In 2024, Melbourne’s arts scene has never felt more exciting. From world premieres of award-winning musicals and blockbuster exhibitions to indie operations involving wildly talented individuals, our city is alive with awe-inspiring cultural offerings.
All year round, Time Out’s dedicated critics are busy catching musicals, plays and exhibitions around Melbourne to give readers the juicy coverage they want: independent critical reviews. What better way to shine a spotlight on the talented artists and performers we love to write about than by launching the very first Time Out Arts & Culture Awards, celebrating the best of the arts in our city from May 2023 to May 2024.
For the Best Performance in a Musical category, we looked for standout actors who shone the brightest on stage. Whether it was their spot-on comedic timing, impressive singing and dancing skills or ability to make us feel something, we were looking for individual performances we can't forget.
And the winner is…
Courtney Monsma has taken home the Critics' Choice Best Performance in a Musical Award 2024 for her dazzling performance in Wicked in Time Out Melbourne’s inaugural Arts & Culture Awards. Monsma’s G(a)linda is slap-your-knees, let-out-a-squeal funny.
She re-shapes the virtue-signalling mean girl role and makes Glinda that much easier to redeem with her masterful timing, quirkiness and propensity for revealing the good witch’s vulnerable side. From soaring operatic highs from within her perfect bubble to a delightfully unexpected grunt or two, Monsma is a delight who helps cement Wicked’s place as an evergreen hit.