Theatre at UBC
Awards - Current
Leos Roar for UBC Theatre & Film
Congratulations to our many students faculty and alumni from UBC Theatre & Film whose artistry was recognised by Leo Awards this year and kudos to those who’s work received a Leo.
The Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Foundation of British Columbia is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to celebrate and promote the achievements of the British Columbia film and television industry through the presentation of an annual awards program – the Leo Awards.
...and the UBC Department of Theatre and Film’s 2014 Leo Awards winners are:
FACULTY
Best Motion Picture
Down River
James Brown, Ben Ratner, Andrew Halliwell, Jack Ong - Producers
Features the performance of UBC Theatre & English professor Jerry Wasserman
STUDENT
Best Student Production
Backward Fall (BFA 3rd Year Film Production project)
Film alumni Andrew Pollins, Mackenzie Bowen, James C. Gill, Mitchell Allen - Producers
ALUMNI
Best Television Movie
Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story
Howard Baldwin, Karen Baldwin, Shawn Williamson, Stephen Hegyes, Ian Dimmerman, William J. Immerman, Mike Ilitch Jr., Brendon Sawatsky, Brendan Ferguson – Producers
The film starred alumnus Michael Shanks (BFA Acting Theatre & Film) as Gordie Howe
Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Television Movie
Michael Shanks (BFA Acting Theatre & Film)
Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story
Best Screenwriting in a Dramatic Series
Simon Barry (Film Production Alumnus)
Continuum, Episode: Second Guessed
Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
Camille Sullivan (BFA Acting Theatre & Film)
Played, Episode: Secrets
Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama
Ryan Beil (BFA Acting Theatre and Film) Acting
Anxious Oswald Greene
Of the 15 nominations the film received, the cast and crew were awarded 13 statuettes, including the big prize for Best Short Drama, in addition to Best Direction, Best Screenwriting, Best Cinematography, Best Musical Score and Best Performance by a Male, all in the Short Drama category. In the 16 years the Motion Picture Arts & Sciences Foundation of BC has hosted the Leos, this is the most awards a single program has ever won.
For a full list of the 2014 Leo Award recipients see http://www.leoawards.com
Leo Nominations – Theatre & Film at UBC
Huge congratulations to our talented students, alumni and faculty who have had work recognized at this year’s Leo Award Nominations.
The many notable works include the Best Motion Picture nominated film Down River, which featured a performance by UBC Theatre & English professor Jerry Wasserman and leads this year’s Leo awards film nominations with 13 nods.
Down River was followed closely by another Best Film nominee, BFA Acting alumnus Matthew Kowalchuk and Film alumna Mary Anne Waterhouse (Producers) Lawrence & Holloman, which received 9 nominations including both a Best Screen Writing & Best Direction nod for Kowalchuk.
The bio-pic Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story leads the TV movie program with a dozen nominations a number of which recognised our alumni – including a Best Lead Actor nod for BFA Acting alumnus Michael Shanks.
BFA acting alumna Meghan Gardiner’s Stalled was a standout in the Short Drama category with nods for Best Short Drama, Best Direction, Best Picture Editing and Best Sound.
We heartily congratulate all everyone below on their nominations. For a complete list of nominees in all 13 programs visit leoawards.com.
STUDENT
Best Student Production
Backward Fall (BFA 3rd Year Film project)
Film alumni Andrew Pollins, Mackenzie Bowen,
James C. Gill, Mitchell Allen - Producers
The Lost Patriot (BFA 3rd Year Film project)
Film alumni Josh Havelka, Nova Zheng,
Stella Creary, James C. Gill – Producers
Best Cinematography in a Short Drama
Backward Fall
James C. Gill (Current BFA 3rd year Film student)
Best Picture Editing in a Short Drama
Backward Fall
Ian Holliday (3rd year BFA Film student)
Best Production Design in a Short Drama
Nova Zheng (3rd year BFA Film student)
The Lost Patriot
ALUMNI
Best Motion Picture
Lawrence & Holloman
Matthew Kowalchuk (BFA Acting alumnus),
Mary Anne Waterhouse (Film alumna) with Paul Armstrong, Daniel Arnold, Andrew Currie, Robyn Wiener – Producers
3 Days in Havana
Gil Bellows, Tony Pantages, Sidney Chiu (Film alumnus) - Producers
Cinemanovels
Terry Miles (MFA Creative Writing/Film alumnus), Kristine Cofsky, Lauren Lee Smith - Producers
Stress Position
Film alumni Amy Belling, Jessica Cheung, A. J. Bond - Producers
That Burning Feeling
Jason James, Marc Stephenson,
Mary Anne Waterhouse (Film alumna), Nick Citton - Producers
Best Direction of a Motion Picture
Matthew Kowalchuk (BFA Acting alumnus)
Lawrence & Holloman
Terry Miles (MFA Creative Writing/Film alumnus)
Cinemanovels
A. J. Bond (Film alumnus)
Stress Position
Bruce Sweeney (Film alumnus)
The Dick Knost Show
Best Screenwriting in a Motion Picture
Matthew Kowalchuk (BFA Acting) with Daniel Arnold
Lawrence & Holloman
Terry Miles (MFA Creative Writing/Film alumnus)
Cinemanovels
Best Cinematography in a Motion Picture
Amy Belling (Film alumna)
Stress Position
James Liston (Film alumnus)
That Burning Feeling
Best Picture Editing in a Motion Picture
Lara Mazur, Fredrik Thorsen (Film alumnus)
Sitting on the Edge of Marlene
Best Television Movie
Delete
Shawn Williamson, Chris Oshea Daly, Douglas G. Davis,
Jonathan Shore, Daniel Clarke, Mary Anne Waterhouse (Film alumna) - Producers
Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story
Howard Baldwin, Karen Baldwin, Shawn Williamson,
Stephen Hegyes, Ian Dimmerman, William J. Immerman,
Mike Ilitch Jr., Brendon Sawatsky, Brendan Ferguson - Producers
Best Overall Sound in a Television Movie
Kelly Cole, Bill Mellow, Chris Gilling (Film alumnus)
Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story
Best Lead Performance by a Male in a Television Movie
Michael Shanks (BFA Acting)
Mr. Hockey: The Gordie Howe Story
Best Direction in a Dramatic Series
Simon Barry (Film alumnus)
Continuum - Second Guessed
William Waring (Film alumnus)
Continuum - Second Skin
Best Screenwriting in a Dramatic Series
Simon Barry (Film Alumnus)
Continuum - Second Time
Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Series
Alison Grace (Film alumna)
Motive - Public Enemy
Stirling Bancroft
Hunt for the Mad Trapper
Best Guest Performance by a Female in a Dramatic Series
Camille Sullivan (BFA Acting)
Played – Secrets
Best Cinematography in a Documentary Program or Series
Charles Wilkinson (Film alumnus), Tina Schliessler
Oil Sands Karaoke
Best Short Drama
Megan Gardiner’s (BFA Acting) Stalled, David Lewis – Producer
Best Performance by a Male in a Short Drama
Ryan Beil
Anxious Oswald Greene
Best Web Series
Fools For Hire
Mike Cavers (BFA Acting) , Nicholas Harrison (PhD Theatre) with Neil Every, – Producers
Best Performance by a Male in a Web Series
Torrance Coombs (BFA Acting)
Polaris - Adrift - Part 1
The 2014 Leo Awards will be held over three nights from May 30 to June 1 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. For more information see leoawards.com
Alumni Receive 2013 Dora Awards
Toronto’s professional theatre awards, The Dora Mavor Moore Awards, have recognized the work of three of our talented alumni.
We couldn’t be more proud of them:
Astrid Janson – MA Theatre Design
This year’s 2013 Dora recipients include our very accomplished alumna Astrid Janson who earned an award for Outstanding Costume Design in the Independent Theatre Division for The War of 1812 (Videocabaret & Young Centre for the Performing Arts). Janson’s work as a production/set and costume designer has been seen across Canada, in Paris, N.Y, Amsterdam and Berlin. She has designed theatre, opera, dance and film projects for the National Ballet, The Stratford Festival, Canadian Stage, The National Arts Centre, Soulpepper and many films and television specials. Significant exhibition work includes Expo '86 and a Discovery Gallery for the ROM. Awards include 14 Dora Mavor Moore Awards, The Silver Ticket Award for Lifetime Achievement In The Theatre. She has also received a Toronto Drama Bench Award for Significant Contribution to Theatre and the 2004 Gemini Award for Production Design.
Gavin Crawford – BFA Acting
Congratulations to Gavin Crawford who earned a Dora for Outstanding Performance/Independent Theatre for his role in Sky Gilbert’s A Few Brittle Leaves (Buddies In Bad Times). In his acceptance speech, Crawford, formerly a cast member of CBC’s This Hour Has 22 Minutes, espoused the value of theatre as an art form.
I left 22 Minutes because I wanted to do something interesting,” he explained. “Don’t do something because it’s good, do something because it’s interesting. Don’t do something because it’s lucrative, do it because it’s interesting.”
In the coming months Crawford takes his acclaimed new solo show, Sh**ting Rainbows, to Just For Laughs in July and the Edinburgh Festival.
Also look to CBC TV online to Gavin’s hilarious Little Britain-style ode to Western Canada, Gavin Crawford’s Wild, Wild West, at the link: http://www.cbc.ca
Bruce Dow – BFA Acting/MFA Directing
In the Musical Theatre Division of the Dora’s alumnus Bruce Dow, a Stratford Festival and Broadway veteran, won for Outstanding Performance for his work in Alistair Newton’s Of a Monstrous Child: A Gaga Musical (Buddies in Bad Times). Dow, who‘s taking a season off from Stratford, was honoured by the Toronto Theatre Critics’ Awards earlier this year for the same role.
Other recent acting credits for Dow include "Nick Bottom" in A Midsumer Night’s Dream at The Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, D.C. On Broadway he portrayed King Herod in the Tony® nominated Stratford Shakespeare Festival production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Neil Simon Theatre in NYC. The production originated at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival in their 2011 season, and after Broadway continued on to the La Jolla Playhouse.
Kudos to all three of our alumni on receiving Dora’s this year – and best wishes for continued success and fulfillment their craft.
Alumni Sweep Directing Category at 31st Annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards
(Photo: Chelsea Haberlin. Credit: Ryan McDonald)
Congratulations to all our alumni who received a Jessie Richardson Award at the 31st Annual awards night held Monday, June 24th in the Commodore Ballroom. This year’s theatre season saw over 72 productions registered from 41 companies, and included 25 new scripts. Theatre at UBC alumni swept the directing awards, with MFA Acting alumna Johnna Wright taking Outstanding Directing Large Theatre, and Craig Holzschuh earning the very competitive category of Outstanding Directing Small Theatre. Also our newly minted MFA Directing (2013) alumna Chelsea Haberlin earned the coveted Ray Michal Prize for Most Promising New Director.
Kudos to our many alumni who were nominated, and to the following who brought Jessie home:
LARGE THEATRE
Outstanding Direction, Large Theatre
BFA Acting alumna Johnna Wright | The Merry Wives of Windsor - Bard on the Beach
SMALL THEATRE
Outstanding Lighting Design, Small Theatre
BFA Design alumnus Alan Brodie | Terminus - Pi Theatre
Outstanding Direction, Small Theatre
MFA Directing alumnus Craig Holzschuh | Porc-épic - Théâtre la Seizième
The Mary Philips Award for Behind-the-Scenes Achievement
BA Acting alumna Tanya Dixon-Warren
GVPTA Career Achievement Award
BA English alumna Anna Hagan (and Terence Kelly)
The Ray Michal Prize for Most Promising New Director
MFA Directing (‘13) alumna Chelsea Haberlin
For a complete list of recipients see http://www.jessies.ca/
Alumni Nominated for 2013 OVATION! Awards
The nominees for the 9th Annual OVATION! Awards, celebrating the musicals of 2012 have been announced. Vote for any of the productions nominated which you thought were outstanding in 2012 at www.applausemusicals.com Voting closes January 25th at midnight and the awards ceremony will take place Saturday January 27th. A hearty congratulations to all our alumni nominated for this year’s OVATION! Awards – and here they are:
Outstanding Production
Fiddler On The Roof, Gateway Theatre, Director MFA Directing alumnus Chris McGregor
The Music Man, Theatre Under The Stars, Director MFA Directing alumna Sarah Rodgers
Outstanding Ensemble Production & Outstanding New Work
Flop! Delinquent Theatre (alumna founded, Christine Quintana BFA Acting)
Outstanding Director
MFA Directing alumnus Chris McGregor, Fiddler on the Roof - Gateway Theatre
MFA Directing alumna Sarah Rodgers, The Music Man - Theatre Under The Stars
Outstanding Set Design
BFA Design alumnus Al Frisk, The Marvelous Wonderettes - Hey Look It's A Co-Op
Profess Emeritus Alison Green, High Society - Arts Club Theatre Company
BFA Design alumnus Lauchlin Johnston, Music Man/Titanic - Theatre Under The Stars
BFA Design alumnus Marshall McMahen, Chelsea Hotel - Firehall Arts Centre
Outstanding New Work
Dumped! A New Musical Comedy, Sketch Café (featuring alumna Jenn Suratoes MA Theatre Studies)
Outstanding Director
MFA Directing alumnus Chris McGregor, Fiddler on the Roof - Gateway Theatre
MFA Directing alumna Sarah Rodgers, The Music Man - Theatre Under The Stars
Outstanding Set Design
BFA Design alumnus Drew Facey, Fiddler on the Roof - Gateway Theatre
BFA Design alumnus Al Frisk, The Marvelous Wonderettes - Hey Look It's A Co-Op
Professor Emetitus Alison Green, High Society - Arts Club Theatre Company
BFA Design alumnus Lauchlin Johnston, Music Man/Titanic - Theatre Under The Stars
BFA Design alumnus Marshall McMahen, Chelsea Hotel - Firehall Arts Centre
Grant Windsor, Victor Victoria - Metro Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
BFA Design alumnus Phillip Clarkson, High Society - Arts Club Theatre Company
BFA Design alumnus Rebekka Sorensen, Xanadu - Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding Lighting Design
BFA Design alumnus Alan Brodie, Fiddler on the Roof – Gateway Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance – Male
BFA Acting alumnus David Adams, Fiddler on the Roof - Gateway Theatre
Outstanding Gypsy – Female
BFA Acting alumna Emma Middleton, Fiddler on the Roof
Voting closes January 25th Midnight
