The Adelaide Critics Circle Incorporated has announced the full list of nominees for its 28th Annual Awards in 2025:
Community: Individual
Penni Hamilton Smith, actor, Mother and Son, (The Adelaide Repertory Theatre)
Benji Riggs, playwright, director & composer, Book Nooks, a Christmas Musical, (The Flying Elephant Company)
Lyn Wilson, actor, The Deep Blue Sea, (Independent Theatre)
Patrick Marlin, actor, The Deep Blue Sea, (Independent Theatre)
Sue Wylie, actor, Life Without Me, (Stirling Players)
Aidan Salmon, actor, Billy Elliot: The Musical, (Northern Light Theatre Company)
Lana Adamuszek, actor, Labour of Love, (St.Jude’s Players)
Teagan Garvey, director, actor, designer, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, (Funk Soul Productions)
Robyn Brookes, actor, The Other Place, (The Adelaide Repertory Theatre)
Callum Logan, actor, Ordinary People, (Independent Theatre Company)
Kristin Telfer, director, Penelopiad, (University of Adelaide Theatre Guild)
Emily Burns, actor, Shakespeare in Hollywood, (The Adelaide Repertory Theatre)
Lindsay Prodea, singer, A Friend of Dorothy: Anthems of Pride, presented by Matthew Liersch
Brant Eustice, actor, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (Holden Street Theatres Inc.)
Chris Asimos, actor, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (Holden Street Theatres Inc.)
Martha Lott, actor, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (Holden Street Theatres Inc.)
Peter Goers, director, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (Holden Street Theatres Inc.)
Anita Zambelan Canala, actor, Hansard, (Stirling Players)
Helen Geoffreys, actor, I Do, I Do, I Do, (Therry Theatre)
Community: Group
Festival Statesmen Chorus, Christmas in the Cathedral
Independent Theatre, The Deep Blue Sea
Funk Soul Productions, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals
Northern Light Theatre Company, Billy Elliot: The Musical
Pelican Productions, body of work
The Adelaide Repertory Theatre, The Other Place
Pulteney Grammar School, Urinetown: The Musical
University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, Penelopiad
University of Adelaide Theatre Guild, The Watsons
Therry Theatre, Come From Away
Holden Street Theatres Inc., Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Professional: Individual
Renato Musolino, actor, American Song, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Mark Saturno, actor, Jack Maggs, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Andrew Howard, composer, Housework, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Emily Steel, playwright, Housework, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Emily Taheny, actor, Housework, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Renato Musolino, actor, Housework, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Susie Youssef, actor, Housework, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Craig McArdle, actor, Dust, (Yellow Brick Theatre Company)
Emily Steel, playwright, Housework, (State Theatre South Australia)
Millicent Sarre & Joseph Simons, book and lyrics, Primetime, (CabFest)
Mark Valenzuela, visual artist, 'Bantay- Salakay' exhibition, (Adelaide Contemporary Experimental)
Professional: Group
State Theatre South Australia, Housework
Gravity & Other Myths, Ten Thousand Hours
State Theatre South Australia, Dear Son
Emerging Artist
Ahunim Abebe, actor, Jack Maggs, (State Theatre Company South Australia)
Zoe Battersby, actor, Mum's Gift, (Therry Theatre)
Aidan Salmon, actor, Billy Elliot: The Musical, (Northern Light Theatre Company)
Immi Beattie & Gracie Greenrod, producers, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, (Funk Soul Productions)
Ruby Patrich, actor, Romeo and Juliet in 15 Minutes, presented by Peter Goers
Jessica Bigg & Eliza Dickson, cabaret artists, Late to the Party: The ADHD Hour, Adelaide Fringe, presented by Jessica Bigg
Callum Logan, actor, Shakespeare on Love, (Butterfly Theatre)
Darcy Wain, actor, Kimberly Akimbo, (State Theatre South Australia)
Open Music Academy String Quartet, musicians, (Recitals Australia)
Jenny Su, pianist, for her achievement in winning the 5MBS Young Virtuoso Award.
Innovation (IAF)
Adelaide Contemporary Experimental (ACE), nurturing contemporary and experimental visual arts
The Little Machine, gallery for contemporary and experimental art, directed and curated by Michael Newall and Eleen Deprez
Hilary Kleinig, composer, musician and lead artist, The Lost Art of Listening
Ciara Ferguson, composer & musician, River Walks album
Flinders Drama Centre, Shock of the New, conceived and performed by graduating students from the Bachelor of Performance at Flinders University in conjunction with Director Chris Drummond
Maryam Rahmani, Santur player and singer, for creating a compelling musical form that combines Persian traditions with western music
Community: Individual - Actor in a Supporting Role
Sandy Whitelaw, actor, Mother and Son, (The Adelaide Repertory Theatre)
Jessica Corrie, actor, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, (Holden Street Theatres Inc.)
Neve Sargeant, actor, The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals, (Funk Soul Productions)
Professional: Group - Music
Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, Brahms: The Symphonies
State Opera South Australia, Flight
State Opera South Australia, The Magic Flute
Ensemble Lumen
Professional: Individual - Music
Pelham Andrews, singer, Roméo et Juliette, (State Opera SA)
Mark Ferguson, composer & musician, UNESCO International Jazz Day Relay
Dean Newcombe, Principal Clarinet, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, for consistently outstanding performance
Joshua Oates, Principal Oboe, Adelaide Symphony Orchestra, for consistently outstanding performance
Simon Pazos Quintana, pianist, for his achievement in winning The Geoffrey Parsons Award
Maryam Rahmani, Santur player and singer, for creating a compelling musical form that combines Persian traditions with western music
Kyle Stegall, singer, Roméo et Juliette, (State Opera SA)
Community: Creative & Technical
David Sinclair, Linda Williams & Peter Johns, Come from Away, (Therry Theatre), for excellence in direction, choreography & musical direction
Bill Peet, set designer, Hansard, (Stirling Players)
Professional: Creative & Technical
David Mealor, director, American Song, (Flying Penguin Productions/State Theatre SA)
Quentin Grant, composer, American Song, (Flying Penguin Productions/State Theatre SA)
Kathyryn Sproul, set & costume designer, American Song, (Flying Penguin Productions/State Theatre SA)
Nominations for the Visual Arts award and the Lifetime Achievement award will be made on the night.
The 2025 Adelaide Critics Circle Awards will be held at Holden Street Theatres, Kaurna Land, 34 Holden Street, Hindmarsh, on Monday 8 December from 6pm. Attendance is free, and all are warmly invited to join the Circle in celebrating South Australia’s artists and arts workers.