Winners Announced for The Jessie Awards

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

John Patterson

GVPTA Career Achievement Award

John Wright

Sydney Risk Prize

Rachel Aberle

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