Theatre Festival 2025-2026 Award Winners

Here are the winners of the 2025-2026 Theatre Festival awards.
Our congratulations go to all those winners, and of course those who have been nominated.

CDA AWARD FOR BEST SET IN A MUSICAL

  • Falmouth Theatre Company ‘The Sound of Music’

CHRISTINE WOOLF AWARD FOR FINE ENSEMBLE PLAYING – EITHER CATEGORY

  • Boom Theatre ‘Cats’

PAULA THORNTON AWARD FOR BEST COSTUMES IN A PLAY

  • Newquay Dramatic Society ‘Handbagged’

CDA AWARD FOR BEST PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – MUSICALS and PANTOMIMES

  • Isabella Pritchard as Paulette Buonufonte in ‘Legally Blonde the Musical’ Young Generation

EILEEN STRATTON TROPHY FOR BEST SET IN A PLAY

  • Helston Theatre Company ‘The Crucible’

MARY DOWNIE AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

  • Adam Clark as Actor 2 in ‘Handbagged’ Newquay Dramatic Society

CAROL TAYLOR AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

  • Tabby Lammas as Dr Watson in ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ Gweek Players

CDA AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COSTUMES IN A MUSICAL or PANTOMIME

  • Karnon Kidz ‘The Addams Family’

SALLY ROBINSON TROPHY FOR OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE

  • The orchestra for .’The Sound of Music’ Falmouth Theatre Company

ROY CROSLEY AWARD FOR A YOUNG ACTOR OF 18 OR UNDER – EITHER CATEGORY

Miriam McDonagh, Young Generation

PEPPER AWARD FOR BEST ONE ACT PLAY

  • There are no nominations this year

CDA AWARD FOR BEST CHOREOGRAPHY IN A MUSICAL or PANTOMIME

  • Young Generation ‘Legally Blonde the Musical’

JOHN WALTON AWARD FOR THE BEST YOUTH PERFORMANCE

  • The Karnon Kidz Cast of Blood Brothers Carnon Downs Drama Group

RICHARD POULTER TROPHY FOR BEST ACTOR IN A PLAY

  • Kieran Faithfull as Proctor in ‘The Crucible’ Helston Theatre Company

EILEEN STRATTON TROPHY FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A PLAY

  • Charlie Chidgey as Hannay in ‘The 39 Steps’ Touch Theatre

PAMELA DINSMORE AWARD FOR TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT IN EITHER CATEGORY

  • Ruthern Valley Players ‘Sinbin the Sailor’ for the self-propelling broom and the snake charming device, as well as impressive backdrops

CDA AWARD FOR BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

  • Stevie Thomas as Mr Poppy in ‘Nativity the Musical’ Penzance Musical Theatre

CDA AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

  • Rosy Clarke as Maria in ‘The Sound of Music’ Falmouth Theatre Company

CDA Award for Outstanding Performance in a Pantomime

  • Grace Benney as Mowser in ‘Dick Whittington’ Helston Theatre Company

DORIS BERRYMAN TROPHY FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL

  • Kathy West for ‘Come From Away’ St Austell Amateur Operatic Society

FRED SHEPHERD TROPHY FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A PLAY

  • Kath Archer for ‘The 39 Steps’ Touch Theatre

FREDDIE ROWE AWARD

Kathy West for her work both onstage and creatively behind the scenes, with so many groups, and her generosity in sharing her knowledge and expertise.

CHRIS HANSELL AWARD FOR BEST PANTOMIME

  • Trewoon Pantomime Group ‘Aladdin’

CDA TROPHY FOR BEST PLAY

  • Touch Theatre ‘The 39 Steps’

CDA TROPHY FOR BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION

  • St Austell Amateur Operatic Society ‘Come From Away’

SPECIAL AWARDS

The Von Trapp children in Falmouth Theatre Company’s The Sound of Music

Directorial team of Sam Barker, Elaine Gummow,Kathryn Cameron-Webb and Jason
Lessiter for the youth production Karnon Kidz The Addams Family

Original script by Tamara Rosenwyn A Cornish Conviction

Veryan Players director Jack Wilson stepping into a major role last minute

Ruthern Valley Players original script by Simon Malloni for Sinbin the Sailor

St Blazey Amateur Operatic Society the Sleeping Beauty Fairy Trio of Olivia Coon,
Georgina Walkey and Sarah Locks

Polruan Theatre Club Tony Cotrell’s original (topical) script for Saving Fairyland

Perranporth Players ingenuity in set design for Cluedo