The playwright, author, and academic Thomas Kilroy was last night presented with a Special Tribute Award in Dublin last night for his contribution to Irish theatre.
The presentation, at the seventh annual Irish Times/ESB Irish Theatre Awards, was made by actor Stephen Rea.
Richard Dormer won the best actor award for his performance as Pyper in the Lyric Theatre production of Frank McGuinness's Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme. The best actress award went to Lia Williams who played Alma Winemiller in a Gate Theatre production of Tennessee William's Eccentricities of a Nightingale.
The Best Supporting Actor award was won by Frankie McCafferty for his performance as Moore in the Lyric Theatre production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme, while the Best Supporting Actress award went to Judith Roddy for her performance as Hedvig in the Abbey Theatre's production of Ibsen's The Wild Duck, adapted by Frank McGuinness at the Peacock.
The Best Director award was won by László Marton for The Wild Duck. Best Designer: Set was won by Sabine Dargent for the Lyric Theatre production of Ghosts by Ibsen, adapted by Conall Morrison, while the Best Designer: Lighting award went to Rupert Murray for the Gate Theatre production of Crestfall, by Mark O'Rowe.
Best Designer: Costume was won Monica Frawley for the B*spoke Theatre Company/ Galway Arts Festival production of the Drunkard by Tom Murphy.
The Best Production award went to the Corn Exchange production of Mud by María Irene Fornés, directed by Annie Ryan.
The Best Opera Production award was given to the Wexford Festival Opera production of Svanda Dudak by Jaromír Weinberger, directed by Damiano Michieletto.
Gerard Mannix Flynn won the Best New Play award for James X, which was produced by Far Cry Productions. The Judges Special Award was presented to the Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre and Dublin Theatre Festival for their production of Giselle, which fused dance and theatre.
Full details of the awards ceremony, which continued late last night, will be in The Irish Times tomorrow. Edited highlights can be seen on RTÉ 1 at 11.25 tonight.
