The 2024 Lysicrates Prize took place on Sunday, 25 February 2024. A packed audience including many guests of honour had a wonderful afternoon and evening of enjoyment and fun.
The afternoon began with our traditional Didgeridoo welcome by Tu Wai.
After a welcome by John Azarias, Co-Founder of the Azarias Foundation, the Premier of NSW, The Hon Chris Minns gave his opening remarks.
Compere, Hayden Tonazzi, then introduced the first of the three plays which turned out to be the subsequent winner. Once all three had been performed the audience filed out and placed their voting token in one of the three urns in the foyer. They then made their way down to the area in front of the Lysicrates Monument in the Botanic Gardens.
Here drinks and food were available and the Greek Out of the Blue Trio consisting of Anthony Kekatos playing the bouzouki, Peter Kalandranis on guitar and Dimitri Vouros on flute entertained the guests and set the right ambience for the occasion.
Brett Summerrell, Acting Chief Executive of the Botanic Gardens, welcomed everyone to the Gardens.
His Excellency General, The Hon David Hurley and Her Excellency Mrs Linda Hurley then took the stage. There was a murmur of expectation and then great jubilation when Jacob Sgouros with his play “Ripple” was announced the winner.
Mrs Hurley then gave a rousing rendition of the Ballad of Lysicrates and everyone joined in. She then followed up with an impromptu chorus of “you are my sunshine.”
