PREAWARDS2000

W.O.D.L. PRE-FESTIVAL AWARDS 2000-2001
PRELIMINARY ADJUDICATOR:
Karen Rickers

FINAL REPORT FROM :
Preliminary Adjudicator, 2000-2001,
Karen Rickers,
February 17, 2001

TO:
THE EXECUTIVE,
Western Ontario Drama League.

Thank you for the opportunity to participate in Festival 2001 as preliminary adjudicator. It¹s been an enriching experience to travel to the various community theatre groups in western Ontario, and to see the work of the many talented actors, directors and artisans of WODL.

Despite a batch of difficult weather, my visits were fulfilling and fruitful.

I¹d like to thank the many groups who received my suggestions with openness, and in the spirit they were offered. As well, I very much appreciated the hospitality provided by the groups, which allowed me to do my job in a
more relaxed condition than the travel and intense schedule would otherwise have allowed.

As is often the case, I saw a great range of theatrical experiences during the preliminary adjudication, both in genre and in quality. Since we all create from our personal level of confidence and competence, there are WODL member groups producing theatre at a level of enthusiastic apprenticeship, while others (including several of the companies bringing plays to Festival this year) create productions which could be hosted with pride at our
province¹s professional theatres.

Two years ago, I reported to the WODL Board that the groups in general would benefit from further training in the area of directing, and I believe that, with notable exceptions, this is still the case. Since the director of
a production has enormous opportunity to influence, not only the shape of an individual production, but also the development of actors and crew, I don't believe that the need to provide training opportunities to community
directors can ever be overstated. Ample funds to attend courses, such as the Theatre Ontario Summer Courses, would be put to good use in the communities from which attendees were drawn.

This year, it became more evident to me that many community theatre actors aren¹t aware of exactly how an actor should prepare for a role. I witnessed, in my travels, actors who would benefit from learning just how much background work is required so that, once on stage, they can easily commit to the on stage and off stage life of a character, and simply (be) on stage. This would help them do less (acting), and more living in the moment
during performances.

I also believe that WODL has an enormous resource of excellent directors, actors, designers and crew members who might pass on their expertise to less experienced members of the WODL theatre community. It might be possible to create opportunities for these individuals to become (mentor) artists both within their group and to other WODL member groups. The level of quality in the subsequent productions would certainly benefit from this sharing of knowledge.

Thank you again for the marvellous opportunity to act as preliminary adjudicator, and I wish all the participating groups an enriching experience at Festival 2001.

The five finalists in order of performance are:
MONDAY	Owen Sound Little Theatre	Cosi
TUESDAY	St. Mary's Community Players	Heart's Desire
WEDNESDAY	Kincardine Theatre Guild	Greater Tuna
THURSDAY	Burlington Little Theatre	Me & My Friend
FRIDAY	Galt Little Theatre	I Won't Tell A Soul

The Pre-Festival Awards

Nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Major Role:

Lynda Nevins as Grandma Kurnitz in Lost In Yonkers, Theatre Tillsonburg
Amy Neufeld as Olivia in Twelfth Night, KW Little Theatre
Virgina Kelly as Anne Grant in Visiting Hours, London Community Players
Nancy Forde as West in Thirteen Hands, Elora Community Players

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Major Role:

Amy Neufeld
as Olivia in Twelfth Night, KW Little Theatre.

*
Nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Major Role:

Scott Broe as Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey, Aldershot Players
Michael Grant as Bob Phillips in How the Other Half Loves, Elmira Theatre Company
Rene Byhnani as Archie Fellowes in Shop at Sly Corner, Dundas Little Theatre
Larry McCullough as Donnie in The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Major Role:

Larry McCullough
as Donnie in The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild

*
Nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Andrew Norris as Marcellus Washburn in The Music Man, Thistle Theatre
Ken Harkes as William Detweiler in How The Other Half Loves, Elmira Theatre Company
Glen Cerenzia as Gary Peter Lefkowitz in I Hate Hamlet, Guelph LittleTheatre
David Pettitt as Christopher Wren in The Mouse Trap, Theatre Kent

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

Glen Cerenzia
as Gary Peter Lefkowitz in I Hate Hamlet, Guelph LittleTheatre

*
Nominations for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Carol Robinson-Todd as Ellie Young in Office Hours, Ingersoll Theatre of the Performing Arts
Anne Redish as Mathilde Heiss in Shop at Sly Corner, Dundas Little Theatre
Meaghan Hobbs as Hilary in Tribute, Theatre Sarnia
Christa Manning as Rosalind in Moon Over Buffalo, Woodstock Little Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:

Carol Robinson-Todd
as Ellie Young in Office Hours, Ingersoll Theatre of the Performing Arts

*
Nominations for Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile:

Terri Pearson as Zaneeta Shin in The Music Man, Thistle Theatre
Rachel Sapiano as Esther in Meet Me In St. Louis, RCMP
Craig Covey as Arthur Kurnitz in Lost in Yonkers, Theatre Tillsonburg
Scott Moyle as Sebastian in Twelfth Night, KW Little Theatre

Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile:

Rachel Sapiano
as Esther in Meet Me In St. Louis, RCMP

*
Best Visually Co-ordinated Costumes of a Non-rental Nature:

The Music Man, Thistle Theatre
Tribute, Theatre Sarnia
Cosi, Owen Sound Little Theatre
The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild

Best Visually Co-ordinated Costumes of a Non-rental Nature:

The Music Man, Thistle Theatre

*
Outstanding Direction

Tammy Sadler, The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild
Keith Garner, The Music Man, Thistle Theatre
Dan Kelley, How The Other Half Loves, Elmira Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction

Tammy Sadler
The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild

*
Most Promising New Actor or Actress

Alana da Silva as Maria in Twelfth Night, KW Little Theatre
Scott Marshall as Tommy Djilas in The Music Man, Thistle Theatre
Jayne Gerber as Marion Paroux in The Music Man, Thistle Theatre

Most Promising New Actor or Actress

Jayne Gerber
as Marion Paroux in The Music Man, Thistle Theatre

*
Outstanding Ensemble Production

The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild
Meet Me In St. Louis, RCMP
Tribute, Theatre Sarnia

Outstanding Ensemble Production

The Foursome, Elgin Theatre Guild

*
Outstanding Lighting Design and Execution

Brian Davidson, Cosi, Owen Sound Little Theatre
The team, I Won't Tell A Soul, Galt Little Theatre
Rob Coles, Visiting Hours, London Community Players
Fred Hadley, Tribute, Theatre Sarnia

Outstanding Lighting Design and Execution

Brian Davidson
Cosi, Owen Sound Little Theatre