Theatre companies take a bow

LOCAL amateur theatre companies were in the spotlight earlier this month at the Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards.

Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s Tristan Harris received an open Award of Excellence for his performance as Jimmy in Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.

Matthew and Laurence Heenan were celebrated for their lighting design in Lyric’s We Will Rock You, while BLOC Music Theatre’s production of Newsies Jnr received a Junior Award of Excellence for set movement and choreography.

Other local award nominees included BLOC’s Violet Feduniw and Joe Appleton for their performances in RENT, and Lyric’s Gareth Grainger, Jeandanielle Evans, Horace Tang, and Matthew Osborn for their work in Priscilla.

The cast of RENT closed the ceremony with a performance of iconic song, Seasons of Love, which director Matthew Henderson said was a “special” moment.

“The finishing number is always the spot you want to get, and it was a nice Christmas present for us all to come back together and re-group,” she said.

“But we were also there to celebrate Violet, for her nomination for First Feature Performance in a Leading Role, and Joe, who was up for two awards.

“To be there to support them, two of our youngest cast members, was really special as well.”

Heenan worked behind the scenes on Newsies, and said the BLOC team, on and backstage, were proud of their season at Mount Rowan Secondary College Theatre.

“Newsies had incredible success and Ballarat audiences really embraced it.

“We love the immediate recognition during a show when there’s a standing ovation or thunderous applause, but to be acknowledged by the Guild months later is the cream on top for the happy company that enjoyed doing Newsies,” he said.

“We’re so passionate about the BLOC junior program that we run, nurturing young performing artists. It’s where I started my career, back when I was 10.”

Lyric’s president Michael Whitehead said they were thrilled to see Harris highlighted individually.

“Tristan was recognised for his use of the digeridoo, and its incorporation into modern musical theatre practice in Priscilla,” he said.

“Tristan and Nikki Foy, our Aboriginal consultant, worked to make sure it was authentic, and appropriately done.”

Having staged two major productions this year, just months apart due to the pandemic, Mr Whitehead said the company was proud of the quality performances they delivered.

“We had full houses for both shows,” he said. “Our focus is always on the local community knowing that as a non-professional company, we’ll always produce professional quality productions.

“We choose material that local audiences want to see, and see done well, and any commendation we get is such a stimulus to the enthusiasm of those in the company, and those coming through in the future.

“If we achieve high standards, and the team does good work, it does encourage people to come and join us.”

Commendations were given to the cast and crew of Newsies and RENT, Nikki McKinnon for her Priscilla wig and headdress design, and the We Will Rock You ensemble.

The Music Theatre Guild of Victoria Awards acknowledge non-professional shows and companies across the state.