Sunday 18 May 2014

T. O. Festival 2014 # 5: A Postcript

Before signing off on this year's Festival, there are a few additional observations I would like to make.


This Festival was full of tough, challenging scripts that stretched performers, technicians, designers, directors, and audiences -- and me -- every which way.  My opinion may seem heretical in some quarters, but I would rather have a Festival full of this kind of difficult work from any and all countries than an all-Canadian festival if the Canadian works in question are going to be plays that are too easy-peasy.


The detailed adjudications held the morning after the performances were among the best I have ever seen, because of the unusual and provocative questions tossed out by adjudicator Bea Quarrie.  They were also some of the funniest and best-timed performances of the week by Quarrie and the members of the performing companies, and I pity anyone who missed them.  The adjudication of Lenin's Embalmers in particular was even more hysterical than the already-hilarious performance!  But with all that, there was an extraordinary amount to learn by listening in.  Thanks to all for putting so much into the adjudication process so that we who listened could take so much out and away from these discussions.


I want to extend hearty thanks and congratulations to the Festival Committee from Theatre Sarnia.  Hospitality has been wonderful all week, the events have all run smoothly, and the awards brunch was smoothly-organized with excellent food.  What a terrific week of live theatre and good fellowship!  And what a great way to make new friends and reunite with old ones from theatres from all over the province!


To all who so kindly shared the links of this blog, and commented on it to me in person, my thanks.  If you would like to comment directly on any of the blog posts, please feel free!  Also, please note that this blog continues on to cover many performing arts events of all kinds.  If you'd like to follow it, just pop your email address into the window on the left side of the page and you will get an email notice every time I publish a post.  Good things coming up, too:  Stratford and Shaw, the remount of Angels in America at Soulpepper, music from the Festival of the Sound in July and so much more.  And if you are a classical music fan, there's my other blog, an exploration of unusual and rare classical music and classical composers:   offthebeatenstaff.blogspot.com


With apologies to Richard Howard:  "We love it when you read our blogs.  Come back and read some more soon!"


And now, for those who weren't able to attend in person, a list of the Festival award winners:


[1]  Adjudicator's Award for Clarity of Vision: 

Cast & Crew of Doubt (Theatre Kent)


[2]  Adjudicator's Award for Risk Taking Performance: 

Fabian Levy-Hara ("Stalin"), Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[3]  Adjudicator's Award for Ensemble Acting:

Cast of Glengarry Glen Ross (Gateway Theatre Guild)


[4]  Adjudicator's Award for Risk Takers:

Company of The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Peterborough Theatre Guild)


[5]  Adjudicator's Award for Unsung Heroes (of Set Construction):

Set Construction Crew of Doubt (Theatre Kent)


[6]  Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Major Role:

Mark Hayward ("Vlad"), Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[7]  Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Major Role:

Alex Saul ("Maureen"), The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Peterborough Theatre Guild)


[8]  Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Supporting Role:

Brandon Moore ("Krasin"), Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[9]  Outstanding Performance by a Female in a Supporting Role:

Tamara Van Bakel ("Nadia 1/2/3"), Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[10]  Technical Achievement:

John Hunter (for soundscape), Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[11]  Visual Presentation:

(for spectacular set) Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[12]  Outstanding Coordinated Production (chosen by the Festival Stage Manager):

Glengarry Glen Ross (Gateway Theatre Guild)


[13]  Outstanding Director: 

Joan Burrows, Lenin's Embalmers (Curtain Club)


[14]  Best Production "The Elsie":

The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Peterborough Theatre Guild)


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