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2020 Jessie Theatre Award Nominations Announced

By: Jun. 09, 2020
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2020 Jessie Theatre Award Nominations Announced  Image

To honour Vancouver's vibrant artistic community during this challenging time, the 2020 Jessie Theatre Award Nominations were announced virtually, for the first time, on Monday, June 8th, hosted by the mother daughter duo Amanda Sum (seen this season in Chicken Girl and East Van Panto) and Linda Leung.

"The Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards are first and foremost a celebration of theatre," stated Sandra Herd, President, The Jessie Richardson Award Society. "The performances and productions of this past season left us sometimes breathless, humbled, transformed but always entertained. Sadly, some productions were untimely interrupted, and others left unsung. But nonetheless we enthusiastically celebrate the accomplishments of this past season as we look optimistically forward to the future and the inevitable return of our beloved live theatre!"

The 38th Annual Jessie Awards represents excellence in large and small venues alike, with a total of 53 theatrical productions. The nominations exemplify a wide variety of diversity, creativity, imagination, and skill brought to life on the stage. Every year the cultural vastness and abundance of talented artists continues to expand our boundaries and insights into other viewpoints, cultures and experiences touching individuals, our city and beyond.

The awards are divided into three categories: Large Theatre, Small Theatre, and Theatre for Young Audiences along with other special awards. Here are some of the highlights of the nominations.

Large Theatre Category had a total of twenty three innovative and varied productions nominated. Kuroko by Vancouver Asian Canadian atre is the big winner scoring a total of nine nominations including Outstanding Production, Amiel Gladstone for Outstanding Direction, Lou Ticzon for Supporting Role, Outstanding Original Script by Tetsuro Shigematsu, the Critics' Choice Innovation Award, and double nominee Christine Reimer for her Costume Design in Kuroko (and Noises Off). Arts Club atre Company received a total of 12 nominations for four productions, with Noises Off receiving 8 nods that include Outstanding Production and Scott Bellis for Outstanding Direction. In addition, the Arts Club atre Company partnered with other theatre companies for five productions acquiring another 11 nominations, of those, Matilda, in partnership with Citadel atre and Royal Manitoba atre Centre and A Thousand Splendid Suns, in partnership with Royal Manitoba atre Centre, each nabbed three nominations, Cost of Living, (in partnership with Citadel atre) received two, and Cipher (in partnership with Vertigo atre) received two, and Wedding Party (in partnership with Prairie atre Exchange) received one for the performance of Todd Thomson.

On the Beach Shakespeare Festival collected a total of 12 nominations for its unique and bold productions. Coriolanus garnered 5 of those, including Moya O'Connell for her Outstanding Lead Performance, All's Well That Ends Well followed with four nods that include a Critics' Choice Innovation Award and Charlie Gallant acknowledged for his dynamic performance in Shakespeare in Love (he was also nominated for Noises Off).

Pacific Theatre's remarkable production of Best of Enemies earned 7 of its 9 nominations with incredible performances by actors Robert Salvador and Celia Aloma in lead roles and Anthony Santiago and Rebecca deBoer in supporting roles. In the other Pacific Theatre productions Erla Faye Forsyth was nominated for her performance in The Cake and Anita Wittenberg for Mother of the Maid.

Inheritance: A Pick-The-Path Experience by Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre (in association with Vancouver Moving Theatre and Community Partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre) received three nods: Darrell Dennis for his performance, Outstanding Production and Significant Artistic Achievement. Savage Society's Skyborn: A Land Reclamation Odyssey's was acknowledged for Significant Artistic Achievement and Itai Erdal for Lighting Design.

Other companies who received a nomination are Firehall Arts Centre's two productions - House and Home's lead actor Sebastien Archibald and Talking Sex on Sunday, for Outstanding Production of a Musical. Two additional companies were garnering a nod were Théâtre la Seizième (in partnership with Théâtre DuBunker and le Collectif Nous Sommes ici (Quebec) Le NoShow Vancouver for Outstanding Audience Engagement Through the Use of Technology and the musical, Holiday at the Elbow Room Café for Outstanding Production by Zee Zee Theatre & The Cultch.

Small atre Category had a total of 20 productions nominated that spread across the board. Here are just a few highlighted. This category was tied with two shows each receiving eight nominations. One is the period piece, Sea by Slamming Door Artist Collective. Actors selected were Genevieve Fleming, Stephen Aberle, and Elizabeth Kirkland, along with Celeste English for Set Design and Sandy Margaret for Set Design. other show is Search Party's inaugural production of the tragic farce, Father. Actors Kevin McNulty and Jillian Fargey performances were recognized along with the creative team.

Ensemble Theatre Company received a total of 8 nominations for three productions that include the delicious and vivacious production of Superior Donuts leading with five nominations noting performances by David Nykl and Chris Francisque; Born Yesterday actor Paul Herbert and Alexis Kellum-Creer were acknowledged for their performances along with Darcey Johnson's role in The Drawer Boy.

Patrick Street Production's dark and comic one man musical cabaret, Herringbone, nabbed 5 nominations. Peter Jorgensen and Luisa Jojic who alternated performances in the lead role were both nominated for their performances, Kayla Dunbar for Direction, Sean Bayntun for Musical Direction and was also selected for Outstanding Production of a Musical. Another nomination for Outstanding Musical is Raincity Theatre's production of Sondheim's Company that earned 4 nods with the entire cast nominated for Significant Artistic Achievement and Chris Adams for his direction.

There were 4 companies that each received 3 nominations. They include a unique production by rice & beans theatre (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre) Chicken Girl, along with a nod for Outstanding Original Script, Lungs by Saint FiFi Collective's, Deep into Darkness by Third Wheel Productions, and Anna Bella Eema by Sol Theatre Collective. were an additional nine theatre company productions in this category that received nominations, all of which are included in the complete list of nominations included below.

In the Theatre for Young Audiences category, Carousel Theatre for Young People garnered four nominations for their production of Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan with both Marlene Ginader and Kelli Ogmundson acknowledged for their performances. Chelsea Rose earned a nomination for her performance in Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish by Axis Theatre Company, also included was Jay Havens for Set Design and a nod for both Outstanding Production and Significant Artistic Achievement. Green Thumb Theatre received two nominations - Scott Button for Outstanding Performance in New Canadian Kid and Paige Fraser in What If. Additional companies who received nominations for Outstanding Production were Love You Forever and More Munsch by Beach House Theatre and Iron Peggy by Vancouver International Children's Festival and Boca del Lupo.

There will also be a number of additional awards and prizes presented at the award ceremony. The list includes: the Vancouver Now Representation and Inclusion Award, the Patron of the Arts Award, the Mary Phillips Prize, the Ray Michal Prize for Emerging Director, the Sam Payne Award for the Most Promising Newcomer, the John Moffat & Larry Lillo Award, the Critics' Choice Innovation Award, and the GVPTA Career Achievement Award.

This year The Art Left will be producing the first ever livestream Jessie Awards from the Firehall Arts Centre on Monday, June 29th from 7 - 9pm. The Art Left is a Vancouver creative group who have established a reputation for producing high quality content for artists and creative professionals. Live streaming is the newest service they have added to their repertoire and they are excited to offer this medium as a way to tell stories, foster community, and amplify the voices of artists and innovators

See the complete list of nominees below. For further information visit www.jessieawards.com

LARGE THEATRE

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Darrell Dennis

Inheritance: A Pick-The-Path Experience

Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre (in association with Vancouver Moving Theatre and Community Partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre)

Charlie Gallant

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Charlie Gallant

Shakespeare in Love

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Robert Salvador

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Todd Thomson

The Wedding Party

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Prairie Theatre Exchange)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Celia Aloma

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Deena Aziz

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

Erla Faye Forsyth

The Cake

Pacific Theatre

Moya O'Connell

Coriolanus

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Anita Wittenberg

Mother of the Maid

Pacific Theatre

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Sebastien Archibald

House and Home

Firehall Arts Centre

Andrew McNee

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Anthony Santiago

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Lou Ticzon

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

John Ullyatt

Matilda

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre & Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Rebecca deBoer

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Tess Degenstein

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Veenesh Dubois

All's Well That Ends Well

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Emma Slipp

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Colleen Wheeler

Coriolanus

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Alan Brodie

Coriolanus

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Itai Erdal

Skyborn: A Land Reclamation Odyssey

Savage Society (presented by The Cultch)

Gerald King

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Parjad Sharifi

Cipher

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Vertigo Theatre)

Robert Wierzel & Andrew F. Griffin

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Drew Facey

Cost of Living

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre)

Ted Roberts

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Ted Roberts

Birds and the Bees

Arts Club Theatre Company

Cory Sincennes

Matilda

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre & Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

Sophie Tang

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Carmen Alatorre

All's Well That Ends Well

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Mara Gottler

Taming of the Shrew

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Christine Reimer

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Christine Reimer

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Cory Sincennes

Shakespeare in Love

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OR ORIGINAL COMPOSITION - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Rick Colhoun

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Sammie Hatch

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Alessandro Juliani

Coriolanus

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Alessandro Juliani

The Great Leap

Arts Club Theatre Company

Ruby Singh

All's Well That Ends Well

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION - LARGE THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Scott Bellis

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

Ashlie Corcoran

Cost of Living

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre)

Ian Farthing

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Dean Paul Gibson

Coriolanus

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Amiel Gladstone

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - PLAY - LARGE THEATRE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

A Thousand Splendid Suns

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

Best of Enemies

Pacific Theatre

Inheritance: A Pick-The-Path Experience

Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre (in association with Vancouver Moving Theatre and Community Partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre)

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Noises Off

Arts Club Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - MUSICAL - LARGE THEATRE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Holiday at the Elbow Room Café

Zee Zee Theatre & The Cultch

Matilda

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre & Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre)

Sound of Music

Arts Club Theatre Company

Talking Sex on Sunday

Firehall Arts Centre

SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT - LARGE THEATRE

ACHIEVEMENT

NAME(S)

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Outstanding Innovative and Immersive Storytelling

Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre

Inheritance: A Pick-The-Path Experience

Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre (in association with Vancouver Moving Theatre and Community Partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre)

Outstanding Projection Design

Chimerik a??a??a??

The Great Leap

Arts Club Theatre Company

Outstanding Video and Projection Design

Emily Soussana, Chief Lady Bird, Chrystal Sparrow, & Carrielynn Victor

Skyborn: A Land Reclamation Odyssey

Savage Society (presented by The Cultch)

Outstanding Choreography

Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg

Cipher

Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Vertigo Theatre)

Outstanding Audience Engagement Through the Use of Technology

Théâtre la Seizième

Le NoShow Vancouver

Théâtre la Seizième (in partnership with Théâtre DuBunker and le Collectif Nous Sommes ici (Québec)

SMALL THEATRE

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Paul Herbert

Born Yesterday

Ensemble Theatre Company

Peter Jorgensen

Herringbone

Patrick Street Productions

Kevin McNulty

The Father

The Search Party

David Nykl

Superior Donuts

Ensemble Theatre Company

Alec Santos

Lungs

Saint FiFi Collective

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Lois Anderson

Anna Bella Eema

Sol Theatre Collective

Jillian Fargey

The Father

The Search Party

Genevieve Fleming

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Luisa Jojic

Herringbone

Patrick Street Productions

Fei Ren

Lungs

Saint FiFi Collective

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Stephen Aberle

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Chris Francisque

Superior Donuts

Ensemble Theatre Company

Massimo Frau

Zastrozzi: The Master of Discipline

Star & Moon Productions

Darcey Johnson

The Drawer Boy

Ensemble Theatre Company

John Murphy

Body Awareness

Mitch and Murray Productions

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Eileen Barrett

Escaped Alone

Western Gold Theatre

Bethany Brown

Disgraced

Vagrant Players Theatre Society

Alexis Kellum-Creer

Born Yesterday

Ensemble Theatre Company

Elizabeth Kirkland

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Adriana Ravalli

The Great Canadian Porno: The Musical

Frenzied Millennial Collective

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Celeste English

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Itai Erdal

The Father

The Search Party

Neil Griffith

Deep into Darkness

Third Wheel Productions

Sophie Tang

Chicken Girl

rice & beans theatre (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre)

John Webber

Escaped Alone

Western Gold Theatre

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Shizuka Kai

Chicken Girl

rice & beans theatre (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre)

Amir Ofek

The Father

The Search Party

Sandy Margaret

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Ariel Slack

Superior Donuts

Ensemble Theatre Company

John R. Taylor

Deep into Darkness

Third Wheel Productions

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

C.S. Fergusson-Vaux

Mx

Lili Robinson (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre)

Hilary Jardine

Zastrozzi: The Master of Discipline

Star & Moon Productions

Jessica Oostergo

The Father

The Search Party

Cheyenne Mabberley & Chantal Short

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Christina Sinosich & Donnie Tejani

Company

Raincity Theatre

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OR ORIGINAL COMPOSITION - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Owen Belton

The Father

The Search Party

Rick Colhoun

Frankenstein: Lost in Darkness

Wireless Wings Radio Ensemble

Rick Colhoun

Superior Donuts

Ensemble Theatre Company

Angelo Moroni

Hello

Theatre Terrific Society

Joelysa Pankanea

Anna Bella Eema

Sol Theatre Collective

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION - SMALL THEATRE

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Chris Adams

Company

Raincity Theatre

Kayla Dunbar

Herringbone

Patrick Street Productions

Tamara McCarthy

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

Mindy Parfitt

The Father

The Search Party

Christy Webb

Lungs

Saint FiFi Collective

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - PLAY - SMALL THEATRE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Anna Bella Eema

Sol Theatre Collective

Superior Donuts

Ensemble Theatre Company

The Father

The Search Party

The Sea

Slamming Door Artist Collective

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - MUSICAL - SMALL THEATRE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Company

Raincity Theatre

Herringbone

Patrick Street Productions

SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT - SMALL THEATRE

ACHIEVEMENT

NAME(S)

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Outstanding ensemble performance

Caitlin Clugston,

Graham Coffeng,

Nick Fontaine,

Janet Gigliotti,

Alex Gullason,

Warren Kimmel,

Steve Maddock,

Jennie Neumann,

Anthony Santiago,

Madeleine Suddaby,

Jennifer Suratos,

Lindsay Ann Warnock,

Jonathan Winsby,

Katey Wright

Company

Raincity Theatre

Outstanding transformation of space and audience immersion

n/a

Deep into Darkness

Third Wheel Productions

Outstanding musical direction

Sean Bayntun

Herringbone

Patrick Street Productions

Outstanding integrity in casting

n/a

Transcripts, Part I: The Women

Zee Zee Theatre and The Frank Theatre (in partnership with Firehall Arts Centre)

THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE - THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

NAME(S)

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Scott Button

New Canadian Kid

Green Thumb Theatre

Paige Fraser

What If

Green Thumb Theatre

Marlene Ginader

Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan

Carousel Theatre for Young People

Kelli Ogmundson

Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan

Carousel Theatre for Young People

Chelsea Rose

Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish

Axis Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING DESIGN - THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

NAME(S)

DISCIPLINE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Jay Dodge

Video Design

Iron Peggy

Vancouver International Children's Festival and Boca del Lupo

Jay Havens

Set Design

Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish

Axis Theatre Company

Shizuka Kai

Set Design

Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan

Carousel Theatre for Young People

Shizuka Kai

Set Design

Iron Peggy

Vancouver International Children's Festival and Boca del Lupo

Kiara Lawson

Costume Design

Bad Hats Theatre's Peter Pan

Carousel Theatre for Young People

OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CREATION - THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

NAME(S)

DISCIPLINE

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Ian Harmon

Direction

Love you Forever and More Munsch

Beach House Theatre

Sherry Yoon

Direction

Iron Peggy

Vancouver International Children's Festival and Boca del Lupo

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION - THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Love You Forever and More Munsch

Beach House Theatre

Iron Peggy

Vancouver International Children's Festival and Boca del Lupo

Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish

Axis Theatre Company

SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT - THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES

ACHIEVEMENT

NAME(S)

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Outstanding stage management

Jillian Perry

Th'owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish

Axis Theatre Company

ORIGINAL SCRIPT

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT

NAME

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

Jan Derbyshire

Certified

Touchstone Theatre

Derek Chan

Chicken Girl

rice & beans theatre (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre)

Tetsuro Shigematsu

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Deborah Vogt

Big Sister

Rapid Pitch Productions

SPECIAL AWARDS

CRITICS' CHOICE INNOVATION AWARD

PRODUCTION

COMPANY

All's Well That Ends Well

Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival

Anywhere But Here

Electric Company Theatre (in association with Playwrights Theatre Centre)

Certified

Touchstone Theatre

Kuroko

Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre

Take D Milk, Nah?

Rumble Theatre and Pandemic Theatre



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