March 7, 2016

2016 NZ FRINGE AWARD RESULTS…  

The biggest Fringe Festival in New Zealand has drawn to a close celebrating 23 days, 150 productions, and over 700 presentations of work at our NZ Fringe Festival 2016 Awards at St Peter’s on Willis, Sunday 6th March.  

Every year the NZ Fringe celebrates artistic excellence and risk across the festival and a panel of industry professionals scrutinise and fight it out to select a few standout works for accolades.

The award ceremony was aided by expert hosts, Jennifer O’Sullivan, James Nokise, Jon Coddington, and sensation in orange fur – DORGE – awards were given acknowledging artistic risk, innovation, and quality.

As Fringe Festival Director, Hannah Clarke noted “The Fringe Festival is a starting line for great art, many award winners have gone on to do great things both with the winning work and future creations. We’re looking forward to seeing where this year’s participants take themselves and their work!”

The NZ Fringe Festival 2016 Awards recipients are:

(runners up are listed alphabetically)

Most Innovative Work

Supported by Wellington International Airport

WINNER: The Lucid Dream Bike by Pie in the Sky, Bicycle Junction, and Cinema of The Poor

RUNNER UP: Castles by House of Sand, Love Bomb Movement by Pinwheel Dance Theatre, Sonic Windows by Art Invention Theatre

Outstanding Performer

Supported by Hair Ministry

WINNER: Gabriela Munoz for Perhaps, Perhaps … Quizas

RUNNER UP: Carrie Green for Man Parts – Dannevirke’s Greatest Female Tenor, Eliza Sanders for Castles, Ian Michael for HART, Jo Randerson for Banging Cymbal, Clanging Gong

Outstanding Ensemble

Supported by Gibson Sheat

WINNER: The Owl & Pussycat by Company of Giants

RUNNER UP: Last Meals: A Nine Course Buffet by Cool, Calm and Collective, To Infinity and Beyond by Infinite Dance Crew

Most Promising Emerging Company

Supported by BATS Theatre

WINNER: House of Sand for Castles & Knitting While Sleeping

RUNNER UP: How About Now for Know Yourself, Pressure Point for Potato Stamp Meglomaniac, She Said Theatre for HART

Most Promising Emerging Artist

Supported by Emerging Artists Trust

WINNER: Tony Black for The Offensive Nipple Show, Against the Piercing Sun, Personal Filter

RUNNER UP: Ali Jacs for Jagged Little Pilgrimage, Keely Meechan for Last Meals, Jason Henderson for I Think You’ll Like This, There’s Nothing on TV & Cake Tea and Courtship: Songs of the 1920’s, Tea Leaf Soldiers for Cities

Tastiest Show

Supported by Wellington Chocolate Factory

WINNER: Awkward Threesome by Kickin’ Rad Productions

RUNNER UP: Ciclovia by Cycle Aware Wellington, Man Parts – Dannevirke’s Greatest Female Tenor by Now We Are 30 Productions, Samoan 101 by Jandels Inc

Most Colourful Show

Supported by Resene

WINNER: Vivid by Everybody Cool Lives Here/Vivid Wellington

RUNNER UP: DORGE – ABCDS&M by Present Company, The Glitta Supernova Experience “Let’s Get Metaphysical” by Pretty Peepers Cabaret, The Lucid Dream Bike by Bicycle Junction with Pie in the Sky and Cinema of The Poor

Best Poster

Supported by Phantom Billstickers

WINNER: Knitting While Sleeping by House of Sand

RUNNERS UP: Layman by Show Pony & The Offensive Nipple Show by Jess Holly Bates and Sarah Tuck

Spirit of the Fringe

Supported by Creative Capital Arts Trust

WINNER: Michael Trigg

Best in Fringe

Supported by Her Worship the  Mayor Celia Wade-Brown and the NZ Festival

WINNER: Perhaps, Perhaps… Quizas by Gabriela Munoz

RUNNER UP: Castles by House of Sand,   Sameena Zehra – Homicidal Pacifist by Sameena Zehra, The Offensive Nipple Show by Jess Holly Bates and Sarah Tuck

Development awards:

Tiki Tour Award

Presented by Melbourne Fringe Festival

Supported by CreativeNZ and Trek Global

WINNER: The Offensive Nipple Show by Jess Holly Bates and Sarah Tuck

The SYNZ Award

Presented by Sydney Fringe Festival

Supported CreativeNZ

WINNER: Castles by House of Sand

Busk-Ability Rubber Chicken Award (BARC award)

Presented by the World Buskers Festival

WINNER: DORGE – ABCDS&M by Present Company

Residency Award

Presented by NZ Pacific Studio

WINNER: Rose Kirkup for I Am Tasha Fierce

RUNNER UP: Eliza Sanders House of Sand, Keeley Meechan Last Meals, Sarah Delahunty Where She Stood

The NZ Fringe awards are made possible by the generosity of our judging panel and our partners and sponsors.