The 3rd Annual King Edward Tea Society (KETS) Awards for Theatre, 2013 were compiled on Monday, December 30, 2013, during high tea in the lobby of Le Meridien King Edward Hotel, Toronto.
The jury members were Paula Citron and Lynn Slotkin.
THEY BROUGHT GLORY TO THE STAGE CATEGORY
Theatre by Committee Award: PASSION PLAY (by Sarah Ruhl, Convergence Theatre, Outside the March, and Sheep No Wool Theatre Company).
Flamboyant Pop Icon Award: OF A MONSTROUS CHILD: A GAGA MUSICAL (written and directed by Alistair Newton, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre and Ecce Homo).
Good in Any Language Award: LE FA LE DO (by Luc Moquin, music by Claude Naubert, directed by Mathieu Charette, Théâtre français de Toronto).
The King Lear Award: TESTAMENT (created by She She Pop and their fathers, Germany, Harbourfront World Stage).
Stellar in Every Way Award: AFTER MISS JULIE (by Patrick Marber, directed by David Ferry, kudos to producer Claire Armstrong, Red One Theatre Collective).
Disaster Done Elegantly Award: THE SACRIFICE ZONE (by Suzie Miller, directed by Jacquie P.A. Thomas, Theatre Gargantua).
The That Award: THIS (by Melissa Jane Gibson, directed by Matthew Jocelyn, Canadian Stage).
It’s All the Parents’ Fault Award: GOD OF CARNAGE (by Yasmina Reza, directed by Joel Greenberg, Studio 180 and Mirvish Productions).
The Goddess Award: VENUS IN FUR (by David Ives, directed by Jennifer Tarver, Canadian Stage).
THE ÜBERTALENTED THESPIAN CATEGORY
You Can Dress Her Up And Take Her Anywhere Award: MAEV BEATTY (Queen Elizabeth I, Hitler and Ronald Reagan, Passion Play, Convergence Theatre, Outside the March, and Sheep No Wool Theatre Company).
The Double Threat Award:
STERLING JARVIS (The Whipping Man, Al Green Jewish Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company, and Annie, Young People’s Theatre).
IAN LAKE (This is War and The Valley, Tarragon Theatre).
MICHELLE MONTEITH (Little One and The Valley, Tarragon Theatre)
STUART HUGHES (True West and Entertaining Mr. Sloane, Soulpepper).
The Triple Threat Award: LAURA CONDLLN (4:48 Psychosis, Necessary Angel, This, Canadian Stage, and The Norman Conquests, Soulpepper).
The Quietly Shining Award: DEREK BOYES (The Norman Conquests, Soulpepper).
They Almost Bared It All Award: CARLY STREET and RICK MILLER (Venus in Fur, Canadian Stage).
Teenaged Parents Award: GRAEME MCCOMB and HALEY MCGEE (Moss Park, Theatre Passe Muraille).
The Charming Shlub Award: ALBERT SCHULTZ (The Norman Conquests, Soulpepper).
Gods of Ensemble Acting Award:
JOHN BOURGEOIS, LINDA KASH, TONY NAPPO, SARAH ORENSTEIN (God of Carnage, Studio 180 and Mirvish Productions).
DAMIEN ATKINS, PAUL DUNN, ANDREW KUSHNIR (The Gay Heritage Project, GHP Collective and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).
CLAIRE ARMSTRONG, AMY KEATING, CHRISTOPHER MORRIS (After Miss Julie, Red One Theatre Collective).
We’d See Them in Anything Award: BRUCE DOW, CAITLIN DRISCOLL, KAWA ADA, EDDIE GLENN.
THEY TYPED THEIR LITTLE FINGERS OFF CATEGORY
HANNAH MOSCOVITCH (This is War, Other People’s Children and Little One, Tarragon Theatre).
MANSEL ROBINSON (Two Rooms, Théâtre français de Toronto).
MICHEL NADEAU (And Slowly Beauty…,Tarragon Theatre).
JOSEPH JOMO PIERRE (Shakespeare’s Nigga, Obsidian Theatre).
DAMIAN ATKINS, PAUL DUNN, ANDREW KUSHNIR (The Gay Heritage Project, GHP Collective and Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).
THEY CREATED THE WORLD OF THE PLAY CATEGORY
CAMELLIA KOO (set and costumes, This is War, Tarragon Theatre; set, The Gravitational Pull of Bernice Trimble, Factory Theatre and Obsidian Theatre).
JOHN FERGUSON (set and costumes for And Slowly Beauty…, Tarragon Theatre).
MARTIN CONBOY (set for Moss Park, Theatre Passe Muraille).
ASTRID JANSON (set for Farther West, Soulpepper).
JUNG-HYE KIM (set for The Biographer, Tango Co.).
MICHAEL SPENCE (set for The Sacrifice Zone, Theatre Gargantua).
JOSEPH PAGNAN (design for Fortune and Men’s Eyes, Birdland Theatre Co.)
GOOD STUFF – STRATFORD FESTIVAL CATEGORY
Welcome News Award: ANTONI CIMOLINO (new artistic director who put the focus on text and acting, and audiences came back. Plus, he directed acclaimed productions of Mary Stuart and The Merchant of Venice).
Taking Care of the Numbers with Heart Award: ANITA GAFFNEY (executive director who arranged for the bus from Toronto to Stratford, and has also instituted one from Detroit).
The L’Chaim Award: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (directed by Donna Feore who also recreated Jerome Robbins’ glorious choreography).
The Waiting was Worth it Award: WAITING FOR GODOT (directed by Jennifer Tarver).
The Triple Duty Award: SCOTT WENTWORTH (Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof, Capulet in Romeo and Juliet, and Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, where he saved the day replacing an ailing Brian Bedford).
The Dynamic Duo Award: SEANA MCKENNA and LUCY PEACOCK (Mary Stuart).
The Professor Knows Best Award: TAKING SHAKESPEARE (by John Murrell, directed by Diana Leblanc).
Wonderful Acting in a Non-Play Award: LUCY PEACOCK, NIGEL BENNETT, ROBERT PERSICHINI, PATRICIA COLLINS (The Thrill by Judith Thompson, directed by Dean Gabourie).
They’ve Got the Right Stuff Award: TOM ROONEY, STEPHEN OUIMETTE, RANDY HUGHSON, DEBORAH HAY, BEN CARLSON, MARTHA HENRY, DION JOHNSTONE.
GOOD STUFF – SHAW FESTIVAL CATEGORY
Unearthing a Treasure Award: OUR BETTERS (by W. Somerset Maugham, directed by Morris Panych).
Brilliance Across the Centuries Award: ARCADIA (by Tom Stoppard, directed by Eda Holmes).
He Hits the Right Notes Award: PAUL SPORTELLI (musical director, Shaw Festival).
The League of Nations Was Never This Funny Award: PEACE IN OUR TIME: A COMEDY (by John Murrell, directed by Blair Williams).
The Have Gun Will Travel Award: MAJOR BARBARA (directed by Jackie Maxwell).
The Revival Meeting Award: FAITH HEALER (by Brian Friel, directed by Craig Hall)
They’ve Got the Right Stuff Award: BENEDICT CAMPBELL, SHARRY FLETT, CLAIRE JULIEN, NICOLE UNDERHAY, PATRICK MCMANUS, KATE BESWORTH, GRAEME SOMMERVILLE, TARA ROSLING, CORRINE KOSLO.
THE ALWAYS WORTHY ODDS AND ENDS CATEGORY…
Man with a Vision and Taste Award: BRENDAN HEALY (artistic director, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).
The Innovative High Tech Award: SPOTLIGHT JAPAN (festival of Japanese dance and drama, Canadian Stage).
It’s Impressive But Needs an Editor Award: NEEDLES AND OPIUM (by Robert Lepage, Canadian Stage).
People Who Rocked Our World Award: KIM BLACKWELL, MATTHEW JOCELYN, KIMBERLY PURTELL.
The Second Coming Hallelujah Award:
The Black and White with Shades of Gray Award: CLYBOURNE PARK (by Bruce Norris, directed by Joel Greenberg, Studio 180 and Mirvish Productions).
Glinting in the Sun Award: ICELAND (by Nicolas Billon, directed by Ravi Jain, Factory Theatre).
Still All Greek to Us Award: THE PENELOPIAD (by Margaret Atwood, directed by Kelly Thornton, Nightwood Theatre).
History Repeats Itself: THE WAR OF 1812 (written and directed by Michael Hollingsworth, VideoCabaret)
…AND THE NOT SO WORTHY ODDS AND ENDS CATEGORY
Even in the Light It Was Murky Award: ROMEO AND JULIET (directed by Tim Carroll, Stratford Festival).
Shred That Dreary Adaptation with a Sword Award: THE THREE MUSKETEERS (directed by Miles Potter, Stratford Festival)
Yet Again Another Des McAnuff Bells and Whistles Award: TOMMY (directed by Des McAnuff, Stratford Festival).
It Looks Beautiful but Where’s the Play Award: LADY WINDERMERE’S FAN (directed by Peter Hinton, Shaw Festival).
ROAD KILL CATEGORY
It Came Last Award: RACE (by David Mamet, directed by Daniel Brooks, starring Jason Priestley).
THE JURORS AGREE TO DISAGREE CATEGORY
ARIGATO TOKYO (by Daniel MacIvor, Buddies in Bad Times Theatre).
THE VALLEY (by Joan Macleod, Tarragon Theatre).
WINNERS AND LOSERS (by Marcus Youssef and James Long, Crow’s Theatre and Canadian Stage).
THE GRAVITATIONAL PULL OF BERNICE TRIMBLE (by Beth Graham, Factory Theatre and Obsidian Theatre Company).
THE LIFE AND DEATH OF MARINA ABRAMOVIC (written by Marina Abramovic, Robert Wilson and Anthony, directed by Robert Wilson, Luminato Festival).
SARAH BERTHIAUME (playwright, The Flood Thereafter and Yukonstyle, Canadian Stage).
MEASURE FOR MEASURE (directed by Martha Henry, Stratford Festival).
DO YOU WANT WHAT I HAVE GOT? A CRAIGSLIST CANTATA (by Bill Richardson and Veda Hille, Factory Theatre and Acting Up Stage Company).
CITRON SAW IT BUT SLOTKIN DIDN’T CATEGORY
Better Diplomats Than People Award: DACHSHUND UN (devised by Bennett Miller, Australia, Harbourfront World Stage).
He Can Handle Poetic Language Award: SEAN SULLIVAN (Baby Redboots Revenge by Philip-Dimitri Galas, Baby Monster Productions).
The Rebellious Teenager Award: CARLEIGH BEVERLY (The Glory of Living by Rebecca Gilman, Sterling Studio Theatre Collective).
The Pride and Prejudice Award: HALLIE BURT AND KATE WERNEBURG (creators and performers, Elizabeth and Darcy, Burt & Werneburg Productions and Campbell House).
SLOTKIN SAW IT BUT CITRON DIDN’T CATEGORY
Towering Miniature Award: KAMP (created by Hotel Modern Theatre Company, The Netherlands, Harbourfront World Stage).
Beautifully Done In a Room With People Award: A ROOM OF ONE’S OWN (by Virginia Woolf, directed by Sarah Rodgers, performed by Naomi Wright, The Bloomsbury Collective).
Guts of a Bandit and They Are All Women Award: DIANA BENTLEY and MELISSA D’AGOSTINO (co-creators of Bob Kills Theatre which produced Savage in Limbo, and BROOKE MORGAN, artistic Director of Baro Theatre Company which produced Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, both plays by John Patrick Shanley).
Woman with a Vision and Tenacity Award: ALEX JOHNSON, a creative force behind the Playwright Project and the spunky, new Downstage Theatre on the Danforth.