What's New > Six Outstanding Canadian Directors Make Short-List for 2010 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
October 6, 2010
Directors from Toronto, Edmonton and Vancouver in the Running for $100,000 Prize – the Largest in Canadian Theatre
Toronto ON - BMO Financial Group, sponsor of the Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, today announced the names of six Canadian directors who have made the 2010 short-list for the largest prize in Canadian theatre. The finalists are:
Kim Collier, Vancouver, British Columbia;
Ron Jenkins, Edmonton, Alberta;
Ross Manson, Toronto, Ontario;
Alisa Palmer, Toronto, Ontario;
Soheil Parsa, Toronto, Ontario;
Jennifer Tarver, Toronto, Ontario.
The six finalists were selected from 19 nominated Canadian directors.
“On behalf of BMO Financial Group, I’d like to congratulate the six finalists for their creativity, innovation and for their contributions in advancing Canadian theatre,” said Gilles Ouellette, President and CEO, Private Client Group, BMO Financial Group. “I’d also like to extend our gratitude to Maureen Labonté and this year’s jury for their steadfast dedication to honouring such excellence.”
“The jury was thrilled with the scope of talent and the breadth of directional styles represented in the submissions this year,” said jury chair Maureen Labonté. “The spirit of the Siminovitch Prize truly inspired them and this spirit is reflected in the short-list announced today.
“The Prize not only recognizes excellence within an evolving body of work but innovation, exploration and risk-taking as well. It is not a lifetime achievement award and therefore it has the very exciting potential to make a real difference in the recipient’s artistic path allowing him or her to go further in the pursuit of excellence,” said Labonté.
Joining Maureen Labonté on the Jury were:
- Marie Clements, Galiano Island, British Columbia, award-winning BC-based Métis performer, playwright, screenwriter, director, producer, and founding Artistic Director of urban ink productions.
- Jillian Keiley, St. John’s, Newfoundland, was artistic director and producer of a Victory Ceremony Celebration at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics and is currently artistic director of Newfoundland’s Artistic Fraud.
- Alain Jean, Ottawa, Ontario, director, actor and teacher, presently the Director General of Development Projects at the Association des théâtres francophones du Canada.
- Marti Maraden, Stratford, Ontario, well-known actress and director, was Artistic Director of English Theatre at the National Arts Centre from 1997-2005.
- Marcus Youssef, Vancouver, BC, Artistic Producer of Vancouver’s Neworld Theatre, and Artistic Associate of the Magnetic North Theatre Festival in Ottawa.
The recipient of the Siminovitch Prize will receive $100,000, of which $25,000 will be awarded to a protégé or organization of their choice. The Prize will be presented on November 1, 2010 at a ceremony in Toronto.
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