After reviewing 42 impressive productions across 2025, A
Thousand Words Editor Andrew Broadbent is set to take his passion for local
theatre to the next level. In February, the publication will announce the
winners of its inaugural A Thousand Words Awards, recognising the
dedication, creativity, and spirit of Adelaide’s thriving theatre community.
Over the past 12 months, A Thousand Words has captured the
diversity of South Australian performance — covering musicals, full-length and
one-act plays, cabaret, melodrama, and even new works in development. Reviews
have extended beyond Adelaide to include productions in Murray Bridge, Victor
Harbor, Strathalbyn, and Stirling, celebrating companies ranging from youth and
school groups to long-established community ensembles, expressing thousands of words!
“What started with me buying a ticket and sharing my
thoughts has grown into something much bigger,” Broadbent reflects. “The goal
has always been to give recognition to the many passionate artists who
contribute to our local scene and encourage other theatregoers who aren’t sure
if a production is worth it, to go and give it a chance!”
The publication’s Editor this year saw 12 Fringe productions
— with four receiving full-length reviews — and reached a major milestone with
its 40th review, marked by the launch of an official Instagram page to
complement the existing Facebook presence.
Looking Ahead to 2026
The coming year promises further growth, with new reviewers
joining the A Thousand Words team. Special mention goes to Ally Gum, who came
on board in 2025 to review Encore: An Evening in Paris by The Murray Bridge
Players & Singers. The expansion ensures A Thousand Words can maintain
impartiality when covering productions connected to team members, while also
increasing capacity to review even more shows across South Australia.
2026 will also see an increased focus on Feature Articles, offering theatre companies additional opportunities for in-depth promotion and storytelling. The first of these features, published in November, spotlighted St Jude’s Players’ The Revlon Girl.
There is also an exciting partnership formed with Broadbent Prints, which will be publicly announced in January 2026!
Introducing the A Thousand Words Awards
This exciting initiative presents 16 awards, divided into two main streams:
- “Most Popular…” categories, determined by public vote.
- “Outstanding…” categories, selected by the A Thousand Words editorial team and associates.
Public voting for the “Most Popular” awards are open at
https://forms.gle/WHPqsGGfaDHfA6AB8, and early engagement has already exceeded
expectations.
The remaining seven “Outstanding…” awards — to be revealed
at 5:30pm on December 23rd — promise to spark just as much conversation and
celebration within Adelaide’s dynamic theatre community.
Stay tuned for the full list of nominees (cheeky sneak peek below) — and join us in celebrating the remarkable talent, creativity, and passion that make South Australian theatre shine throughout the day on Friday February 27th!
"MOST POPULAR..." AWARD CATEGORIES:
- Most Popular Adult Musical
- & Juliet, Northern Light Theatre Company
- Be More Chill, Hills Musical Company
- Billy Elliot the Musical, Northern Light Theatre Company
- Bonnie & Clyde, Marie Clark Musical Theatre
- Come From Away, Therry Theatre
- Footloose, The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Company
- A Funny Thing Happened… Forum, SA Light Opera Society
- Jasper in Deadland – Flinders University Performing Arts Society
- Little Women the Musical – Hills Musical Society
- Merrily We Roll Along – The G&S Society of SA
- R&H’s Cinderella – South Coast Choral & Arts Society
- The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals – Funk Soul Productions
- The Sound of Music – The G&S Society of SA
- The Theory of Relativity – Opportunity Theatre
- Most Popular Youth Musical
- Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Zest Theatre Group
- Frozen JR – Adelaide Theatre Academy, Theatre Bugs
- Mary Poppins – NOW Productions
- Mary Poppins – Scotch College Adelaide
- Matilda JR – Adelaide Youth Theatre
- RENT – Adelaide Youth Theatre
- Shrek JR – Adelaide Youth Theatre
- Tuck Everlasting – Westminster School
- We Will Rock You – Pelican Productions
- Most Popular Play
- Dance Nation – Flinders Drama Centre
- First Love is a Revolution – Flinders Drama Centre
- Hansard – Stirling Players
- Margret, You’re A Virgin – Gas Leak in the Air Productions
- Neighbourhood Watch – St. Jude’s Players
- Querencia Calling – PitchWhite Productions
- Radium Girls – Galleon Theatre Group
- Something Wicked This Way Comes – Salisbury Youth Performing Arts Group
- Stop Kiss – Theatre Guild Student Society
- The Importance of Being Earnest – Strathalbyn Players
- The Penelopiad – University of Adelaide Theatre Group
- The Watsons – University of Adelaide Theatre Group
- Wrong Turn at Lungfish – Galleon Theatre Group
- Most Popular "Other Production"
- The Cry of the Hour – Paramita Roy
- Encore: An Evening in Paris – The Murray Bridge Players & Singers Inc
- Girl of the Frozen North – Tea Tree Players
- Ravaged – Deadset Theatre Company
- See If I Care – St. Jude’s Players
- Where Are You Going, Hollis Jay? – Galleon Theatre Group
- Most Popular Director for a Musical
- Adam Goodburn – The Sound of Music
- Ben Stefanoff – Be More Chill
- Ceri Hutton - & Juliet
- David Sinclair – Come From Away
- Eloise Morriss – R&H’s Cinderella
- Lucy Trewin – Bonnie & Clyde
- Matt Smith – Merrily We Roll Along, Footloose
- Sarah Hamilton, Sophie Stokes – Matilda JR
- Teagan Harvey – The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
- Vanessa Lee Shirley – We Will Rock You
- Most Popular Director for a Play
- Geoff Brittain – Querencia Calling
- Hannah Smith – Dance Nation, First Love is a Revolution
- Kym Clayton – Radium Girls
- Lesley Reed – Neighbourhood Watch
- Matthew Chapman – The Watsons
- Rosie Aust – Wrong Turn at Lungfish
- Sally Putnam – Hansard
- Zoe Muller, Alyssa D’Onofrio – Ravaged
- Most Popular Musical Director
- Billy James St. John – Billy Elliot the Musical, & Juliet
- Chris Gould – Tuck Everlasting
- Immi Beattie – The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
- Jaxon Joy – Footloose
- Kristin Stefanoff – Be More Chill
- Liam Phillips – The Sound of Music
- Matthew Rumley – Merrily We Roll Along
- Peter Johns – Come From Away
- Serena Cann – Bonnie & Clyde, Matilda JR
- Most Popular Choreographer
- Allycia Angeles – The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
- Deborah Proeve – Bonnie & Clyde
- Emily-Jo Davidson – Be More Chill
- Kerreane Sarti, Shenayde Patterson - & Juliet
- Leila Britton – Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, Cinderella
- Linda Williams – Come From Away
- Lucy Newman – Merrily We Roll Along, Footloose
- Sarah Williams – Billy Elliot the Musical
- Shenayde Patterson, Alessia Charman – Matilda JR
- Vanessa Redmond – The Sound of Music
- Most Popular Ensemble
- & Juliet, Northern Light Theatre Company
- Billy Elliot the Musical, Northern Light Theatre Company
- Come From Away, Therry Theatre
- Footloose, The Metropolitan Musical Theatre Society
- Frozen JR, Adelaide Theatre Academy, Theatre Bugs
- Mary Poppins, NOW Productions
- Mary Poppins, Scotch College Adelaide
- Matilda JR, Adelaide Youth Theatre
- Tuck Everlasting, Westminster School
- We Will Rock You, Pelican Productions
- Outstanding Performer in a Lead Role in a Musical
- Ava Rose Askew – Bonnie Parker, Bonnie & Clyde
- Grace Carter – Jo March, Little Women the Musical
- Emily Fitzpatrick – Maria, The Sound of Music
- Kristian Latella – Clyde Barrow, Bonnie & Clyde
- Lachlan Stieger – Ren McCormack, Footloose
- Londyn Foreman – Juliet, & Juliet
- Megan Davis – Cinderella, R&H’s Cinderella
- Robbie Breugelmans – William Shakespeare, & Juliet
- Thomas Sheldon – Jeremy, Be More Chill
- Vasileia Markhou – Ariel Moore, Footloose
- Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Carolina Fioravanti – Blanche, Bonnie & Clyde
- Daniel Hamilton – Romeo, & Juliet
- Harry Liam – Mr. Davidson & Others, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
- Jake Hipkiss – May, & Juliet
- Maximillian Maher – The SQUIP, Be More Chill
- Mia Ferraretto, Christine, Be More Chill
- Olivia Tod, Philia, A Funny Thing Happened…Forum
- Sarah Hamilton, Mrs. Wilkinson, Billy Elliot the Musical
- Sarah Hamilton, Angelique, & Juliet
- Sebastian Mendoza Gianatti – Michael, Be More Chill
- Outstanding Youth Performer in a Lead Role in a Musical
- Aidan Salmon – Billy Elliot, Billy Elliot the Musical
- Charlotte Quach – Matilda, Matilda JR
- Chloe Molineux – Scaramouche, We Will Rock You
- Ellayna Hails – Winnie Foster, Tuck Everlasting
- Emma Palumbo – Anna, Frozen JR
- Kyle Mobbs – Donkey, Shrek JR
- Yasmin Fitzgerald – Maureen, RENT
- Outstanding Youth Performer in a Supporting Role in a Musical
- Annabelle Coulson – Jane Banks, Mary Poppins
- Audrey Fitzpatrick – Gretl von Trapp, The Sound of Music
- Elaynah Magourilos – Bruce, Matilda JR
- Eliza Altamura – Veruca Salt, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
- Elliott Purdie – Robertson Ay, Mary Poppins
- Ethan Joy – Agatha Trunchbull, Matilda JR
- Isabelle Strelan – Sven, Frozen JR
- Milla Ilic – Debbie, Billy Elliot the Musical
- Noah Magourilos – Michael, Billy Elliot the Musical
- Thomas White – Lord Farquaad – Shrek JR
- Outstanding Performer in a Lead Role in a Play
- Andrew Clark – Robin, Hansard
- Ariel Dzino – Rdeca, First Love is a Revolution
- Ellie Lijo – Sara, Stop Kiss
- Ellie Schafer – Catherine, Neighbourhood Watch
- Julie Quick – Ana, Neighbourhood Watch
- Lucy Hay – Margret, Margret, You’re A Virgin
- Lucy Johnson – Grace, Radium Girls
- Samantha Perryman – Jim Nightshade, Something Wicked This Way Comes
- Dora Stamos – Anita Merendino, Wrong Turn at Lungfish
- Rebecca Kemp – Servant, The Watsons
- Outstanding Performer in a Supporting Role in a Play
- Aled Proeve – Tom & Others, Radium Girls
- Dylan Megaw – Ken, Neighbourhood Watch
- Emma Gregory – Thoreau, Rovis, First Love is a Revolution
- Frederick Pincombe – Charles Howard, The Watsons
- Jaxon O’Neill – Simon, First Love is a Revolution
- Tianna Cooper – Nurse, Wrong Turn at Lungfish
- Outstanding Original Song or Original Score
- Dance Nation – Alex Smith, Amelia Rooney, Original Score
- Stop Kiss – Jarrod Matulick, Original Score
- Stop Kiss – Jarrod Matulick, Katie Wicker, Macey Lawson, Zoe Russel-von Bujdoss, Original Song
- The Penelopiad – Kristin Stefanoff, Original Score
Comments
Post a Comment