The David Beach
The David Beach Competition
Sadly we have had to suspend all SFD competitions this year, w.e.f December 15 2021, because of on-going concerns about Covid...
The David Beach Competition for Musicals came into being in 2002, at the suggestion of David Beach himself. Hitherto it had been part of the Phoebe Rees Competition for full length plays, but it was felt that we needed a separate panel of adjudicators with a particular expertise in judging musical theatre, and also that the Competiton should have its own Moderator who could travel round to see all the entries. The David Beach Youth Competition runs in parallel for youth musicals.
Musical Theatre groups flocked to join the SFD so as to be able to compete with each other, and the entries flooded in. They have increased steadily each year and now rival the Phoebe Rees in terms of the number of groups taking part.
The season runs, officially, from 1st December to 30th November. The panel meets in December to review all the entries and to agree a number of nominations for performances of particular merit in each of the 30 categories. The winner of each is chosen after detailed debate, overseen by the Moderator, and the trophies are awarded at The David Beach Presentation Evening which takes place in March each year.
More details are available to individual SFD Members and to Club Contacts under Documents & Resources in the left hand menu, where you can find out about how productions are marked and see the list of trophies to be awarded.
Pam and David Beach at the 2010 Awards
2020 Season
Entry forms: it is now possible to fill in your entry form and submit it on line. Click here to view, or to request a printable version if you prefer.
The Panel
Moderator: Ian Hurdman
Adjudicators: Andy Marchant, Chris Bailward, Jadi Carlyon, Dendy Harris, Linda Mumford and Beth Hancock
David Beach Coordinator: Angie Hurdman
2020 Award Winners
BEST SHOW: Glastonbury & Street Musical Comedy Soc - The Addams Family
BEST SHOW, Runners Up: Tickenham Drama Group - Company
MODERATOR'S AWARD: Edward Creswick as Anatoly singing Anthem, Pinstripe Prodns - Chess
ADJUDICATORS' AWARD: John Holiday for Artistic Endeavour, Bridgwater Operatic - Sister Act
BEST DIRECTION: Lucy Taylor & Lewis White, Bridgwater Operatic - Sister Act
BEST DIRECTION (Highly Commended): Blair Ruddick, WODS Musical Theatre Co - Evita
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION: Sue Parker, Tickenham Drama Group - Company
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY: Yeovil Amateur Operatic Soc - 42nd Street
SMALL VENUE TROPHY: Weston Operatic Soc - Chicago
CHALLENGE TROPHY: WODS Musical Theatre Co - Evita
BEST CHORUS: Evita Ensemble, WODS Musical Theatre Co - Evita
SHOWSTOPPER: "I Could Be That Guy", Bridgwater Operatic Soc - Sister Act
BEST MALE LEAD: John Prescott, Clevedon Light Opera Club - Jeckyll & Hyde
BEST FEMALE LEAD: Jodie Gibson as Roxie, Weston super Mare Operatic Soc - Chicago
BEST FEMALE (Highly Commended): Jess Russell as Morticia, Glastonbury & Street - The Addams Family
BEST SUPPORTING MALE: Matthew Baker as Sir Evelyn, Milborne Port Opera - Anything Goes
BEST SUPPORTING FEMALE: Marie Brolly as Dorothy, Yeovil Amateur Opweratic Soc - 42nd Street
BEST CAMEO : Stephanie Reeves as The Mistress, WODS Musical Theatre Co - Evita
BEST MALE 17-21: Joseph Taylor as Rum Tum Tugger, Taunton Amateur Operatic Soc - Cats
BEST FEMALE 17-21: Lydia Stobie-Owen as Wednesday, Glastonbury & Street - The Addams family
BEST MALE 16 and under: Tyler Curry as Munkustrap, Taunton Amateur Operatic Soc - Cats
BEST FEMALE 16 and under: Natalie Carey (9) as Jemima Potts, MATA - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
BEST COSTUMES: Glastonbury & Street Musical Comedy Soc - The Addams Family
BEST MADE SET: Milborne Port Opera - Anything Goes
BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT: Simon Lean and The Ancestors, Glastonbury & Street - The Addams Family
BEST PROPS: Clevedon Light Opera Club - Jeckyll & Hyde
BRIGHT* TECHNICAL AWARD: The Large Props build team, MATA - Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
BEST CREATIVE LIGHTING: Andy & Lauren Hughes, Clevedon Light Opera Club - Chess
BEST SOUND: Seth Atkinson, Chris Waller, Nailsea Musicals - The Wiz
A full report of the David Beach Awards Evening held at the Cricket Club on Saturday 7th March can be found in Spotlight Online (click here ) and photos taken by Roger Price during the evening can be viewed and downloaded from Event Photos (click here ).