Buxton Festival Fringe Announces Awards for 2012
PRESS RELEASE July 23rd 2012 for immediate release
A wonderful Buxton Festival Fringe 2012 has concluded with the Awards Ceremony at the Dome, home of Fringe sponsor, the University of Derby, Buxton.
Chair Stephanie Billen welcomed Fringe supporter Trevor Osborne of the Osborne Group, performers and Fringe Friends, reminding them that although the awards recognise excellence not everyone can win, and that there had been great art and performances enjoyed across the Fringe. "We appreciate the effort, talent and dedication that everyone has put into their shows, and are grateful to them for making this such a successful Fringe," she said, also thanking other Fringe supporters including High Peak Borough Council and The Old Hall Hotel who sponsored the awards certificates.
In the hotly contested Theatre category the production award went to the ambitious and innovative all-female Romeo and Juliet from Smooth Faced Gentlemen and Three's Company. Acting awards went to Freddie Machin for Winston on the Run and Katie Robinson for Forwards and Backwards, while Michael Hart picked up the new writing accolade for the thought-provoking Afterwords.
The big winner of the day was in youth theatre where The Bald Prima Donna swept the boards with male and female actor nods for Jake Martin and Gabby Monaghan as well as the production award for AQ Youth Theatre.
The wealth of musical talent on offer was recognised in four awards; the delightful Lili La Scala was given the solo vocal award for Songs to make you Smile; Benjamin Powell won solo instrumentalist for his Brahms piece with High Peak Orchestra; Partita's Early Music Concerts scooped the small ensemble award; and the Sheffield Lydian Ensemble were rewarded with the large ensemble prize.
Local winners predominated in Visual Arts. The Buxton Art Trail was given the event prize, while the artist award went to Jenny Davies and a newcomer award to Helen Mint. Other rewarded Buxtonians include Three's Company in Other Events for their podcast, Buxton Drama League (Street Theatre) and Buxton Film's Open Shorts (Film).
Comedy awards went to top notch performers Helen Arney (individual) and, for the second year running, Max and Ivan (show). Another second time winner and the award that will travel the furthest was in dance, where Japan's Makoto Inoue won for Dojo-Ji.
Vicky Ellis' Unconventional Attitudes took the Spoken Word honours, Little Giant prevailed in For Families with Going for Gold, and Sarah-Ann Cromwell was named Spirit of the Fringe for her Diva Gigs show bringing opera to new spaces.