News: (Toronto) Report: MyTheatre Awards, Winners

Raquel Duffy and Gregory Prest presenting the award for Best New Work (photo credit: Ann Fitzhenry)

Jenny Weisz Hosts First Outing
by Zoe Erwin-Longstaff

Though the My Entertainment World awards themselves have been bestowed annually since 2009, last night was the first MyTheatre Awards Ceremony – an opportunity/excuse for a throng of theatre people to come out and celebrate two months before the Dora Awards. 

All the essential elements for a fantastic award atmosphere were there: savoury hors d’oeuvres, banquet seating, a flowing bar, a cover band and dance floor. Jenny Weisz, played host effectively.  She began the night belting out “Show People” from the musical Curtains, later took selfies with the audience and finally passed out copies of her own signed headshot.  (Toronto recently saw her as the title character in YPT’s Annie.) 

There’s always bound to be some head scratching or indignation at shows like these, especially when your favourites weren’t even nominated. The selection process itself could use some refining in future years—presently it’s a combination of staff picks and popular vote through comment boxes.  But this didn’t detract from a successful evening. I look forward to attending more great MyTheatre parties in the years to come!

The winners were: 

Best Ensemble (Regional): Hair (First Act Productions)

Best Supporting Actor (Regional): Scott Farley in Twelfth Night (Hart House Theatre)

Best Supporting Actress (Regional): Sheri Godda in the RESISTIBLE rise of Arturo Ui (Red Light District)

Best Actor (Regional): Alex McCooeye in Richard III (Shakespeare in the Ruff) 

Best Actress (Regional): Amelia Sargisson in Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare Bash'd)

Best Director (Regional): Anita La Selva for Look Back in Anger (FeverGraph)

Best Production (Regional): Look Back in Anger (FeverGraph)

Best New Work: Donors by Brandon Crone (Safeword)

Best Cabaret Performance: Mike Ross (The Global Cabaret Festival: Bob Dylan Songbook/Spoon River Cabaret)

Best Ballet Performance: Skylar Campbell in Unearth (National Ballet of Canada)

Best Opera Performance: Anna Christy in Lucia di Lammermoor (Canadian Opera Company)

Best Ballet or Opera: Emergence (National Ballet of Canada)

Best Ensemble: La Ronde (Soulpepper)

Best Actor in a Musical: Dan Chameroy in The Barber of Seville (Soulpepper)

Best Actress in a Musical: Kira Guloien in Tommy (Stratford)

Best Supporting Actor: Randy Hughson in Waiting for Godot (Stratford)

Best Supporting Actress: Elisa Moolcherry in Other Peoples Children (Tarragon)

Best Actor in a  Play: Damien Atkins in Angels in America (Soulpepper)

Best Actress in a Play: Nicole Underhay in Major Barbara (Shaw)

Best Director: Albert Schultz for Angels in America (Soulpepper)

Best Production: Arcardia (Shaw)

Emerging Artist: Courtney Ch'ng Lancaster

Performer of the Year: Scott Wentworth

Honorary Award: Bad Dog Theatre Company