Stephen Rea, Sinead Cusack and the plays Ballyturk and Our Few and Evil Days were all honoured at last night's Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards.
Belfast-born Rea (68) received this year’s Special Tribute Award for his contributions to Irish theatre.
Speaking to the Irish Times before the ceremony at the National Concert Hall in Dublin., Rea admitted he was nervous about receiving the honour.
“You kind of scroll back through your life and wonder what you’ve done that allows them to, without embarrassment, offer you this thing. Really, it all comes down to [the writers]. I sort of feel it has nothing to do with me.”
“If you do start to wallow in some sense of being successful, then you’re dead. It’s over.”
The award for Best Production went to Enda Walsh’s Ballyturk, produced by Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival.
Sinead Cusack won the Best Actress award for her role as Margaret in Mark O'Rowe's Our Few and Evil Days at the Abbey. The production itself won Best New Play of 2014.
The award for Best Actor went to Lewis J Stadlen, who played Solomon in The Price by Arthur Miller, which was directed by Doug Hughes at the Gate.
Click on the video links above to watch RTÉ News reports from last night's ceremony.
The Irish Times Theatre Awards Awards will be featured on The Works on RTÉ One at 8.30pm on Friday, February 27th.
The full list of winners at The Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards
Judges’ Special Award: Limerick City of Culture: An award to its leadership team and administration for rebranding the city as a beacon of artistic endeavour.
Best Actress: Sinéad Cusack as Margaret in Our Few and Evil Days, written and directed by Mark O’Rowe for the Abbey Theatre.
Best Actor: Lewis J Stadlen as Solomon in The Price, written by Arthur Miller, directed by Doug Hughes for the Gate Theatre.
Best Supporting Actress: Kate Gilmore in Breathless, by John MacKenna, directed by Iseult Golden for Orion Productions and Danú Theatre.
Best Supporting Actor: Simon O’Gorman as Thomasheen Seán Rua in Sive, by John B Keane, for the Abbey Theatre.
Best Director: Selina Cartmell for Punk Rock, by Simon Stephens, for the Lyric Theatre, Belfast.
Best Set Design: Alyson Cummins, for Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric Theatre.
Best Costume Design: Mike Britton for How Many Miles to Babylon, by Jennifer Johnston, adapted for stage by Alan Stanford for the Lyric Theatre.
Best Lighting: Ciaran Bagnall for Pentecost, by Stewart Parker, for the Lyric Theatre.
Best Sound Design: Teho Teardo and Helen Atkinson, for Ballyturk, by Enda Walsh, for Landmark Productions/GIAF.
Best Production: Ballyturk, written and directed by Enda Walsh for Landmark Productions and Galway International Arts Festival.
Best New Play: Our Few and Evil Days by Mark O’Rowe for the Abbey Theatre.
Best Opera Production: Silent Night by Kevin Puts, directed by Tomer Zvulun forWexford Festival Opera.
An Post Irish Stamps Audience Choice Prize: Silent Night, Wexford Festival Opera.
Special Tribute Award: Stephen Rea
