All the Winners of the David Beach Competition

The winners of this year's competition were announced at a glittering awards ceremony on 27 March 2026. Here are all the results...

Somerset Fellowship of Drama

David Beach Adult Competition 2024 – 2025

List of Winners

Best Sound

Rob Summers, CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Best Creative Lighting

Graham Brown, Wells Operatic Society, Nativity!

Best Effects

Neil Harrison-Shaw, MPO Musical Theatre, Witches of Eastwick

Bright* Award: Technical Achievement

Excellent back projections, Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society, Charlie & The Chocolate

Factory

Best Props

WODS Musical Theatre Company, Grease

Best Stage Management

The cast and backstage crew, Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Best Made Set

Fred Broom and construction team, CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Best Made Costumes

Wendy Stone, Viv Hamilton, Georgina Edwards, Sarah – Jane Smith, John Holliday,

Juliette Martin, Lewis White and Katie Whiting, Bridgwater Operatic Society, Cats

Best Female 13 & under

Mia Brown and Alana Mees as Charlie Bucket, 21st Century Productions featuring YMTC, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Best Male 13 & under

Thomas Carey & Noah Morgan as Charlie Bucket, Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society,

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Best Female 18 & under

Ruby Calcutt as Pritti, Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Best Male 18 & under

Des Coghlan Forbes as Ugly, Tickenham Drama Group, Honk!

Best Cameo

Ian Doswell as Arvide Abernathy, Weston Operatic Society, Guys & Dolls

Best Supporting Female

Lucy Macartney as Margaret New, Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Best Supporting Male

Carl Holdway-Bradley as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Weston Operatic Society, Guys & Dolls

Christian Lockyer as Lord Farquaad, Glastonbury & Street Musical Comedy Society,

Shrek The Musical (Highly Commended)

Best Female in Lead

Holly Elkins as Sandy, WODS Musical Theatre Company, Grease

Jodie Vickery as Miss Adelaide, Weston Operatic Society, Guys & Dolls (Highly

Commended)

Best Male in Lead (Joint winners)

Finn Nias as Jamie New, Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Will Poulton as Seymour, CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Showstopper

Somewhere That’s Green, CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Best Ensemble

Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie

Challenge Award

21st Century Productions featuring YMTC, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory

Best Choreography

Katie Whiting, Bridgwater Operatic Society, Cats

Best Musical Direction

Lucy Singleton, CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Best Direction

Tom Creswick, Wells Operatic Society, Carousel

Small Venue Award

CUDOS, Little Shop of Horrors

Best Production

Motiv8 Productions, Everybody's Talking About Jamie (winner)

Merlin Theatre Company, Come From Away (runner up)

Adjudicators Awards

Jadi Carlyon – Simon Thomas-Boddy and the build crew for the Grandparents’ bed,

Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, 21st Century Productions featuring YMTC

Andy Marchant – A toast to The Stalwarts of our Societies, all groups

Cathie Warner - Stick it to the Man, School of Rock, Wellington Operatic Society

Martha Francis - Dream Ballet sequence, Carousel, Wells Operatic Society

Beth Hancock – The Children’s Team, Nativity!, Wells Operatic Society

Moderator’s Award

The Urchins, Little Shop of Horrors, CUDOS