All Set To Reward The Best, No Dramas

Newcastle Herald

Thursday November 16, 2006

By SARAH-KATE SCICLUNA

TWO musicals about Asian monarchs and another about poor New York students are in contention for the 2006 City of Newcastle Drama (CONDA) Awards.

Metropolitan Players' The King and I has topped nominations for the awards, with 10.

The production is about the cultural clash between a 19th century Siamese despot and a liberal English woman schoolteacher.

Its rivals for the best musical CONDA are Newcastle Gilbert and Sullivan Players' The Mikado and JJK Productions' Rent.

The Mikado is a satirical look at bureaucratic bungling set in mythical Japan, while Rent is a rock musical about contemporary student life in New York.

It is modelled on the opera La Boheme. Both musicals have six nominations.

Four shows are vying for the best non-professional dramatic production award.

This year's judges include Herald theatre critic Ken Longworth and Newcastle theatre identities Sue Leask and Pamela Whalan.

The awards ceremony will be held at the Civic Theatre Newcastle on Friday, December 8. Tickets are $16 and are available from the theatre.

AND THE CONDA

NOMINEES ARE ...

Full list- Page 22

© 2006 Newcastle Herald

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