A roundup of the best theatre productions from 2019 and a reflection on the 2020 season so far.
I'm currently writing this from the confines of my home, where I am self-isolating indefinitely due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. These are trying times for the global community and we must all rally together and do our part in order to beat this disease. Practice social distancing, remain calm, and provide emotion support to your friends and family during this difficult time.
As an avid theatregoer and critic, my heart especially goes out to those who work in the industry. Over the past few weeks, we have seen productions suspended or outright cancelled due to the outbreak. Almost overnight, actors and other arts workers who were delivering a show to an audience now find themselves in limbo. Just last week, I was attending the opening night performance of The National Ballet of Canada's production of Romeo and Juliet as part of my Emerging Arts Critics residency and was looking forward to the upcoming Soulpepper production of The Seagull. Merely a week later, the ballet production has ended prematurely and the Checkov play has been scrapped for this season.
Currently, there is a large question mark hanging over this theatre season. When will it be safe for audiences to return to the theatre? And even when it is safe to do so, will the audiences return? What I do know, however, is that the theatre community and the rest of the artistic community will, and must, serve as the balm that will let our society come back together and heal.
As I continue to wait it out, I am, as many other theatregoers are, suffering from theatre withdrawal. My 2020 season began with a rollicking start: I saw Hamilton and Caroline, or Change, along with a slew of other plays and opera productions as part of my theatre critic residency. Selfishly, I hope that this washes over soon so that I can get back into the theatre.
In the meantime, I have been reflecting on my theatre experiences from 2019 and – although terribly late – have decided to compile a list of my favourite productions from that season. Though many critics usually publish year-end top ten lists, I have decided to shake things up by revealing my favourite shows through the inaugural Ghost Light Theatre Awards, an annual prize created and decided upon by me based on the theatrical shows I have seen each season. Although Ghost Light Reviews publishes reviews on theatre, opera, and ballet productions, along with a few TV shows and movie, these awards will only include musicals and plays, since these are the genres that I most often see.
Last year was an amazing year of theatre for me. I saw a wide variety of musicals and plays, from Fringe shows to large Broadway blockbusters. In July, I was selected to be a juror for the Toronto Fringe Festival's Teenjur Young Critics Award. Along with other teen panelists, I was fortunate to catch a wide variety of Fringe shows, many of which I am sure will become big hits. Later in the year, I became a resident critic for The National Ballet of Canada's Emerging Arts Critics Programme, run in partnership with Intermission Magazine, The Dance Current, Opera Canada, and The Whole Note. Last year, in all, I watched 21 productions – 12 musicals and nine plays. Click here to view more information on all the productions I saw last year, along with my reviews for some them.
Below, I present to you the inaugural Ghost Light Theatre Awards. In summary, Girl From the North Country was the top musical of the year, walking away with 10 nominations and five wins, including for Best Musical. Other musical winners include Dear Evan Hansen and Little Shop of Horrors. For plays, A Streetcar Named Desire also won five awards, from eight nominations. Other winners include The Front Page, The Crucible, and the Fringe hit Who You Callin' Black Eh?, which also won the 2019 Teenjur Young Critics Award. Many of these shows also show up on my best-of-all-time list, which will be published shortly.
Eligible Productions
Musicals
The Band’s Visit
Be Kind, Rewind
Billy Elliot: The Musical
Boys Don’t Cry
Cats
Dear Evan Hansen
Drama 101
Every Silver Lining
Girl From the North Country
Little Shop of Horrors
Next to Normal
Waitress
Plays
Almighty Voice and His Wife
Art
The Crucible
Decaying Tongue
The Front Page
Oslo
A Streetcar Named Desire
Through the Bamboo
Who You Callin' Black Eh?
Awards
Best Musical
Dear Evan Hansen
Every Silver Lining
WINNER: Girl From the North Country
Little Shop of Horrors
Best Original Music and Lyrics
David Yazbek – The Band’s Visit
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – Dear Evan Hansen
WINNER: Alan Menken and Howard Ashman – Little Shop of Horrors
Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey – Next to Normal
Best Book of a Musical
Steven Levenson – Dear Evan Hansen
Laura Piccinin and Allison Wither – Every Silver Lining
WINNER: Conor McPherson – Girl From the North Country
Howard Ashman – Little Shop of Horrors
Best Direction of a Musical
David Cromer – The Band’s Visit
Michael Greif – Dear Evan Hansen
WINNER: Conor McPherson – Girl From the North Country
Donna Feore – Little Shop of Horrors
Best Choreography
WINNER: Donna Feore – Billy Elliot: The Musical
Andy Blankenbuehler – Cats
Donna Feore – Little Shop of Horrors
Lorin Latarro – Waitress
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical
Sasson Gabay – The Band’s Visit as Tewfiq
Nolen Dubuc – Billy Elliot: The Musical as Billy Elliot
WINNER: Robert Markus – Dear Evan Hansen as Evan Hansen
André Morin – Little Shop of Horrors as Seymour Krelborn
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical
Chilina Kennedy – The Band’s Visit as Dina
WINNER: Katie Brayben – Girl From the North Country as Elizabeth Laine
Gabi Epstein – Little Shop of Horrors as Audrey
Ma-Anne Dionisio – Next to Normal as Diana Goodman
Christine Dwyer – Waitress as Jenna
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Andrew Burke – Drama 101 as Bradley
Shaq Taylor – Girl From the North Country as Joe Scott
WINNER: Dan Chameroy – Little Shop of Horrors as Orin the Dentist
Brandon Antonio – Next to Normal as Gabe Goodman
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Musical
WINNER: Keri René Fuller – Cats as Grizabella
Jessica Sherman – Dear Evan Hansen as Heidi Hansen
Laura Piccinin – Every Silver Lining as Emily
Gloria Obianyo – Girl From the North Country as Marianne
Louise Pitre – Next to Normal as Doctor Madden
Best Orchestrations
Alex Lacamoire – Dear Evan Hansen
WINNER: Simon Hale – Girl From the North Country
Robert Merkin – Little Shop of Horrors
Michael Starobin and Tom Kitt – Next to Normal
Best Scenic Design of a Musical
Scott Pask – The Band’s Visit
Rae Smith – Girl From the North Country
WINNER: Michael Gianfrancesco – Little Shop of Horrors
Scott Pask – Waitress
Best Lighting Design of a Musical
Tyler Micaleau – The Band’s Visit
Michael Walton – Billy Elliot: The Musical
WINNER: Japhy Weideman – Dear Evan Hansen
Michael Walton – Little Shop of Horrors
Best Costume Design of a Musical
Edge of the Sky Production – Be Kind, Rewind
Dana Osborne – Billy Elliot: The Musical
Rae Smith – Girl From the North Country
WINNER: Dana Osborne – Little Shop of Horrors
Best Sound Design of a Musical
Kai Harada – The Band’s Visit
WINNER: Nevin Steinberg – Dear Evan Hansen
Simon Baker – Girl From the North Country
Peter McBoyle – Little Shop of Horrors
Best Play
Almighty Voice and His Wife
Art
WINNER: A Streetcar Named Desire
Through the Bamboo
Who You Callin’ Black Eh?
Best Direction of a Play
Graham Abbey – The Front Page
Weyni Mengesha – A Streetcar Named Desire
Nina Lee Aquino – Through the Bamboo
WINNER: Clara McBride – Who You Callin’ Black Eh?
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play
James Dallas Smith – Almighty Voice and His Wife as Almighty Voice
Oliver Dennis – Art as Marc
Diego Matamoros – Art as Serge
WINNER: Tim Campbell – The Crucible as John Proctor
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play
Michaela Washburn – Almighty Voice and His Wife as White Girl
WINNER: Maev Beaty – The Front Page as Penelope “Cookie” Burns
Amy Rutherford – A Streetcar Named Desire as Blanche DuBois
Chattrisse Dolabaille – Who You Callin’ Black Eh? as Heroine
Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play
Scott Wentworth – The Crucible as Reverend Parris
Jonas Chernick – Oslo as Uri Savir
Brendan Chandler – Who You Callin’ Black Eh? as Dream Boy/Lulu Lemon
WINNER: Jason Pilgrim – Who You Callin’ Black Eh? as Dad/Mr. White Hugo Boss
Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a Play
Katelyn McCulloch – The Crucible as Abigail Williams
Marla McLean – Oslo as Mona Juul
WINNER: Leah Doz – A Streetcar Named Desire as Stella Kowalski
Carolyn Fe – Through the Bamboo as Lola
Best Scenic Design of a Play
Ken Mackenzie – Almighty Voice and His Wife
Lorenzo Savoini – The Front Page
WINNER: Lorenzo Savoini – A Streetcar Named Desire
Nina Lee Aquino and Farnoosh Talebpour – Through the Bamboo
Best Lighting Design of a Play
Bonnie Beecher – Art
Bonnie Beecher – The Crucible
WINNER: Kimberly Purtell – A Streetcar Named Desire
Michelle Ramsay – Through the Bamboo
Best Costume Design of a Play
WINNER: Dana Osborne – The Front Page
Rachel Forbes – A Streetcar Named Desire
Farnoosh Talebpour – Through the Bamboo
Clara McBride – Who You Callin’ Black Eh?
Best Sound Design of a Play
Marc Merilainen – Almighty Voice and His Wife
Debashis Sinha – The Crucible
WINNER: Debashis Sinha – A Streetcar Named Desire
Maddie Bautista – Through the Bamboo
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