COME Monday, 13 individuals will go into this year’s Actor Boy Awards (ABA) with multiple nominations.

The event, which rewards the year’s top theatre achievers, will be held at The Little Theatre in St Andrew.

Leading the pack is veteran actor Winston ‘Bello’ Bell and musician Grub Cooper who both have four nods.

Bell’s nominations are in two categories. He is up against three rivals in the Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his performances in Bedward and Trevor Rhone’s classic Old Story Time.

His nominations are not limited to acting. His writing skills have been recognised in the Best Song category where two pieces — Gold Rush and Think About It — were penned for the children’s drama Anancy Chaptaz.

Cooper’s nominations are also in two categories. For Best Song, his works Jamaica 50 to Rahtid and Rats, both from the play Jamaica 50 to Rahtid. While in the category Best Original Score, he has been nominated for his work in Jamaica 50 to Rahtid and the National Pantomime, Skoolaz.

For Cooper, the nominations represent years of working on the local theatre scene.

“I have been working in theatre since the early 1970s. There is hardly a year that I don’t write music for our plays and musicals — I have written about 500 songs for theatre in Jamaica,” he told the Jamaica Observer.

His songs have appeared in more than 20 pantomimes, Aston Cooke’s To Rahtid series, the Yard series for Patrick Brown and Louis Marriot’s Jokers.

“I am really happy for this year’s nominations and will definitely attend this year’s show,” said Cooper.

Nadia Roxborough follows closely on the heels of Bell and Cooper, copping three nominations.

She is up for an Actor Boy in the Best Lighting category for Mr and Mrs Blacke and Glass Slippaz. Her other nomination is for Best Effects in Glass Slippaz.

Several players including Eugene Williams and Donald Anderson have two nominations.

Williams doubles in the Best Director category for Ruined and Old Story Time. Anderson’s nods are for the revival of Stanley, Fae, Pularchie & P, and Glass Slippaz which have earned him nominations for lead actor.

Carl Samuels is up for lead actor in Ruined and God’s Way 2: Carlton’s Redemption.

Actresses have also doubled up.

Last year’s best supporting actress Nadean Rawlins has nominations for Whiplash (lead actress) and God’s Way 2: Carlton’s Redemption (supporting actress).

Multiple ABA winner Dahlia Harris also has two calls: for Best Actress in a Lead Role for God’s Way 2: Carlton’s Redemption, and Best Supporting Actress for Jamaica 50 to Rhatid.

Stage veteran Glen Campbell is up against three others in the Supporting Actor category for Glass Slippaz and Yard 2012.

Another veteran, Quindell Ferguson, also has two nominations for Best Costumes — Stanley, Fae, Pularchie & P and Bedward.

Calvin Mitchell’s lighting skills have been recognised with two nominations for Ruined and One Smart Pig.

Robin Baston’s nominations are for Best Lighting and Best Effects for Father Richard Ho Lung’s The Messiah.

Cooke, who co-wrote two songs — Jamaica 50 to Rahtid and Rats — with Cooper for Jamaica 50 to Rahtid, is also up for Best Song.