Amaka Umeh & Deborah Hay. Photo by Lorne Bridgman
The Theatre Nova Scotia Robert Merritt Award Nominations were announced today and they reminded me what a great year 2023 was for Nova Scotian theatre. It would have been a bumper theatrical crop at any time, but coming on the heels of a global pandemic is an even more impressive feat. There have been a lot of articles written internationally about the death of our industry since the theatres started reopening, examinations of audiences and analyses of their spending habits, and terrifying economic projections, and in some cases current realities. But, as far as the quality and the caliber of the work here in Nova Scotia goes, if audiences aren’t coming to see these shows, they’re really missing out on something terrific. Some of the shows that were nominated this year were among the best I have ever seen. Period. Many I will remember fondly for the rest of my life. Some shows marked huge growth for the theatre artists and theatre companies that made them, and that is so exciting. I know making theatre is tough at the best of times, and things are still Post-Covid tough, I don’t want to overlook what is undeniable, but I don’t look at this community with the fear that we are in a losing battle for our survival. I admire the resilience, creativity, and the cooperation that has brought us to this moment. It’s easy to brush off the entire idea of awards in general, but that I think really is worth celebrating.
And the Nominees Are:
Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role:
Emma Vickers: The Adventures of the Little Girl and the Wind (Festival Antigonish); Jackson Seib: Murder for Two (Festival Antigonish); Samantha Hill: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Jenny L. Wright: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Deborah Hay: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Jeff Schwager: The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre); Ryan Brown: Cinderella (Neptune Theatre); Daniel MacIvor: Let’s Run Away (reWork Productions & 2b theatre); Zach Faye: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company, Eastern Front & Matchstick Theatre); Geneviève Steele, A Beginner’s Guide To the Night Sky (The Villains Theatre).
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role:
Janelle Cooper: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Eva Foote: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Nicola Lipman: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Patricia Zentilli: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Dan Bray: Rain on the Parade (The Villains Theatre); Wally MacKinnon: The New Canadian Curling Club (Festival Antigonish); Sherry Smith: Downed Hearts (Ship’s, Eastern Front & Matchstick Theatre); Elm Reyes: Downed Hearts (Ship’s, EFT, Matchstick Theatre); Chris Vergara: Cinderella (Neptune); Becca Guilderson: Cinderella (Neptune).
Outstanding Choreography:
Sarah Prosper: Jack and the Beanstalk (Highland Arts Theatre); Ray Hogg: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Stephanie Graham: Cinderella (Neptune Theatre); Jade Douris-O’Hara: Pinocchio (Shakespeare by the Sea); Liliona Quarmyne: The Movements (Zuppa Theatre).
Outstanding Costume Design:
Diego Cavedon Dias: The Adventures of the Little Girl and the Wind (Festival Antigonish); Judith Bowden: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune); Tea Stewart: Pinocchio (Shakespeare By the Sea); Oliver Dorais-Fleming: Rain on the Parade (Villains Theatre); Diego Cavedon Dias: Wind in the Willows (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre).
Outstanding Direction:
Alisa Palmer: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Ann-Marie Kerr: In Lieu of Flowers (Highland Arts Theatre & Neptune Theatre); Jeremy Webb: The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre); Jesse MacLean: Pinocchio (Shakespeare By the Sea); Samantha Wilson: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company).
Outstanding Lighting Design:
Ingrid Risk: The Adventures of the Little Girl and the Wind (Festival Antigonish); Leigh Ann Vardy: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Jessica Lewis: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Alison Crosby: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company Theatre); Jessica Lewis: The Movements (Zuppa Theatre).
Outstanding New Nova Scotia Adaptation (Playwright):
Zoë Comeau: F*cking Trans Women (Fcking Theatre Co.); Wesley J. Colford: Jack and the Beanstalk (The HAT); Hannah Moscovitch: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Drew Douris O’Hara: Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare by the Sea).
Outstanding New Nova Scotia Play (Playwright):
Wesley J. Colford: The Beloved (Highland Arts Theatre); Alison Crosby: In Lieu of Flowers (Highland Arts Theatre & Neptune Theatre); Daniel MacIvor: Let’s Run Away (reWork Productions & 2b theatre); Catherine Banks: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company); Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac: A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky (The Villains Theatre).
Outstanding Musical Direction:
Sean Mayes: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Paul de Gurse: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Garry Williams: Pinocchio (Shakespeare By the Sea); Lisa St. Clair: Cinderella (Neptune Theatre); Avery-Jean Brennan: Murder for Two (Festival Antigonish).
Outstanding Score:
Sean Mayes: Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre), Garry Williams: Pinocchio (Shakespeare by the Sea); Garry Williams and Evan Brown: Rain on the Parade (The Villains Theatre); Jenny Trites and Colleen MacIsaac: A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky (The Villains Theatre); Stewart Legere: The Movements (Zuppa Theatre).
Outstanding Ensemble:
The New Canadian Curling Club (Festival Antigonish), Fall on Your Knees (Neptune Theatre), Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre), The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre), Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company).
Outstanding Projection Design:
Stevey Hunter: MACRO Series: ISOLATIONS (GENTLY, SOFTLY,NOW) (Eastern Front Theatre); Matt Downey: Billy Elliot (Neptune Theatre); Christian Ludwig Hansen & Anna Sheppard: The Movements (Zuppa Theatre); Victoria Ryan & Matthew Downey: Fcking Trans Woman (Fcking Theatre Co.); MacKenzie Cornfield: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company, EFT & Matchstick Theatre).
Outstanding Scenic Design:
Sue LePage with assistance from Brenda Duran; Downed Hearts (Ships/EFT/Matchstick Theatre); Andrea Evans: Half-Cracked: The Legend of Sissy Mary (Theatre Baddeck); Vickie Marston: The Adventure of the Little Girl and the Wind (Festival Antigonish); Zach Faye: The Crevice: Season 2 (Bus Stop Theatre); John Dinning: The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre).
Outstanding Sound Design:
Deanna H. Choi: Cinderella (Neptune Theatre); Jackson Fairfax-Perry: Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company/EFT/ Matchstick Theatre); Brian Kenny: Fall On Your Knees (Neptune Theatre); Deanna H. Choi: Let’s Run Away (reWork Productions/2b Theatre); Stewart Legere with Thomas Rice: The Movements (Zuppa Theatre).
Outstanding Independent Production:
The Crevice: Season 2 (The Bus Stop Theatre); Fcking Trans Women (Fcking Theatre Co.); The Beloved (Highland Arts Theatre); Half-Cracked: The Legend of Sissy Mary (Theatre Baddeck)
A Beginner’s Guide to the Night Sky (The Villains Theatre).
Outstanding Production:
Murder for Two (Festival Antigonish); The New Canadian Curling Club (Festival Antigonish); Fall on Your Knees; (Neptune Theatre); The Play That Goes Wrong (Neptune Theatre); Downed Hearts (Ship’s Company, Eastern Front & Matchstick Theatre).
The Robert Merritt Awards were established in 2002 and named for Robert Merritt, who was a Playwriting Instructor at Dalhousie University and the film critic for Information Morning (CBC). Merritt died in 1999.
The 2024 Merritt Award Winners will be announced at the Gala on April 15th, 2024 at Alderney Landing Theatre. Tickets will be on sale soon. Visit Theatre Nova Scotia’s website for more up to date information.
