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    Jessica Wilson, Chloe Findlay and Kayla Wilson in Horsham Arts Council’s Seussical the Musical.

‘Huge honour’ for Horsham Arts Council – 25 nominations for guild awards

By Sean O’Connell

A Horsham arts group is eagerly awaiting a state-level awards night in Geelong next month, after earning recognition in more than 20 categories.

Horsham Arts Council received 25 nominations and commendations from the Musical Theatre Guild of Victoria, with award recipients to be announced at the Bruce Awards on December 9. 

HAC president Nick Wilson said four guild judges had attended more than 100 shows across the state, including the theatre group’s ‘Seussical the Musical’ and ‘American Idiot’ productions.



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“It’s a huge feather in the cap of HAC, our directors and our casts to be nominated,” he said.

“We put the shows on because we love theatre, not to win awards, but it is a huge honour.”

Mr Wilson said it was the most nominations HAC had received in a single year. 

“Both were directed by the same person, Maddi Ostapiw, which hasn’t happened in the past,” he said.

“To come out with more than 20 acknowledgements that cover various things from costuming to musical direction, is absolutely amazing.

“The nomination for musical direction for the band from American Idiot, led by Mark Block, Tony Block and Chloe Findlay, is a huge one. 

“There’s so much talent about. You see some of the other theatre groups perform, and the standard you are competing against is first class. It drives it home that we are doing a good job.”

Mr Wilson said receiving nominations for the costumes of both productions was another impressive feat.

“We make all our costumes in every production we do and that takes literally thousands of hours,” he said.

“It’s a testament to all our volunteers.”

 

Mr Wilson said HAC had previously won guild awards including best ensemble for ‘Godspell’, best cameo for another show and most recently found success with ‘Rent’.

“Rent and American Idiot were both very high-impact shows,” he said.

“This time we have two extremely different shows – Seussical is for families and children, whereas American Idiot was a far more serious, mature-themed show.

“For both to be equally successful is a really big achievement.”

Mr Wilson said he expected a significant number of cast members to attend the awards night in Geelong, with tickets available to purchase. 

“In the past, we’ve attended the awards in Bendigo, Melbourne and Geelong, where we won best ensemble, which might be a good omen,” he said. 

A full list of nominations and commendations is available on Horsham Arts

Council’s Facebook page and Musical Theatre Guild website, musictheatreguildvic.org

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