PREAWARDS2000

W.O.D.L. PRE-FESTIVAL AWARDS 2001-2002
PRELIMINARY ADJUDICATOR:
Brian Van Norman

FINAL REPORT FROM :
Preliminary Adjudicator, 2001-2002,
Brian Van Norman,
February 17, 2002

TO:
THE EXECUTIVE,
Western Ontario Drama League.

To begin, I wish to offer my thanks for the opportunity to have participated in Festival 2002 as preliminary adjudicator, and to add that I enjoyed the experience immensely. During my brief tenure as adjudicator I found enrichment, affirmation, companionship and surprise in the variety of venues, numbers of people, and range of productions I witnessed. It was wonderful to see and share the commitment and passion of the many talented participants in the WODL.

My understanding of this Report to the Board is that it should reflect what I have observed over the past few months of adjudication, and make any suggestions I deem reasonable in order to augment the quality of productions or adjudication in the Festival. I hope my observations will prove amenable to the Board.

Having requested a tour of each Company’s backstage I discovered a considerable variation in facilities from the most basic of technical instrumentation in sound, light and deck space to theatres which equalled some professional venues. This allowed me to understand the limitations of each production outside of my conversations with actors, directors and artisans. I experienced an exceptional variety of productions both in genre and in quality during the preliminary adjudications and felt a great deal of that variety was precluded by the physical plant of each Company’s space. I’d like to suggest that future preliminary adjudicators follow the same pattern and tour each Company’s space,perhaps between the public and private adjudications. I feel such a tour would offer the adjudicator more insight into the choices being made in each production, and a common ground from which to base his or her comments in the private adjudications.

While I’m on the topic of technical apparatus and the need for Companies to upgrade their equipment, I’d like to suggest that the WODL employ its organizational size to tender contracts to theatrical suppliers as an entire group, rather than as individual theatres, and in so doing purchase in bulk the materials needed. At an annual meeting, say, an agenda item might consider the common needs of theatres, and after discussion and agreement, a number of theatres might contemplate pooling a part of their designated financial resources under WODL auspices to purchase new hardware, software, lamp bulbs, make up, and so on in quantities which would permit a theatrical supplier to provide these items at lower prices. I believe this would save all of the WODL Companies a great deal of money, and perhaps enable some to purchase equipment which they would not otherwise have been able to acquire.

Several of the performances I witnessed were superb and a few of the directors quite competent though I did find that, on the whole, more education on the parts of actors and directors would benefit their productions. I have read Karen Rickers’ Report to the Board/2001 and agree with her observation that a number of actors and directors seem unaware of the complexities of preparation for a role and the use of the discovery process in rehearsal. While Ms. Rickers indicates generally that individuals from within WODL might pass on their expertise and become ‘mentor’ artists, I have a more specific suggestion which may help in the development of performances and productions within the WODL.

I would like to suggest that the WODL compile a list of ‘play polishers’. These individuals would agree to be accessible to all member Companies of the WODL in order to help directors improve their productions. These play polishers would in no way be encouraged to re-make productions in their own image but simply offer suggestions to directors regarding alternative choices. These play polishers would not speak to actors, technicians or artisans of Companies unless authorized by the director. The play polishers could be drawn from a variety of sources including: directors of consistent reputation within the WODL, former adjudicators and respected play polishers, professional actors and directors, and established teachers and coaches of theatre arts.

Should the WODL consider this suggestion a valid one, I would further add that to ensure play polishers do not overreach their mandates it might be a good idea for WODL members to prepare a guideline for play polishers and an evaluation form for those Companies who have employed their services. In this manner, the WODL will discover and retain only sincere ‘mentors’ who understand the process and philosophy of play polishing in its most genuine form. Of course, in order for this process to work, directors and other participants must be prepared to set aside defensive postures and accept a play polisher’s suggestions as an objective analysis of their part in the production.

Once again, I offer my thanks for the opportunity to enjoy so many fine and varied productions, and for the chance to offer some suggestions which might augment the experience of the WODL Festival for all involved: performers, producers, directors, artisans, technicians, the audience, and… adjudicators.

The five finalists in order of performance are:
MONDAY	Elmira Theatre Company	BELLES
TUESDAY	Kincardine Theatre Guild	AN INSPECTOR CALLS
WEDNESDAY	Theatre Kent	LES BELLES SOEURS
THURSDAY	Burlington Little Theatre	ELEEMOSYNARY
FRIDAY	Theatre Woodstock	THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

The Pre-Festival Awards

The Audrey Vale Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Major Role:
Nominations:

Heather Hunter – Grace – “Saving Grace” – Aldershot Players
JoAnn Oke – Trisha – “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” – Guelph Little Theatre
Dorothy Clifton – Abby Brewster – “Arsenic and Old Lace”– Theatre Sarnia

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Major Role:

DOROTHY CLIFTON – Abby Brewster
“Arsenic and Old Lace”– Theatre Sarnia
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The Pete Petley Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Major Role:

Chris Hayward – Lee Melville – “The Melville Boys” – Theatre Tillsonburg
Aubrey Boothman – Ethan Claymore – “Ethan Claymore” – Binbrook Little Theatre
Matt John Evans – Starbuck – “The Rainmaker” – Owen Sound Little Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Major Role:

MATT JOHN EVANS – Starbuck
“The Rainmaker” – Owen Sound Little Theatre

*
The London Community Players Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role:
Nominations:

Maureen Crichton – Martha Brewster – “Arsenic and Old Lace” – Theatre Sarnia
Andrea Hutchison – Suzanne – “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” – Elgin Theatre Guild
Cindy Faria – Rizzo – “Grease” – Galt Little Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role

CINDY FARIA – Rizzo
“Grease” – Galt Little Theatre

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

John R. Smith – Douglas McLaren – “Ethan Claymore” – Thistle Theatre
Paul Flood – H.C. Curry – “The Rainmaker” – Owen Sound Little Theatre
Jonathan C. Dietrich – Benedick – “Much Ado About Nothing” - KW Little Theatre

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role:

JONATHAN C. DIETRICH – Benedick
“Much Ado About Nothing” - KW Little Theatre

*
The Hadley Award for Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile
Nominations:

No Nominations

Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile:

JUSTIN VELDMAN – Young Martin
“Ethan Claymore” - Thistle Theatre

*
The Anne Reaume & Mark Mooney sponsored award for Outstanding Direction:
Nominations:

Claudia Staines – “The Rainmaker” – Owen Sound Little Theatre
Marilyn Baron – “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” – Elgin Theatre Guild
Mark Smith – “The Melville Boys” - Theatre Tillsonburg

Outstanding Direction:

MARK SMITH
“The Melville Boys” - Theatre Tillsonburg
*
The Theatre Kent Award for Most Promising Newcomer:
Nominations:

Dean Rooney – Douglas McLaren – “Ethan Claymore” – Binbrook Little Theatre
Fern Tepperman – Ursula Westerby – “There Goes The Bride” – London Community Players
Fergus Kelly – File – “The Rainmaker” - Owen Sound Little Theatre

Most Promising Newcomer:

FERGUS KELLY – File
“The Rainmaker” - Owen Sound Little Theatre

*
The Fred Townsend Memorial Award for Outstanding Ensemble Performance:
Nominations:

The Cast of “Grease” – Galt Little Theatre
The Cast of “The Melville Boys” – Theatre Tillsonburg
The Cast of “Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” - Guelph Little Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

THE CAST
“Five Women Wearing the Same Dress” - Guelph Little Theatre

*
The Molly Yearham Memorial Award for Best Visually Co-ordinated Costumes:
Nominations:

Sue & Tom Langlois – “Ethan Claymore” – Thistle Theatre
Jennifer Spiering, Kate Oliver – “Picasso at the Lapin Agile” – Elgin Theatre Guild
Holly Mayea, Norma Wennin – “Arsenic and Old Lace” - Theatre Sarnia

Best Visually Co-ordinated Costumes:

HOLLY MAYEA, NORMA WENNIN
“Arsenic and Old Lace” - Theatre Sarnia

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Special Adjudicator’s Awards of Merit,
The gift of John Snowdon and Owen Sound Little Theatre
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A Special Adjudicator’s Award of Merit:

Outstanding Stage Management:
JIM BATH “Grease”
Galt Little Theatre