A very excited young music production and sound design student Julianna Stankiewicez, received this year’s Actors Benevolent Fund encouragement award during the Sydney Theatre Awards. Presented as part of the Lifetime Achievement Award, the ABF bursary is designed as an encouragement for a student entering the critical second year of study at NIDA
The Sydney Theatre Awards were as always, a glittering celebration of live performance and this year was no exception. Hosted by Marnie McQueen with a cast of theatre stars as well as a special tribute performance by 34 cast members of Australian tours of Les Misérables to celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the opening in Australia of this iconic musical.
The award was presented by ABF deputy Chair Glenn Hazeldine to Julianna as they shared the stage with Lifetime Achievement Award recipient photographer and social chronicler, William Yang and reviewer John McCallum.
Photo: David Hooley
The York Theatre at the Seymour Centre was packed with a 500 strong enthusiastic crowd of theatre professionals. Many audience members were young and recent additions to the live theatre world, a healthy indicator for the future of live performance in Sydney.
Having relocated from rural Tasmania Julianna, like so many other students, found the past year very challenging financially. Cost of rent, food and transport have all risen and for a student trying to juggle study with a job and an hour and a half commute daily to NIDA has been very difficult. While the ABF bursary is not enough to live on, it will enable her to use her knowledge as a music producer and sound designer to earn some income while improving her skills. Actors Benevolent Fund wishes Julianna every success for her studies and future chosen career.