Dobell Award continues to support Music Theatre students

Mary McCorry
Congratulations to Mary McCorry, winner of the 2021 Dobell Award.

For almost a decade, the Dobell Award has celebrated emerging musical theatre artists from the Victorian College of the Arts.

The annual Dobell Award provides funding to help aspiring VCA Music Theatre students embark on a successful career following graduation. This year’s Dobell Award was presented to Mary McCorry (she/her), a third year student of the Bachelor of Arts (Music theatre) at the VCA.

Also bestowed is an Industry Award, presented for an outstanding audition, which this year was won by Joshua Gordon (he/him).

The Dobell Award is the largest of its kind in Australia and winning takes both raw talent and dogged determination. The winner is selected based on both the audition performance and the basis of their exceptional talent, approach to course studies and a dedication to aspire to a significant performing career.

Mary McCorry is originally from Sydney and moved to Melbourne to take up a place at the VCA.  Alongside music theatre, Mary has a passion for singing various styles including jazz, soul, pop and folk.

The Awards are only possible due to the generosity of the Dobell Foundation who gave their first award back in 2008.  Since then the Ron and Margaret Dobell Foundation has helped dozens of emerging artists not only financially, but by also taking a personal and practical interest in not only what the winners are achieving, but also what the whole graduating class are doing following graduation.

The Dobell family are very special to the VCA Music Theatre Community, not only for their generosity in setting up the Award, but also because of their endless support to students of the VCA and emerging artists across the industry.