Peterborough drama group hoping for awards clean sweep

Peterborough Operatic & Dramatic Society (PODS) is well known for mounting its annual musical productions of the highest standard dating back to 1900.

The Addams Family, which played to great acclaim at the Key Theatre in the 2015 season, has been nominated for Best Musical. Success would make it a hat-trick for PODS, with Annie Get Your Gun in 2013 and The Witches of Eastwick in 2014 winning the award.

For the first time ever, PODS has also been nominated in the Best Play category for the excellent adaptation of Abigail’s Party. It is a tremendous achievement given that PODS only started producing an Autumn play three years ago and Abigail’s Party was only its third ever play.

Directed by Sandra Samwell, Abigail’s Party filled the Key Theatre Studio back in September 2015.

And finally, in the Best Technical category, a nomination for Production Manager Rob Melhuish (pictured right).

Rob has been PODS’ production manager for the past six years having started out backstage and then going on to train in Technical Theatre & Production Design at Peterborough Regional College. He worked on many Peterborough College and Key Theatre productions before being accepted onto the Royal Opera House’s Technical Training scheme, and after three years became the Opera House’s youngest ever manager, specialising in scenery automation and flying.

Rob dedicates most of his free time to PODS, designing and constructing their sets and it is fantastic recognition of his hard-work and commitment that he has been nominated for for his contributions to both The Addams Family and Abigail’s Party.

The awards ceremony takes place on April 3. Sadly, if PODS does win there will not be anyone actually at the ceremony this year as cast and crew will be busy with the final rehearsals for the next production – the stage and screen musical sensation Hairspray,which opens at The Cresset theatre on April 5.