A Coquitlam-based theatre company is up for multiple Ovation! Awards, which honour the best musical productions and performers from the previous year.
Align Entertainment is one of five shows from the 2015 list nominated in the category of Outstanding Community Production - Large Theatre for its hit The Addams Family.
The nomination comes as the company next month mounts its third show, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, at the Michael J. Fox Theatre in Burnaby.
Align will compete against Hairspray (TUTS), My Fair Lady (Royal City Musical Theatre), The Secret Garden (Exit 22/Capilano University) and Triumph of Love (UBC Theatre).
Brent Hughes, the music teacher at Dr. Charles Best secondary in Coquitlam, is also up for Outstanding Music Direction for his work in Addams while Chad Matchette of Coquitlam’s Lindbjerg Academy of Performing Arts is nominated for Outstanding Direction in Addams.
And Coquitlam’s Avery Johnson, who played Pugsley in Addams and Scut Farcus in A Christmas Story is up for Outstanding Performance - Youth (Under 18).
Meanwhile, Riverside secondary grad Clare Wyatt is nominated in the same category as Hughes for her musical direction with Dogfight (Awkward Stage Productions).
Erika Babins, the musical theatre company teacher/director at Coquitlam’s Place des Arts, will be up against Port Coquitlam resident Valerie Easton for the Outstanding Choreography accolade. Babins did the steps to The It Girl (Drama Natrix Productions) while Easton worked the moves for Love’s Labour’s Lost (Bard on the Beach).
Terry Fox secondary grad Justin Lapena is also up for an award for Outstanding Chorus Member “Gypsy” - Male for his work in My Fair Lady, You’re a Good Man Charlie Grown and The It Girl. He will face Port Coquitlam's Nicholas Bradbury, who is nominated for his roles in the Rocky Horror Show and Oliver!
As well, actor and musician Scott Perrie, who grew up in Coquitlam, is nominated for Outstanding Supporting Performance - Male for his portrayal of The Misfit in Godspell (Arts Club).
The 12th annual Ovation! Awards will be presented Jan. 31 at the Vancouver Academy of Music.
