White Rock Players’ Club members are prominent among nominations for this year’s Community Theatre Coalition Awards – while many players and technical personnel familiar to Peninsula audiences are also among nominees for other groups.
The awards ceremony will be held Sept 21 at Coast Capital Playhouse.
Most prominent among nominees is WRPC’s current artistic director, Ryan Mooney, with a total of seven nominations recognizing work both with the club and with his own Vancouver-based Fighting Chance Productions.
Mooney is nominated for best production, comedy or drama (The Rimers of Eldritch, for Fighting Chance); best musical production (Little Shop of Horrors, co-presented by WRPC and Fighting Chance); twice for best director, comedy or drama (The Rimers of Eldritch, WRPC’s Fools); and for best director of a musical (Little Shop of Horrors).
He is also co-nominated for best set design (with Matthew Bissett, for The Rimers of Eldritch); and best graphic design – poster (with Devin Karrington, for Little Shop of Horrors).
WRPC’s Marlet Magnusson is up for two best production awards, one for comedy or drama (Fools) and one for musical (Pinocchio, co-nominated with club president and panto writer Dave Baron).
Well-known South Surrey actor-musician Kerry O’Donovan also has two nominations, one for best actor in a leading role in a musical (Little Shop of Horrors) and the other as best musical director (Pinocchio).
WRPC’s Bryce Mills who played the Dame in Pinocchio is nominated as best actor in a leading role in a musical for the show, and best actor in a leading role (for Stage 43’s Woman In Mind).
Other nominees for WRPC shows include Susanne de Pencier, best director, musical (for Pinocchio); Sheila Greentree, best performance by an actress in a supporting role (Fools); Jennifer Lines, best performance by an actress in a supporting role, musical (as the Fox in Pinocchio); Laura McKenzie, best costume design (Who Walks in the Dark); Heather Harris and Patte Rust, best set decoration (Who Walks in the Dark); Matt Davenport and Andrea Olund, for best set decoration and best set design (both for Fools) and Lena Dabrusin, for best choreographer (Pinocchio).
Mike Busswood, currently appearing in WRPC’s Ten Little Indians, is nominated for best supporting actor for his role as the title character in Ned Durango Comes To Big Oak (Vagabond Players).
Dann Wilhelm and Reginald Pillay, well-known for their work with Fraser Valley Gilbert and Sullivan Society were both nominated in the lead actor category for their co-starring roles in Langley Players’ Jim and Shorty; the play also garnered nominations for direction and set design for Marko Hohlbein; Raymond Hatton and Bev Pride (set decoration); Jim Garnett (sound design), plus Garnett and Helen Embury (best graphic design, program).
Pillay was also nominated for best production, musical, for FVGSS’ Phantom of the Panto, which also gleaned nominations for best director (Mike Balser); best leading musical actor (Tom Cleevely, as the Phantom); lead actresses Chelsea Rose Tucker (Christine) and Joni Hayden-Summerton (Raoul); best musical supporting actor (James Walker); best choreographer (Carol Seitz); best lighting design (Balser); costume design (Sheena Johnson and Christie Zaporozan); sound design and musical direction (Timothy Tucker); and best graphic design, programme and poster (Paddy Tennant).
Little Shop of Horrors, which had runs in both White Rock and Vancouver, also received nominations for Melissa Clark (leading actress, Audrey); David Nicks (Mushnik); Greg Delmage (as Orin Scrivello and other supporting roles); Veronika Sztopa (Ronette); Nicole Stevens (Crystal); and also best lighting design (Matthew Bissett), best costumes (Oriana Camporese); best musical director (Vashti Fairbairn); and best choreographer and graphic design – poster (both Angela Cotton).
Another much-nominated production was Surrey Little Theatre’s Home Fires, in categories of best production (Ron Savoy), best director, comedy or drama (Brigitte Seib and Paul Cowhig), lead actress (Rina Varley as Nettie); supporting actress (separate nominations for Laura Luongo, Loryn LeGear, Emily Gingera and Rebecca Strom) as well as multiple nominations for technical work.
