METAs Recipients Announced for the 2019-20 season

The Montreal English Theatre Awards Committee is proud to announce the recipients of the 2019-20 METAs, Montreal English theatre's largest and most important peer-juried awards. The 8th Annual METAs Ceremony was held this Sunday evening, November 29th and was streamed virtually to both the METAs' YouTube page and Facebook page.

Even though the 2019-20 theatre season was interrupted by the pandemic, a significant number of theatre productions were fully realized prior to the widespread cancellations. A jury of over 25 theatre professionals, from various backgrounds and disciplines, assessed 17 professional theatre productions by 13 different companies across 16 categories. The community productions, however, only had 2 completed shows prior to the month of March and the award for that category had to be revoked this year.

The Ceremony was directed by Jen Viens, written by Vinny François, and hosted by Justin Johnson and Adam Capriolo. The small creative team worked closely together and participated in almost every aspect of the ceremony. The event was streamed live from the Espace Geordie streaming studios following all safety guidelines and supervised by a COVID-19 coordinator.

This year, the METAs Committee awarded the Unsung Hero of the Theatre Award (UHOT) to Patrick Lloyd Brennan, a passionate arts advocate with over ten years of dedication to the Montreal English theatre community. A self-proclaimed governance geek, he has sat on numerous boards, notably as President of MainLine Theatre. He sits on a variety of committees at the English Language Arts Network (ELAN), le Conseil québécois du théâtre (CQT), and the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT). Since stepping into a leadership role at the Quebec Drama Federation, he has significantly elevated advocacy initiatives, developed and implemented a strategic re-envisioning of the organization's programs and services, reshaped the membership model, fostered healthy relationships with funders and governing bodies, and contributed to increased board engagement. He has wholeheartedly embraced the opportunity to represent, advocate for, and impact Quebec's prosperous and resilient English language theatre community. The first QDF calendar cover under his guidance says it all: #weareqctheatre.

ARTISTA (Imago Theatre's theatre mentorship program for women aged 16-21) is the recipient of the 2019-2020 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion META (presented in partnership with the Conseil des arts de Montreal). An external committee chose ARTISTA because their program extends a steadfast commitment to offering a safe, creative, non-judgmental space for a group of young artists to find and nurture their creative voice. The financial accessibility of this program allows for a true diversity of participants from an array of socioeconomic backgrounds. Participants gain the ability to carve out and prioritize their artistry for 4 hours every week, unrestricted by financial burden. In a space crafted by and for women (that is cis women, trans women, and non binary people who are comfortable in a space that centres on the experiences of women), there is an emphasis on self-exploration and process. This culminates in a public outcome which celebrates the wide range of voices, experiences, and interests among the cohort. The ARTISTA program is not a short-lived mentorship experience: it is legacy building. Participants leave this program with more confidence, healthier boundaries, and nurtured passion to continue giving back to themselves and the community.

The METAs jury determined recipients by way of secret ballot. The ballot was tabulated by an independent auditor, Amelia Facciola of Ponzo, Facciola, Quaglieri CA CPA.

The METAs Committee is thrilled to announce the list of 2019-20 META recipients. We would also like to extend our gratitude to our Ceremony partner, the Conseil des arts de Montréal, for their invaluable generosity.

Full list of winners: (winners in bold)

Outstanding Supporting Performance - Actress
sponsored by Canadian Actor's Equity Association

• Susan Bain - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Rebecca Gibian - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Alexandra Laferrière - Simone, Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop)
• Julie Tamiko Manning - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Jennifer Roberts - Simone, Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop)

Outstanding Set Design

• Sophie El Assaad - The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre)
• Bruno-Pierre Houle - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• James Lavoie - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Félix Poirier - Please Thrill Me (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)
• Diana Uribe - Persephone Bound (Imago Theatre, Geordie Theatre, and Screaming Goats Collective)

Outstanding Supporting Performance - Actor

• Nick Carpenter - Billy Bishop Goes to War (Hudson Village Theatre)
• Marcel Jeannin - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Amir Sám Nakhjavani - Winter's Daughter (Tableau D'Hôte Theatre)
• Dakota Jamal Wellman - Simone, Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop)
• Jake Wilkinson - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)

Outstanding Lighting Design

• Julie Basse - Alice and the World We Live In (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Martin Sirois - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Martin Sirois - Persephone Bound (Imago Theatre, Geordie Theatre, and Screaming Goats Collective)
• Martin Sirois - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Ted Stafford - Please Thrill Me (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)

Unsung Hero of the Theatre (UHOT) Award - Patrick Lloyd Brennan

Outstanding Sound Design and / or Music Composition

• Devon Bate - Chattermarks (Cabal Theatre)
• Nick Carpenter - Billy Bishop Goes to War (Hudson Village Theatre)
• Rob Denton - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Oran Eldor, Nick Burgess & Lucie Cauchon - Mythic (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Nataq Huault & Sean Nicholas Savage - Please Thrill Me (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)

Outstanding Contribution to Theatre

• Léda Davies, Eric Nyland, Jed Tomlinson: Aerial Circus Team - Persephone Bound (Imago Theatre, Geordie Theatre, and Screaming Goats Collective)
• Chris Campbell: Translation - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Haui: Video Design - Simone, Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop)
• Purple Divine: Site Specific/Immersive Production - Going Up
• Nick Burgess, Lucie Cauchon, Mike De Masi, Simon Legault, Jason Field, Parker Bert: (Live Music) - Mythic - (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Pascal Chénard, Alexandre Colas-Jeffery, Antoine Langis, Juliette Leclerc, Max-Elie Oboukangongo-Laroche: (Live Music) - Please Thrill Me - (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)

Outstanding Costume Design

• Louise Bourret - Mythic (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Sophie El Assaad - Chattermarks (Cabal Theatre)
• Sophie El Assaad - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Sophie El Assaad - The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre)
• Anne-Sophie Gaudet - Please Thrill Me (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)

Outstanding New Text (Original or Adaptation)

• Michaela Di Cesare - Fear of Missing Out (Geordie Theatre)
• Kiki Dranias - Going Up (Purple Divine)
• Christine Rodriguez - Simone, Half and Half (Black Theatre Workshop)

Outstanding Emerging Artist(s) - Performance

• Chloé Bilodeau - Blue Stockings (Persephone Productions)
• Stephen Booth - Fear of Missing Out / The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre)
• Chadia Kikonjo - Fear of Missing Out / The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre)
• Darragh Mondoux - Blue Stockings (Persephone Productions)
• Jake Wilkinson - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)

Outstanding Emerging Artist(s) - Production

• Kiki Dranias - Playwright and Producer: Going Up (Purple Divine)
• Mahalia Golnosh Tahririha - Assistant Direction: Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)
• HeatherEllen Strain - Stage Management: Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Jaclyn Turner - Projection Design: Winter's Daughter - (Tableau D'Hôte Theatre)

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Award
Presented in partnership with the Conseil des arts de Montréal
ARTISTA: Imago Theatre

Outstanding Direction

• Sophie Cadieux - Please Thrill Me (BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime)
• Dean Patrick Fleming - Billy Bishop Goes To War (Hudson Village Theatre)
• Zach Fraser - The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre)
• Caitlin Murphy - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Andrew Shaver - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Jen Viens - Going Up (Purple Divine)

Outstanding Ensemble
sponsored by the Caisse de la Culture

• Mythic (Segal Centre for Performing Arts) - Julia McLellan, Heather McGuigan, Jessica Gallant, James Daly, Aadin Church, Patrick Park, Jacob Sheffield, Matt Raffy, Kathline Greco, Megan Brydon, Alexia Gourd & Eva Petris
• Persephone Bound (Imago Theatre, Geordie Theatre, and Screaming Goats Collective) - Léda Davies, Eric Nyland & Jed Tomlinson
• The Water Chronicles (Geordie Theatre) - Stephen Booth, Chloe Giddings & Chadia Kikondjo

Outstanding Independent Production
sponsored by the Caisse de la Culture

• Chattermarks - Cabal Theatre
• Going Up - Purple Divine
• Please Thrill Me - BOP | Ballet Opéra Pantomime

Outstanding Lead Performance - Actor

• Andreas Apergis - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)
• Stephen Booth - Fear of Missing Out (Geordie Theatre)
• Bruce Dinsmore - Billy Bishop Goes to War (Hudson Village Theatre)
• Matthew Kabwe - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Paul Van Dyck - Going Up (Purple Divine)

Outstanding Lead Performance - Actress

• Kelly Craig - Going Up (Purple Divine)
• Alex Petrachuk - Chattermarks (Cabal Theatre)
• Adrianne Richards - MOB (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Amelia Sargisson - Paradise Lost (Centaur Theatre Company)
• Warona Setshwaelo - Small Mouth Sounds (Segal Centre for Performing Arts)

Outstanding PACT Production
presented in partnership with le Conseil des arts de Montréal

• MOB - Centaur Theatre Company
• Paradise Lost - Centaur Theatre Company
• Persephone Bound - Imago Theatre, Geordie Theatre and Screaming Goats Collective
• Small Mouth Sounds - Segal Centre for Performing Arts
• The Water Chronicles - Geordie Theatre

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