You beauty Helensvale
HELENSVALE State High has upstaged cashed-up private schools and community performance groups with its commanding performance at the 9th annual Gold Coast Area Theatre Awards.
The awards were presented at a sold-out, gala dinner for about 400 guests at The Arts Centre Gold Coast last night hosted by former Australian Idol finalist turned stage star Rob Mills (Wicked, Grease, Hairspray, Legally Blonde, Ghost, Jesus Christ Superstar).
Helensvale High’s production of Beauty and The Beast allowed the first-time awards participants to claim 10 of the 34 categories including Best Sound, Lighting, Best Costume, Best Vocal Director and Best Music Director.
Beauty and the Beast star Liam Chapman shared the Jock and Beverly McIlwain Special Encouragement Award for most promising talent with Sophie Price, from Redcliffe Musical Theatre’s ambitious production of The Addams Family.
Beauty and The Beast also outperformed shows presented by eight other schools and 17 community theatre companies including Spotlight and Gold Coast Little Theatre to claim the coveted Gold Palm Award for the production with the most nominations across all categories.
Gold Coast Little Theatre’s season of Crown Matrimonial and awards debutants Ipswich Musical Theatre Company’s Les Miserables were named joint winners of the Outstanding Community Theatre Production award.
Javeenbah Theatre, at Nerang, received the Platinum Palm Award for lifetime achievement in recognition of its commitment to creating and staging new and original works of theatre and its encouragement of local writers.
Awards founder and convener Kate Peters said Helensvale High was one of several new additions among the 26 companies featured in the 2017 awards, overseen by a panel of 11 judges who attended 64 separate performances from Beenleigh to Ballina and west to Ipswich.
“It’s great to see them do so well in their first year,” she said.
“Obviously they’re really putting all that they can in to encourage kids to appreciate live theatre and the arts.
“It shows students that if they’re not the type who is academically inclined or good at sport, at least there is this other avenue open to them to shine.
“If you get kids into the theatre, you are encouraging the next generation of theatre audience.”
Mrs Peters said the Coast was now home to “an incredibly strong body” of young performers.
“These young performers are taking all these opportunities to learn their craft within productions staged by local theatre groups and then heading interstate and overseas, on cruise ships and to theme parks, to work,” she said.
Mrs Peters said awards MC Rob Mills was a stellar example for young performers.
“He’s a young person who started with his 15 minutes of fame on Idol and has gone on to create a solid career for himself,” she said.
“To survive in showbiz, you can’t sit back and expect the roles to fall in to your lap.
“Here’s someone who’s gone on to create the product for himself.
Mrs Peters said the awards would change their name to the Gold Palm Theatre Awards from next year to mark their 10th anniversary.