IT S almost time for this year s theatre Oscars – the Kennys. The awards, to be presented in a lavish event at the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford, on March 7, honour those who work so hard to stage quality shows there week

IT'S almost time for this year's theatre Oscars - the Kennys.

The awards, to be presented in a lavish event at the Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford, on March 7, honour those who work so hard to stage quality shows there week after week.

Four actors are up for gongs for performances in Forest Musical Productions' version of Ragtime, while Wanstead Players' Sarah Jones competes against herself with two nominations in the best female supporting category - one for Cards on the Table and the other for My Cousin Rachel.

Bob Hutt is nominated in the best actor and best male support categories, while Katie Waller and Grant Leat also get two nominations each.

These are the nominees in full.

Best Actor: John Chapman for The History Boys; Bob Hutt for Cards on the Table; Reg Wheeler for Audience with Murder and Sean Wilkinson for Macbeth.

Best Actress: Jay Berry for Gaslight; Liz Calnan for The Chalk Garden; Christine Keates for The Chalk Garden and Deborah Peck for My Cousin Rachel.

Best Male Supporting Performance in a Play: Dave Bennett for The History Boys; Bob Hutt for My Cousin Rachel; Grant Leat for The History Boys and Dan Wilson for Macbeth.

Best Female Supporting Performance in a Play: Sarah Jones for Cards on the Table; Sarah Jones for My Cousin Rachel; Jacqui Lodge for The Chalk Garden and Katie Waller for Audience with Murder.

Best Male Performance in a Musical: Tony Khublall for Ragtime; Keir Ramshaw for Frankenstein; Jai Sepple for Frankenstein and Richard Sheepwash for Ragtime.

Best Female Performance in a Musical: Vicky Cook for Ragtime; Elaine Gilbey for Gypsy; Gemma Knight Jones for Ragtime and Jane Pavett for Guys & Dolls.

Best Male Supporting Performance in a Musical: Joe Curran for Footloose; William Dignon for Gypsy; Grant Leat for Les Miserables and Phillip Rowlands for The Boy Friend.

Best Female Supporting Performance in a Musical: Jenni Allen for Oklahoma; Georgia Permutt for Gypsy; Tami Stone forThe Boy Friend and Katie Waller for Guys & Dolls.

Best Director: John Chapman forThe Chalk Garden; Jai & Harri Sepple for Frankenstein; Jeremy Smith for Les Miserables School Edition and Sally Woodfield for Ragtime.

The Judy Walker Award for young person of the year, the Fred Mountier Award for best show of the year and the Ilford Recorder Theatre Personality of the Year award will also be announced on the night in an event hosted by theatre managing director Vivyan Ellacott.