Tullamore Musical Society wins Best Visual AIMS Award

The members of Tullamore Musical Society were in celebratory mood over the weekend when their 70th anniversary production of Jesus Christ Superstar emerged as the overall winner of the Best Visual award at the Association of Irish Musical Societies (AIMS) annual awards ceremony in Killarney.

The local society was one of three societies nominated for Best Visual in the Gilbert Section, beating off stiff competition from Galway Musical Society for 'Sweeney Todd' and Nenagh Choral Society Youth Academy for 'their production of 'Shrek: The Musical.'

The AIMS Best Visual award recognizes the overall aesthetic impact of a musical production, encompassing costumes, props, hair, make up, and set design” and acknowledges the creativity and attention to detail in bringing a show's visual elements to life.

Tullamore Musical Society said it was “absolutely thrilled” to receive the award, and in a Facebook post they congratulated “the dream team that made it all possible and created something truly spectacular.”

Tullamore was the only musical society in the Midlands to pick up at award at this year's AIMS national awards ceremony, with Clara's Aoife Digan narrowly missing out on securing a Best Comedienne award in the Sullivan Section for her performance as Leonora Frigid in the Roscrea Musical Society production of Cry Baby the Musical, which was directed by award-winning Tullamore director, Paul 'Nippy' Norton. The Best Comedienne award went to Mary Dempsey from Claremorris Musical Society for her role as Grandma in The Addams Family.

It was the second year in a row that Aoife Digan was nominated for an AIMS award, having been nominated as Best Actress in a Supporting Role as Little Sally in Athlone Musical Society's production of Urinetown last year.

The winner of the overall show at this year's AIMS awards was Dublin-based musical society Entr'acte for their production of Sweeney Todd.