FOR the second time, the CAT Awards – now officially titled the Combined Area Theatre Awards – celebrated with a cut-down awards presentation at Canberra Rep Theatre on Sunday, (December 18).

The event, similar to “CATS Interrupted!” last year.

According to the MC, CATS judge Andy Bell, things had not got back to normal business as usual this year, so the decision had been made once again put to one side the regular categories, along with nominations and winners, and rather recognised excellence in any aspect of community theatre, both on and off stage, during the year.

Having said that, he told those present that the he and his fellow judges has seen no fewer than 55 productions in the region in the past year, supported by a grant from the NSW government.

He paid tribute to CATs mother, Coralie Wood, who was on hand to mark the 26^th year of the awards.

The commendation awards were:

• Holly Hare, Carillon Theatrical Society, Bathurst;
• The Dream Team, Legs Performing Arts, Canberra;
• Harper Ward, Daramalan Theatre Company, Canberra;
• Daramalan Theatre Company, for “The Trojan Women”;
• Hannah Rumbachs, Riverina Anglican College, Wagga Wagga Dramatic Productions, Canberra;
• Nigel Palfreman, St Edmunds College, Canberra;
• Carter Cummins, Wagga Wagga School of Arts Inc;
• James Gillet, Moruya Red Door Theatre Company Milton-Ulladulla Entertainers.

Certificates of excellence went to:

• Julia Armstrong, Matt Mackenzie, Oliver Gait and Julie Fraser, Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Junior Albatross Musicals (JAM), Nowra;
• Sam Haslam, Candy Burgess and company, Bay Theatre Players, Batemans Bay;
• Nina Schuurman & Katrina Wimhurst, Brenton Golley & team, ByteSized Productions, Albury;
• Phoenix Mae, Antony Hateley and Paddy Haesler, “Soul Trading,” Canberra Youth Theatre;
• Russell Brown and Dad’s Army for sets for at Canberra Repertory;
• Michelle Heine for choreography in “Priscilla,” Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra;
• Carolen Kardol, for choreography in “Priscilla,” Revolution Theatre, Albury;
• Matt Glynn and Margaret Glynn, the band and backing singers in “The Boy From Oz,” Campbelltown Theatre Group;
• Merrin Ross, Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra;
• Peter Copeland and Band, SoPopera Productions, Wollongong;
• Ryley Gillen, The Performing Arts Collective, Nowra;
• Mert Boyali, lead guitar in “We Will Rock You” Lake Ginninderra College, Canberra;
• Jake Keen, Legs Performing Arts, Canberra;
• Michael Cooper, Everyman Theatre, Canberra;
• James Tebbut, Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra;
• Keira Sater, Albatross Musical Theatre Company, Nowra;
• Liz St Clair Long, Alchemy Artistic, Canberra;
• Kai Azoum, Australian Dance & Drama Academy and Liverpool Community Theatre Group;
• Nick Dyball, Canberra Repertory Society;
• Zach Moses, Chevalier College, Bowral;
• Sheryl Ann Pulling, Cowra Musical & Dramatic Society;
• Jarrad West, Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra;
• Hal Canute, Oxley College, Bowral;
• Katrina Wiseman, Queanbeyan Players;
• Veronica Thwaites-Brown, Queanbeyan Players;
• Andrew Finegan, Queanbeyan Players;
• Norman Johnson-Meader, Revolution Theatre, Albury;
• Charlotte Bertwistle, Scots All Saints College, Bathurst;
• John Michael Narres, SoPopera Productions, Wollongong;
• Connor Moloney, St Edmund’s College, Canberra;
• Daniel Isherwood, St Edmund’s College, Canberra;
• Isabella Gallant, The Performing Arts Collective, Nowra;
• Katie Leigh-Riley, Wagga Wagga School of Arts Inc;
• Nick Geoghegan, Pinnacle Players, Orange;
• Sadie Steele, Pinnacle Players, Orange;
• Adam Ryder, Pinnacle Players, Orange;
• Lachlan Elderton, Karabar High School, Queanbeyan;
• Karina Hudson and Annabelle Segler, Canberra Repertory Society;
• Lainie Hart, Josh Wiseman and Arran McKenna, Canberra Repertory Society;
• The Player’s troupe in “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead,” Canberra Repertory Society;
• Dean Irwin, Joanne Johnstone, Abbey Glynn and Sarah Differ, Campbelltown Theatre Group;
• The cast in “Steel Magnolias,” Cowra Musical & Dramatic Society;
• The women in “Turning Tables,” Parkes Musical & Dramatic Society;
• Taylor Cable, Katherine Akele & Molly Stewart, SoPopera Productions, Wollongong;
• Karen Vickery and ensemble, Canberra Repertory Society;
• Jarrad West, Everyman Theatre, Canberra;
• Candy Burgess, Bay Theatre Players, Batemans Bay;
• Alissa Pearson a and Zyl Hovenga-Wauchope, Queanbeyan Players;
• Isaac Gordon and the cast in “My Fair Lady,” Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra;
• Bay Theatre Players for a magic moment in “Calendar Girls”;
• Steph Maclaine, Free-Rain Theatre Company, Canberra;
• Billee Paige Harris, Page 9 Productions, Wollongong;
• “The Boys,” Alchemy Artistic, Canberra;
• “Soul Trading,” Canberra Youth Theatre;
• “Shrek the Musical Jr”, directed by Lucy Cronan & Amy Kowalczuk, Daramalan Theatre Company, Canberra;
• “Antigone,” directed by Phil Cunich, Oxley College, Bowral;
• “Matilda the Musical”, Scots All Saints College, Bathurst;
• “Chicago”, SoPopera Productions, Wollongong; and
• “School of Rock”, Dramatic Productions, Canberra.