Isle of Wight Amateur Theatre Awards winners revealed

From amateur plays to musicals and pantomimes, the best of the Island's stage entertainment has been under the judges' spotlights.

The awards are for Island productions between September 2022 and August 2023. Perhaps you were lucky enough to see one or two of them?

Here are the individuals, clubs and shows taking home the accolades at the Isle of Wight Amateur Theatre Awards 2023...
 

Best actor - Hanna Nixon, for her role in The Actress, by Bembridge Little Theatre Group

Best supporting actor - Michael Arnell, for his role in JB Priestly's When We Are Married, by The Apollo Players

The Actress rehearsals, in May (Image: Bembridge Little Theatre Club)

• Read more: Review of The Actress by Bembridge Little Theatre Group
• Read more: Review of When We Are Married at the Apollo Theatre

The cast of When We Are Married, from March (Image: Paul Jennings)

Best play (drama) - Bembridge Little Theatre Club for The Actress

Best actor in a musical - Rosie Sales from The Sound of Music

Best supporting actor in a musical - Bryony Bishop for her role in GASP's The Pirates of Penzance

• Read more: Review of The Sound of Music by The Island Savoyards
• Read more: Review of Pirates of Penzance by new Isle of Wight drama group GASP

Rosie Sales as Maria in The Sound of Music by The Island Savoyards (Image: Rodger Hooper)
Some of the cast of Gasp's The Pirates of Penzance
Best musical - The Sound of Music by The Island Savoyards

Best actor in a pantomime - Peri Ryan in Happily Ever After by The New Strolling Players

Best supporting actor in a pantomime - Ches Checkley in Aladdin by The Wight Strollers

• Read more: Wight Strollers' Aladdin at Isle of Wight's Medina Theatre

Kelly Hole as Aladdin with Ches Checkley as Genie of the Lamp (Image: The Wight Strollers/Paul Bird.)
Best pantomime -  Happily Ever After by The New Strolling Players
Celebratory award for First Act's Beauty and the Beast

There was also a host of commendations for young Isle of Wight actors, with recognition for Simon Apsey, Georgina Field, Isaac F., Betsy Franklin, Katy Haggerty, Alfie Luke, Frankie Mackness-Foster, Enid Rees, Ria Seager, Ember Sunnocks, Ellie Warne.

Also commended were Apollo Youth Theatre's His Name Is Zak, Curtain Call Creative's Les Miserables and Bugsy Malone, The Island Free School's A Christmas Carol and Cowes Enterprise College's Treasure Island.

The young cast of Les Miserables (Image: Curtain Call Creative)

Judges said: "We would like to congratulate those receiving awards and commendations...but also compliment all the casts, crews, background supporters and all involved with the productions judged this year."