A hat-trick of award nominations for the city’s high-flying PODS

Peterborough Operatic and Dramatic Society have scooped not one but three prestigious award nominations for their latest productions in what’s been a landmark year for the group.

NODA – the organisation that oversees all amateur theatre societies – have nominated PODS for a hat-trick of awards in the Eastern region. This includes a tip for Best Musical for their production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, the riproaring comedy classic set on the French Riviera and based on the 1988 film, which they brought to The Key Theatre last April.

Meanwhile, The Vicar of Dibley, which saw all the holy hilarity of Richard Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer’s sitcom arrive at The Key Studio last September, is up for the Best Play category.

Rob Melhuish and John Lawrence have also been nominated for Best Technical for theiramazingset,lightingand sound.

It’s an achievement that’s come at the end of a really successful year for PODS as they collected the award for Best Musical for their 2017 show 9 to 5, including a special shield for Best Overall Production in the District for the musical, last summer.

And the excitement doesn’t stop there. Rehearsals are now well under way for PODS’ next production, The Producers, which brings lots of laughs, little old ladies and lederhosen to The Key Theatre from March 12-16. Based on the Mel Brooks’ film starring Gene Wilder, it’s packed with mischief and razzamatazz as a down-on-his luck Broadway producer and his mild-mannered accountant come up with a scheme to produce the most notorious flop in history and thanks to their little old lady backers, make a windfall. However, things don’t go to plan when the show is a surprise hit.

And almost as soon as the curtain goes down on The Producers this March, the society will start work – for the first time in many years- on a second musical of the year as they prepare to stage the fantasmagorical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at The Cresset from October 22-26.

Rob Bristow, Chairman of PODS said: “We’re delighted to have been nominated for these NODA awards which are a recognition of all the hard work our members put into our shows every year. We look forward to hearing the outcome as well as continuing to work on the wonderful projects we’ve got coming up this year.”

The results of the 2019 NODA awards will be revealed at a ceremony on May 12.

The Producers is at The Key Theatre, March 12-16, 7.30pm (plus 2.30pm Saturday matinee). For tickets, please call in to The Key Theatre box office, or call 01733 207239, or visit vivacity.org/whatson

You can also keep up to date on all things PODS by visiting www.peterboroughoperatic.co.uk