When it comes to musical theatre talent, the Royal City is leading the way.

New Westminster sparkled at the eighth annual Ovation Awards, presented Sunday night at the Vancouver Academy of Music.

Leading the way was Patrick Street Productions, the New Westminster-based theatre company whose Light In the Piazza earned five awards - including Outstanding Professional Production.

Director Peter Jorgensen, a New Westminster resident, took the nod for Outstanding Director, while Sean Bayntun and Kerry O'Donovan earned the Outstanding Music Director award.

Alan Brodie captured the award for Outstanding Lighting Design, and Katey Wright - also a New Westminster resident - won for Outstanding Lead Performance in a tie with Irene Karas of Theatre Under the Stars' Anything Goes.

Another New Westminster company, Dragon Diva Productions, earned the Outstanding Community Production - Small Theatre award for its production of H.M.S. Pinafore. It was won in a tie with Fighting Chance Productions' A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.

The Royal City's own Chris Sinosich also once again took the award for Outstanding Costume Design, this time for her work with Royal City Musical Theatre's Will Rogers Follies.

Two local residents were also honoured in the Outstanding Gypsy categories - Linzi Voth in the female category for Anything Goes and Will Rogers Follies, and Sayer Roberts in the male category for Exit 22's Cinderella and Gateway Theatre's Sound of Music.

Roberts won in a tie with Burnaby's Dimitrios Stephanoy, who was recognized for his work with Theatre Under the Stars' Bye Bye Birdie and Will Rogers Follies.

The Ovation Awards are presented annually to honour the best musical theatre produced in the Lower Mainland.

For more, see www.applusemusicals.com or search for Applause Musicals Society on Facebook. A complete list of winners can be found on the Facebook page.