The Siminovitch Prize to Celebrate 15 Years of Excellence and Innovation in Canadian Theatre, Oct 18

The Siminovitch Prize will celebrate 15 years of excellence and innovation in Canadian Theatre at its annual gala awards ceremony on Sunday, October 18, 2015, 7:30 p.m. at Hart House Theatre (7 Hart House Circle, University of Toronto). RBC Wealth Management is the Presenting Sponsor.

This year's gala evening will be hosted by the award-winning actress and Canadian theatre icon Fiona Reid (The Divine, The Intelligent Homosexual's Guide, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, The Time Traveler's Wife, My Big Fat Greek Wedding).

The Siminovitch Prize of $100,000 is Canada's largest national theatre award. Rotating over a three-year cycle, it honours professional directors, playwrights and designers. The Prize recognizes exceptional theatre artists and also encourages emerging talent by highlighting the importance of mentorship. The Prize recipient receives $75,000 and chooses a protégé to receive $25,000.

As of this year, The Siminovitch Prize will have awarded $1.5 million to Canadian theatre artists whose work is both transformative and influential. The 2015 recipient will be selected by jury, from Canada's top talent in the design community. The finalists will be announced September 21.

The Siminovitch Prize was launched in 2001 to honour the values and achievements of distinguished scientist Lou Siminovitch and his late wife Elinore Siminovitch, who was a pioneering playwright.

"Our family is very proud of the impact of this award on Canadian theatre over the past 15 years," said Dr. Kathy Siminovitch, Board Chair. "It has stimulated and enabled exceptional artists to push the boundaries of their craft and has served as a springboard for the advancement of their careers, both nationally and internationally. The protégé component emphasizes the incredible impact that mentorship, support and encouragement can have for emerging talent. We are delighted to support Canadian theatre artists with the help of our Presenting Sponsor, RBC Wealth Management, and partners University of Toronto, Hart House Theatre and the Friends of The Siminovitch Prize."

The Siminovitch Prize in Theatre Laureates Daniel Brooks (2001), Carole Fréchette (2002), Louise Campeau (2003), Jillian Keiley (2004), John Mighton (2005), Dany Lyne (2006), Brigitte Haentjens (2007), Daniel MacIvor (2008), Ronnie Burkett (2009), Kim Collier (2010), Joan MacLeod (2011), Robert Thomson (2012), Christopher Abraham (2013) and Olivier Choinière (2014). "RBC is pleased to celebrate and support the 15th anniversary of The Siminovitch Prize that recognizes remarkable talent in the theatre community across Canada," said Rebecca Mooney, Vice-President and Head, Brand and Marketing, RBC Wealth Management. "We believe in the power of the arts to enrich our lives, and applaud The Siminovitch Prize for its significant contribution to arts and culture in Canada."

For more information, visit siminovitchprize.com or follow on Twitter: @SiminovitchPrix | #SiminovitchPrize.

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