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Best Technical Achievement
A Gift of WODL

This year for the first time as part of the Best Technical Achievement Award, a membership to the Canadian Institute of Theatre Technicians or CITT will be given.  The membership can be designated by the group to any individual.  This award is not for design but rather execution of technical elements

For this award I considered or nominated the following productions:

For a high level of skill in executing all technical elements, lighting, sound,
set, properties and special effects:
The production staff of Burlington Little Theatre’s production of 
      Me and My Friend

For atmospheric special effects:
The production staff of Family Life Theatre’s production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane 
 

And the winner is:
 The production staff of Burlington Little Theatre’s production of 
         Me and My Friend: 

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Best Visual Presentation 
A gift of Jane Short in Memory of Perry Short

Including the combination of all visual elements, set, costume, décor, lighting and special visual effects and their overall impact for the play.  This is an award primarily for designers – set, lights and costumes for each of the shows nominated.  I won’t mention their names here as I might miss someone but please consider it to be the design team.

 Burlington Little Theatre’s production of Me and My Friend
 Borelians Community Theatre’s production of All My Sons
 Family Life Theatre’s production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane

And the winner is:
 Family Life Theatre’s production of The Beauty Queen of Leenane

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Best Actress in a Supporting Role
Gift of QUONTA

Who is a supporting character and who is a lead character?
Not always clear and so it is this week,
but for better or worse these are my nominees:

Linda Murray as Norris in Homeward Bound – Domino Theatre
Robin McKay as Ann Deever in All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre
Mary Saindon as Sue Bayliss in All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre
 

And the winner is:
Mary Saindon as Sue Bayliss in 
All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre

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Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Gift of ACT-CO

Harry Noble as George Deever in All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre
Michael Franic as Ray Dooley in The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Family Life Theatre
Chuck Holgate as Pato Dooley in The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Family Life Theatre

And the winner is:
Harry Noble as George Deever in 
All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre

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 Adjudicator Awards on the Technical Side
Gift of the Curtain Club:
Sound is so important in plays that when I hear well chosen music and sound
I can’t help but give it separate recognition.
This is for design and choosing of the sound and music:

Tom Mackan for Sound Design
Me and My Friend Burlington Little Theatre

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 Adjudicator Awards on the Technical Side
Gift of Northumberland Players

Wonderful set design evocative of the innocence of small town America

From All My Sons – Andrew Oxenham

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Richard Howard Award
Gift of Richard Howard

This is a director’s award consisting of a Theatre Ontario Summer Course of the winner’s choosing. The award is not a runner up prize to Best Director nor is to be necessarily given to the winner of the award for Best Director – so the winner here could still win Best Director.

In this case the award is given to a first time director who I feel from seeing his work shows tremendous promise and deserves to encouraged to continue to build his skills and contribute them to the theatre scene in his community.

The award goes to 
William Walker - All My Sons – Borelians Community Theatre

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Best Actress in a Leading Role
Gift of Domino Theatre - Kingston

Heather Bonham as Bonnie in Homeward Bound – Domino Theatre
Ruth Smith as Kate Keller in All My Sons – Borelians Community Theatre
Jennifer Kersley as Maureen in The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Natasha Frid as Robin in Me and My Friend – Burlington Little Theatre
Dia Frid as Julia – Me and My Friend – Burlington Little Theatre

And the winner is:
 Ruth Smith as Kate Keller in All My Sons
Borelians Community Theatre

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Best Actor in a Leading Role
Gift of EODL

Peter Aston as Glen –in Homeward Bound – Domino Theatre
Graham Clements as Bunny in Me and My Friend – Burlington Little Theatre
Peter Churey as Oz in Me and My Friend – Burlington Little Theatre
David Robinson as Joe Keller in All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre
Dave McKay as Chris Keller in All My Sons – Borelian’s Community Theatre

It’s not unheard of to do this but not usual either,  however in this case I felt it was particularly appropriate that this award be shared by both Bunny and Oz

Graham Clements and Peter Churey from Me and My Friend
Burlington Little Theatre.

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The Remaining Adjudicator Awards
Gift of Gabe Ferrazzo

For their wonderful work as a couple bringing humour, charm
and intelligence to their respective roles:

Heather Bonham and Peter Aston as Bonnie and Glen respectively in
Homeward Bound – Domino Theatre 

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Adjudicator Award
Gift of Festival Friends 2001 in memory of Bruno Morrowetz

For a chilling performance that gave us humour and
pathos in a well balanced performance

Jennifer Kersley as Maureen Folan in The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Family Life Theatre

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Adjudicator Award
Gift of Markham Little Theatre in Memory of Lillian Sievanen

For a charming and touching supporting performance that brought some light
to an otherwise bleak emotional landscape:

Chuck Holgate as Pato Dooley in The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Family Life Theatre

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Best Director
Gift of Peterborough Theatre Guild

William Walker - All My Sons – Borelians Community Theatre
Tom Mackan – Me and My Friend – Burlington Little Theatre
Michael Hennesy – The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Family Life Theatre
 

And the winner is:
Tom Mackan – Me and My Friend
Burlington Little Theatre

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Best Production – (The Elsie)
Gift of the Elsie Fund

All productions were carefully considered for the Elsie.  They were all shows that deserved to be showcased here at Theatre Ontario as representative of the best in Community Theatre in the province. 

The show that best met in my view, the artistic and technical challenges presented by the play,  the winner of the Elsie for 2001 is: 

Me and My Friend
Burlington Little Theatre