‘KATS’ Music & Drama Awards

KATS 2022

In June, the Year 10 to 13 Drama and Music students, plus parents and specially invited guests, gathered in the Theatre Quad for the return of a fulsome KATS Music & Drama awards evening.

Pre-dinner drinks were served before the guests took to the red carpet to process into the event. Those gathered enjoyed a fantastic meal and much fun was had in the fancy dress photo booth.

This year, we were incredibly fortunate to have a current parent give the annual after-dinner speech – the fantastic Leah-Marian Jones began the awards ceremony in style with a glorious rendition of Can’t Help Loving Dat Man. Leah-Marian is an international opera singer, having been a house principal at the Royal Opera House Covent Garden for many years, and she has sung in venues across the world. In her speech, Leah-Marian lifted the curtain on the life of a theatre performer and gave inspiring advice to follow your heart and seize every opportunity to perform you can.

Mr Harding took up compèring duties once again and the awards began, celebrating the many achievements of the students gathered. In between the award presentations, the audience were entertained with music and sketches. Izzy Vaughan sang Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered, stunning the audience with her smooth vocals. Elsa France and Evie Kidd gave a mischievous performance of School Tour; Zenzi Oluoch-Olunya and Ted Nightingale inhabited their roles all too convincingly in a scene called Overbearing Mother, whilst Larissa Man and Niamh Weldon pulled on heartstrings singing For Forever from Dear Evan Hansen. The evening drew to a close with a slideshow featuring our leavers, for whom this was their last KATS awards evening, and a performance of Shine from our Year 13 Leavers’ Band, who had the audience all singing along, before a final burst of confetti and fireworks.

The full list of nominees and winners (in bold) is reproduced opposite, though congratulations go to all Kingswood creative students, nominated or otherwise!

MUSIC AWARDS NOMINEES 2022

OUTSTANDING GCSE COMPOSITION • Katie Green – Twilight • Bea Harding – Battle • Jago Neech – Seasons • Aurora Vergani – Mediaeval Dance

OUTSTANDING GCSE PERFORMANCE • Adam Estcourt – • Katie Green – Violin

Electric Guitar • Imogen Hall – Piano • Joe Randolph – Cello

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO MUSIC AT KINGSWOOD • Colby Chu • Alex Kellagher • Mia Randolph • Izzy Vaughan

OUTSTANDING A LEVEL MUSICIAN • Vasily Alexeev • Colby Chu • Storm Neech

MUSOS’ MUSO • Colby Chu • Alex Kellagher • Larissa Man • Mia Randolph

DRAMA AWARDS NOMINEES 2022

BEST ENSEMBLE PIECE • 08:57 • An Exhibition of • Antigone Chorus Human Consciousness • Happiness • Mind The Gap

BEST SCRIPTED PIECE • BU21, Ryan Leung • BU21, Dan Zukas • Fences, Monica • The Pillowman, Mimi

Mba-Ivina Coles, Ted Nightingale

and Avery Trotter

BEST NEWCOMER • Alma Bode • Elsa France • Evie Kidd • Zenzi Oluoch-Olunya

BEST INDIVIDUAL PERFORMANCE • Sam Gearing, Heamon in Antigone • Phoebe Gilpin, Ismene in Antigone • Phia Jones, Antigone in Antigone • Ted Nightingale, Creon in Antigone

BEST DESIGN • Leyla Aysan, GCSE Devised lighting • Tilly Bankes and Elsa France, Antigone costume • Tom Button, Antigone graphics • Scarlett Cunningham, GCSE Devised costume • Maisie Ewing, GCSE Scripted costume • Dasha Gorbunova, Antigone lighting

TECHIES’ TECHIE • Leyla Aysan • Tom Button • Rex Evans • Dasha Gorbunova

ACTORS’ ACTOR • Mimi Coles • Ted Nightingale • Lala Thomas • Avery Trotter