The full list of awards presented in The Irish Times/ESB Theatre Awards
Special Tribute Award
For exceptional contribution to Irish theatre, was presented to Thomas Kilroy.
Best Actor
Richard Dormer as Pyper in the Lyric Theatre production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme by Frank McGuinness. Also nominated were David Heap for his performance as Mr Foster in the Abbey Theatre production for the Dublin Fringe Festival of The Race of the Ark Tattoo by David Hancock; Frankie McCafferty as Dinzie Conlee in the Druid Theatre production of Sharon's Grave by John B Keane; and Frank McCusker as Gregors Werle in the Abbey Theatre production of The Wild Duck at the Peacock.
Best Actress
Lia Williams for her role as Alma Winemiller in the Gate Theatre production of Eccentricities of a Nightingale by Tennessee Williams. Also nominated were Helen Carey for her performance as Kate Keller in the Abbey Theatre production of All My Sons by Arthur Miller; Sara Kestelman, who played Nell Jeffrey in the Abbey Theatre production of The Shape of Metal by Thomas Kilroy; and Simone Kirby for her role as Mae in the Corn Exchange production of Mud.
Best Supporting Actor
Frankie McCafferty as Moore in the Lyric Theatre production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme. Other nominees in this category were Keith Dunphy as George Hastings in the Abbey Theatre production of She Stoops To Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith; Chris McHallem as Dr Relling in the Abbey Theatre production of The Wild Duck at the Peacock; and Aaron Monaghan as Tony Lumpkin in the Abbey Theatre production of She Stoops To Conquer.
Best Supporting Actress
Judith Roddy as Hedvig in the Abbey Theatre production of The Wild Duck at the Peacock. Also nominated were Andrea Irvine as Martirio in the Abbey Theatre production of The House Of Bernarda Alba by Federico García Lorca, adapted by Sebastian Barry; Ruth McCabe as Poncia in the same production; and Justine Mitchell as Claire in the Abbey Theatre production of Aristocrats by Brian Friel at the Abbey, and for her role as Kate Hardcastle in She Stoops to Conquer, also at the Abbey.
Best Director
László Marton for The Wild Duck at the Peacock. Also nominated were Patrick Mason for the Abbey Theatre production of She Stoops to Conquer; Joe O'Byrne for the Kilkenny Arts Festival production of De Profundis, adapted from Oscar Wilde; and Annie Ryan for the Corn Exchange production of Mud.
Best Designer: Set
Sabine Dargent for the Lyric Theatre production of Ghosts by Henrik Ibsen, adapted by Conall Morrison. Also nominated were Dick Bird for the Opera Theatre Company/Genesis Opera Project co-production with Almeida Aldeburgh Opera of Thwaite by Jürgen Simpson and Simon Doyle, and the Opera Theatre Company production of Cinderella by Rossini; David Craig for the Castleward Opera production of La Rondine by Puccini; and Francis O'Connor for the Gate Theatre production of Crestfall by Mark O'Rowe and for the Druid production of Sharon's Grave.
Best Designer: Lighting
Rupert Murray for the Gate Theatre production of Crestfall by Mark O'Rowe. Also nominated were Paul Keogan for the Abbey Theatre production of The Wild Duck, and the Rough Magic Theatre Company production of Olga by Laura Ruohonen; Sinéad McKenna for the Gúna Nua/One Productions production of Skin Deep by Paul Meade; andConleth White for the Lyric Theatre production of Observe the Sons of Ulster Marching Towards the Somme.
Best Designer: Costume
Monica Frawley for the B*spoke Theatre Company/Galway Arts Festival production of the Drunkard by Tom Murphy. Other nominees were Dick Bird for Opera Theatre/Genesis Opera Project co-production with Almeida Aldeburgh Opera of Thwaite; Sinead Cuthbert for the Second Age/Theatreworks production of Macbeth by William Shakespeare; and Robin Rawstorne for the Wexford Festival Opera production of Svanda Dudak.
Best Production
The Corn Exchange production of Mud. Other nominees in this category were The Abbey Theatre production of She Stoops to Conquer; the Abbey Theatre production of The Wild Duck; and the Ark production of The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish adapted by Jocelyn Clarke from the book written by Neil Gaiman and directed by Eric Fraad and Liz Roche.
Best Opera Production
Wexford Festival Opera production of Svanda Dudak by Jaromír Weinberger, directed by Damiano Michieletto. The other nomination was the Opera Theatre Company/Genesis Opera Project co-production with Almeida Aldeburgh Opera of Thwaite.
Best New Play
Gerard Mannix Flynn for James X produced by Far Cry Productions. Other nominees were Alex Johnston for Entertainment produced by Bedrock Productions; Thomas Kilroy for The Shape of Metal produced by the Abbey Theatre; and Mark O'Rowe for Crestfall produced by the Gate Theatre
Judges' Special Award
Fabulous Beast Dance Theatre and Dublin Theatre Festival for their production of Giselle. Other nominees were Paul Arditti for sound design on Crestfall at the Gate Theatre; Gúna Nua & One Productions for the use of multi-media in their production of Skin Deep; and Theatre Shop for Playography, the comprehensive on-line catalogue of all new plays produced in Ireland since 1975.
The awards were presented by Gerry Smyth, Managing Editor at The Irish Times, and Padraig McManus, Chief Executive of ESB. MC was comedian and actor Risteard Cooper.
The three judges Maureen Kennelly, Helen Meany, and Phelim Donlon, attended all new theatre and opera productions throughout the island of Ireland during 2003.