Australia’s creative excellence receives global recognition via Tony Awards

The Tony Awards for the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of The Picture of Dorian Gray have delivered global recognition of Australia’s creative talent and capabilities.

Live Performance Australia (LPA), the peak body for Australia’s live arts and entertainment industry, congratulates Sarah Snook and Marg Horwell on their awards, as well as to the hundreds of Australian artists and creative specialists who have brought this remarkable production to enthralled audiences in Australia and internationally.

LPA also acknowledges Australian theatre producer John Frost for his musical theatre production Just in Time which received six Tony nominations, including for Best Performance by a Leading Actor (Jonathan Groff) and Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical (Gracie Lawrence).

LPA President Richard Evans notes “from its beginnings on Australian stages featuring Eryn Jean Norvill under the direction of Kip Williams to Sarah Snook’s performances on stages in the West End and Broadway, The Picture of Dorian Gray is a remarkable testament to the world-class capabilities of Australian artists, creatives and producers.

“It is a ground-breaking example of how a publicly-invested organisation such as STC can collaborate with a renowned commercial producer such as Michael Cassel to present Australian-made theatre to international audiences that is simply among the very best in the world.

“As the Albanese Government starts work on the next phase of its national cultural policy, it should focus on the policy settings and production incentives that will drive more opportunities for collaboration and investment in Australian creative excellence.”

The Picture of Dorian Gray received six nominations for Tony Awards, including Best Direction of a Play (Kip Williams); Best Scenic Design of a Play (Marg Horwell and David Bergman); Best Lighting Design of a Play (Nick Schlieper); and Best Sound Design of a Play (Clemence Williams).

Image. Sarah Snook in ‘Picture of Dorian Gray’. Credit: LPA