Orange Theatre Company’s [OTC] production of Wicked has won the top prize at the Canberra Area Theatre Awards [CAT].
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The show, which had a successful season at the Orange Civic Theatre last year, shared the award for the Best Production of a Musical with a Wollongong production of Chicago at the award ceremony on Saturday night.
It was the first time since 2001 [Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat] the OTC had won this award.
Kinross Wolaroi Preparatory School’s production of Slaves also won the John Thomson Magic Moment of Theatre award on the night.
Wicked production director Bruce Buchanan said he was delighted with the win.
“It was such a team thing,” he said.
Mr Buchanan said the amateur production saw people from across the Orange region come together to work on the musical for months.
“We had doctors, dentists, teachers, school students, people who were unemployed looking for work and they all came together for the love of theatre.
“It takes 12 months.
“We started pre-production in May 2016.”
“For the last 12 weeks from the end of January 2017 they worked every Sunday, from 10am-10pm, and two evenings a week.”
OTC president Katrina Kittler was one of 40 people from the OTC who went to Canberra for the ceremony.
She said the company had been nominated for 22 awards for its production of Wicked and Pirates of Penzance.
“Pirates of Penzance were invited to perform at the gala ceremony,” she said.
Mrs Kittler said the OTC had previously won the award.
“We’ve definitely won it a couple of times,” she said.
Over the years the OTC had also won many other CAT awards.
Kinross’s production of Slaves won its award for a clever piece of stagecraft.
Year 6 teacher, Romko Hordynsky, who wrote, choreographed, scored and directed the musical, said it was a team effort by about 100 Year 5 and 6 students plus the behind the scenes crew.
He said the winning scene in the musical set in ancient Egypt was called Reveal of the dead spirits.
“It is a moment in the show that has an impact, it is unexpected,” he said.
A sandstone block on stage opens up to reveal actors who rush onto the stage.
The same show won Mr Hordynsky a CAT award for original work nine years ago.