Winners Announced for The Jessie Awards
By: Julie Musbach Jul. 17, 2018
Returning to its theatrical roots this year, the 36th annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards were held on Monday, July 16th at Bard on the Beach in the BMO Mainstage in Vanier Park, a fitting venue in a magnificent setting. The awards celebrate excellence in professional theatre and salutes all the talent who contribute to Vancouver's fantastic theatre scene. Thirty-five companies registered over 57 productions this past year contributing to a dynamic theatre season.
The Jessie Awards are divided into three categories - Large Theatre, Small Theatre and Theatre for Young Audiences - along with a variety of special awards and prizes.
the Small Theatre category, the big winner was Rumble Theatre's extraordinarily original production of The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius, which earned a total of 6 awards. Along with winning Outstanding Production and Outstanding Ensemble, the award winners included Sophie Tang for Lighting Design, Drew Facey, who snapped up two Jessies for Set Design and Costume Design, and Stephen Drover for Outstanding Direction. Other winners were Omari Newton for his performance in SpeakEasy Theatre's production of The Shipment, Shayna Jones's performance in Ruined by Dark Glass Theatre, and Daniel Deorksen and Kurt Schindelka for Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition in A Steady Rain by Seven Tyrants Theatre. Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre took home a Jessie for Significant Artistic Achievement for 1 Hour Photo that included Tetsuro Shigematsu, Jamie Nesbitt & Susan Miyagishima for Outstanding technical design and execution for the purpose of historical storytelling.
Arts Club Theatre Company took the lead in the Large Theatre category with a total of seven Jessies. talented Torquil Campbell and Alessandro Juliani received a Jessie for Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition for Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika. Two of the Arts Club atre Company productions, Misery and Hand to God each received 3 Jessies. Misery actors Andrew McNee and Lucia Frangione were both recognized for their Outstanding Performances and Lauchlin Johnston for his Set Design. other winner was Hand to God with Jeff Harrison scoring for Lighting Design and Jeny Cassady for Significant Artistic Achievement for Outstanding Puppet Design and Coaching. newly appointed Associate Artistic Director of the Arts Club Theatre Company Stephen Drover is having an exciting year. Along with his new position he secured two Jessies for Outstanding Direction in two categories: one for Hand to God and the other for Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius by Rumble atre in the Small Theatre Category.
Christine Reimer received a Jessie for Outstanding Costume Design for the production of Much Ado About Nothing by Bard on the Beach and Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble went to Neworld's production of King Arthur's Night. The enchantingly charming play Outside Mullingar by Pacific Theatre won for Outstanding Production.
Green Thumb Theatre Company swept the Theatre for Young Audiences category. The Code took two Jessies - one for Outstanding Production and the other for Significant Artistic Achievement for exceptional presentation of contemporary, far reaching teen issues. The other big winner was the Thumb and Neworld Theatre production of Jabber, a work that is thought-provoking, comedic and sometimes dark.
There were also a number of additional awards. A Jessie was given to Jovanni Sy, for Outstanding Original Script for his play Nine Dragons produced by Vertigo Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre and Gateway Theatre, and Rohit Chokhani was awarded the Vancouver Now Representation and Inclusion Award for encouraging the inclusion of Indigenous and diverse voices in theatre and dance, and continuing to create works of theatre that communicate South Asian perspectives to a wider audience. And happening for the first time, this years' Critic's Choice Innovation Award had two winners: the powerful play Japanese Problem by Universal Limited and the inventive Multiple Organism by Mind of a Snail.
Holding Space Productions produced this year's ceremony that moved quickly and effortlessly and included ASL interpretation by Lisz Keallen & Michelle Eedes.
diverse and extraordinary talented theatre community continues to produce Dynamic Productions that enrich the vibrancy of our city. Congratulations to all!
Below is a complete list of all winners.
36th Annual JESSIE AWARD WINNERS
Small Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Small Theatre
Omari Newton - The Shipment - SpeakEasy Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actress - Small Theatre
Shayna Jones - Ruined - Dark Glass Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble - Small Theatre
Sarah Afful, Peter Anderson, Craig Erickson, Pippa Mackie, Naomi Wright - The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design - Small Theatre
Sophie Tang - The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Set Design - Small Theatre
Drew Facey - The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design - Small Theatre
Drew Facey - The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition - Small Theatre
Daniel Deorksen & Kurt Schindelka - A Steady Rain - Seven Tyrants Theatre
Outstanding Direction - Small Theatre
Stephen Drover - The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Production - Small Theatre
The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius - Rumble Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievement - Small Theatre
Tetsuro Shigematsu, Jamie Nesbitt & Susan Miyagishima - 1 Hour Photo - Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre - Outstanding technical design and execution for the purpose of historical storytelling
Large Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Actor - Large Theatre
Andrew McNee - Misery - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Performance by an Actress - Large Theatre
Lucia Frangione - Misery - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble - Large Theatre
Amber Funk Barton, Andrew Gordon, Nathan Kay, Tiffany King, Billy Marchenski, Niall McNeill, Lucy McNulty, Kerry Sandomirsky, Matthew Tom-Wing, Marcus Youssef and Lucy Cairns - King Arthur's Night - Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design - Large Theatre
Jeff Harrison - Hand to God - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Set Design - Large Theatre
Lauchlin Johnston - Misery - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Costume Design - Large Theatre
Christine Reimer - Much Ado About Nothing - Bard on the Beach
Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition - Large Theatre
Torquil Campbell and Alessandro Juliani - Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika - Arts Club Theatre Company
Georgia Straight Outstanding Direction - Large Theatre
Stephen Drover - Hand to God - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Production - Large Theatre
Outside Mullingar - Pacific Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievement - Large Theatre
Jeny Cassady - Hand to God - Outstanding Puppet Design and Coaching - Arts Club Theatre Company
Theatre for Young Audiences
Outstanding Performance - Theatre for Young Audiences
Parmiss Sehat - Jabber - Green Thumb Theatre and Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Design - Theatre for Young Audiences
Shizuka Kai, Joel Grinke, and Mishelle Cuttler - Set/Projection/Sound - Jabber - Green Thumb Theatre and Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Artistic Creation - Theatre for Young Audiences
Chelsea Haberlin - Directing - Jabber - Green Thumb Theatre and Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Production - Theatre for Young Audiences
The Code - Green Thumb Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievement - Theatre for Young Audiences
Green Thumb Theatre - The Code - Outstanding Artistic Achievement for exceptional presentation of contemporary, far reaching teen issues
ADDITIONAL AWARDS
Outstanding Original Script
Jovanni Sy - Nine Dragons - Vertigo Theatre, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, & Gateway Theatre
Critic's Choice Innovation Award
Japanese Problem - Universal Limited and Multiple Organism - Mind of a Snail
Vancouver Now Representation and Inclusion Award
Rohit Chokhani
Patron of the Arts Award
Bonnie Mah
Mary Phillips Prize for Behind the Scenes Achievement
Ruth McIntosh
Sam Payne Award for the Most Promising Newcomer
Tai Amy Grauman
John Moffat & Larry Lilo Prize
GVPTA Career Achievement Award
Sydney Risk Prize
Colin Campbell Award for Excellence in Technical Theatre
Bruce Kennedy
Ray Michal Prize for Most Promising New Director
Genevieve Fleming
Gordon Armstrong Playwright's Rent Award
Devon More
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