BALLARAT'S local theatre groups are riding high after the Theatre Guild of Victoria bestowed a total of 17 awards among them at the recent annual awards ceremony in Melbourne.A total of 17 awards were won by BLOC Music Theatre, Ballarat Lyric Theatre, Ballarat Clarendon College, Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat National Theatre.BLOC Music Theatre's production of Singin' In The Rain was praised highly, winning eight awards, including Production of The Year. One of those awards was for best female performer in a supporting role, which was won by veteran local actor Sallie Burke-Muller.Burke-Muller, who has been performing in productions since 1988, said the award was the culmination of more than six months' hard work."It is the culmination of hard work and recognition of a great production," Burke-Muller said.She described the award as a team effort."You're only as good as the people around you on stage."BLOC also won awards for its productions of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Seussical, while Ballarat Lyric Theatre, Ballarat Clarendon College, Ballarat Grammar and Ballarat National Theatre won for A Hot August Night in Ballarat, Witches of Eastwick, Barnum and Barchester respectively. The youngest recipient of an award was 10-year-old Ellie Carroll who won the award for Best Supporting Female in a Junior Production for her role as JoJo in Seussical. The Music Theatre Guild of Victoria represents 50-plus theatre companies, many from Melbourne, and judges this year saw more than 90 productions.