ANDREW Carpenter has won the Best Director category for the Frome Amateur Operatic’s pantomime, Dick Whittington and his Cat last Christmas
He was presented with the award at the Somerset Fellowship of Drama Awards Ceremony for amateur pantomimes throughout Somerset held in Yeovil.
This is the second time in four years that FAOS has collected this award and Andrew’s second time in succession having had a two year break in between.
The society also picked up awards for Best Chorus Singing and Best Special Effect for the film sequence in which the Dame was dropped into the Memorial Theatre from a helicopter a la the James Bond sequence from the opening of the Olympic Games last summer. There were also numerous nominations for many cast and crew members for a variety of headings further showing the quality in depth of the FAOS.
This is Andrew’s 42nd year with the society and in that time he has played a number of leading roles including Sky Masterson in ‘Guys and Dolls’, The Pirate King in ‘The Pirates of Penzance’, The King in ‘The King and I’, Mack Sennett in ‘Mack and Mabel’, Fred Graham in ‘Kiss Me Kate’ and Max Detweiler in the recent production of ‘The Sound of Music’. Andrew is equally well known for his portrayal as ‘baddie’ in the society’s annual pantomimes and only last Christmas played King Rat in ‘Dick Whittington’, the production he also directed.
Andrew has been chairman of the FAOS since 2007, a position he is proud to undertake as ‘Am Dram’ is his life. By day Andrew is CEO of the UK Timber Frame Association and by night DJ Andrew St.John. He is married to Liz and has three children and three grandchildren…..oh and he’s a season ticket holder at Southampton FC!
