August 17 2015

Season Two kicked off on Monday, with seven great new plays never before staged in Sydney.

Opening the show was Peter Tucker's "Roadside Assistance", enthusiastically performed by a cast of Alice Furze, Isaac Owen, Debbie Tilley and Don Lacey. Ruth Fingret directed.

Second up was "Sighted", written by Crawford O'Brien and directed by TOAST d'Bechamel. Joan Rodd starred alongside Georgina Neville, and the play won not only the Judge's Choice of Best Play but the Popular Vote as well. We'll be seeing it again in the Crash Test Finals on Mon 30 November.

Third for the evening was "Delly" by Elisa Cristallo. Mark Nagle directed Sarah Robertson, Daniel Cowley and Julie Masters (who kindly stepped in as an actor after the play she was down to direct fell through - thanks Julie!).

Rounding up act one was "It Hurts More When You Talk", written and directed by Lisa Kelaher. Best Actress Rosemary Ghazi starred as the bogan beauty therapist and Kirsty McGowan was the bushy patient. Had this play not gone for 13 minutes and been penalised 15 votes, it would have been in with a shot at the Popular Vote!

Fifth was "Baby Baby Say A Little Prayer", Lidia Stojanoska's first ever play. She directed Katrina Morel as Carly, Janet Shay as Stella and Katherine Babatzanis as Libby.

The following play, "Lipstick Lass", was written and directed by Ann Elbourne and has made it through to the Crash Test Drama Season Two Finals as the Judge's Runner Up. Simon Benjamin won Best Actor Runner Up and Lance Rice won Best Actor. Go team!

To finish it all up was C J Naylor's "Had A Great Fall", a modern take on the humpty dumpty nursery rhyme directed by Sam Sida. It starred Nick Subjak, Mia Mistorius and Davo Hardy.

Results

Con Nats was our judge, and as always, the task of picking the winners was not an easy one. His choices were:

Best Actor: Lance Rice

Best Actor Runner Up: Simon Benjamin

Best Actress: Rosemary Ghazi

Best Actress Runner Up: Georgina Neville

Best Director: Lisa Kelaher

Best Play: Sighted

Best Play Runner Up: Lipstick Lass

Popular Vote Winner: Sighted

Popular Vote Runner Up: Delly

Playwright's Encouragement Award: Lidia Stojanoska for "Baby Baby Say A Little Prayer"

"Sighted" and "Lipstick Lass" are on their way to the Finals.

Well done to all and see you on the 31st August for Round Two!