A Suffolk student has spoken of her "excitement" after receiving a prestigious best youth performer award from an association that showcases the best in amateur drama.
Katherine Williams, a Year 12 pupil at Framlingham College, was recognised for her role as Nancy in a Christmas production of Lionel Bart's Oliver! by the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA).
Her award was presented at a ceremony at Trinity Park in Ipswich, which was attended by 500 people and she had the opportunity to perform one of her solo songs from Oliver! called 'As Long as He Needs Me'.
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Katherine said: "I hadn't heard of the NODA Award before so I was very excited to know that I had got it and going to the ceremony was very nice as well."
She credited a lot of her success to one-to-one tuition she had received from Christopher Borrett, director of music at St Mary-le-Tower church in Ipswich.
Katherine added: "St Mary-le-Tower has helped me massively in terms of my ability to read music and be surrounded by other people doing the same music."
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Her ambition is to attend a music conservatory in London, which is an institution for education in music performance and composition.
NODA's East representative Catherine Dixey described Katherine's performance in Oliver! as a "sheer joy to watch" with one of the "best renditions in amateur theatre".
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She said: “Katherine portrays maturity beyond her years, with a very demanding role showing tenderness, compassion and massive emotion even in the face of danger to herself.
"All of the singing from the whole cast is of a high standard, but Katherine as Nancy is absolutely extraordinary, with one of the best renditions I think I have ever heard on the amateur stage performing the song ‘As Long As He Needs Me’”.
The college was also nominated for best youth production in the East of England in the NODA Awards.
College director of music Lucy Bloore said: “Our nomination alongside Katherine’s amazing win is a fantastic achievement, especially as many youth productions in our area are put on by specialist youth theatre companies.
"We feel very proud and lucky to work with such awesome young people.
"We believe that there is talent in everyone, you’ve just got to be able to encourage them to share it.”
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