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WHARFEDALE FESTIVAL OF THEATRE - AWARDS EVENING, SATURDAY, 9 JULY 2011
Wharfedale Festival of Theatre awards its 2011 amateur theatre Oscars
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The Wharfedale Festival of Theatre continues to defy the national trend that has seen the demise of many competitive amateur theatre festivals as it has doubled in size over the last six years and every year attracts more and more plays, musicals and pantomimes performed in the Wharfedale, Airedale and Nidderdale areas. The 2010-2011 Festival has been no exception with a total entry of 29 productions - 13 for Drama (Adults), 2 for Youth & Schools Drama, 5 for Youth and Schools Musicals, 4 for Musicals (Adults), and 5 for Pantomimes (Adults). The team of adjudicators and markers have very much enjoyed visiting the home venues of each of these productions to assess what is being achieved in very widely differing locations - from Ripon Cathedral, St Oswald's Church Guiseley and All Saints Church Kirkby Overblow to the Alhambra in Bradford, The Carriageworks in Leeds, Skipton Little Theatre, Harrogate Theatre, and in schools, town halls and village halls of all shapes and sizes in between.
The Wharfedale Festival of Theatre's Awards Evening is modelled deliberately on the Hollywood Oscars ceremony, and on Saturday, 10 July, approaching 200 enthusiastic adults and excited young people gathered at St Mary's School Menston to hear who had won the many awards on offer. There they were treated to a sumptuous buffet and viewed static displays and a DVD of production photographs of all the entries, before trophies and certificates were presented to all those who had been awarded the much prized local "Oscars".
Newcomers to Drama (Adults) Kirkby Overblow Dramatic Society won Best Play for their imaginative production of The Grouch - a verse translation of Moliere's Le Misanthrope - which they performed on a thrust stage erected in their local church. Runners Up in this section were S.T.A.R.S. with The Imaginary Invalid - another Moliere translation - staged in the round and played under a deliberately horrific display of surgical instruments suspended from the ceiling above! Third in Drama (Adults) came Adel Players with their gripping production of the rarely performed Emlyn Williams thriller Someone Waiting. The presentation of Acting awards brought more success for Kirkby Overblow Dramatic Society, with Best Actor going to David Zucker and Best Supporting Actor to Simon Stockill, while Best Supporting Actress went to Pat Riley for her role in Hope Theatre Group's production of King Lear, and Best Actress to Hannah Dolan (S.T.A.R.S.) for her performance as Toinette in The Imaginary Invalid.
Honours in Musicals (Adults) went to Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society's spectacular production of Disney's Beauty and the Beast, which also won them Best Actor (Jonathan Tate), Best Actress (Pippa Barton), Best Supporting Actor (Paul Bamber) and Best Supporting Actress (Helen Clarke). This production also won the Peter Hewitt Trophy for Best Stage Presentation, the award to Best Director (David Kirk), and a Special Chairman's Award for outstanding costumes and make-up.
The triumph of Moliere continued with Kaleidoscope (the junior section of Bingley Little Theatre) winning the Youth & Schools Drama competition with their beautifully staged production of an original translation of Le Bourgeois Gentilehomme entitled The Would-Be Gentleman, accompanied by original music composed by Katy Gaul. With its acting awards, however, St Mary's School Menston swept the board with their production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, with Best Actor (Matthew Allen), Best Actress (Siobhan Fisher), Best Actor Runner-Up (Josh Herbert), and Best Actress Runner-Up (Shaunagh Kellegher), plus the award of Best Director (Youth Drama) for Claire Andrews.
The Youth & Schools Musicals competition was won performing arts school Stage 84 with an outstanding production of Footloose, which also netted the award of Best Director (Youth Musicals) for Andrea Hayley-Mallen, and the Valerie Jackson Trophy for Youth & Schools Dance, which was won by Stage 84's very talented young dancer and actor Matthew Mills.
The Pantomime Cup was awarded to new Festival entrants LIDOS with their production of Jack and the Beanstalk staged at The Carriageworks Theatre in Leeds, and a poignant moment in the evening was reached when a new trophy, the John Howell Memorial Salver for Best Pantomime Dame, was presented by Sharon Howell to Bryan Craven of LIDOS.
The evening ended with a big surprise for two people in the audience when Malcolm Pinder, Festival Chairman, mischievously confessed he had been lying to friends and Committee colleagues for several weeks previously when telling them that the Spirit of Theatre award would not be presented this year. In fact, it was to be presented to Festival Committee colleagues and long-standing supporters of the Wharfedale Festival of Theatre Mike and Joan Newman, in recognition of their many years spent acting, directing, and adjudicating in Wharfedale. Malcolm paid heartfelt tribute to them as an inspirational couple, whose contribution to amateur theatre in the Wharfedale area was something for which many local groups have great reason to be thankful.
Entries for the 2011-2012 Wharfedale Festival of Theatre are now open. Full details and an entry form can be obtained by telephoning Festival Secretary Mrs Pat Riley at 0113-2300312, or by downloading the 2011-2012 Information Pack from the Home Page.
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FULL RESULTS
Drama (Adults)
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Best Actor |
David Zucker (Kirkby Overblow Dramatic Society) |
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Best Actress |
Hannah Dolan (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Best Supporting Actor |
Simon Stockill (Kirkby Overblow Dramatic Society) |
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Best Supporting Actress |
Pat Riley (Hope Theatre Group) |
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Best Male Cameo Performance |
Joint award to Simon Field and Matthew James (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Best Female Cameo Performance |
Carol Crossfield (Adel Players) |
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Best Stage Presentation |
The Imaginary Invalid (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Trevor Hallett Trophy for Best Comedy Performance |
Chris D'Arcy (Addingham Drama Group) |
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Dorothy Fenwick Trophy for Best Director |
Liz Hume-Dawson (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Telegraph & Argus Trophy for level of audience appreciation |
Flint Street Nativity (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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West Riding Education Trophy for high level of entertaining drama by a touring theatre company |
The 39 Steps (Jay Walkers) |
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William Whiteley Salver for Best Play and Yorkshire Post Trophy |
The Grouch (Kirkby Overblow Dramatic Society) |
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Mary Payne Salver for Best Play (Runner-Up) |
The Imaginary Invalid (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Jack Pitts Memorial Award for Third Place Play |
Someone Waiting (Adel Players) |
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Best Programme Design |
A Christmas Carol (Menston Thespians) |
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Chairman's Special Award for live music |
'Allo! 'Allo! (Addingham Drama Group) |
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Outstanding Performance Awards for young people in an adult drama production |
Mary Monaghan, Laura Hickey, Laura Osbourne, Peter Monaghan, Maria Sage, Daniel Sanderson (Menston Thespians); Adam Drinkall, Owen Taylor (Calverley Players) |
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Spirit of Theatre award for an outstanding contribution over many years to amateur theatre in Wharfedale |
Joan and Mike Newman |
Musicals (Adults)
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Best Actor |
Jonathan Tate (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Actress |
Pippa Barton (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Supporting Actor |
Paul Bamber (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Supporting Actress |
Helen Clarke (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Newcomer |
Paul Kennedy (Harrogate Phoenix Players) |
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Best Choreographer |
Rachel McGuire (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Musical Director |
Phil Redding (Ripon Amateur Operatic Society) |
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Best Director |
David Kirk (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Musical |
Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Peter Hewitt Trophy for Best Stage Presentation |
Sarah and Keith Darnbrough (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Innovation Trophy for an outstanding production staged in Ripon Cathedral |
Jesus Christ Superstar (Ripon Amateur Operatic Society) |
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Ilkley Playhouse Trophy for an outstanding production set in Ripon Cathedral |
Jesus Christ Superstar (Ripon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Best Programme Design |
When the Lights Go On Again (Harrogate Phoenix Players) |
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Ambience Front of House |
When the Lights Go On Again (Harrogate Phoenix Players) |
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Chairman's Special Award for outstanding costumes and make-up |
Disney's Beauty and the Beast (Yeadon Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
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Outstanding Performance Awards for young people in an adult production |
Jona Johnson, Ben Evans (Harrogate Phoenix Players); Benjamin Miles (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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Special Chairman's Award for a remarkable performance by Sophie as Toto the dog |
Wizard of Oz (Skipton Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society) |
Pantomimes
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Best Principal Boy |
Sophie Massa (LIDOS) |
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Best Principal Girl |
Rebecca Matthews (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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The John Howell Memorial Salver for Best Pantomime Dame |
Bryan Craven (LIDOS) |
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Best Pantomime Villain |
Laura Judge (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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Best Pantomime Fairy |
Chantelle Brooks (S.T.A.R.S.) |
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Best Comedy Support |
Andy Burns (Addingham Pantomime Group) |
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Best Director |
Peter Long (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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Best Stage Presentation |
Jack and the Beanstalk (LIDOS) |
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Best Choreography |
Christine Braid (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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Best Musical Director |
Derek M Broadbent (Yeadon Charities Association) |
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The Pantomime Cup for Best Pantomime |
Jack and the Beanstalk (LIDOS) |
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Best Programme Design |
Jack and the Beanstalk (LIDOS) |
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Chairman's Special Award for stage presence and rapport with audience |
Matthew Roberts (Burley Millennium Theatre Group) |
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Youth & Schools Musicals
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Performance Awards |
Lewis McDowell, James Francey-Frost, George Pearson, Stacey Wade, Tino Sibanda, Katie Matthews, Saif Shahidi, Connor Whitmore (Pudsey Grangefield School); Katie Richardson, Molly Mesher, Callum Wade (Ralph Thoresby School); Grant Holmes, Louis Tucker, Bethan Grubb, Sophie Smith, Charles Robinson, Megan Brown, Charlotte Astley, Luke Rothery (Prince Henry's Grammar School); Gina Laszlo, Olivia Robinson, Jordan Gray, Hannah Weston, Bronte Kelly, Sorley McLean, Danny Gregory (St Joseph's & St Bede's Catholic College); Thomas Ramsey, Philip Hill-Pearson, Matthew Mills, Danny Dixon, Alexandra Mardell, Francesca Verity, Laura Hawkyard, Terelle Kay (Stage 84); Izzy Poveda, Domanik Wightman, George Lloyd-Burman (Ralph Thoresby School) |
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Best Actor |
George Lloyd-Burman (Ralph Thoresby School) |
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Best Actress |
Terelle Kay (Stage 84) |
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Best Actor Runner-Up |
Danny Gregory (St Joseph's & St Bede's Catholic College) |
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Best Actress Runner-Up |
Katie Matthews (Pudsey Grangefield School) |
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Best Stage Presentation |
Return to the Forbidden Planet (Prince Henry's Grammar School) |
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Best Choreography |
Rebecca Cook (Stage 84) |
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Best Musical Director |
Mr Ackroyd (St Joseph's & St Bede's Catholic College) |
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Best Director |
Andrea Hayley-Mallen (Stage 84) |
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The Cyril Spencer Salver for Best Youth Musical |
Footloose (Stage 84) |
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The Valerie Jackson Award for Youth & Schools Dance |
Matthew Mills (Stage 84) |
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Best Programme Design |
Return to the Forbidden Planet (Prince Henry's Grammar School) |
Youth & Schools Drama
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Performance Awards |
Charlie Reynard, Bradley Judge Josh Breeze, Henry Eglin, Lyndsey Starr, Catherine Harris (Kaleidoscope); Siobhan Fisher, Josh Herbert, Matthew Allen, Shaunagh Kellegher, Sam McKay, Bridget Addison-Child (St Mary's School Menston) |
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Best Actor |
Matthew Allen (St Mary's School Menston) |
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Best Actor Runner-Up |
Josh Herbert (St Mary's School Menston) |
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Best Actress |
Siobhan Fisher (St Mary's School Menston) |
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Best Actress Runner-Up |
Shaunagh Kellegher (St Mary's School Menston) |
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Best Director |
Claire Andrews (St Mary's School Menston) |
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The Malcolm Pinder Salver for Best Youth Drama |
The Would-Be Gentleman (Kaleidoscope) |
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Special Chairman's Award for an original translation from the French of Moliere's Le Bourgeois Gentilhomme |
Bruce Grainger (Kaleidoscope) |
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Special Chairman's Award for original music |
Katy Gaul (Kaleidoscope) |
For further information, please telephone Festival Secretary Mrs Pat Riley on 0113-2300312 or e-mail her at pat.riley12@ntlworld.com.
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