Pivoting to the current new normal, the 38th annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards were celebrated virtually this year, acknowledging the excellence in professional theatre and saluting the talent who contribute to Vancouver’s dynamic theatre landscape.
The Art Left produced the first ever livestream Jessie Awards from the Firehall Arts Centre, Monday, June 29th streamed to YouTube and Facebook Live Facebook Live. The talented hosts actor, writer, and slam poet Omari Newton, singer/songwriter Sara Vickruck, alongside the musical talent of the incomparable, Ben Elliott, made it a memorable event that included some pre-recorded material. Without any audience or nominees present, the winners were invited to a curb side pick-up of the awards at the Firehall Art Centre at a later date and asked to submit a 30-45 second acceptance speech to be included in a video to be shared later.
Below is a complete list of all winners. For further information visit jessieawards.com
LARGE THEATRE
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Robert Salvador | Best of Enemies | Pacific Theatre |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Deena Aziz | A Thousand Splendid Suns | Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre) |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| John Ullyatt | Matilda | Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre & Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre) |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Tess Degenstein | Noises Off | Arts Club Theatre Company |
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Gerald King | Kuroko | Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre |
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Drew Facey | Cost of Living | Arts Club Theatre Company (in partnership with Citadel Theatre) |
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Cory Sincennes | Shakespeare in Love | Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival |
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OR ORIGINAL COMPOSITION – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Alessandro Juliani | The Great Leap | Arts Club Theatre Company |
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION – LARGE THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Scott Bellis | Noises Off | Arts Club Theatre Company |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION – PLAY – LARGE THEATRE
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Noises Off | Arts Club Theatre Company |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – LARGE THEATRE
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| The Sound of Music | Arts Club Theatre Company |
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT – LARGE THEATRE
| ACHIEVEMENT | NAME(S) | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Outstanding Innovative and Immersive Storytelling | Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre | Inheritance: a pick-the-path experience | Alley Theatre and Touchstone Theatre (in association with Vancouver Moving Theatre and community partnership with Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre) |
SMALL THEATRE
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Kevin McNulty | The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Jillian Fargey | The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Chris Francisque | Superior Donuts | Ensemble Theatre Company |
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Elizabeth Kirkland | The Sea | Slamming Door Artist Collective |
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Itai Erdal | The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Amir Ofek | The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Christina Sinosich & Donnie Tejani | Company | Raincity Theatre |
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN OR ORIGINAL COMPOSITION – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Rick Colhoun | Frankenstein: Lost in Darkness | Wireless Wings Radio Ensemble |
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION – SMALL THEATRE
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Mindy Parfitt | The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION – PLAY – SMALL THEATRE
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| The Father | The Search Party |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION – MUSICAL – SMALL THEATRE
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Company | Raincity Theatre |
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT – SMALL THEATRE
| ACHIEVEMENT | NAME(S) | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Outstanding ensemble performance | Caitlin Clugston, Graham Coffeng, Nick Fontaine, Janet Gigliotti, Alex Gullason, Warren Kimmel, Steve Maddock, Jennie Neumann, Anthony Santiago, Madeleine Suddaby, Jennifer Suratos, Lindsay Ann Warnock, Jonathan Winsby, Katey Wright |
Company | Raincity Theatre |
THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
| NAME(S) | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Marlene Ginader | Bad Hats Theatre’s Peter Pan | Carousel Theatre for Young People |
OUTSTANDING DESIGN – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
| NAME(S) | DISCIPLINE | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Jay Dodge | Video Design | Iron Peggy | Vancouver International Children’s Festival and Boca del Lupo (in association with red diva projects) |
OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CREATION – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
| NAME(S) | DISCIPLINE | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Ian Harmon | Direction | Love You Forever and More Munsch | Beach House Theatre |
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish | Axis Theatre Company |
SIGNIFICANT ARTISTIC ACHIEVEMENT – THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCE
| ACHIEVEMENT | NAME(S) | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Outstanding stage management | Jillian Perry | Th’owxiya: The Hungry Feast Dish | Axis Theatre Company |
ORIGINAL SCRIPT
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Jan (JD) Derbyshire | Certified | Touchstone Theatre |
SPECIAL AWARDS
PATRON OF THE ARTS AWARD
| Ken Gracie & Phillip Waddell |
GVPTA CAREER ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
| Wendy Bross Stuart |
SAM PAYNE AWARD FOR MOST PROMISING NEWCOMER
| Heather Barr |
MARY PHILLIPS AWARD FOR BEHIND-THE-SCENE ACHIEVEMENT
| Conor Moore |
SPECIAL AWARDS
CRITICS’ CHOICE INNOVATION AWARD
| PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Certified | Touchstone Theatre |
SIDNEY J. RISK PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SCRIPT BY AN EMERGING PLAYWRIGHT
| NAME | PRODUCTION | COMPANY |
| Derek Chan | Chicken Girl | rice & beans theatre (in partnership with Playwrights Theatre Centre) |
RAY MICHAL PRIZE FOR OUTSTANDING WORK AND/OR BODY OF WORK BY AN EMERGING DIRECTOR
| Chris Lam |
JOHN MOFFAT & LARRY LILLO PRIZE
| Gerry Mackay |
VANCOUVER NOW REPRESENTATION AND INCLUSION AWARD
| Heidi Taylor |
COLIN CAMPBELL AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN TECHNICAL THEATRE
| Elia Kirby |
GORDON ARMSTRONG PLAYWRIGHT’S RENT AWARD
| Deborah Williams & The Flame |
Here’s to another extraordinary year of a dynamic theatre season presented by our talented and rich community of artists.
Bravo to all!
the real /darryl 