News Roundup, August 10, 2012

Neef (COC website, photo by
Michael Cooper)

OTTAWA: The Great Canadian Theatre Company (GCTC) has announced its new artistic director. Director/Actor Eric Coates - formerly AD at the Blyth Festival. (Source)

TORONTO: According to a press release, The Canadian Opera Company (COC) has renewed the contract of general director Alexander Neef through to the company's 2020-21 season.

MONTREAL: The Quebec Drama Federation (QDF) has announced by press release the creation of a new peer-juried theatre award. The new prize's juries will be following the 2012-13 season and handing out the first awards in the fall of 2013. Candidates for the prizes will be required to pay a fee to be considered in 17 categories covering professional and independent theatre. 

SAGUENAY: The fledgling Saguenay Fringe Festival will not be mounted in 2012, it was announced by press release, but will be returning in 2013. The Festival has had one outing, in 2011.

CALGARY: The first Calgary Critics Awards (Critters) were handed out. Among winners were ATP's Playing With Fire: The Theo Fleury Story (best production of a play), Vertigo's Sweeney Todd (best production of a musical) and ATP's production of Karen Hines' Pilot Episode (best new play). (Source)

VANCOUVER: Touchstone Theatre has unveiled it's 2012-13 season of three plays: Anton Piatagorsky's Eternal Hydra, Mary Walsh's solo Dancing With Rage and Daniel Karasik's Haunted. (Source)