FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
2009 FIRST ANNUAL TWISI THEATRE AWARDS
A celebration of professional theatre across Canada that
gives Canadian theatre lovers, patrons, artists, and audience members
the opportunity to honour the members of the Canadian theatre community they feel are most deserving of recognition.
Presented by Amanda Campbell, theatre critic of The Way I See It:
A theatre blog primarily based in Toronto.
Voting is underway immediately until June 22nd, 2009.
Results will be announced on July 1st, 2009.
Amanda Campbell, in conjunction with her theatre blog, The Way I See It, based primarily in Toronto, but dedicated to fostering support, recognition and pride in theatre across the country, is very excited to announce the debut of the First Annual The Way I See It (or TWISI for short) Awards. The TWISI AWARDS seek to celebrate professional Canadian theatre by honouring both the theatre artists and companies Campbell deems most deserving of recognition in thirty different categories. More importantly, the TWISI People’s Choice Awards provide the Canadian public with the opportunity to vote on which Canadian theatre artists and companies it feels are most deserving of recognition. In this way, the TWISI Awards act like a combination of Critic’s Choice and People’s Choice Awards for the Canadian Theatre.
* The TWISI Awards seek to honor those who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in their particular craft. They do not denote who is the “best” or the “favourite.” It is going to be massively difficult to pick or even to narrow down, because there has been so much outstanding work done this year in Toronto. However, I hope that these awards will be seen as more of a celebration of all the great talent we have here, rather than a means for competition.
* The TWISI Awards will consider all the shows that I have seen between June 1st, 2008 and June 30th, 2009. That means that shows and actors from all cities that I have seen theatre in between those dates will be considered.
* The TWISI Award winners will be picked by me, and announced on the blog on JULY 1st, 2009.
* I will only award one TWISI award to any one individual artist, to spread the honors around as much as possible. However, the winners of the TWISI People’s Choice Awards are left entirely up to the people.
* There will also be the TWISI People’s Choice Awards- where anyone can send in their votes for each category via email (twisi.awards@gmail.com) and I will tally the votes and announce the winner at the same time that the TWISI Awards are announced. This means that (assuming people vote!) there will likely be TWO winners in each category. If the People’s Choice and I have the same pick, then that winner will get a DOUBLE honor!!
*Anyone can vote for the People’s Choice Awards, and they can pick artists and productions from any show (even ones that I did not see or blog about) as long as the production occurred between June 1st 2008-June 30th 2009.
o Artists can vote for themselves, if they so wish.
o All voting will remain confidential. I give you my word of honor.
o You may vote from obscure email addresses and using Aliases.
o You do not have to vote for every category. For example, you could email and just let me know your pick for outstanding achievement in musical direction and leave it at that. You can email some votes now and some later. You can do whatever you gosh darn want!!
o Please specify which category you’re voting for in your email!
o You must cast your vote by JUNE 22nd, 2009 for it to be considered.
o The voting is now open!!! So cast your vote today!!
The 2009 TWISI Award Categories
1. Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Play (awarded to the theatre company)
2. Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Musical (awarded to the theatre company).
3. Outstanding Achievement by an Actor in a Play
4. Outstanding Achievement by an Actor in a Musical
5. Outstanding Achievement by an Actress in a Play
6. Outstanding Achievement by an Actress in a Musical
7. Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actor (under 18 years old) in a Play
8. Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actor (under 18 years old) in a Musical
9. Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actress (under 18 years old) in a Play
10. Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actress (under 18 years old) in a Musical.
11. Outstanding Achievement by a Director of a Play
12. Outstanding Achievement by a Director of a Musical.
13. Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
14. Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design.
15. Outstanding Achievement by a New Theatre Company (one founded after June 2008).
16. Outstanding Achievement by a Cabaret Performer (female)
17. Outstanding Achievement by a Cabaret Performer (male)
18. Outstanding Achievement by a Playwright (the playwright’s work must have had a performance between June 1st 2008-June 30th 2009 but it can be anyone. If Shakespeare wins, I’ll figure out how to get his prize to him later).
19. Outstanding Achievement by a Canadian Playwright (the playwright’s work must have had a performance between June 1st 2008-June 30th 2009)
20. Outstanding Achievement in the Production of an Improv, Sketch or Comedy Show (awarded to the theatre company).
21. Outstanding Achievement by an Improviser (Male)
22. Outstanding Achievement by an Improviser (Female)
23. Outstanding Achievement in Musical Direction
24. Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Visiting or Touring Show.
25. Outstanding Achievement on CD by a Canadian male theatre artist (The album must have been released between June 1st, 2008- June 30th 2009).
26. Outstanding Achievement on CD by a Canadian female theatre artist. (The album must have been released between June 1st 2008- June 30th, 2009).
27. Special Honor for Best Theatre Programme (as in, the booklet you receive at the theatre).
28. Special Honor for Favourite Theatre Space (as in, the building that houses the theatre).
29. Special Honor for Most Audience Friendly Theatre Company.
30. Special “Just Cuz” Award for Someone in the Theatre Community most deserving of recognition.
