Yours Truly, a play about Jack the Ripper, has topped the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards nomination list for 2006, with nine nominations across the 20 categories. Dubbed 'the Oscars of Wellington theatre', the awards celebrate and recognise the capital city's unique creative talent.

Image: Jennifer Ludlam and George Henare in Death of a Salesman, nominated for Production of the YearYours Truly, a play about Jack the Ripper, has topped the Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards nomination list for 2006, with nine nominations across the 20 categories. Dubbed 'the Oscars of Wellington theatre', the awards celebrate and recognise the capital city's unique creative talent.

Image: Jennifer Ludlam and George Henare in Death of a Salesman, nominated for Production of the YearNominees have been selected from over 80 professional New Zealand productions performed in Wellington, by a panel of theatre critics from the New Zealand Listener, The Dominion Post, Capital Times and Theatreview.

The award categories and nominees in each category are as follows:

Award for Most Original Production of the Year
-Arcane - theatreheuristic & BATS Theatre
-Dr. Buller's Birds - Circa Theatre
-Yours Truly - Left of Centre Productions

Downstage Theatre Award for the Most Promising Male Newcomer
of the Year
-James Ashcroft - The Brilliant Fassah
-Robert Lloyd - Fool for Love
-Nic Sampson - Picture Perfect

Circa Award donated by TACT for the Most Promising Female Newcomer of the Year
-Rachel Forman - Fool for Love
-Abby Marment - Picture Perfect
-Holly Shanahan - Yours Truly

Sovereign Award for the Most Promising New Director of the Year
-Julie Noever - Fool for Love
-Leo Gene Peters - Shifting
-Lyndee Jane Rutherford - Love Puke

The Dominion Post Award for Costume Designer of the Year
-Gillie Coxhill - The Rivals
-Zoë Fox - Yours Truly
-Paul Jenden - Troy the Musical

Award for Lighting Designer of the Year
-Bryan Caldwell - The Holy Sinner
-Phillip Dexter - Dracula
-Martyn Roberts - Yours Truly

Weta Workshop Award for Set Designer of the Year
-John Hodgkins - Master Class
-Grant Major - The Holy Sinner
-Sven Mezhoud - The Brilliant Fassah

Western Audio Engineering Award for Sound Designer of the Year
-Stephen Gallagher - Yours Truly
-Matthew Lambourn - Dr. Buller's Birds
-Thomas Press - Dracula

Constance Scott Kirkcaldie Award for Outstanding Composer of
Original Music
-Peter Daube - Stories Told To Me Girls
-Gareth Farr - Troy the Musical
-Michael Nicholas Williams - Under Milk Wood

Peter Harcourt Award for Outstanding New Playwright of the Year Sponsored by BATS and Taki Rua
-Jan Bolwell - Here's Hilda
-Julie Hill - Stories Told To Me By Girls
-Sonya Stewart - Wheel

The Absolutely Positively Outstanding New New Zealand Play
of the Year
-Picture Perfect - Ken Duncum
-Troy the Musical - Paul Jenden
-Yours Truly - Albert Belz

The Award for Supporting Actress of the Year
-Erin Banks - Golden Boys
-Geraldine Brophy - The Rivals
-Heather O'Carroll - The Country

Chapman Tripp Award for Supporting Actor of the Year
-K.C. Kelly - Fool for Love
-Robert Tripe - Death of a Salesman
-Julian Wilson - The Underpants

In the performance categories, which are:

Gibson Group Accolade for Outstanding Performance

Grouse Lighting Accolade for Outstanding Performance

Chapman Tripp Award for Actress of the Year

Gail Cowan Management Award for Actor of the Year

There are 7 nominees:
-Nick Blake - Yours Truly
-Kerry Fox - The Blonde the Brunette and the Vengeful Redhead
-George Henare - Death of a Salesman
-Jennifer Ludlam - Death of a Salesman
-Malcolm Murray - The Country
-Carol Smith - The Country
-Tim Spite - The Brilliant Fassah

Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School Award for Director of the Year
-Rachel More - Under Milk Wood
-David O'Donnell - Yours Truly
-Susan Wilson - Death of a Salesman

Chapman Tripp Award for Production of the Year
-Death of a Salesman - Circa Theatre
-Troy the Musical - Circa Theatre
-Yours Truly - Left of Centre Productions

The winner of the Mayor's Award for Significant Contribution to the Theatre will be announced at the ceremony on the night.

The Chapman Tripp Theatre Awards will be held on Sunday 10th December, 6:30pm at the Duxton Hotel Ballroom.