Lecturers recognised for top theatre work
Kronk, Scholten nominated for national awards
TWO University of Southern Queensland lecturers have been recognised for their outstanding work in theatre.
Robert Kronk was named a finalist in the Community and Youth Theatre category of the Australian Writers’ Guild’s 49th AWGIE Awards for his play We That Are Left, while Matt Scholten was honoured for his work on the show Mother, which was nominated for a Drover Award.
USQ Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Jan Thomas said she hoped the nominations would inspire the university’s Creative Arts students to pursue their dreams.
“Robert and Matt’s nominations were well deserved and it is great to hear they have been recognised for their commitment to an important area of the arts,” Professor Thomas said.
Mr Kronk teaches creative development as a sessional academic at USQ and is the co-founder and director of Debase Productions.
We That Are Left was commissioned by USQ Artsworx to commemorate the Anzac centenary and was performed by USQ students last year.
Set in Pittsworth and Toowoomba during World War I, the play explores the impact of war on the families and the communities who were left behind.
“While developing the play, I spoke with and interviewed a lot of people and collected a lot of true stories and family histories,” Mr Kronk, who was an AWGIE finalist in 2011 for his play Ithaca Road, said.
“I felt a responsibility to honour these stories and do them justice in the final play.
“To be nominated for an AWGIE award has made me feel I was able to keep faith with the people who helped create the play.”
Mr Scholten joined USQ as a guest director this year and is the artistic director and creative producer of independent theatre company If Theatre.
He is currently working with award-winning actor Noni Hazlehurst, directing her one-woman show Mother, which was named a finalist in the Tour of the Year category of the Australian Performing Arts Centres Association’s (APACA) Drover Awards.
Mother was also nominated for two Helpmann Awards (Best Regional Touring Production and Best Female Actor in a Play) earlier this year.
Matt’s Robert and nominations were well deserved and it is great to hear they have been recognised for their commitment to an important area of the arts. — Professor Jan Thomas