An amateur operatic society’s production has been named best in the region at an awards ceremony.
Newark Amateur Operatic Society were major winners at the recent National Operatic and Dramatic Society (NODA) East Midlands Awards — scooping up an array of titles including best musical.
The society were nominated four times in the awards ceremony for 2023, held recently at Melton Theatre, Melton Mowbray.
The East Midlands is made up of eight districts for awards — covering Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Leicester, Derby, Peterborough and beyond — and Newark falls into district four.
Newark Amateur Operatic Society was nominated twice in the best musical in district four category — for both their spring 2023 production of The Wizard of Oz at the Palace Theatre and their production of Clue the Musical which ran at the Robin Hood Theatre in October.
They were up against Gainsborough Operatic Society’s The Addams Family, and The Wizard of Oz took first place.
Newark were also nominated for best programme and best poster for Clue the Musical, and while they didn’t win, both were highly commended.
Then, the best musicals from each of the eight districts are put forward for the Cole Hinks Trophy, which is awarded for Best Musical in the East Midlands, and the Newark society were the overall winners for The Wizard of Oz.
They last won this prestigious award in 2009 for their production of Anything Goes.
Mike Follen, vice-chairman of the society and director of both of the shows, and Justin Day, the society’s treasurer and designer of the artwork for both musicals represented the society at the awards.
Mike said: “We are thrilled and very proud to have not one but two, and both within 2023, of our productions recognised enough to be nominated. To win within our district is just amazing, and the third time in the last seven years. To then sit through other awards and then it be announced that we are then the overall winner for best musical in the East Midlands is just stunning and rewards all the hard work and effort put in by the whole team both on the production side and all of those on and off stage.
“It’s a shame that our programme and poster weren’t winners for our other show but to have been nominated, and be awarded a highly commended for both is a position we haven’t been in before so that is progress for us and we are excited to see how our 2024 productions will fair in the awards next year.”
The society ran a very successful production of Evita at the Palace Theatre in March, and have their autumn production of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the Robin Hood Theatre from Tuesday, October 15 to Saturday, October 19, nightly at 7.30pm with a matinee at 2.30pm on the Saturday.
Tickets are available from www.rhtc.co.uk or by calling 07733 179986
