The Birchmere Music Hall was filled to capacity Sunday evening as community theatre groups from around the region descended on Alexandria for the 10th annual Washington Area Theatre Community Honors Awards.

With 27 nominations the second highest among the 33 adjudicated theatres The Little Theatre of Alexandria took home four awards, including Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play as Mollie Wise won the coveted honor for her portrayal of Betty Meeks in The Foreigner.

Other WATCH Awards went to LTA veteran C. Evans Kirk for Outstanding Set Decoration in a Play for The Art of Murder, Paul Morton for Outstanding Makeup Design in a Play for Gross Indecency and MYKE for Outstanding Set Painting in a Play for Gross Indecency.

Master of Ceremonies Fred Nelson known to many as the “King” at the Renaissance Festival for the last few years got a hearty audience laugh when he duly admonished the presenters and winners to keep their words to a minimum because “we all have day jobs.”

Nelson also drew tears when he read the names of those who were lost in 2009, a particularly sad moment for the crowd as seven names were read from the LTA community.

Remembered Sunday evening for their dedication and service to LTA and the theatre community were O’Malley Pitcher, Bonnie Kirk, Bill Brannigan, Dolly Rose, Bee Head, Vivian H. Kiley and Vera Louise Bestwick Willie.