The 21 judges in the Canberra Area Theatre Awards were busier than ever in 2015 and the nominations were announced on Monday. Convenor Coralie Wood said heading towards the awards' 21st year they saw 114 shows in Canberra and the region from 82 school, college and amateur theatre companies – the largest number of participating groups ever.
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"It's been a very extraordinary year," Wood said.
"We've had more ballet schools than we've ever had and a lot will go into next year.
"We had six enter in 2015-16 – we've only ever had one or two."
The NSW government provided a grant of $20,000 to the CATs this year for the second time recognising the number of regional companies entering the awards and the support they gave to amateur theatre.
Because of the increased numbers of entrants from outside the ACT Wood introduced regional judges – one each in Orange, Merimbula, Wagga Wagga, and Parkes – to help ease the load on those based in Canberra.
Dramatic Productions' staging of the Stephen Sondheim fairytale musical Into the Woods received 10 nominations including for best production of a musical, best director of a musical and best musical director and its production of Jason Robert Brown's more intimate The Last Five Years received one, for Vanessa de Jager as best actress in a leading role in a musical.
Canberra Repertory Society received 34 nominations for its six productions including 10 for the biographical comedy-drama Casanova, eight for the historical drama The Crucible and six for the farce Don't Dress for Dinner. Free Rain Theatre Company did four shows and has 10 nominations. Canberra Grammar School did four eligible productions but all its 10 nominations went to its production of the musical Barnum.
The awards gala night will be at Llewellyn Hall on February 20, 2016. More information, including the full list of nominees, is available at catawards.com.au.
