IT has been a difficult year for local theatre, with the global coronavirus pandemic forcing shows to close their doors for more than five months before re-opening with restrictions on audience sizes and seating arrangements.
But through adversity comes strength and that was on display through the diverse number of works that have won City of Newcastle Drama Awards (CONDA) awards for 2020.
Eleven shows performed in theatres collected 20 awards, with four works presented as online events during the closures collecting four gongs.
And the awards were spread across a variety of companies and theatre teams, including school groups.
Two shows, The Grainery Theatre's I'll Be Home for Christmas and Opera Hunter's She Loves Me, were the big winners, with each receiving three awards.
Riley McLean, a member of the Young People's Theatre and Bearfoot Staging Teams, received the 2020 award for Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to Theatre.
And two senior high school students, Imogen Bamback, 16, and Jay Scott, 17, were announced as the 2021 Youth Ambassadors.
CONDA judges - chairman Ken Longworth, a judge since the awards were introduced in 1979, Anna Lambert, Guilherme Noronha, and two judges who joined the team this year, Louise Chapman and Jason King - were impressed by the quality of the shows, given that theatres were unable to re-open for more than five months and still have restrictions on their audience sizes and seating arrangements.
THE 2020 CONDA WINNERS
Outstanding Achievement and Contribution to Theatre: Riley McLean
Youth Ambassadors: Imogen Bamback and Jay Scott
Dramatic Production: The Fix, Black Sheep Theatre
Musical Production: I'll Be Home for Christmas, The Grainery Theatre
Special Theatrical Event: Nick, Jess Simon's Lip Sync Battle, Southern Cross Austereo
New Play or Musical Written for a Newcastle Company: Dali: Hallucinogenic Toreador, by Carl Caulfield (Stray Dogs Theatre)
Online Educational Event or Series: TVS Online in Concert (The Voice Studio)
Online Special Event: Bearfoot Pride Concert (Bearfoot Theatre)
Online Live Event: Shrek the Musical Jr (Hunter School of Performing Arts)
Online Series: Bearfoot Readings (Bearfoot Theatre)
Performer in a Leading Role in a Play - Comedy: Carl Gregory, The 39 Steps (Metropolitan Players)
Performer in a Leading Role in a Play - Drama: Carl Caulfield, Dali: Hallucinogenic Toreador (Stray Dogs Theatre)
Performer in a Leading Role in a Musical: Zoe Walker, She Loves Me (Opera Hunter)
Performer in a Supporting Role in a Play: Phil McGrath, The 39 Steps (Metropolitan Players)
Performer in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Jerre Succar, I'll Be Home for Christmas (The Grainery Theatre)
Performer 18 and Under in a Play - Drama or Comedy: Ruby Page, As I Lay Dreaming (Hunter School of Performing Arts), and Bridget Ponman, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang JR (Young People's Theatre)
Ensemble Acting: Picnic at Hanging Rock (Young People's Theatre)
Ensemble 18 and Under: I Hope: Thoughts on a Pandemic (Aspire)
Director - Drama or Comedy: Angela McKeown, The Fix (Black Sheep Theatre)
Director - Musical: Zac Smith, She Loves Me (Opera Hunter)
Music or Vocal Director: Stuart Brown and Okke Klassen, I'll Be Home for Christmas (The Grainery Theatre)
Costume Design: Fran Hodgson, Miss Bennett's Christmas at Pemberley (Newcastle Theatre Company)
Set and Props Design: Zac Smith and Drew Holmes, She Loves Me (Opera Hunter)
Lighting and Audio-Visual Design: Connor Crowe and Logan Crawford, As I Lay Dreaming (Hunter School of Performing Arts)
Sound Design: Riley McLean and Matthew Hudson, Picnic at Hanging Rock (Young People's Theatre)
