UK - The Association of British Theatre Technicians’ Annual Awards took place on Wednesday evening, 5 June, after the first day of the ABTT Theatre Show 2024 at Alexandra Palace, London
The evening started with drinks served outside the Londesborough Room before attendees took their positions, filling all the seats leaving standing room only, to celebrate those people and products making a difference to the industry.
Ted Moore, director of Rental Services, said of the Awards: “TAIT are really proud to be here once again to sponsor the ABTT Awards, which I truly believe is one of the best award presentations anywhere in our industry. We wish all the nominees good luck and give congratulations to whoever the winners may be.”
The five highly sought after Awards for Lighting Product, Sound Product, Engineering Product, ‘Widget’ and Stand of the Year, were complemented by the announcement of the recipients of the ABTT Technician of the Year and the ABTT Award for Emerging Excellence which recognise the achievements of individuals both starting out and well-established in their backstage careers.
These sat beside the Award for Environmental Sustainability which is presented to someone who ‘over the past 12 months has made a significant contribution to furthering environmental sustainability within the theatre industry’, plus the two newest categories, ‘Costume Award’ and ‘Award for WHAM Design (Wigs, Hair & Make-up).
The ABTT WHAM Committee and CITEA Committee commented that they “are proud to develop these two new awards and recognise the equal and often uncredited contributions that these specialists make to the creative process.”
The Jury, made up of an experienced group of working practitioners and industry peers, made the following awards:
Lighting Product: Multiverse Connect Module
Sound Product: Ampetronic Auri
Engineering Product: X Winch
Widget: Viviana Straps Extreme
Stand: Encore
Technician: Jonny Liron
Emerging Excellence: David Howard
Environmental Sustainability: Kathryn Downton
WHAM Design: Adele Brandman
Costume: Stephen Rodwell
The ABTT would also like thank the panel of judges: Paul Aspinall, Dom Bilkey, Jonathan Burniston, Alex Cann, David Evans, Andrew Grant, Amy Jeskins, Kit Lerman, Tanya Noor, Anette Ollerearnshaw, Ben Stones, Caroline Townsend, Helen Diana Wake, Christian Wallace and Richard Willamson.
