Manawatu's Regional Theatre Awards 2022 winners announced

Jessie Feyen's performance as Elle in Legally Blonde won over the Regional Theatre Awards judges. Photo / Ben Pryor

In keeping with these Covid times, the Regional Theatre Awards 2022 were announced virtually on Saturday.

The awards covered 30 productions presented by 19 theatre groups in 2021.

Organiser Sheridan Hickey congratulated the participants for their tenacity and achievement.

"You managed the many challenges that required you to juggle show dates around the ever-changing alert levels, arrange rehearsals via Zoom or similar digital form, start a season then have to close, cancel shows or put them on hold, but through it all you worked creatively, supported each other and kept smiling."

The main winners were:

Outstanding Direction of a Youth Production: Kane Parsons assisted by Finn Davidson, Aladdin Jnr, Manawatū Youth Theatre

Outstanding Musical Direction of a Youth Production: Asaria Saili, Moana Jnr, Levin Performing Arts Society

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role of a Youth Production: Leo Arnault Martin (Lumiere), Beauty and the Beast Jnr, Levin Little Theatre

Outstanding Youth Performance in a Female Role: Alyssa Hartley (Genie) Aladdin Jnr, MYTH

Outstanding Youth Performance in a Male Role: Navah Chapman (Paul Blake) Lent, Foxton Little Theatre

Best Concept and Design of a Play: Shirley Valentine, ThorneStar Productions

Outstanding Concept and Design of a Musical: Chicago, Act Three Productions; Legally Blonde, ATP

Best Choreography: Alex Hughes, Ruby Jamieson, Cara Hesselin, Legally Blonde, ATP

Best Musical Direction: Barry Jones, We Will Rock You, ATP

Best Direction of a Play: Sonya Grimstrup assisted by Val Franklin, Calendar Girls, LLT

Best Debut Direction of a Musical: Jo Sale, Legally Blonde, ATP

Best Direction of a Standard Size Musical: Steve Sayer, Chicago, ATP

Best Direction of a Stupendous Size Musical: Phil Anstis, We Will Rock You, ATP

Best New Aotearoa NZ Play: Destiny and The Eternal, Angie Farrow, ARL Collective

Outstanding Ensemble in a Short Play: Bad (Jazz) Blood (Hannah Pratt, Leona Revell, Sophia Parker, Karmeehan Senthilnathan,), Sunday Script Sessions

Most Outstanding Ensemble in a Play: The Women, Calendar Girls, LLT

Most Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical: Chicago, ATP

Outstanding Performance in a Short Play: Cam Dickons, Freaks, SSS

Outstanding Performance for a Supporting Female Role in a Play: Lisa Swinbanks (Philostrate/Puck), A Midsummer Night's Dream, Manawatū Summer Shakespeare; Carolyn Allan (Mrs Blake), Lent, FLT

Best Performance in a Supporting Female Role in a Musical: Clare Lees-Galloway (Paulette), Legally Blonde, ATP

Best Performance in a Supporting Male Role in a Play: Phil Mills (Nick Bottom), A Midsummer Night's Dream, MSS

Best Performance of a Supporting Male Role in a Musical: Florien Schrimpf (Max Detweiler), The Sound of Music, LPAS

Best Performance of a Female Role in a Sequence of Short Plays: Liz Kirkman, Chance, ARL Collective

Best Performance of a Female Role in a Solo Play: Gael Haining Ede (Shirley), Shirley Valentine, ThorneStar Productions

Best Performance of a Female Role in a Play: Ella Kahu (Annie), Calendar Girls, LLT

Best Performance for a Female Role in a Musical: Jessie Feyen (Elle), Legally Blonde, ATP

Outstanding Performance of a Male Role in a Play: Cam Dickons (Lysander), A Midsummer Night's Dream, MSS; Carl Terry (Mr Maitland - Matey), Lent, FLT

Best Performance of a Male Role in a Musical: Lindsay Yeo (Billy Flynn), Chicago, ATP