That day finally came as Mrs Kittler was awarded a life membership at the OTC during a surprise celebration disguised as a post-COVID gathering to celebrate the return of theatre.

"I had dreamed of it coming at some stage or another," she said.

"I've had my time on the committee of the theatre company in various roles and I know the prerequisites to be nominated for a life membership and I knew I had to be getting close to meeting those requirements.

"I was hoping and wishing that it may happen in the next two to five years, but it was definitely a surprise."

Mrs Kittler was the 15^th person to be awarded a life membership by the OTC, with her name now on the same honours board as recent recipients Angela Mason, Trevor Carroll and Bruce Buchanan.

"I look at the honour board of the previous life members and they are people that I have always looked up to and aspired to and who are looked at as the epitome of the Orange Theatre Company," she said.

"To have my theatre family look the same way as I do to them, onto me, that's pretty amazing. It's very humbling and I'm so honoured and grateful that people look at me that way."

Mrs Kittler's first venture into the OTC came in 1994. She had a stop-start relationship with the OTC during the next decade due to university and other commitments, but from 2005 onwards, she has been a regular among the group.

"I danced my whole life and used to sing in the church choirs and I'd do solos there. I always loved performing and always wanted to grow up and be a performer," she said.

"I've been very passionate about musical theatre since the early '90s when The Phantom of the Opera came out. That was the first show that I saw and it ignited a passion for musical theatre."

Some of her highlights over the years have included the OTC's productions of Jekyll and Hyde in 2007, The Wedding Singer in 2009 and The Witches of Eastwick in 2011, as well as when she got the chance to be part of the company's version of The Phantom of the Opera.

"I've also choreographed a couple of shows myself and been in them with my kids and husband, so that's a big standout. My whole family has been involved in the theatre company," she said.

"Annie for example which was on in 2015, I choreographed that with my sister and my three kids and husband were all starring on stage for it."

As for what she is looking forward to in the future, Mrs Kittler is excited to see her children take part in OTC's upcoming production of The Wedding Singer.