Cover Image: Freeze Frame Opera brought Dead Man Walking to life inside Fremantle Prison’s East Workshops. Photo by John Marshall.

The depth, diversity and excellence of WA’s professional live performance sector was celebrated at the industry’s annual night of nights at the Heath Ledger Theatre on Monday.

The biggest winner at the 2026 Performing Arts WA Awards was the independent company Freeze Frame Opera, which converted five of its nine PAWA nominations into a happy handful of gongs for Dead Man Walking.

Hailed by Seesaw Magazine reviewer Bourby Webster as a “profoundly moving and evocative triumph”, Dead Man Walking’s winning hand included Best Production, Outstanding Direction (Adam Mitchell) and Best Newcomer for young baritone Lachlan Higgins.

The Black Swan State Theatre Company of WA/ Belvoir St Theatre co-production of August: Osage County dominated the main stage theatre categories with four awards, including star Pamela Rabe’s Outstanding Achievement by an Interstate Artist. The independent theatre show Shadow of Doubt by The Blue Room Theatre and Fine Comb Theatre also picked up four awards.

Other winners included WA Opera’s Pirates of Penzance (three awards), STRUT Dance’s Manifest at Perth Moves for Perth Festival (three), and Sage J Harlow’s/Tone List’s lo-fi experimental opera O,D,E at the Blue Room Theatre (three). Western Sky Projects’ musical Urinetown received the most nominations, 14, but ended the night with two – for Outstanding Lead (Nic MacLaine) and Outstanding Support (Sharon Kiely).

In a poignant note to proceedings, Gina Williams-Ghouse and the late Guy Ghouse received the Outstanding Composition award for the Breaksea children’s production Aliwah Bardinar! at the Awesome Festival in October, Guy Ghouse died the following month at the age of 56 after a two year battle with cancer.

The inaugural Ripple Effect Award winner was James Berlyn, whose tireless and quiet contribution over four decades has had a ripple effect to make change and to impact others. The Ripple Effect Award honours the legacy of the late Georgia Malone. A true champion of the arts, who died in April 2025 after a two-year battle with bowel cancer.

In his acceptance speech, Berlyn announced the prize money would fund a new artist residency opportunity at his new West Berlyn studio in Bayswater. He established West Berlyn as a low-cost venue for independent artists to create and present new work with security and confidence.

Berlyn has had a prolific and influential career as a dancer, writer, director and producer across the country and internationally. In 2021, he received the prestigious Sidney Myer Performing Arts Award for performing arts excellence.

In a recent interview with Seesaw Magazine, Berlyn said he was keen to “give back” by mentoring and supporting a new generation of emerging artists and to help ease their way through the high-risk underfunded arts industry via access to a facility like West Berlyn.

The Lifetime Achievement Award went to veteran stage manager Jenny Poh, for her tireless work within the industry. Over the past 40 year, Poh has ensured the smooth running of shows at the Hole in the Wall Theatre Company, Effie Crump Theatre, WA Opera, WA Ballet, Deckchair Theatre, Onward Productions, Buzz Dance Theatre, His Majesty’s Theatre, Age Link, Yirra Yaakin and on a national tour with Amanda Muggleton’s Shirley Valentine.

The awards presentation was hosted with a comic touch by Luke Joseph Ryan and Wyatt Nixon-Lloyd, with live performances from MATRIARX and Pam Boland. Presented with the support of DCITS and Arts & Culture Trust, the PAWAs reward excellence across a diverse range of art forms including theatre, dance, musicals, opera and cabaret. They are hosted each year by Artist Relief Fund WA, a charity which supports arts workers experiencing hardship.

Artist Relief Fund WA Chair Nick Maclaine said: “These awards matter because they recognise the people who pour their skill, heart and imagination into bringing live performance to WA audiences. Congratulations to every nominee and winner tonight! Your contribution to our state’s rich cultural life is immense.”

Maclaine said Berlyn was the perfect inaugural recipient of the Ripple Effect Award. “His quiet, tireless work amplifying the voices of young people has had extraordinary impact, and he embodies the values that Georgia Malone brought to her career.”

For the full list of nominees and winners, see performingartswaawards.com/2026