KINGSBRIDGE Amateur Theatrical Society (KATS) has scooped an award at a prestigious ceremony in Plymouth for its 2022 production of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5.

The musical was a hit with the NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) judges who awarded it ‘Best Small Musical Production’ at a glittering presentation night in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Plymouth.

The production had been nominated for three awards including ‘The Wilfred Roe Trophy for stage décor’ and ‘The Peter Wheeldon Memorial Trophy for a company crafted production’.

Carey Ryan-Carter, who directed and choreographed the show and attended the event with seven other members of KATS, said: “There were representatives from all over the South West region. We were up against societies from as far afield as Gloucester, Bristol, Bournemouth, Cornwall and even the Channel Islands.

“I knew we had already won the ‘District 4 achievement award’ and I was honoured to go up and receive that on KATs behalf but then we had a nail biting wait to see if we would win anything else. We were not upset not to win the first award and were just happy to be there, but when we didn’t win the second one, all our hopes were pinned on the last one which in my mind was arguably the most important.

‘We were sat on a round table and we all held hands and closed our eyes as they announced the winner.

“There were screams of delight when our name was read out. Some said, ‘Go on Carey you have to go up and get it,’ but I had insisted from the beginning that I wanted all of us to go together.

“It takes more than one person to make a great show and everyone at that table had been part of the show’s success.’

“It was also lovely to see Jill Clarke of another local society MAD receive the ‘Councillor’s Award’ at the same event. This was the first time this had been awarded to an individual. It was an unexpected surprise to her and us and fantastic that our two local societies could celebrate together afterwards on the dance floor!”

Iain Douglas the regional representative for NODA (pictured below) said the award for KATS was ‘well deserved.’

KATS has been entertaining audiences for more than 100 years.

It has received awards from NODA South West for Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof and Blood Brothers in recent years.

KATS has been fortunate to receive financial grants from Kingsbridge Town Council, Kingsbridge Estuary Round Table and the Luscombe Trust – the latter in recognition of KATS support to KCC (Kingsbridge Community College) students.

For more on KATS see page 31.