The Sydney Theatre Awards are presented annually to recognise excellence, diversity and outstanding achievement across professional theatre in Sydney, highlighting work from mainstage, independent and musical productions.
The 2025 awards were held on 19 January 2026 at the Seymour Centre’s York Theatre, where around 500 members of the Sydney theatre community gathered to celebrate the season’s work.
Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Belvoir and Andrew Henry Presents) was the big winner, taking Best Mainstage Production along with multiple design awards and Best New Australian Work. Other major winners included Sistren (Best Independent Production), Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical (Best Musical), and performances by Kat Stewart and Fraser Morrison in leading roles.
The ceremony also honoured Elizabeth Butcher AM with a Lifetime Achievement Award for her decades-long impact on Australian theatre, including her work at NIDA and founding contributions to the Sydney arts scene.
2025 Sydney Theatre Awards Winners
- BEST MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Belvoir and Andrew Henry Presents)
- BEST INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Sistren (Green Door Theatre Company in association with Griffin Theatre Company)
- BEST DIRECTION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Damien Ryan (The Player Kings)
- BEST DIRECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Ian Michael (Sistren)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Kat Stewart (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Fraser Morrison (Cruise)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Angela Mahlatjie (Primary Trust)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Deborah Galanos (Saints of Damour)
- BEST STAGE DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Nick Schlieper and Simon Phillips with Craig Wilkinson and Jon Weber (Grief is the Thing with Feathers)
- BEST STAGE DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Hannah Tayler and Paris Bell (Lost & Finding)
- BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Ella Butler and Hailley Hunt (Orlando)
- BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Emelia Simcox (Cowbois)
- BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Nick Schlieper (Grief is the Thing with Feathers)
- BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Ryan McDonald (Furious Mattress)
- BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION OF A MAINSTAGE PRODUCTION Freya Schack-Arnott and Daniel Herten (Grief is the Thing with Feathers)
- BEST SOUND DESIGN AND COMPOSITION OF AN INDEPENDENT PRODUCTION Tom Hogan (Birdsong of Tomorrow)
- BEST NEW AUSTRALIAN WORK Grief is the Thing with Feathers (Simon Phillips, Nick Schlieper & Toby Schmitz)
- BEST NEWCOMER Danny Howard (Jacky / Whitefella Yella Tree) Iolanthe (Sistren / The Edit)
- BEST ENSEMBLE The Player Kings (Sport for Jove in association with Seymour Centre)
- BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical (Hayes Theatre Co)
- BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL Sheridan Harbridge (Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL Joel Granger (Phar Lap: The Electro-Swing Musical)
- BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL Elenoa Rokobaro (Hadestown)
- BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL Guy Simpson (Guys & Dolls)
- BEST CHOREOGRAPHY OF A MUSICAL Kelley Abbey (Guys & Dolls) BEST DESIGN OF A MUSICAL Dann Barber (Set and Costume Design, Candide)
- BEST PRODUCTION FOR CHILDREN Wolfgang in the Stars (Circa and Riverside Theatres)
- BEST PRODUCTION FOR YOUNG PEOPLE Converted (ATYP)
- LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD Elizabeth Butcher AM
