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.
