The resilience of creative communities will be rewarded when the 2021 Canberra Area Theatre Awards are announced later this month.
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The 2021 awards are taking on a different look due to COVID 19 with organisers taking the opportunity to recognise theatre companies for their resilience during a period when the show couldn't go on.
While it's not yet known if the Bay Theatre Players will be among the award recipients it cannot be denied the group has done its part to keep live theatre alive.
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Despite the pandemic the Players successfully re-opened in October with Children of the Black Skirt and have been working on a production of the Addams Family Musical with rehearsals already underway for shows in 2022.
And later this month the Players will be holding a youth workshop to investigate the Jessica Bellamy play Compass at the Eurobodolla Botanic Gardens.
This year's CAT Awards will celebrate celebrate theatrical excellence during tough times with a one-off celebration.
What would have been the 26th and 27th CAT Awards will now become "CATS Interrupted", with recipients receiving certificates of recognition at an event in mid-December.
The Players hope they will be among the 60 CATS Interrupted recipients recognised.
The idea is to recognise the efforts of those on and off stage during a time like no other. And that requires a different approach.
"We won't be following our usual categories. Instead, we want to put on the record our appreciation, and that of audiences across the region, of the work put in to keep theatre alive," CATS founder Coralie Wood said.
"Over the last two years our judges have attended more than forty productions - about a quarter the number they would have judged in normal times - so in all fairness we can't pretend it's business as usual. That's why we've come up with 'CATS Interrupted'".
"It has been such a struggle just to keep going and we wanted to acknowledge those efforts".
The watchword is the age-old cliché "the show must go on" and there will be a show - of sorts.
The more than sixty recipients of "Cats Interrupted" recognition and commendation will be announced at an event at Canberra Repertory's Theatre 3 on Sunday, December 19.
"It'll be very different to our usual awards night, but it will be very special," Ms Wood said.
"As for next year - our judges can't wait to get back into theatres in southern NSW and the ACT".
Meanwhile any interested in the Bay Theatre Players workshop should contact Lyn on 0416 181 003.
Suitable for 11-15 year olds the workshop will run from 10.30am to 12.30pm at the Eurobodolla Botanic Gardens on Sunday, December 19.
