AMATEUR thespians from all over East Lancashire gathered for their own 'Oscar' ceremony - the annual NODA awards.

National Operatic and Dramatic Association awards are always keenly contested and this year was no exception.

NODA representative Margaret Colbert told 150 actors and their friends at the Dunkenhalgh Hotel, Clayton-le-Moors, that competition had again been fierce.

Standards had been upheld and there had been some highly innovative productions in the last year.

Stephen Derbyshire of Blackburn Drama Club won the Best Actor prize for Billy Liar while Carol Anne Connolly was voted Best Actress for Bacup Amateurs' Shirley Valentine.

The season's Best Play was also scooped by Blackburn Drama Club with They Came From Mars.

Lancashire Evening Telegraph editor Peter Butterfield presented the prestigious Curtain Raiser award to Geoff Jackson, a well-known and popular figure who has worked with many societies throughout East Lancashire.

As well as acting, he helps backstage, designing and building sets. A keen believer in fostering young talent, he has also produced for the Rossendale Amateurs' youth section RAYS.

Charles Foster from Granada Television presented the other main prizes and NODA councillor elect John Owen travelled from the Wirral to present awards for programme design to the Stagetruck Theatre Company for Oliver and to Burnley Light Operatic Society for Summer Song. These programmes will now go into the national competition at the NODA National Conference in Chester later this month.

Tony Pool won the Radio Lancashire Award for his performance in St John's Great Marsden's show, The Music Man.

Best Actor in Musical: Andrew Summers (42nd Street) Todmorden AODS. Best Supporting Actor Musical: Jim Ogden (The Gondoliers) Burnley G and S. Best Actor (Play): Stephen Derbyshire (Billy Liar) Blackburn Drama Club. Best Supporting Actor (Play): Clive Stack (Racing Demon and They Came From Mars) Blackburn Drama Club. Best Actress in a Musical: Joanne Gill and Debbie Redmond (42nd Street) Todmorden AODS; Best Supporting Actress (Musical): Angela Foulds (Annie) St Stephens AODS; Best Actress (Play): Carol Anne Connolly (Shirley Valentine) Bacup AODS; Best Supporting Actress (Play): Joan McCann (Billy Liar) Blackburn Drama Club.

Best Artistic Direction (Drama): Dorothy Perkins (They Came From Mars) Blackburn Drama Club; Best Choreography: Sandy Whiteley (42nd Street) Todmorden AODS; Best Chorus: Todmorden AODS (42nd Street); Best Revue: Old Tyme Music Hall (Rossendale Players); Best Costume Design: Pendle Opera (Maritana); Best Musical Direction: Andrew Mitchell (42nd Street) Todmorden AODS; Best Pantomime: Robinson Crusoe (St Stephens AOS); Best Stage Design: Oliver (Stage Truck Theatre Co); Best Lighting Design: Ruddigore (Blackburn G and S Society); Best Technical Direction: Robinson Crusoe (St Stephens AODS).

Best Newcomer: Leanne Bradshaw (Annie) St Stephens AODS; Best Play: They Came From Mars (Blackburn Drama Club); Best Musical: 42nd Street (Todmorden AODS); Youth Award: Bugsy Malone (Todmorden TOYS); Most Enjoyable Production: Follies (Colne Operatic Society); Curtain Raiser Award: Geoffrey Jackson; Radio Lancashire Award: Tony Pool; Victor Booth memorial Award: Fiddler on the Roof (St Cuthberts AODS).

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