For the second time, the CAT Awards had a cut-down awards presentation in 2022, along the lines of the CATS Interrupted! event which covered 2020 and 2021. Given that things are not back to “business as usual” this year, we have again put to one side the regular categories, along with nominations and winners, and have taken the opportunity to recognise excellence in any aspect of community theatre, both on and off stage, during the year.
COMMENDATION AWARDS
Holly Hare
for learning and stepping into the role of Charlotte with half an hour’s notice after illness of original cast member in Oliver!
Carillon Theatrical Society, Bathurst
The Dream Team
for their performances in Beauty and the Beast
‘Legs’ Performing Arts, Canberra
Harper Ward
as Captain of the Guard, Papa Ogre and Bishop in Shrek the Musical Jr
Daramalan Theatre Company, Canberra
Daramalan Theatre Company
for raising awareness of systemic violence against women, highlighting that women today are still living like
The Trojan Women
Hannah Rumbachs
as Willy Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Riverina Anglican College, Wagga Wagga
Dramatic Productions
for always donating 10% of ticket sales to community charities in Canberra
Nigel Palfreman
in recognition of his many years of work encouraging student performance at
St Edmunds College, Canberra
Carter Cummins
as Puck in A Midnight Dream
Wagga Wagga School of Arts Inc (SOACT)
James Gillet
for services to theatre and community in Agatha Crusty and The Village Hall Murders
Moruya Red Door Theatre Company
Milton-Ulladulla Entertainers
for their variety show
Illuminate
CERTIFICATES OF EXCELLENCE
Julia Armstrong, Matt Mackenzie, Oliver Gait and Julie Fraser
for integrated set, costume and lighting design in Honk Jr
Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Junior Albatross Musicals (JAM), Nowra
Sam Haslam, Candy Burgess and company
for costumes in Calendar Girls
Bay Theatre Players, Batemans Bay
Nina Schuurman & Katrina Wimhurst, Brenton Golley & team
for costumes, masks, makeup and hair in The Lion King Jr
ByteSized Productions, Albury
Phoenix Mae, Antony Hateley and Paddy Haesler
for integrated set/costume, lighting and sound design in
Soul Trading, Canberra Youth Theatre
Russell Brown and Dad’s Army
for their consistently fine production of sets for
Canberra Repertory Theatre
Michelle Heine
for choreography in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
Carolen ‘Cazz’ Kardol
for choreography of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Revolution Theatre, Albury
Matt Glynn and Margaret Glynn, the band and backing singers
in The Boy From Oz
Campbelltown Theatre Group
Merrin Ross
for musical direction of Mamma Mia!
Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra
Peter Copeland and Band
for music in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
SoPopera Productions, Wollongong
Ryley Gillen
for orchestral musical direction in Chicago
The Performing Arts Collective, Nowra
Mert Boyali
for astounding lead guitar in We Will Rock You
Lake Ginninderra College, Canberra
Jake Keen
as principal dancer in Beauty and the Beast
‘Legs’ Performing Arts, Canberra
Michael Cooper
as Jason/Tyrone in Hand to God
Everyman Theatre, Canberra
James Tebbut
as Ugly in Honk Jr
Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra
Keira Sater
as Ida in Honk Jr
Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra
Liz St Clair Long
as Sandra in The Boys
Alchemy Artistic, Canberra
Kai Azoum
as Donkey in Shrek the Musical Jr
Australian Dance & Drama Academy and Liverpool Community Theatre Group
Nick Dyball
as Troy Moynihan in Hotel Sorrento
Canberra Repertory Society
Zach Moses
as Old Bert in A Fortunate Life
Chevalier College, Bowral
Sheryl Ann Pulling
as M’Lynn in Steel Magnolias
Cowra Musical & Dramatic Society
Jarrad West
as Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
Hal Canute
as Creon in Antigone
Oxley College, Bowral
Katrina Wiseman
as Josephine in HMS Pinafore
Queanbeyan Players
Veronica Thwaites-Brown
as Buttercup in HMS Pinafore
Queanbeyan Players
Andrew Finegan
as Alexander Downer in Keating—the Musical
Queanbeyan Players
Norman Johnson-Meader
as Bernadette in Priscilla, Quean of the Desert
Revolution Theatre, Albury
Charlotte Bertwistle
as Miss Honey in Matilda the Musical
Scots All Saints College, Bathurst
John Michael Narres
as Bernadette in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
SoPopera Productions, Wollongong
Connor Moloney
as Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors
St Edmund’s College, Canberra
Daniel Isherwood
as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors
St Edmund’s College, Canberra
Isabella Gallant
as Tanya in Mamma Mia!
The Performing Arts Collective, Nowra
Katie Leigh-Riley
as Vivie Warren in Mrs Warren’s Profession
Wagga Wagga School of Arts Inc (SOACT)
Nick Geoghegan
as Leonard Vole in Witness for the Prosecution
Pinnacle Players, Orange
Sadie Steele
as Romaine in Witness for the Prosecution
Pinnacle Players, Orange
Adam Ryder
as Sir William Roberts in Witness for the Prosecution
Pinnacle Players, Orange
Lachlan Elderton
for performance of ‘I see fire’ and ‘Never never land (fly away)’ in
The Stories of my Life
Karabar High School, Queanbeyan
Karina Hudson and Annabelle Segler
as Elinor and Marianne Dashwood in Sense and Sensibility
Canberra Repertory Society
Lainie Hart, Josh Wiseman and Arran McKenna
as Rosencrantz, Guildenstern and The Player in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead
Canberra Repertory Society
The Player’s troupe
for ensemble performance in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Canberra Repertory Society
Dean Irwin, Joanne Johnstone, Abbey Glynn and Sarah Differ
for capturing the personas of Peter, Marion, Liz and Judy in The Boy From Oz
Campbelltown Theatre Group
The cast
for ensemble performance in Steel Magnolias
Cowra Musical & Dramatic Society
The women
for their ensemble performance in Turning Tables
Parkes Musical & Dramatic Society
Taylor Cable, Katherine Akele & Molly Stewart
for ensemble performance as The Divas in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
SoPopera Productions, Wollongong
Karen Vickery and the ensemble
for directing and portraying a range of characters across multiple roles in Our Country’s Good
Canberra Repertory Society
Jarrad West
for directing Hand to God
Everyman Theatre, Canberra
Candy Burgess
for directing Calendar Girls
Bay Theatre Players, Batemans Bay
Heavens, Mr Evans
featuring Alissa Pearson as Cheryl Kernot and Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope as Gareth Evans in Kearting—the Musical
Queanbeyan Players
Get me to the church on time
featuring Isaac Gordon and the cast in My Fair Lady
Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
Bay Theatre Players
for a magic moment of theatre with the reveal of the sunflowers in Calendar Girls
Steph Maclaine
for singing off-stage and entrance of the opera singer in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert
Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra
Billee Paige Harris
for original adaptation of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and direction of a high-standard ensemble in Summer Dreaming
Page 9 Productions, Wollongong
The Boys
for the high quality production and direction by Amy Kowalczuk
Alchemy Artistic, Canberra
Soul Trading
Directed by Jena Prince
Canberra Youth Theatre
Shrek the Musical Jr
Directed by Lucy Cronan & Amy Kowalczuk
Daramalan Theatre Company, Canberra
Antigone
for a clear and accessible production, directed by Phil Cunich
Oxley College, Bowral
Matilda the Musical
for excellence in production of a school musical
Scots All Saints College, Bathurst
Chicago
Direction by Amy Copeland, Musical direction by Peter Copeland, Choreography by Teagan Huntsdale and Dane Sanderson
SoPopera Productions, Wollongong
School of Rock
for excellence in all aspects of production
Dramatic Productions, Canberra