THE Molong Players and Orange Theatre Company’s (OTC) David Bunting have both been rewarded for their innovation at the 2016 Canberra Area Theatre (CAT) Awards.
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The Molong Players received the Silver CAT for 39 years of original plays and charity work, while Mr Bunting received the award for technical achievement.
Director and writer with the Molong Players, Kevin Beatty, said the company had no idea it was in line for the award.
“We had two other nominations [for MPR – My Partner Rules] but this one doesn’t have nominations, just a unanimous judge’s decision,” he said.
“It’s wonderful to be awarded, for everybody that’s been involved since it started 39 years ago.”
Mr Beatty said with the company now in its 40th year, it would have plenty on offer in 2017.
“We like to try and keep it a surprise, but it will be big and special hopefully,” he said.
“It’s fairly unique in that it’s all original scripts and people come and relax and have a good laugh – we try and keep everything with a local-type theme and using well-known characters that the audience can identify with.”
Mr Bunting’s award followed six months of work to devise the flying rig for October’s performance of Mary Poppins.
“Backstage work usually gets left in the dark, literally – we don’t do it for the recognition but it’s nice to get a bit of recognition along the way,” he said.
Some parts for the balance system needed custom work to fit within Orange Civic Theatre’s requirements and Mr Bunting believed OTC’s attempt to build its own rig compared favourably with the judges against hiring professionals to supply it.
He said it would be adapted for OTC’s production of Wicked in May and was grateful to the people who helped him design and install it.
“And the guy who was the counterweight on the end of the rope who did all the lifting, it doesn’t happen without those sorts of people.”
Mary Poppins was nominated for two other awards and OTC’s other two 2016 productions, Hairspray and Lend Me a Tenor, gained one apiece.
Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School’s production of Howlin’ received five nominations.
The region’s 2016 nominees
- Best set designer for a play: Scott Halls and Bruce Buchanan, Lend Me a Tenor, Orange Theatre Company
- Best set designer for a musical, variety or dance production: Trevor Carroll and Scott Halls, Mary Poppins, Orange Theatre Company
- Technical achievement: David Bunting, researching, purchasing and developing flying rig, Mary Poppins, Orange Theatre Company – WINNER
- Technical achievement: Jennifer Hoy, artwork, MPR - My Partner Rules, Molong Players
- John Thomson Magic Moment of Theatre: Appearance of Perry, the newsagent, MPR – My Partner Rules, Molong Players
- Best ensemble in a musical: Sally Carter, Henry McElroy, Grace Srzich, Ella Worsely, Max Bloomfield and Alex Reid, The Grandparents, Howlin’, Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School
- Best orchestra: Hairspray, Orange Theatre Company
- Best youth actor in a featured role in a musical: Gordon Suthers as Coach Barrett in Howlin’, Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School
- Best youth actor in a leading role in a musical: Oscar McLaughlin as Rhino in Howlin’, Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School
- Best actress in a feature role in a musical: Alex Halls as Mrs Winifred Banks in Mary Poppins, Orange Theatre Company
- Best director of a school or youth musical: Romko Hordynsky, Howlin’, Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School
- Best production of a school or youth musical: Howlin’, Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School