Theatre company nominated for top awards

Newtown Musical Theatre Company (MNTC) has had its latest production nominated for a prestigious award.

The company's production of The Wizard of Oz, which was performed at Hafren in Newtown in March, has been nominated for a number of National OPeratic and Dramatic Association Wales awards.

It is one of three shows nominated as Best Production in District 1, and two cast members, Bev Southall and Andrew Bond, have also been nominated for the Lyons Engineering Award for their roles as Miss Gultch/Wicked Witch and Hunk/Scarecrow respectively.

NODA presents awards each year to recognise high standards in amateur productions, and this year’s winners will be announced at the NODA Wales Regional Conference, to be held in Hereford on the 2 and 3 June.

Jonathan Davies, Publicity Manager for NMTC said: “We are thrilled that the high standard of our production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ has been acknowledged by NODA with these nominations, and are very pleased for Bev and Andrew that their superb performances have also been recognised. We look forward eagerly to finding out whether we will be successful in bringing these awards back to Newtown.”

NMTC are currently rehearsing for their next production, Gilbert & Sullivan’s ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, which will be performed at Hafren in October. The production is being directed by company stalwart Kat Bond, and the musical director is newcomer Geraldine Charles. If anyone would like to join NMTC for this production, they are welcome to go along to their rehearsals at 7.30pm every Wednesday in the Methodist Chapel, Newtown. More information about NMTC is also available on their website, www.newtownmtc.co.uk.