Edith Harrhy & Musicians Awards

Edith Harrhy Award

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This award was created in 1979 by Alan Stone to honour the memory of Edith Harrhy, an eminent composer, lyricist, author, poet and pianist who devoted a great deal of her life to the non-professional musical theatre assisting the aspirations of many a budding artist – and hopeful ones too. Based in Melbourne, she devoted many years to the Lyric Light Opera Company as musical director and for which she was held in the highest esteem. A petite figure, she became endeared for her ever present supply of sweets for all and the constant application of the powder-puff both at rehearsal and during performances. She died in Queensland in 1975.

The Award is for outstanding service to the musical theatre, contributed in an honorary capacity.

From 1979 to 1986 this award was presented as part of Free Entertainment in the Park before becoming part of the Guild.

To date the recipients are as follows;

YearName
1979Val Pagram, Bruce McBrien
1980Violet Jackson
1981Cid Elwood
1982Val Bolton
1983Grahame Murphy
1984Vin Foster
1985Lorna Moran
1986Harold Burrows, Ernest Shade
1987Alan Stone
1988Rex Callahan
1989Nell Wynd, Grant Alley
1990Evelyn Girling
1991Arch Dyer
1992Sandra Davies
1993Maureen Hollier
1994Rod Collier, Peter Torrens
1995Terri Evans
1996John Burrett
1997Peter Dale
1998Owen Collier
1999Sue Porter
2000Geoff Tomkins
2001N/A
2002Arlene Geoffrey
2003Joyce Baker-Dawker
2004Ena Hall
2005Vic Luke, Sue Dyer
2006Bernie Tichbon, Allan Paul
2007Brett Wingfield
2008Gwen Quick
2009Bev Woodford
2010Gwen Derrick
2011Dot Parker
2012Rohan Luke
2013Lyn And Jim Muller
2014Darrell Boyd
2015Fran Boyd
2016Paul Denham
2017Bernard & Gemma Hedger
2018Jeff Maxwell
2019David Greenwood
2020/2021Debbie Keyt, Peter Wills
2023Marcy Paynter

Musicians Award

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This award was instigated in 1991, and acknowledges the Musicians whose dedication is paramount and essential to the productions staged by music theatre companies. Whilst in the main their services do not come freely, they subscribe their talent and expertise without which companies virtually could not operate. The all-important rehearsal pianist is normally recruited from amongst their ranks. The award is not granted in recognition of a particular performance but acknowledges the recipient’s years of service or expertise.

YearName
1991John Scanlon
1992Keith Morgan
1993Margaret Boyle, Marcella Peterson
1994Robert Harry
1995Shirley Greenwood
1996Justin Jacobs, Kellie Ryan
1997Corey Hall
1998Tom Ryan
1999N/A
2000N/A
2001Sarah Cliff
2002Jean Arnott, Ian Norris
2003Sue Goessling
2004N/A
2005N/A
2006Victor Brincat
2007Adrian Szondy
2008Carmel Slater
2009Dave Banen
2010Danny Forward
2011Andrew Corbel
2012Amber Simm
2013Claire O’Brien
2014N/A
2015Deb McLeod
2016Brian Davis, Sharon Leppard
2017Malcom Huddle
2018Ned Dixon
2019Graeme Patterson
2020**No Awards run in 2020**
2023Shirley White