Performers and avid supporters of amateur theatre in East Lancashire gathered at Dunkenhalgh Hotel in Accrington to celebrate the talents of local societies, affiliated to NODA (National Amateur and Dramatic Association), with their annual awards night.

Theatre groups present at the NODA North West region's awards covered areas of Blackburn, Burnley, Clitheroe, Houghton, Hyndburn, Pendle, Rossendale within Districts 3 and 12.

Topping the table was Burnley Light Opera Society (BLOS) who received nine awards, closely followed by Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre (PHYT), Clitheroe Parish Church Amateur Operatic and Dramatic Society (CPCOADS) and newly formed Rossendale-based X-RAYS with five awards each. Among the titles for BLOS, was best musical for ‘Sister Act’, the BBC Radio Lancashire Award for Best Overall Performance for the show's leading lady Tori Green - also named Best Leading Female in a Musical, and the Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre Award for best overall production.

Sharing the Best Musical honour for their production of Ghost was X-RAYS, who won all five categories they were nominated in, which also included Best Staging (Set or Technical) and Best Artistic Direction of a Musical. PHYT's production of The Phantom of the Opera was named Best Youth Production with The Phantom - Ronan Pilkington - named Best Leading Youth Performer across the whole area. Clitheroe's efforts both musical and dramatic were rewarded with trophies for Best Ensemble from their production of Oliver! and Best Play for Death By Fatal Murder, among others. Warwick Watson, stage manager for Accrington Theatre Group, was honoured for his life-long contribution to the local theatre scene.

The event, attended by 250 people from 19 societies, was organised by District 3 and District 12 representatives David Slater, Luke Taberer and Lloyd Bamber.

Luke said: "It was fantastic to see so many people at this year's event. NODA North West is the only area in the whole country to hold district-level awards and dinners such as these. They are a superb way to celebrate the talent within our local area and it allows societies to have a night off from the usual show rehearsals and have a good time."

David added: "It's always a real pleasure to be able to celebrate the wealth of talent in East Lancashire in such convivial surroundings and in even more pleasant company. I am constantly impressed by the amount of great talent on display throughout the year from every one of our hard-working amateur societies. The great benefits which filter out into the wider community from our theatrical endeavours are too numerous to list: Suffice to say the warm hearted spirit at the district three and 12 awards night confirms the positive force of amateur theatre."

The complete list of winners is as follows:

Best Supporting Youth Performer

District 12: Beth Chandler - The Witch - Into the Woods Jnr - React Academy Of Theatre Arts (React)

District 3: Jessica Balderstone - Carlotta - The Phantom of the Opera - Pendle Hippodrome Youth Theatre (PHYT)

Best Female Comedy Performance

District 12: Kelly Steed - Blodwyn Morgan - Death By Fatal Murder - Clitheroe Parish Church AODS

District 3: Laura Schofield - Linda - The Wedding Singer - Pendle Hippodrome Theatre Company (PHTC)

Best Male Comedy Performance

District 12: David Gallagher - Sherry Trifle - Dick Whittington - St Cuthbert's (Darwen)

District 3: Tim Mason - George - The Wedding Singer - PHTC

Best Supporting Female in a Play

District 12: Bernadette Nuttall - Mrs Crocker-Harris - The Browning Version - Hoghton Players

District 3: Georgina Smith - Alice Tinker - The Vicar Of Dibley - PHTC

Best Supporting Male in a Play

District 12: Roger Boardman - George Pye - Humble Boy - Blackburn Drama Club (BDC)

District 3: James Claxton - Lysander - A Midsummer Night's Dream - Todmorden AODS (TAODS)

Best Supporting Female in a Musical

District 12: Lori-Mae Hooley - Oda Mae - Ghost - XRAYS

District 3: Jenny Gill - Sister Mary Robert - Sister Act - Burnley Light Opera Society (BLOS)

Best Supporting Male in a Musical

District 12: Nick Gunn - Lt Joseph Cable - South Pacific - Blackburn Musical Theatre Company

District 3: Jason Morris - Jud Fry - Oklahoma! - St Cuthbert's (Burnley)

Best Youth Performer in an Adult Production

District 12: Olivia Humpage - Tracy Turnblad - Hairspray - Accrington Theatre Group (ATG)

District 3: Adam Vause - Pugsley Addams - The Addams Family - TAODS

Thwaites Empire Theatre Award for Best Ensemble Performance

District 12: Chorus - Oliver! - CPCAODS

District 3: Chorus - Sister Act - BLOS

Best Staging (Set or Technical)

District 12: Ghost - X-RAYS

District 3: The Phantom of the Opera - PHYT

Best Leading Youth Performer

District 3: Ronan Pilkington - The Phantom - Phantom of the Opera - PHYT

Best Female Lead In A Play

District 12: Mary Killian - Kath - Playing Away - Oswaldtwistle Players

Best Male Lead In A Play

District 12: Patrick Walsh - Felix Humble - Humble Boy - BDC

Best Female Lead In A Musical

District 12: Debbie Thew - Aline - The Sorcerer - Blackburn G&S Society

District 3: Tori Green - Doloris Van Cartier - Sister Act - BLOS

Best Male Lead In A Musical

District 3: Grant Bromley - Sam - Ghost - X-RAYS

Best Choreographer

District 12: Clair Bruce and Sarah Bruce - Hairspray - ATG

District 3: Janis Condon - Oklahoma! - St Cuthbert's - Burnley

Best Musical Direction

District 12: Chris Andrews - Oliver! - CPCAODS

District 3: Jonathan Chalker - Sister Act - BLOS

Best Artistic Direction of a Youth Production

District 12: Cassandra Webster - Into the Woods Jr - React

District 3: Howard G Raw - The Phantom of the Opera - PHYT

Best Artistic Direction of a Play

District 12: Therese Ball - See If I Care/Slim Chance - Blackburn Arts Club

District 3: Elizabeth Holland - A Midsummer Night's Dream - TAODS

Best Artistic Direction of a Musical

District 12: Catherine Oatway - Ghost - X-RAYS

District 3: Anthony Williams - Sister Act - BLOS

Victor Booth Memorial Trophy - Rep's Awards

District 12: Ruth Jones - Hoghton Players - Third Week in August

District 3: Pendle Hippodrome; Tom Kinder Memorial Trophy

Best Youth Production

District 3: The Phantom of the Opera - PHYT

Best Panto

The Wizard of Oz - St Mary's Panto Group

Best Concert

Give My Regards To Broadway - BLOS

Special Achievement Award

District 12: Warwick Watson - Accrington Theatre Group (ATG)

Best Play

District 12: Death by Fatal Murder - CPCAODS

District 3: A Midsummer Night's Dream - TAODS

Best Musical

District 12: Ghost - X-RAYS

District 3: Sister Act - BLOS

BBC Radio Lancashire Award for Best Overall Performance

District 3: Tori Green - BLOS

Oswaldtwistle Civic Arts Centre Award for Best Overall Production

District 3: Sister Act - BLOS.

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