works for Prague Fringe and is currently the director of Nelson Shakespeare. Work in Nelson includes Maungatapu, Romeo and Juliet, Twelfth Night, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Head Above Water. He adapted and directed The Man Who Was Thursday which won several awards at the last Nelson Fringe.