Western Ontario Theatre Festival 2004 ends
Theatre Woodstock spent the last week hosting the five wonderful productions in this year's Western Ontario Theatre Festival at The Market Centre. The five participating groups were Theatre Sarnia with their production of Weekend Comedy, Thistle Theatre with their production of Fiddler on the Roof, Elora Community Theatre with their production of Dancing at Lughnasa, Owen Sound Little Theatre with their production of The Drawer Boy, and Theatre Woodstock with their production of Love Letters. The Festival adjudicator Allan Stratton announced his nominations and award winners last evening at the Awards Ball held at the Quality Hotel and Suites in the ballroom before a crowd of nearly three hundred.
The big winner was Thistle Theatre's Fiddler on the Roof which gathered Best Production, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Direction to Keith Garner, Outstanding Performance by a Juvenile to Jennifer Prole as Chava, Best Visual Production - Keith Garner, Sharon Meek, Bernice Dickout, Sue Langlois, Ann Parker, Phoebe Campbell, Karen Ross, Sarah McIntosh, Ashley Hayward, Darren Hazeleger and Lori Smith, and a Special Adjudicator's Award for their preshow decor, sound and greeters - Ed Williams, Jeanette Alyea, Judy Hayward and Gerald Alyea. The production also gathered acting nominations for Wendy Marshall, Andrew Norris, Sandra Smith, Jackie Koot and Andy Brockway. This production will go on to represent the Western Ontario Drama League at the Theatre Ontario Festival in Sault Ste. Marie May 18 to 23.
Theatre Woodstock's Love Letters earned both its actors awards. Lesley Quesnelle won for Outstanding Performance of an Actress in a Major Role and Jeff Surridge won for Most Promising new Actor, the director Peter Pownall won a Special Adjudicator's Award for Innovation in an Abstract Space. The production also gathered nominations for Best Visual Production, Outstanding Direction, and Best Production.
Theatre Sarnia went home with awards to Greg Harold for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a supporting Role, a Special Adjudicator's Award to John L'Heureux and the technical crew for Inventive Scene Changes. They also received acting nominations for Shauna Young, Jane Janes and Bill Mayea. Other nominations included Best Visual Production, Outstanding Technical Achievement, Outstanding Direction and Best Production.
Elora Community Theatre received the Rubin Cardinell Award for Best Coordinated Production, a Special Adjudicator's Award to Niamh Meyers for choreography, Deb Deckert won Outstanding Performance of an Actress in a Supporting Role. Acting nominations were received for Carlo Adamo and Lauren Stoveld. Other nominations included Outstanding Direction and Best Production.
Owen Sound Little Theatre received the award for Outstanding Technical Achievement, Bud Jolley won for Outstanding Performance of an Actor in a Major Role. Acting nominations were received for Bill Murphy and Ben Cassidy. Other nominations included Outstanding Direction and Best Production.
Many thanks were offered to Theatre Woodstock for their organization and efforts to make this week so special. A feature of the Awards Ball was a presentation by members of Theatre Woodstock's CAST Theatre Company presenting excerpts from Honk Jr., The Music Man Jr., and The Wizard of Oz. These highly entertaining and spirited performances by a large group of young people was introduced by Jennifer Paquette the Artistic Director of CAST.
For further information contact Brian George 539 4987 bdgeorge@execulink.com
Release dated: 21 March 2004
