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Seussical big winner at Vancouver's Jessie Awards

01.07.2008 18:02 Arts - Source: cbc.ca

Carousel Theatre's Seussical was named best production and best artistic creation and won the Canada Council for the Arts Prize at the Jessie Richardson Awards in Vancouver on Monday.(Itai Erdal/Carousel Theatre)Children's production Seussical was a big winner at Vancouver's Jessie Richardson Awards Monday night, taking home three Jessie awards and a special cash prize.

The musical by Carousel Theatre was named best young people's production, best artistic creation and won the $10,000 Canada Council for the Arts Prize.

Allan Zinyk, the comic actor who plays Horton the elephant in Seussical, won the Jessie for best performance in young people's theatre.

The Jessies, named after Jessie Richardson, who was active as a director, actor, costume designer and theatre community leader for more than four decades, are Vancouver's awards for the best in theatre.

Close to three dozen prizes were handed out at the 26th annual Jessie Awards at the Commodore Ballroom Monday evening.

The Black Rider, November Theatre's production of an old German folk tale, was named outstanding production in the large theatre category.

The play premiered in 1990 at the Thalia Theatre in Hamburg and first came to North America at the Edmonton Fringe in 1998.

Among smaller theatres, the outstanding production was The Triumph of Love by Blackbird Theatre, a comic romance originally written by French playwright Marivaux.

The play also earned an outstanding direction award for Johnna Wright and best supporting actress award for Marie Stillin.

It's the second year in a row that Blackbird Theatre has won the best production award.

The Bard on the Beach production of The Taming of the Shrew won two Jessies — a best directing award for Miles Potter and a best actor award for Bob Frazer.

Lois Anderson took a best supporting actress award for her work in Romeo and Juliet, also produced by Bard on the Beach.

Anna Cummer and Kerry Sandomirsky, winner of a Jessie Award for her performance, in How It Works.(Tim Matheson/Touchstone Theatre)The best supporting actor honours went to David Marr in His Greatness and the best lead actress Jessie to Kerry Sandomirsky of How it Works. Daniel MacIvor, playwright for His Greatness, took home the Jessie for outstanding original script.

In the small theatres division, Jay Brazeau took the best actor and Kevin McNulty won best supporting actor Jessie, both for their work in The Goat or, Who is Sylvia?

Celine Stubel was named best actress for her role in My Chernobyl by Gateway Theatre.

Norman Armour was honoured for his work developing the annual PuSh International Theatre Festival.

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