A BORDER production has scooped the pool at the 50th annual Georgy Awards.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
Livid Productions' season of Chicago won Best Musical in the awards announced at Shepparton on Saturday night.
Chicago took out the Ken Kennedy Award for Achievement in Direction (David Todd), Achievement in Music Direction (Damien Jones) and Achievement in Choreography (Caitlin Clarke).
It also won Excellence in Artistic Design (Chantelle Hutchins) and Excellence in Characterisation (Luke McClounan).
In addition, David Todd and Narelle Parker both scored the prestigious Ted Malloy Award for Outstanding Contribution to Amateur Theatre.
Todd, who attended Saturday's awards with a small group from Chicago, welcomed the trophy haul.
He was very proud of the seven-show season, which ran at The Cube Wodonga in March.
"The Best Musical is always the one to win," he said.
"It takes in everything from the acting to the production and technical elements."
Having previously directed Chicago in 1986 for the predecessor to Albury Wodonga Theatre Company, Todd said amateur theatre had evolved beyond measure.
"When I first did it in 1986, we didn't have mics," Todd said.
"Now the technical staging is a completely whole new ballgame.
"The development with the lighting alone is incredible."
Born in Albury, Todd, now 71, had has first stage experience in his hometown in 1965.
He said it was "all of two seconds" in a small role in Peter Pan.
"I was no good at acting and I can't sing but over the years you pick up skills like set design and costume design and direction," Todd said.
Albury Wodonga Theatre Company's production of Beautiful scored the award for Achievement in Lighting Design (Brent Scott).
It also gained the perform musical award (Tash Fenton as Carole King) jointly with Shepparton Theatre Arts Group, the singing award (Tash Fenton as Carole King) jointly with Shepparton Theatre Arts Group Inc and the cameo performance award (Mica Torre as Little Eva/Shirelle).
Albury Wodonga Theatre Company's production of Let It Go scored the cabaret/concert performance award (Catherine Cunningham and Amy Murray).
The Scots School Albury's production of Shrek claimed the junior creative tech award (Josh O'Brien) jointly with Notre Dame College Shepparton, the junior support performer award (Sam Scott as Lord Faarquad) jointly with Notre Dame College and the junior singing award (Sam Scott as Lord Faarquad) jointly with Notre Dame College.
Storm Tanuvasa bagged Junior Musicianship (Revolution Theatre Productions).
Among the judge's awards were Harriet Nickols, Patience Joss and Tegan Forge (The Scots School Albury), Georgia Wilson (Trinity Anglican College, Albury), Chloe Borrell (Border Show Business Academy, Wodonga), Eden Hutchins (The Scots School Albury) and Luke McClounan (Livid Productions).
Mansfield Musical and Dramatic Society scored Best Play with Shirley Valentine, Notre Dame College took out Best Junior Production with Anastasia and St Augustine's College, Kyabram, scored Junior Encouragement Award for Aladdin Jr.
The Georgy Awards have been held in the Goulburn Valley since 1973.
