Theatre Nova Scotia has announced the nominees for the annual Merritt Awards, which celebrate excellence in local theatre. Heist's Princess Rules, 2b Theatre's Old Stock: A Refugee Love Story and Two Planks and a Passion's Nothing Less!, all original musicals, top the list.
The Merritt Awards will be handed out on Monday, March 26 at the Schooner Room in Casino Nova Scotia. Tickets are available here.
The 2018 nominees are:
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (female)
Mary Fay Coady, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Burgandy Code, Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Francine Deschepper, Kingfisher Days (Festival Antigonish)
Lucy Hill, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Genevieve Steele, Snake in the Grass (Neptune Theatre)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (male)
Marty Burt, Next To Normal (Highland Arts Theatre)
Ben Caplan, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Aaron Collier, Princess Rules (Heist)
Christian Murray, The Hound of Baskervilles (Festival Antigonish)
Hugh Thompson, Kingfisher Days (Festival Antigonish)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (male)
Don Allison, The Mystery Play (Ship’s Company Theatre)
Devin Mackinnon, Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Graham Percy, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Ryan Rogerson, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Richie Wilcox, Princess Rules (Heist)
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (female)
Karen Bassett, Pugwash (Ship’s Company Theatre)
Mary Fay Coady, At This Hour (Zuppa Theatre Company)
Lara Lewis, Princess Rules (Heist)
Stephanie MacDonald, Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Lesley Smith, At This Hour (Zuppa Theatre Company)
Outstanding Choreography
Jacinte Armstrong, Princess Rules (Heist)
Laura Caswell, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Ron Jenkins, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Highland Arts Theatre)
Celia Koughan, Stan Rogers: A Matter of Heart (Neptune Theatre)
Jim Morrow and Andrea Lee Norwood, Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Outstanding Costume Design
Carly Beamish, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Andrew Cull, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Jennifer Goodman, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Helena Marriott, It’s a Wonderful Life (Neptune Theatre)
Emlyn Murray, Princess Rules (Heist)
Outstanding Direction
Christian Barry, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Jean-Pierre Cloutier, Princess Rules (Heist)
Ron Jenkins, Next to Normal (Highland Arts Theatre)
Ann-Marie Kerr w/Gillian Clark, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Ken Schwartz, Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Outstanding Lighting Design
Louisa Adamson and Christian Barry, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Jean-Pierre Cloutier, Princess Rules (Heist)
Ingrid Risk, Snake in the Grass (Neptune Theatre)
Leigh Ann Vardy, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Leigh Ann Vardy, The Mystery Play (Ship’s Company Theatre)
Outstanding Musical Direction
Ben Caplan, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Scott Christian, Once (Neptune Theatre)
Lisa MacDougall and Geordie Brown, The Songs of the Rat Pack (Neptune Theatre)
Ami McKay, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Sarah Richardson, New Waterford Boy: A Ceilidh (Heist)
Outstanding New Play By a Nova Scotian
Karen Bassett, Lullaby: Inside the Halifax Explosion (Eastern Front Theatre)
Aaron Collier w/Jean-Pierre Cloutier and Richie Wilcox, Princess Rules (Heist)
Hannah Moscovitch, Christian Barry and Ben Caplan, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Ken Schwartz and Ami McKay, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Ben Stone (adapted by, with the company), At This Hour (Zuppa Theatre Company)
Outstanding Original Score
Ben Caplan and Christian Barry, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Aaron Collier, Princess Rules (Heist)
Stewart Legere w/Brian Riley, The Archive of Missing Things (Zuppa Theatre Company)
Ami McKay, Nothing Less! (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
Garry Williams w/Jeremy Hutton, Jesse MacLean and Shanoa Philliips, Peter Pan (Shakespeare by the Sea)
Outstanding Scenic Design
Louisa Adamson and Christian Barry w/Andrew Cull, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Jean-Pierre Cloutier, Aaron Collier, Nick Bottomley, Deonie Hudson and Matt Miller, Princess Rules (Heist)
Andrew Cull, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Geofrey Dinwiddie, Snake in the Grass (Neptune Theatre)
Sean Mulcahy, The Mystery Play (Ship’s Company Theatre)
Outstanding Sound Design
Christian Barry, Ben Caplan and Jordan Palmer, Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Aaron Collier, I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Aaron Collier, Princess Rules (Heist)
Steven Naylor, Lullaby: Inside the Halifax Explosion (Eastern Front Theatre)
Brian Riley, The Archive of Missing Things (Zuppa Theatre Company)
Outstanding Production by a New or Emerging Company
Bone Cage (Matchstick Theatre)
I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Next to Normal (Highland Arts Theatre)
Punch Up (Highland Arts Theatre)
Outstanding Production
Dream By Fire (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre)
I, Claudia (Felix Productions)
Kingfisher Days (Festival Antigonish)
Old Stock: A refugee love story (2b theatre company)
Princess Rules (Heist)