The 2012 King Edward Tea Society (KETS) Awards for Theatre were compiled on Sunday, December 23, 2012, 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
It’s All Greek to Us Award: THE PENELOPIAD (by Margaret Atwood, directed by Kelly Thornton, designed by Denyse Karn, sound score by Suba Sankaran, lighting by Kim Purtell, particular kudos to choreographer Monika Dottor, Nightwood Theatre)
Tyrant of the Year Award: THE LESSON (by Eugène Ionesco, directed by Soheil Parsa, Modern Times Stage Company)
Parent-Teacher Interview from Hell Award: JORDI MAND for her play Between the Sheets (directed by Kelly Thornton, Nightwood Theatre)
Still Wonderful the Second Time Around Award: THE LITTLE YEARS (written by John Mighton, directed by Chris Abraham, Stratford Festival, 2011; Tarragon Theatre, 2012)
Always Listen to Your Mother Award: RAVI AND ASHA JAIN for their play A Brimful of Asha (Why Not Theatre)
Can You Please Repeat That? Award: EINSTEIN ON THE BEACH (by Philip Glass and Robert Wilson, Luminato Festival)
Kids Can Be Really, Really Scary Award: MR. MARMALADE (written by Noah Haidle, directed by Mitchell Cushman, Outside the March Theatre Company)
THE ÜBERTALENTED THESPIAN CATEGORY
Fast Talker Award: RON PEDERSON (Extinction Song), Voodoo Theatre Company, SummerWorks)
The Wife Meets the Mistress Award: SUSAN COYNE AND CHRISTINE HORNE (Between the Sheets), Nightwood Theatre)
Neighbourhood Watch Award: ENSEMBLE (Clybourne Park, Studio 180 Theatre)
He Broke Our Hearts Award: STUART HUGHES (The Crucible, Soulpepper)
She’s Got Balls Award: NATASHA GREENBLATT (The Neverending Story, Young People’s Theatre)
They Could Teach the Youngsters a Thing or Two Award: R.H. THOMSON AND DAVID FOX (No Great Mischief, Tarragon Theatre)
You Don’t Want to Meet Him in a Dark Alley Award: MICHAEL HANRAHAN (High Life, Soulpepper)
He Showed The Other Side/Turn the Other Cheek Award: Eddie Glen (Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare, Theatre 20)
Cross Dressing Award: ROSS PETTY (Snow White, Ross Petty Productions)
A Fantastic Christmas/Channukah Gift Award: MIRIAM MARGOLYES, LONDON (Dickens’ Women, Soulpepper Word Festival)
Most Surprising Debut Award: ASHA JAIN (A Brimful of Asha, Why Not Theatre)
There Always Has to Be a Yanna McIntosh Award (Toronto): YANNA MCINTOSH (Speaking in Tongues, Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)
We’d See Them in Anything Award: Maev Beaty, Evan Buliung, David Ferry, Gregory Prest, Maria Vacratsis
They Caught Our Eye Award: RAQUEL DUFFY (The Royal Comedians, Alligator Pie)d, CARA GEE (The Jones Boy, The Rez Sisters, Stitch), MATTHEW GORMAN (This Lime Tree Bower), HALEY MCGEE (The Story), DANIEL KARASIK, playwright (The Innocents, Haunted
GOOD STUFF – STRATFORD FESTIVAL CATEGORY
Welcome News Award: ANTONI CIMOLINO (incoming artistic director promising to put the focus on text and acting)
Put On Your Dancing Shoes Award: 42ND STREET (directed and choreographed by Gary Griffin)
Dashing and Sexy Award: SEAN ARBUCKLE (42nd Street)
True to the Man Award: HIRSCH (written by Paul Thompson and Alon Nashman)
A Match Made in Heaven Award: MIKE SHARA and JOSH EPSTEIN (The Matchmaker)
There Always Has to Be a Yanna McIntosh Award (Stratford): YANNA MCINTOSH (Elektra)
Sweeping Visionary Award: THOMAS MOSHOPOULOS, director, and his creative team (Elektra)
We’d See Him in Anything Award: Tom Rooney
GOOD STUFF – SHAW FESTIVAL CATEGORY
Unearthing a Treasure Award: A MAN AND SOME WOMEN (by Githa Sowerby, directed by Alisa Palmer)
It’s Way Better the Second Time Around Award: RAGTIME (directed by Jackie Maxwell)
Coal Is Gold Award: THOM ALLISON (Ragtime)
Quiet Ache Award: Corrine Koslo and Ric Reid (Come Back, Little Sheba, directed by Jackie Maxwell)
The Book of Revelations Award: MARTHA HENRY, director (Hedda Gabler)
All the News that Fits, We’ll Print Award: HIS GIRL FRIDAY (directed by Jim Mezon)
Wonders When You Least Expect It Award (A Tie): JAY TURVEY (director, Trouble in Tahiti) and PATTY JAMIESON (Mother, Ragtime)
They’ve Got the Right Stuff Award: Benedict Campbell, Sharry Flett, Jennifer Phipps, Nicole Underhay
THE ALWAYS WORTHY ODDS AND ENDS CATEGORY…
No Neighsaying Here Award: HANDSPRING PUPPET COMPANY, SOUTH AFRICA (War Horse, Mirvish Productions)
Guts of a Bandit Award: THEATRE 20 (producing Bloodless: The Trial of Burke and Hare by Joseph Aragon, in tough times for musical theatre)
Best Whimsy Award: MISS CALEDONIA (written and performed by Melody Johnson, Tarragon Theatre)
He Can Handle Armies Marching Award: Joseph Ziegler (director, You Can’t Take It With You, Soulpepper)
Double Award – Eye-catching Theatrical Values and Potent Agro-Docudrama: SEEDS (written by Annabel Soutar, directed by Chris Abraham, set by Julie Fox, lighting by Ana Capppelluto, Porte Parole, Montreal/Crow’s Theatre)
Best Transition to Mainstream Award: TERMINUS, from SummerWorks to Off-Mirvish Series (written by Mark O’Rowe, directed by Mitchell Cushman, Outside the March Theatre Company)
A Most Intriguing Dialogue Concept Award: SPEAKING IN TONGUES (written by Andrew Bovell, Company Theatre/Canadian Stage)
Tableaux and Pageantry Award: THE STORY (designed by Catherine Hahn, lighting by Glenn Davidson, Theatre Columbus)
Most Breath-Taking Fusion of Live Action and Visual Technology Award: LA BELLE ET LA BETE: A CONTEMPORARY RETELLING (created by Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon, Lemieux Pilon 4D Art, Montreal, Luminato Festival)
Let’s Hear It For the Hometown Booster Award: THEATRE PASSE MURAILLE’S ORIGINAL TORONTO-BASED FALL SEASON PLAYBILL
People Who Rocked Our World Award: ALAN DILWORTH, director; MICHAEL RUBENFELD, writer, director, actor, producer; RED ONE THEATRE COLLECTIVE; ROSEMARY DOYLE, actor, producer, and her RED SANDCASTLE THEATRE
…AND THE NOT SO WORTHY ODDS AND ENDS CATEGORY
Is It a Bird? Is It a Plane? What the Hell Is It? Award: LUMINATO FESTIVAL (for the second consecutive year)
Come Back When It’s Ready Award: PLAYING CARDS 1: SPADES (directed by Robert Lepage, Luminato Festival)
Make Up Your Mind Already Award: STRATFORD FESTIVAL, formerly STRATFORD SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, formerly STRATFORD FESTIVAL
He Keeps Trying Award: JORDAN TANNAHILL (writer, director, Feral Child, Suburban Beast)
ROAD KILL CATEGORY
A Plague on Both Their House, and We Wish Them Both the Best Award: BOARD OF DIRECTORS, Factory Theatre, and KEN GASS, late of Factory Theatre
Exceedingly Poor Judgment, or, Why Do This At Stratford? Award: YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN (directed by Donna Feore)
Self-Indulgence Award (A Tie): ALLIGATOR PIE (Soulpepper), and ANTHONY RAPP’S WITHOUT YOU (Off-Mirvish Series)
Cluttered Set Award: PIRATES OF PENZANCE (designed by Anna Louizos, Stratford Festival)
Most Invisible New Theatre Space, or, It Sounds Like a Surgical Instrument Award : DANIELS SPECTRUM
Smoke and Mirrors Award: DES MCANUFF (director, Henry V, Stratford Festival)
Film Ain’t the Stage Award: ATOM EGOYAN (director, Cruel and Tender, Canadian Stage)
Forsooth, Shakespeare Ain’t Your Forte Award: AARON KROHN (Henry V, Stratford Festival)
What Have You Done to the Play? Award (A Tie): WOOSTER GROUP, NEW YORK (with what was once Vieux Carré by Tennessee Williams), and MATTHEW JOCELYN (director, The Game of Love and Chance, Canadian Stage)
Not Ready for Prime Time Award: SOULPEPPER ACADEMY (young actors not up to the task in The Royal Comedians and The Crucible)
Putting It in Perspective, or, Wait for the Fall Out Award: DES MCANUFF’S TENURE (artistic director, Stratford Festival)
THE JURORS AGREE TO DISAGREE CATEGORY
MOYA O’CONNELL, actor (Shaw Festival); MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING and CYMBELINE (Stratford Festival); PENNY PLAIN (Factory Theatre); PROUD (self-produced by Michael Healey); STOCKHOLM (Seventh Stage Theatre Productions/Nightwood Theatre); TEAR THE CURTAIN (Canadian Stage); THE BEST BROTHERS (Stratford Festival); THE GOLDEN DRAGON (Tarragon Theatre)