An impressive fifty productions are up for awards at the 37th Annual Jessie Awards, as the nominations were revealed in a ceremony today at the BMO Theatre Centre.
Vancouver’s equivalent to the Tony Awards, the Jessies recognize excellence in Vancouver’s professional theatre, as chosen by peer juries.
Divided into three groups, the awards are presented to the best in large and small theatre, theatre for young audiences, and a number of other awards. The winners will be announced during a ceremony on July 15 under the Bard on the Beach main stage tent at Vanier Park.
In the large theatre category, a total of eighteen productions were recognized, with the Théâtre la Seizième production of Le Soulier, and The Cultch’s co-production of Kamloopa leading the race with eight nominations each.
Also in the large theatre category, the Arts Club Theatre Company received a total of sixteen nominations over eight shows. The Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival scored fifteen nominations for its four productions in 2018, including a surprise nomination for its Beatles-infused As You Like It being recognized in the outstanding musical category. Pacific Theatre received ten nominations over three productions, while Touchstone Theatre’s Kill Me Now received three.
In the small theatre category a total of 23 productions were recognized, with Les Filles du Roi leading this category with a total of nine nominations. Following close behind is The Snapshots Collective production of Sweeney Todd, with eight. That left an impressive 21 other productions also to be nominated in this category.
In the theatre for young audiences category, it was Carousel Theatre for Young People who garnered the most, with eight nominations split between its productions of A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill and Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play. Presentation House Theatre received five nominations for its productions of Jack and Magic Bean and Baking Time. Three other companies were recognized in this category.
A complete list of nominees follows:
LARGE THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role – Large Theatre
| Félix Beauchamp | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Daniel Doheny | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Bob Frazer | Kill Me Now | Touchstone Theatre |
| Joey Lespérance | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Jimmy Yi | Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role – Large Theatre
| Patti Allan | The Shoplifters | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Lindsey Angell | As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| France Perras | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Colleen Wheeler | Timon of Athens | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Kaitlin Williams | Jesus Freak | Pacific Theatre |
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role – Large Theatre
| Tré Cotten | Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
| Kayvon Khoshkam | As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Tyrone Savage | The Matchmaker | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Lee Shorten | Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
| Adam Grant Warren | Kill Me Now | Touchstone Theatre |
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role – Large Theatre
| Ghazal Azarbad | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Luisa Jojic | Kill Me Now | Touchstone Theatre |
| Nora McLellan | The Matchmaker | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Moya O’Connell | Timon of Athens | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Naomi Wright | The Matchmaker | Arts Club Theatre Company |
Outstanding Lighting Design – Large Theatre
| Itai Erdal | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Itai Erdal | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Sophie Tang | The Orchard (After Chekhov) | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Brad Trenaman | Redpatch | Arts Club Theatre Company and Hardline Productions (in partnership with Citadel Theatre) |
| John Webber | The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe | Pacific Theatre |
Outstanding Set Design – Large Theatre
| Drew Facey | Timon of Athens | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Lauchlin Johnston | The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe | Pacific Theatre |
| Ken MacDonald | The Shoplifters | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Daniela Masellis | Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Carolyn Rapanos | Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
Outstanding Costume Design – Large Theatre
| Carmen Alatorre | As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Carmen Alatorre | Mustard | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Barbara Clayden | Lysistrata | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Mara Gottler | Timon of Athens | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Christine Reimer | Macbeth | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition – Large Theatre
| Julie Casselman | The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe | Pacific Theatre |
| Cris Derksen | Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Malcolm Dow | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Ben Elliot | As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Mary Jane Paquette | Redpatch | Arts Club Theatre Company and Hardline Productions (in partnership with Citadel Theatre) |
Outstanding Direction – Large Theatre
| Lois Anderson | Lysistrata | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Esther Duquette & Gilles Poulin-Denis | Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Kim Senklip Harvey | Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Roy Surette | Kill Me Now | Touchstone Theatre |
| Kaitlin Williams | Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
Outstanding Production – Play – Large Theatre
| Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Kill Me Now | Touchstone Theatre |
| Kim’s Convenience | Pacific Theatre |
| Le Soulier | Théâtre la Seizième |
| The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Arts Club Theatre Company |
Outstanding Production – Musical – Large Theatre
| As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Mamma! Mia | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Once | Arts Club Theatre Company |
Significant Artistic Achievement – Large Theatre
| Outstanding ensemble | Yolanda Bonnell, Samantha Brown & Kaitlyn Yott | Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Outstanding movement direction | Kayla Dunbar | The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time | Arts Club Theatre Company |
| Outstanding decolonization of theatre spaces and practices | Kim Senklip Harvey & Lindsay Lachance | Kamloopa | The Cultch
(in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, and in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Outstanding technical achievement in the creation and repeated execution of an innovative and physically safe performance space | Jonathan Ryder, Richard Hansen, Tim Koll, Joanne P.B. Smith, Jennifer Stewart, Zoe Bellis, Keith Smith, Chris Willis, & Grant Windsor | Timon of Athens | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Outstanding contribution to drawing attention to local and social conversations | Bard on the Beach | Lysistrata | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
SMALL THEATRE
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Lead Role – Small Theatre
| Linden Banks | Krapp’s Last Tape | Seven Tyrants Theatre |
| Raes Calvert | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| Jay Hindle | The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
| Warren Kimmel | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
| Chris Lam | A Prayer for Owen Meany | Ensemble Theatre Company |
Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Lead Role – Small Theatre
| Genevieve Fleming | Wet | Itsazoo Productions Society |
| Bronwen Smith | The How and the Why | Aenigma Theatre Society |
| Deb Williams | Hir | Pi Theatre |
| Colleen Winton | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
| Kaitlyn Yott | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Support Role – Small Theatre
| Sebastien Archibald | Marine Life | Ruby Slippers Theatre |
| Oliver Castillo | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
| Alen Dominguez | Marine Life | Ruby Slippers Theatre |
| Ashley O’Connell | The Beauty Queen of Leenane | Ensemble Theatre Company |
| Jonathan Winsby | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
Outstanding Performance by An Actress in a Supporting Role – Small Theatre
| Thérèse Champagne | Precious Little | star star theatre |
| Tanja Dixon-Warren | The Beauty Queen of Leenane | Ensemble Theatre Company |
| Alannah Ong | The Ones We Leave Behind | Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre |
| Chelsea Rose | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| Ella Simon | The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
Outstanding Lighting Design – Small Theatre
| Jeff Harrison | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| William Hales | Slime | The Only Animal (in partnership with The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity) |
| James Proudfoot | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Jillian White | Gross Misconduct | SpeakEasy Theatre |
| Jillian White | Never the Last | Delinquent Theatre |
Outstanding Set Design – Small Theatre
| Drew Facey | The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
| Khan Lee | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Marshall McMahen | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| Patrick Rizzotti | Hir | Pi Theatre |
| Jennifer Stewart | Wet | Itsazoo Productions Society |
Outstanding Costume Design – Small Theatre
| Emily Fraser | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
| Marshall McMahen and Konwahonwá:wi Stacey | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| April Viczko | Slime | The Only Animal (in partnership with The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity) |
| Sheila White | The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
| Julie White | The Cherry Orchard | The Smoking Gun Collective |
Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition – Small Theatre
| Dorothy Dittrich | The Ones We Leave Behind | Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre |
| Mary Jane Paquette | Slime | The Only Animal (in partnership with The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity) |
| Murray Price | The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
| Corey Payette & Kyra Soko | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| Stefan Smulovitz | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
Outstanding Direction – Small Theatre
| Chris Adams | Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
| Lesley Ewen | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Jamie King | The Wolves | With a Spoon Theatre in association with Rumble Theatre |
| Laura McLean | Never the Last | Delinquent Theatre |
| Corey Payette | Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
Outstanding Production – Play – Small Theatre
| Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Never the Last | Delinquent Theatre |
| The 39 Steps | Circle Bright Productions Inc. |
| The Wolves | With a Spoon Theatre in association with Rumble Theatre |
| Wet | Itsazoo Productions Society |
Outstanding Production – Musical – Small Theatre
| Les Filles Du Roi | Fugue Theatre/Raven Theatre/Urban Ink/The Cultch |
| Poly Queer Love Ballad | Anais West & Sara Vickruck |
| Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |
Significant Artistic Achievement – Small Theatre
| Outstanding fusion of kinetic dance and martial arts fight choreography | Nathania Bernabe & Jackie T. Hanlin | Soul Samurai | Affair of Honor |
| Outstanding video design and projection | Sammy Chien | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Outstanding puppetry design, creation, & execution | Shizuka Kai | Slime | The Only Animal (in partnership with The Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity) |
| Outstanding outreach and community engagement, demonstrating the importance of culture, tradition, community, family and identities | Rosemary Georgeson, Renae Morriseau, & Savannah Walling | Weaving Reconciliation: Our Way | Vancouver Moving Theatre |
| Outstanding interdisciplinary collaboration involving the imaginative integration of dance, live musical performance and theatre | Molly MacKinnon & Christine Quintana | Never the Last | Delinquent Theatre |
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Outstanding Performance – Theatre for Young Audiences
| Emilie Leclerc | A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Tom Pickett | Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Teo Saefkow | What If | Green Thumb Theatre |
| Rebecca Talbot | A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Jake Walker | Jack and the Magic Bean | Presentation House Theatre |
Outstanding Design – Theatre for Young Audiences
| Barbara Clayden | Costume design | A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Dusty Hagerud | Dragon Puppet creation | The Troll Grandfather | Axis Theatre Company |
| Miriam Abrahams, Patrick Boudreau, Jeny Cassady, Jessica Oostergo | Ensemble design (lighting, sound, puppets, set, props, costume) | All My Friends are Animals | Babelle Theatre/Axis Theatre Company |
| Shizuka Kai | Set Design | Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Shizuka Kai, Jessica Oostergo, Brad Trenaman | Ensemble Design (set, costume, lighting) | Salmon Girl | Raven Spirit Dance |
Outstanding Artistic Creation – Theatre for Young Audiences
| Kayla Dunbar | Direction | Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Patrick McDonald | Direction | What If | Green Thumb Theatre |
| Kim Selody | Direction | Jack and the Magic Bean | Presentation House Theatre |
Outstanding Production – Theatre for Young Audiences
| Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Jack and the Magic Bean | Presentation House Theatre |
| What If | Green Thumb Theatre |
Significant Artistic Achievement – Theatre for Young Audiences
| Outstanding musical direction and performance in her body of work during the 2018/2019 TYA season | Arielle Ballance | A Charlie Brown Holiday Double Bill and Elephant & Piggie’s We Are in a Play | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
| Outstanding risky and improvised audience engagement | Presentation House Theatre | Jack and the Magic Bean | Presentation House Theatre |
| Outstanding introducing and creating an engaging atmosphere through stage management in her body of work during the 2018/2019 TYA season | Giselle Clarke-Trenaman | Holiday Baking Time and Jack and the Magic Bean | Presentation House Theatre |
| Outstanding live, onstage DJ performance | Elizabeth Wellwood | Cranked | Green Thumb Theatre |
OTHER AWARDS
Outstanding Original Script
| Lesley Ewen | Camera Obscura (hungry ghosts) | the frank theatre company/Queer Arts Festival |
| Kim Senklip Harvey | Kamloopa | The Cultch
(in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| David Paquet | Le Soulier (The Shoe) | Théâtre la Seizième |
| Christine Quintana & Molly MacKinnon | Never the Last | Deliquent Theatre |
| Anais West & Sara Vickruck | Poly Queer Love Ballad | Anais West & Sara Vickruck |
Critic’s Choice Innovation Award
| A Vista | Fight With A Stick |
| As You Like It | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Kamloopa | The Cultch (in partnership with Western Canada Theatre, Persephone Theatre and Gordon Tootoosis Nīkānīwin Theatre, in collaboration with National Arts Centre Indigenous Theatre) |
| Lysistrata | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
| Oh What a Beautiful Morning! | Fight with a Stick |
| Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street | The Snapshots Collective |