Vancouver’s professional theatre community celebrated its own at the 33rd annual Jessie Awards with Théâtre la Seizième, Vancouver’s French-language theatre company, taking home a combined eight trophies in the large theatre and theatre for young audiences categories.
In the large theatre category, Théâtre la Seizième walked away with six of the eleven trophies for its production of Michel Tremblay’s À toi, pour toujours, ta Marie-Lou. Included in the haul were awards for outstanding male and female lead performances (Joey Lespérance and France Perras), supporting actress (Julie Trépanier), set design (Drew Facey), direction (Craig Holzschuh), as well as outstanding production. In the theatre for young audiences category, the company received two awards for its production of Selfie, including outstanding performance (Julie Trépanier, Siona Gareau-Brennan, Vincent Leblanc-Beaudoin) and outstanding artistic creation (Rachel Peake).
Other winners in the large theatre category included a best supporting actor award for Dean Paul Gibson, and sound design award for Alessandro Juliani for the Arts Club Theatre Company’s production of Saint Joan. Gateway Theatre took home two trophies for the musical Crazy For You for Carmen Alatorre’s costumes, and significant artistic achievement in choreography for Julie Tomaino. Lauchlin Johnston took home the award for outstanding lighting design for the Pacific Theatre production of The Whipping Man.
In the small theatre category it was an English translation of a French play, After Me (Apres Moi) from Ruby Slippers Theatre that took home wins in the outstanding lead performance categories for Scott Bellis and Jennifer Lines. Peter Carlone took home the trophy for outstanding supporting actor for his role in Staircase Theatre’s Hunter Gatherers and Lindsey Angell took the female honours for her supporting role in the Dirt Road Productions presentation of Iceland.
Pi Theatre’s Blasted took home awards for Jeff Harrison’s lighting design, and Drew Facey took his second win of the night for its set design. Richard Wolfe also took home the award for outstanding direction.
Mara Gottler received the small theatre costume award for Ruby Slippers Theatre’s The Duchess a.k.a. Wallis Simpson and Mishelle Cuttler took the honours for outstanding original composition for Delinquent Theatre’s Stationary: a recession-era musical, which also took home the trophy for outstanding musical.
Osimous Theatre received the small theatre awards for both outstanding production and significant artistic achievement (outstanding ensemble) for its production of Our Town.
Other winners in the theatre for young audiences category included outstanding design awards for Dusty Hagerud and Tara Travis’ prop work on Monster Theatre’s The Little Prince, and Jessica Oostergo and Shizuka Kai were the winners for their outstanding design concept and execution of Axis Theatre’s Hamelin, A New Fable. The outstanding production award went to the Green Thumb Theatre’s Celestial Being.
Hiro Kanagawa took the award for outstanding original script for Rumble Theatre’s Indian Arm and the Georgia Straight Critics’ Choice Innovation Award went to Theatre Conspiracy’s production of Foreign Radical.
Other awards went to Stan Hamilton (Patron of the Arts), Scott Ashton Swan (Mary Phillips Prize for Behind-the-Scenes Achievement), Sarah Mobberly (Sam Payne Award for the Most Promising Newcomer), Jill Daum (John Moffat & Larry Lillo Prize), Jerry Wasserman (GVPTA Career Achievement Award), Christine Quintana (Sydney Risk Prize), Lorraine West (Colin Campbell Award for Excellence in Technical Theatre), and Cameron Mackenzie (Ray Michal Prize for Most Promising New Director).
Find out more about the Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards online at https://jessies.ca.