April 9, 2018

NZ Fringe Festival 2018 AWARDS  

As the fat lady sings, the sun sets and all is done and dusted on a recording breaking 28th year of NZ Fringe Festival, it seems only right to take some time to celebrate the outstanding talents, efforts, and new works of this season, by giving artists something to dust!

The NZ Fringe, along with our incredible sponsors, is immensely proud to have presented 11 Awards for excellence as well as eight awards for vitally important future development and touring, distributing over $6000 in award prizes to the winners.

Our 2018  Award Ceremony was hosted by beloved Festival Director Hannah Clarke and Hugo Gurrrr, with music provided by ‘The UnderCuts’ the talented band from Fringe show How to Write an Album in 12 Hours.

“After seeing hundreds of shows over the 23 days of the festival, and a rigorous but amicable 6 hour judging session, our panel are all in agreement, this year’s festival included an outstanding array of shows and talent. Though it’s never an easy decision we couldn’t be happier with all of the events and shows achievements this year, and hope they all come back and wow us again in 2019!” – Festival Director– Hannah Clarke

The festival touted over 130 events from across New Zealand and the world this year and achieved record ticket sales, with a large portion of the festival programme made up of premiere works. A firm fixture in the Wellington festival calendar, Fringe will be back in March 2019.

*We were honoured to be joined by His Worship the Mayor Justin Lester, councillors Nicola Young and Brian Dawson, the Hon Grant Robertson and MP Nicola Willis and all our amazing supporters, sponsors and industry whanau.

After fighting it out our diligent judges awarded the following 2018 Fringe artists:

Best Poster: Phantom Billstickers

WINNER: Discharge is Rotten to the Core (A Mulled Whine)
NOMINEES: Fear of Eggs, Flippin’ Norah, Dressing up with Margot, Sully O’Sullivan

The Fringe Grand Design Award: Friends of the Fringe

WINNER:  Big J Stylez (Everybody Cool Lives Here)

NOMINEES: Big J Stylez (Everybody Cool Lives Here), FA’AAFA (Fafswag), My Best Dead Friend (Anya Tate-Manning & Isobel McKinnon)

Most Innovative Work: Wellington International Airport

WINNER:  How to Write an Album in 12 Hours (Playshop)
NOMINEES: How to Write an Album in 12 Hours (Playshop), G+ Force (G Fenn-tertainment), Poet vs Pageant (Telia Nevile)

Most Promising Emerging Company: BATS Theatre

WINNER: The Co-Lab (Talofa Papa)

NOMINEES: Sophia Therese Circus (The Composer) The Wellingtonians, SUB (Blueprint) The Co-Lab (Talofa Papa)

Most Promising Emerging Artist: Emerging Artists Trust

WINNER: Eleanor Strathern (A Mulled Whine)

Highly Commended: Jacob Dombroski (Big J Stylez)

NOMINEES: Audrey Porne (Apocalyptic Us) Clarissa Chandrahasen (Committed) Eleanor Strathern (A Mulled Whine) Jacob Dombroski (Big J Stylez)

Outstanding Ensemble: Gibson Sheat

WINNER: Maggot (Scungebags)

NOMINEES: Maggot (Scungebags), Fear of Eggs (House of Sand), The Travelling Sisters – Toupé (The Travelling Sisters), Die Hard Rock Cafe Müller (ChoreoCo by Footnote NZ Dance), Awkward Threesome (Kickin’ Rad)

Outstanding Performer – Te Auaha

(Joint) WINNERS: Kasiano Mita (Talofa Papa) Gillian English (She Wolf)

NOMINEES: Kasiano Mita (Talofa Papa) Kosta Bogoievski (Live Feed) Anya Tate Manning (My Best Dead Friend) Stuart Coats (The Don) Gillian English (She Wolf), Claire Waldron (Stupid Bitch)

Best Directed Chaos

WINNER: The Race (Hobson Street Theatre Company)

Highly Commended: Big J Stylez (Everybody Cool Lives Here)

NOMINEES: How to Write An Album in 12 Hours (Playshop) Fear Of Eggs (House of Sand) Big J Stylez (Everybody Cool Lives Here) The Race (Hobson Street Theatre Company)

The Parkin Development Award – Chris & Kathy Parkin and BATS Theatre

WINNER: Committed (Clarissa Chandrahasen)

NOMINEES: Maggot (Scungebags), Blood Relative (Ren Lunike), Committed (Clarissa Chandrahasen, G+ Force (G Fenn-tertainment)

Melbourne Fringe Tour Ready Award – Melbourne Fringe Festival & CreativeNZ

WINNER: My Best Dead Friend (Anya Tate-Manning & Isobel Mackinnon)

SYNZ Tour Ready Award – Sydney Fringe Festival & CreativeNZ

WINNER: Maggot (Scungebags)

Adelaide Fringe Tour Ready Award – Adelaide Fringe Festival & CreativeNZ

WINNER: Talofa Papa (The Co-Lab)

Palmy Fringe – Centrepoint Theatre

WINNER:  Big J Stylez (Everybody Cool Lives Here)

Fringe in the ‘Stings Tour Award – Fringe in the ‘Stings

WINNER: Jon Bennett: JonBénet (A Mulled Whine)

The International San Diego Fringe Exchange – San Diego International Fringe Festival

WINNER:  Blueprint (SUB)

The PANNZ Tourmakers Award – Tourmakers

WINNERS: How to Write An Album in 12 Hours (Playshop) & Blueprint (SUB)

NOMINEES: Apple Box Brand, How to Write An Album in 12 Hours (Playshop), Blueprint (SUB) Talofa Papa (The Co-Lab)

Spirit of the Fringe –  NZ Fringe and Costume Cave

WINNER:  Richard Hoffman, Scruffy Bunny

The Fringe Soul Award: Awarded by NZ Fringe in recognition for ongoing services to Fringe and the Arts.

WINNER: Brianne Kerr

Best of Fringe – His Worship the Mayor of Wellington Justin Lester and the NZ Festival

WINNER: My Best Dead Friend (Anya Tate Manning & Isobel Mackinnon)

NOMINEES: She Wolf, Big J Stylez, Revolutionary Arts Ensemble, Maggot, My Best Dead Friend

For more information about how to participate in NZ Fringe Festival Wellington – SUBSCRIBE to our mailing list here: https://fringe.co.nz/about-us/contact-us