Thursday, November 24, 2011

BREAKING NEWS: Montreal English Critics Announce Finalists

Best actor finalist, Theodore Bikel (r)
(in Lies My Father Told Me, also a finalist for
best costumes, best lighting, best ensemble)
(photo: Andrée Lanthier)


MECCA PRESS RELEASE:

MECCA FINALISTS
2010-2011 Season
For immediate release, November 24, 2011

The Montreal English Critics Circle has voted on their awards for the 2010-2011 season. This is the 14th edition of the Awards (MECCAs), one of the oldest Critics' prizes in Canada. After comments that MECCAs were an award that compared apples to oranges, we're proud to say this years bumper crop (75 productions named by voters) compares apples, oranges, tomatoes and bananas too!

THE PROCESS
For this transitional and restructuring year, ballots were sent out to 25 theatre reviewers in print, electronic and online media. Twelve reviewers returned ballots. (See list below) Voters were asked to choose up to three names in 13 categories. The votes were tabulated and ties - both for finalists and winners - were broken by MECCA administrators (Estelle Rosen, CKUT; Gaëtan L. Charlebois, The Charlebois Post). The MECCAS will be awarded at a party (by invitation only) at Theatre Ste-Catherine on December 19, at 7pm

VOTING REVIEWERS
Stan Asher - CINQ
Neil Boyce - Montreal Mirror
Émilie Charlebois - Charlebois Post - Montreal, Charlebois Post - Canada
Gaëtan L. Charlebois - Charlebois Post - Montreal, Charlebois Post - Canada, This Is The CPC
Sarah Deshaies - CKUT, Charlebois Post - Montreal, Charlebois Post - Canada
Anna Fuerstenberg - Roverarts
James Gartler - Roverarts
Al Lafrance - bloodyunderrated
Estelle Rosen - CKUT, Charlebois Post - Montreal, Charlebois Post - Canada, This Is The CPC
Megan Stewart - Roverarts
Alex Woolcott - Roverarts
Rachel Zuroff - Charlebois Post - Montreal, Charlebois Post - Canada
Michaela di Cesare

THE FINALISTS:
BEST ACTOR:
Chip Chiupka (Gordon, SideMart Theatrical Grocery)
Theodore Bikel (Lies My Father Told Me, Segal Centre)
Tony Nardi (A View From The Bridge, Segal Centre)

BEST ACTRESS:
Michaela di Cesare (8 Ways My Mother Was Conceived)
Ranee Lee (A Raisin in the Sun, Black Theatre Workshop)
France Rolland (Medea, Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre)

BEST DIRECTOR:
Alison Darcy and Andreas Apergis (Medea, Scapegoat Carnivale Theatre)
Liz Valdez (Humans, Tableau d'Hote Theatre )
Emma Tibaldo (The Flood Thereafter, Talisman Theatre)

BEST TEXT:
Kirsten Rasmussen (blink blink blink, Kirsten Rasmussen Productions)
Michaela di Cesare (8 Ways My Mother Was Conceived)
Michael MacKenzie (Instructions to any future socialist government wishing to abolish Christmas, Centaur)

BEST ENSEMBLE:
Humans
The Only Bar
Lies My Father Told Me

BEST VISITING PRODUCTION:
No award to be given as there were no clear nominees or winners.

BEST SET DESIGN:
James Lavoie (Beethoven Lives Upstairs, Geordie Productions)
John C. Dinning (Schwartz's: The Musical, Centaur)
Mathieu Poirier-Galarneau (Manga)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:
James Lavoie (Schwartz's: The Musical)
James Lavoie (Lies My Father Told Me, Segal Centre)
Sabrina Miller (Sexy Dirty Bloody Scary, Mainline)

BEST LIGHTING:
David Perrault-Ninacs (The Flood Thereafter, Talisman)
Luc Prairie (Lies my Father Told Me, Segal Centre)
Jody Burkholder (Humans, Tableau d'Hote)

BEST SOUND:
No award to be given as there were no clear nominees or winners.

BEST PRODUCTION:
Humans
Medea
The Flood Thereafter

REVELATION:
(The finalists for Revelation were chosen by the voters and because of their appearance as nominees in other categories)
Michaela di Cesare
Sabrina Miller
Sarah Mahoney

DISTINCTION:
No award to be given as there were no clear nominees or winners.