By Nigel Powlson

DERBY Shakespeare Theatre Company is leading the race for this year's Eagle Awards with five nominations.

The Eagles are the Derby amateur dramatic scene's equivalent of the Oscars, rewarding the best performances and productions over the last 12 months.

Nine awards will be presented at Derby Theatre on Saturday, July 17, and 13 different groups will be in contention after the nominees were announced this week.

Derby Shakespeare leads the way with two nominations for Titus Andronicus and three more for Pride And Prejudice, for which it temporarily moved away from the Bard of Avon in favour of Jane Austen.

Derby Opera Company's production of the Madness musical Our House is the show with the most nominations, picking up four – including a Best Newcomer nod for 16-year-old lead performer Chloe Harris.

Chellaston Players, Enfield Players, Kaleidoscope Players and the Marlowe Players all picked up three nominations apiece.

One of the most fiercely contested awards is likely to be the Malcolm Sircom Award for Best Production of a Pantomime. Here Sinbad (Kaleidoscope), Dick Whittington (Chellaston), Cinderella (Enfield) and Little Red Riding Hood (Watson) go head to head.

There is also an intriguing battle for the Derby Telegraph Award for the Best Production of a Play with the Marlowes competing against themselves. Both shows they have staged in the last year, The Canterbury Tales and The Importance of Being Earnest, are nominated against Derby Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus and Enfield's Flying Feathers.

Whoever wins, it promises to be a real night to remember.

THE 2010 EAGLE AWARDS

WHERE: Derby Theatre.

WHEN: Saturday, July 17, 7.30pm.

TICKETS: £8, concessions £6.

BOX OFFICE: 01332 255800

The Eagle Awards – Nominations 2009-2010

THE JO DAVISON AWARD FOR BEST NEWCOMER

Andrew Gallie: Chellaston Players – The Happiest Days Of Your Life (Set design and build)

Clare Snape: Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company – Pride And Prejudice (Adaptation)

Nicola Smith: The Enfield Players – Flying Feathers (Performer)

Chloe Harris: Derby Opera Company – Our House (Performer)

THE TIMOTHY DALTON AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY

Sheridan Lowe: Fourblokes Theatre Company – A Streetcar Named Desire

Mathew Shepherd: The Marlowe Players – The Canterbury Tales

Laura Smith: Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company – Pride And Prejudice

Colin Dawes: Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company – Pride And Prejudice

THE PHIL TREECE AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE IN A PANTOMIME

Phil Stanley: Kaleidoscope Players – The Pantomime Adventures of Sinbad

Toby Bradford: Kaleidoscope Players – The Pantomime Adventures of Sinbad

Katyana Malcolm: Chellaston Players – Dick Whittington

Trish Church: Watson Players – Little Red Riding Hood

THE GWEN TAYLOR AWARD FOR THE BEST PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL

Phil Stanley: Good Companions Stage Society – Footloose

Sarah Potts: Present Company – Glamorous Night

Craig Arme: Rose Hill Musical Society – The Sorcerer

Jamie Clarricoates: Derby Opera Company – Our House

THE BRIAN GLAZEBROOK AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT

Louisa Ballard, Clare Snape, Elaine Lawrenson: Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company – Titus Andronicus (Make-up)

Jean Roulinson: Flying High Gang Show – Flying High 2010 (Producer)

Karen Brown: Flying High Gang Show – Flying High 2010 (Wardrobe)

Fiona Carratu: Derby Opera Company – Our House (Choreography)

THE DERBY TELEGRAPH AWARD FOR THE BEST PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

Chris Scott: Derby Shakespeare Theatre Company – Titus Andronicus

Sue Illston: The Marlowe Players – The Canterbury Tales

Emily Peers: The Marlowe Players – The Importance of Being Earnest

Alison Greatorex: The Enfield Players – Flying Feathers

THE MALCOLM SIRCOM AWARD FOR THE BEST PRODUCTION OF A PANTOMIME

Tina Webster: Kaleidoscope Players – The Pantomime Adventures of Sinbad

Michael Gaunt: Chellaston Players – Dick Whittington

John Dutton: The Enfield Players – Cinderella

Jill Swift, Margaret Icely: The Watson Players – Little Red Riding Hood

THE GORDON BEWLEY AWARD FOR THE BEST PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Phil Simcox: Good Companions Stage Society – Footloose

Nigel Taylor: Central Operatic Society – Anything Goes

Beverley Graham: Rose Hill Musical Society – The Sorcerer

Lynn Nelson: Derby Opera Company – Our House

THE KEN PIPES AWARD FOR EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTION TO AMATEUR THEATRE

Announced on the night