Nominees for the 12th annual Ovation Awards were announced earlier this week, with the Theatre Under the Stars production of Hairspray garnering the most nods in the juried musical theatre awards.
With its mix of community and professional productions from across the Lower Mainland, other multiple nominated shows include Align Entertainment’s The Addams Family, the Arts Club Theatre Company’s In the Heights, and the Awkward Stage Productions presentation of Dogfight.
Not usually known for presenting musicals, the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare festival received five nominations for its production of Love’s Labour’s Lost, and while definitely a musical, Shakespeare made another appearance with the Tracy Power and Steve Charles penned Miss Shakespeare receiving five nominations.
Audiences also have an opportunity to vote for three additional awards including outstanding panto, remounted musical, and special event.
The Ovation Awards, presented by Applause! Musical Society, will be handed out at a ceremony on January 31. Visit https://applausemusicals.com for more information.
Here is the complete list of nominees:
Outstanding Community Production – Large Theatre
The Addams Family – Align Entertainment
Hairspray – TUTS
My Fair Lady – Royal City Musical Theatre
The Secret Garden – Exit 22/Capilano University
Triumph of Love – UBC Theatre
Outstanding Community Production – Small Theatre
Dogfight – Awkward Stage Productions
Drowsy Chaperone – SAMC/Trinity Western Universit
Into The Woods – Fighting Chance Productions
Oklahoma – Studio 58
The IT Girl, DramaNatrix Productions
Outstanding Professional Production
A Christmas Story – Arts Club Theatre Company
In the Heights – Arts Club Theatre Company
Love’s Labour’s Lost – Bard On The Beach
Miss Shakespeare – TheatreK with The Escape Artists
The Best Laid Plans: a musical – Commissioned, Developed and Produced by Touchstone Theatre and Patrick Street Productions.
Outstanding Chamber/Small Cast Production (6 or less in cast)
Hamelin – Axis Theatre
Love Bomb, Firehall Arts Centre/Shameless Hussy Productions
Murder Ballad – Fighting Chance Productions
The Last Five Years, Lion Fish Entertainment + ARC Works
You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Play On Words Productions
Outstanding New Work
The Best Laid Plans: a Musical, based on the novel by Terry Fallis. Book by Vern Thiessen, music and lyrics by Benjamin Elliott + Anton Lipovetsky. Commissioned, Developed and Produced by Touchstone Theatre and Patrick Street Productions.
Hamelin – Axis Theatre, book and lyrics by Leslie Mildiner, music by Bob Buckley. Presented by Axis Theatre.
Love Bomb, book and lyrics by Meghan Gardiner, music and additional lyrics by Steve Charles. Presented by the Firehall Arts Centre and Shameless Hussy Productions.
Miss Shakespeare, book and lyrics by Tracey Power, music co-written with Steve Charles. Presented by TheatreK with The Escape Artists
Titus – The Light and Delightful Musical Comedy of Titus Andronicus, music by Jenny Andersen, book and lyrics by Andrew Wade. Presented by Awkward Stage Productions.
Outstanding Music Direction
Danny Balkwill – Godspell, Arts Club Theatre Company
Benjamin Elliott – Love’s Labour’s Lost, Bard On The Beach
Brent Hughes – The Addams Family, Align Entertainment
Angus Kellett – Into the Woods, Fighting Chance Productions
Chris D. King – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars
Clare Wyatt – Dogfight, Awkward Stage Productions
Outstanding Direction
Gillian Barber – The Secret Garden, Exit 22/Capilano University
Peter Jorgensen – The Best Laid Plans: a Musical, Touchstone Theatre + Patrick Street Productions
Angela Konrad – The Drowsy Chaperone, SAMC/Trinity Western University
Chris Lam – Dogfight, Awkward Stage Productions
Chad Matchette – The Addams Family, Align Entertainment
James MacDonald – Miss Shakespeare, TheatreK with The Escape Artists
Sarah Rodgers – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars
Outstanding Choreography
Erika Babins – The IT Girl, Drama Natrix Productions
Valerie Easton – Love’s Labour’s Lost, Bard on the Beach
Lisa Goebel – Dogfight, Awkward Stage Productions
Shelley Stewart Hunt – Oklahoma, Studio 58
Lisa Stevens – In the Heights, Arts Club Theatre Company
Julie Tomaino – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars
Outstanding Lighting Design
Alan Brodie – Godspell, Arts Club Theatre Company
Gerald King – My Fair Lady, Royal City Musical Theatre
Conor Moore – The Secret Garden, Exit 22/Capilano University
David Newham – Ebenezer, A Christmas Ghost Story, Seven Tyrants Theatre
Cory Sincennes – Miss Shakespeare, TheatreK with The Escape Artists
Outstanding Set Design
Brian Ball – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars
Pam Johnston – Snapshots, WRS Productions
Amir Ofek – A Christmas Story, Arts Club Theatre Company
Carolyn Rapanos – The Drowsy Chaperone, SAMC/Trinity Western University
Ted Roberts – In the Heights, Arts Club Theatre Company
Patrick Smith – Triumph of Love, Theatre UBC
Outstanding Costume Design
Carmen Alatorre – The Wizard of Oz, Gateway Theatre
Patricia Jansen – Triumph of Love, UBC Theatre
Ines Ortner – Ebenezer A Christmas Ghost Story, Seven Tyrants Theatre
Marilyn Rapanos + Julie White – The Addams Family, Align Entertainment
Chris Sinosich – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars
Rebekka Sorensen-Kjelstrup – Love’s Labours Lost, Bard on the Beach
Outstanding Lead Performance – Female
Cecilly Day – Murder Ballad, Fighting Chance Productions (Narrator)
Bridget Esler – The Wizard of Oz, Gateway Theatre (Dorothy)
Tracy Neff – My Fair Lady, Royal City Musical Theatre (Eliza Doolittle)
Katie Purych – Dogfight, Awkward Stage Productions (Rose)
Sara Vickruck – Love Bomb, Firehall Arts Centre/Shameless Hussy Productions (Justine)
Erin Walker – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars (Tracy Turnblad)
Outstanding Lead Performance – Male
Brennan Cuff – The Addams Family, Align Entertainment (Gomez)
Nick Fontaine – The Best Laid Plans: a Musical, Touchstone Theatre + Patrick Street Productions (Daniel)
Riley Qualtieri – Dogfight, Awkward Stage Productions (Eddie)
Luc Roderique – In the Heights, Arts Club Theatre Company (Usnavi)
Andy Toth – Hairspray, Theatre Under The Stars (Edna Turnblad)
Warren Kimmel – My Fair Lady, Royal City Musical Theatre (Henry Higgins)
Outstanding Supporting Performance – Male
Darren Adams – The Secret Garden, Exit 22/Capilano Univerity (Dickon)
Andrew Cownden – Love’s Labor’s Lost, Bard on the Beach (Costard)
Caleb Di Pomponio – In the Heights, Arts Club Theatre Company (Sonny)
Kamyar Pazandeh – Oklahoma, Studio 58 (Jud Fry)
John Payne – My Fair Lady, Royal City Musical Theatre (Alfred Doolittle)
Scott Perrie – Godspell, Arts Club Theatre Company (The Misfit)
Gordon Roberts – The Best Laid Plans: a Musical, Touchstone Theatre + Patrick Street Productions (Eric)
Sayer Roberts – Les Miserables, Arts Club Theatre Company (Marius)
Outstanding Supporting Performance – Female
Laura Cowan Beattie, The Addams Family, Align Entertainment (Morticia)
Paige Fraser – You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, Company (Lucy)
Adelleh Furseth – Oklahoma, Studio 58 (Ado Annie)
Sara-Jeanne Hosie – A Christmas Story, Arts Club Theatre Company (Miss Shields)
Jennie Neumann – Les Miserables, Arts Club Theatre Company (Eponine)
Jennifer Suratos – Into the Woods, Fighting Chance Productions (Baker’s Wife)
Georgia Valeria Swinton – Snapshots, WRS Productions (Suzie)
Outstanding Chorus Member “Gypsy”- Female
Kat Palmer – Oliver + My Fair Lady
Lauren Gula – Jesus Christ Superstar
Stefanie Stanley Dalton – The It Girl + The Addams Family
Michelle Baynton – Dogfight
Nicol Spinoa – Hairspray
Outstanding Chorus Member “Gypsy” – Male
Jesse Alvarez – Jurassic Parody
Michael Antonakos – In the Heights
Nicholas Bradbury – Rocky Horror Show, Oliver
Daren Dyhengco – The The Secret Garden, Hairspray
Justin Lapena – My Fair Lady, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, The Wizard of Oz
Ryan Nunez – The The Secret Garden, You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown, The IT Girl
Outstanding Performance – Youth (under 18)
Cameron Andres – Les Miserables (Gavroche), A Christmas Story (Schwartz)
Jordyn Bennett – A Christmas Story (Esther Jane)
Marisa Gold – Hairspray (Little Inez)
Avery Johnson – The Addams Family (Pugsley), A Christmas Story (Scut Farcus)
Aubrey Joy Maddock – Godspell (John the Baptist)
Graham Verchere – A Christmas Story (Flick)
Outstanding Newcomer – Female
Cecilly Day – Hairspray (Motormouth Maybelle), Murder Ballad (Narrator)
Laura Geluch – The Addams Family (Wednesday), OC The Musical (Summer)
Elyse Maloway – The Secret Garden (Colin), Hairspray (Amber Von Tussle)
Katie Purych – The It Girl (Betty Lou), Dogfight (Rose), One + One (Nikki), The Addams Family (Egyptian)
Hannah Williams – The Addams Family (Courtesan), Hairspray (Penny Pingleton)
Charlotte Wright – Oliver (Mrs. Bedlim), Triumph of Love (Harlequin)
Outstanding Newcomer – Male
Nathan Cottell – Triumph of Love (Dimas), Oliver (Mr. Threadgoode), Titus (Titus), The Wizard of Oz (Uncle Henry)
Ryan Lino – Into The Woods (Milky White), Jesus Christ Superstar (Ensemble)
Kamyar Pazandeh – Oklahoma (Judd Fry)
Sean Sonier – Oklahoma (Will Parker)
Zach Wolfman – Triumph of Love (Agis), Into The Woods (Prince), Titus (Bassianus), Oliver (Mr. Sowerberry)
Nominees for outstanding elements from shows of 2015
The ensemble performance of Miss Shakespeare.
The video/projection work of Sean Nieuwenhuis in Godspell (Arts Club Theatre Company) and The
Wizard of Oz (Gateway Theatre).
The Band – Murder Ballad, presented by Fighting Chance Productions.
The Band – Hairspray, presented by Theatre Under The Stars.
Leah Cuff + Jan Ballard for makeup and wigs for The Addams Family, presented by Align Entertainment.
Makeup by Ines Ortner for Ebenezer A Christmas Ghost Story, presented by Seven Tyrants Theatre.