2013 CAT Awards

A playwright detective has received the top honour at The Canberra Area Theatre Awards, which honour community theatre companies and schools in the ACT and regional NSW. John P. Harvey reports.

 

This year’s winner of the Gold CAT, for “his outstanding achievement in original scripts, performance and direction”, is a man who 20 years ago would have scoffed at the idea that he’d even be on the stage. A policeman in the country town of Molong, Kevin Beatty (pictured below) has been leading the Molong Players for the past 20 years in producing a play annually to raise funds for a range of local community initiatives—a project that has been successful, to date, to the tune of more than $1.5 million. Kevin himself has written the company’s last eight productions. That the 2013 play, A Club Full of Cracks, won its cast and crew two significant awards as well as the Gold CAT indicates the star quality that this humble seasoned director has inculcated in his company.

 

The awards, after recognising individual and ensemble efforts, recognised entire productions: Best Play went to Canberra Repertory’s Under Milk Wood, and Best Musical, jointly to SoPopera’s Avenue Q and Queanbeyan City Council’s I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change.

 

Theatre companies and schools on the South Coast have surprisingly strong theatre skills, and it was one of these, Wollongong’s Moonglow Productions, that took out equally most CAT awards, six, for its staging of Hairspray, along with the combined Canberra Grammar Schools, for Guys and Dolls.

 

Breaking up a full evening of 48 CAT awards with, thankfully, no long speeches came entertainments comprising scenes from the contending productions, a great way of showing the region’s talent and of bringing the awards immediate relevance.

 

Fortunately, the Q’s Stephen Pike managed the logistical challenges in bringing so many ensembles to the stage in a single evening, pulling the whole together with, unbelievably, a single day’s rehearsal. The constraints of sheer numbers confined the sample scenes to those not requiring sets; nevertheless, the audience had the treat of a range of performances from a solo number and several small-cast scenes through to full-ensemble acrobatic and song-and-dance numbers.

 

Images: Circus 35 South performing a scene from Tin Forest and Gold CAT winner Kevin Beatty. Photographer: John P. Harvey.

 

THE AWARDS

 

TransACT BEST SET DESIGNER FOR A PLAY

Anne Kay

Under Milk Wood, Canberra Repertory Society
 

TransACT BEST SET DESIGNER FOR A MUSICAL

Patti Kennedy-Hine


Guys and Dolls, Combined Canberra Grammar Schools
 

AMB BEST COSTUME DESIGNER FOR A PLAY

Cate Ruth, Emma Sekuless, Miriam Miley-Read, Mia Ching and Ann McMahon

A Midsummer Night's Dream, Queanbeyan City Council
 

AMB BEST COSTUME DESIGNER FOR A MUSICAL

Christine Corrin, Jennifer Bond, Lauren Cunio, Rhoda Boyce, Nyla Collis

Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong

and

Melissa Jones and Jo Knight

The Wizard Of Oz, Roo Theatre Company, Shellharbour
 

AMB BEST COSTUME DESIGNER FOR A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PRODUCTION

The costume team
My Fair Lady & Dance Delights 2013, Kim Harvey School of Dance, Canberra
 

Shellharbour Village BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER

Chris Ellyard


Under Milk Wood, Canberra Repertory Society
 

TransACT TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT

Tony Oakden, Dean Walshe, Alex Short and Duncan Henderson


Game programming, 35° 17 SOUTH – a multi-reality location-based game, Canberra Youth Theatre
 

JOHN THOMSON MAGIC MOMENT OF THEATRE

The Panda going through the washing machine

Aladdin, Mudgee Performing Arts Society
 

Shellharbour VillageBEST ORIGINAL WORK FOR A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PRODUCTION


Gundaroo Public School

'Excursion to Canberra', Good Times, Queanbeyan School Education Area Arts Festival
 

Shellharbour Village BEST ORIGINAL WORK

Rachel Hogan (script) and Alexandra Howard (original concept)

The Bird Man's Wife, Lexx Productions, Canberra
 

Tim Dalton of Luton’s BEST ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL

The cast

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, Queanbeyan City Council
 

Ryleho BEST ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY

The cast
Wickfield Wonderland,

Canberra Youth Theatre
 

Caphs Restaurant BEST ORCHESTRA FOR A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PRODUCTION

Guys and Dolls


Combined Canberra Grammar Schools
 

Sarah Byrne BEST ORCHESTRA

The Phantom of the Opera

Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
 

PATRICIA KELSON ENCOURAGEMENT AWARD

Andrew Rushby

The Wizard, The Yellow Brick Road, Classical Ballet Centre Canberra

and


Shannon Weatherstone

Nancy, Oliver!, Kingsford Smith School, Canberra
 

John Barilaro MP BEST YOUTH ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Jack Parker

As Doctor Ernst Vasolt in The Burning, Canberra Grammar School
 

John Barilaro MP BEST YOUTH ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Callum Bodman

As Nicely-Nicely in Guys and Dolls, Combined Canberra Grammar Schools
 

John Barilaro MP BEST YOUTH ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Romy Turner

As Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, Canberra Girls Grammar School
 

John Barilaro MP BEST YOUTH ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Audi Reza

As Miss Adelaide in Guys and Dolls, Combined Canberra Grammar Schools

And

Nicola Hall

As Miss Sandra in All Shook Up, Hawker College, Canberra
 

Ryleho BEST YOUTH ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Daniel Greiss

As Francis Schiller in The Burning, Canberra Grammar School
 

Ryleho BEST YOUTH ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Charlotte Smee

As Meg in Away, Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts
 

Capital Country Motel BEST YOUTH ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Bryson Grenfell

As The King inThe King and I, Wollongong High School of the Performing Arts

And

Kaya Byrne

As Billy Flynn in Chicago, Lake Tuggeranong College, Canberra
 

Capital Country Motel BEST YOUTH ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Kaitlin Nihill

As Mabel in The Pirates of Penzance, St Clare's College, Canberra
 

Notaras Group BEST VARIETY PERFORMANCE BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE

Mary Ross and Kevin Cross

'You Are My Sunshine' in Wagga Wagga Takes Two, SFP Productions, Wagga Wagga

and

The circus troupe

Tin Forest, Circus 35 South, Ulladulla
 

Jim and Heather Leedman BEST DANCE PERFORMANCE BY AN INDIVIDUAL OR ENSEMBLE

Intermediate Contemporary Team

‘Skyfall’, My Fair Lady & Dance Delights 2013, Kim Harvey School of Dance, Canberra
 

Blumers Lawyers BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Oliver Baudert

As Aylott in A Month of Sundays, Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
 

Blumers Lawyers BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Jordan Angelides

As Seaweed J Stubbs in Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong
 

Blumers Lawyers BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY

Molly Jones

As Tess Thornton in The Female of the Species, NUTS, Canberra
 

Blumers Lawyers BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Christine Wallace

As Carlotta Giudicelli in The Phantom of the Opera, Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra

And

Mia Agius


As Penny Pingleton in Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong
 

National Capital Motors BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Graham Robertson

As Cooper in A Month of Sundays, Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
 

Conveyancing Canberra BEST ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL


Ron Seymour


As Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong
 

Bob Winnel BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A PLAY

Jenna Roberts

As Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream, Queanbeyan City Council
 

Teatro Vivaldi Restaurant BEST ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE IN A MUSICAL

Georgia Kollaras

As Tracy Turnblad in Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong
 

Richards Consulting BEST CHOREOGRAPHER FOR A MUSICAL OR VARIETY SHOW

Pauline Young

Hairspray, MoonGlow Productions, Wollongong
 

Caphs Restaurant BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR FOR A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PRODUCTION

Anita Collins

Guys and Dolls, Combined Canberra Grammar Schools
 

Caphs Restaurant BEST DIRECTOR OF A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PLAY

Sophie Benassi

The Importance of Being Earnest, Canberra Girls Grammar School
 

Blumers Lawyers BEST DIRECTOR OF A SCHOOL OR YOUTH MUSICAL

Hannah McFadden


All Shook Up, Hawker College, Canberra
 

Sarah Byrne BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR

David Wall

Wagga Wagga Takes Two, SFP Productions, Wagga Wagga
 

Stage Whispers and David Spicer Productions BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

Duncan Ley

Under Milk Wood, Canberra Repertory Society
 

AllBidsand The Glass BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL OR VARIETY SHOW

Amy Copeland

Avenue Q, SoPopera!, Wollongong
 

Michael and Joan Mary O’Brien BEST DANCE PRODUCTION

My Fair Lady & Dance Delights 2013

Kim Harvey School of Dance, Canberra


and


The Yellow Brick Road


Classical Ballet Centre Canberra
 

Meredith and Peter Crowley BEST PRODUCTION OF A SCHOOL OR YOUTH MUSICAL

Guys and Dolls

Combined Canberra Grammar Schools
 

Tim Dalton of Luton’s BEST PRODUCTION OF A SCHOOL OR YOUTH PLAY

The Burning

Canberra Grammar School
 

Queanbeyan Players BEST PRODUCTION OF A VARIETY SHOW

Wagga Wagga Takes Two

SFP Productions, Wagga Wagga
 

Recruitment Systems BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

Under Milk Wood

Canberra Repertory Society, Canberra
 

Recruitment Systems BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Avenue Q

SoPopera!, Wollongong

and

I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change

Queanbeyan City Council
 

Financial Index BEST CONTRIBUTION (ON OR OFF STAGE) BY A SENIOR

Launa Boucher

Performance, Molong
 

CANBERRA AREA REGIONAL EXCELLENCE AWARD

Queanbeyan Players

For 50 years entertaining Queanbeyan and the region, 1964–2014

And

Cowra Musical and Dramatic Society

For their support of young people and theatre in Cowra through amalgamation with YAMA youth performing arts
 

Ryleho IN THE SPIRIT OF THE COMMUNITY AWARD

Circus 35 South

For providing healthy lifestyle opportunities for young people on the South Coast of New South Wales
 

ActewAGL GOLD CAT AWARD

Kevin Beatty

For outstanding achievement in original scripts, performance and direction for Molong Players

MARY PORTER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT SCHOLARSHIP

Thomas Walsh

Bay Theatre Players

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