For the 2026 Awrds we met at a board room at the Globe and Mail courtesy Aisling Murphy for a potluck dinner (the food was delicious). Previously to the meeting, we had submitted two names for each of the categories. Some categories needed little discussion because most of us were on the same page with our nominees. In other cases, where nominations were all over the map, a consensus had to be found and that’s where the deep debates were centred.
When I look over the final list, I think it’s a fine reflection of the theatre season just past, but there are several stand outs for me. In choreography, there is the amazing uber talented Alyssa Martin (Dance Nation) being recognized along side world renown Christopher Wheeldon (MJ) and holding her own; then there’s young Thomas Winiker (Kimberly Akimbo) in supporting actor showing such incredible promise; and costume designer Melanie McNeill (Night at the Grand Guignol) from a tiny company with a miniscule budget winning over much bigger names; and finally both Sophia Walker (Slave Play) and Nicholas Eddie (Bug) who could have won for other remarkable performances they gave this year and not just the ones they won for. i’m especially pleased about the special citation voted for Eldritch Theatre and Eric Woolfe which continues to explore all the possibilities within the horror genre, providing endless evenings of entertainment as they do.
And so it’s on to next season and, we hope, its many theatrical gifts to come.