Pinjarra's Murray Music and Drama Club has been awarded for theatre excellence at the 47th Annual Robert Finley Awards. The awards ceremony, run by WA's Independent Theatre Association, celebrates the best on-stage and behind the scenes performances in community theatre across the state. It was MMDC's show The Ghost Train directed by Lori Anders which saw the club take home two major awards including Best Youth in a Play and Technical Achievement. Ms Anders said the awards had come as a wonderful surprise. "You always hope that your show will perform well with the audiences and you never really think about after," she said. "I am honoured to have had our show recognised in such a way." Primadonna Productions alum and Pinjarra theatre aficionado Steven Jones took home the title of Best Youth for his performance as the rambunctious Teddy Deakin. The show's production team accepted the Technical Achievement Award, which highlighted the attention to detail and the sound and visual aspects of the show. "From the beginning I had a clear vision of what I wanted when directing The Ghost Train and I was truly blessed and grateful to have such a wonderfully talented team behind the scenes that were fundamental to bringing my vision to life," Ms Anders said. "Andy Peckover on sets, RP Van der Westhuizen on lighting design and operation, Matthew Wake on sound design and operation, Angela Edwards as stage manager, Jacinda Gordon on set props, as well as Jeane Savage as backstage crew/props... The cast then had a wonderfully atmospheric space within which to create some truly memorable performances." Wrapping up The Ghost Train's accolades was an adjudicators' certificate awarded to Carole Dhu for 'being convincingly unconscious for most of the show'. Ms Anders said it had been fantastic to see MMDC celebrated at the state level, especially being one of the smaller clubs. "As a small club on the outskirts of what is considered the metropolitan area you battle with many obstacles like performers leaving the area to be in Perth to study, the limitations of being based in a shared space that isn't our own, and operating on small budgets," she said. "The family-centred feel of our club lends itself to attracting volunteers and performers that are truly invested in our club and its future, some that have been with us for decades.: It turned out to be a big night for the Shire of Murray, with Primadonna Productions also taking home three adjudicators' certificates for The Marvellous Wonderettes, Oaklahoma Jr and Lucky Stiff.