The 2009 TWISI Award WINNERS

1.      Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Play (awarded to the theatre company):

TWISI Award:  Scorched- Tarragon Theatre. (Richard Rose).

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Scorched- Tarragon Theatre. (Richard Rose).

2.      Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Musical (awarded to the theatre company):

TWISI Award:  Cabaret- Stratford Festival. (Des McAnuff).

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Edges AND A New Brain. Acting UpStage. (Mitchell Marcus.)

3.      Outstanding Achievement by an Actor in a Play:

TWISI Award: Albert Schultz. Glengarry Glen Ross. Soulpepper Theatre.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award:  Diego Matamoros. Travesties. Soulpepper Theatre.

4.      Outstanding Achievement by an Actor in a Musical:

TWISI Award: Steven Gallagher. A New Brain. Acting UpStage Theatre.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Steven Gallagher. A New Brain. Acting UpStage Theatre.

5.      Outstanding Achievement by an Actress in a Play:

TWISI Award: Kristen Thomson. I, Claudia. Crow’s Theatre.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Kristen Thomson. I, Claudia. Crow’s Theatre.

6.      Outstanding Achievement by an Actress in a Musical:

TWISI Award: Trish Lindström. Cabaret. Stratford Festival.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Janet MacEwen. Anne of Green Gables. Mirvish Productions.

7.      Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actor (under 18 years old) in a Play:

TWISI Award: Lucas Tennen. A Christmas Carol. Soulpepper Theatre.

8.      Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actor (under 18 years old) in a Musical: TWISI Award: Christopher Van Hagen. The Music Man. Stratford Festival.

*I bent the rules for the Young Actor and Young Actress Awards as some of the winners appeared in non-Equity productions*

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Colin Jones. Les Misérables. Neptune Theatre School Youth Performance Company.

9.      Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actress (under 18 years old) in a Play: TWISI Award: Isabella Lobo. Festen. Company Theatre.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: Lucy Campbell Devil’s Disciple. Shaw Festival AND Samantha Wilson. Blackbird. The Canadian Stage Company.

10.  Outstanding Achievement by a Young Actress (under 18 years old) in a Musical: TWISI Award: Vicky Houser. Les Misérables. Neptune Theatre Youth Performance Company.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Jacqui Sirois. Thoroughly Modern Millie. CATS Mainstage Company)

11.  Outstanding Achievement by a Director of a Play:

TWISI Award: Joseph Ziegler. Travesties. Soulpepper.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Richard Rose. Scorched. Tarragon Theatre.

12.  Outstanding Achievement by a Director of a Musical:

TWISI Award: Ron Jenkins. The Black Rider. November Theatre/ Tarragon.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Daryl Cloran. A New Brain. Acting UpStage Theatre. AND Michael Mayer. Spring Awakening. Mirvish Productions.

13.  Outstanding Achievement in Set Design:

TWISI Award: Michael Gianfrancesco. It’s A Wonderful Life. The Canadian Stage Company.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Graeme S. Thomson. Scorched. Tarragon Theatre.

14.  Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design:

TWISI Award: Leslie Frankish. The Forbidden Phoenix. Lorraine Kimsa Theatre for Young People

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Bretta Gerecke. Nevermore. Catalyst Theatre. Luminato Festival.

15.  Outstanding Achievement by a New Theatre Company (one founded after June 2008):

TWISI Award: The National Theatre of the World. Ron Pederson. Matt Baram. Naomi Snieckus.

      TWISI People’s Choice Award: The National Theatre of the World. Ron Pederson. Matt Baram. Naomi Snieckus.

16.  Outstanding Achievement by a Cabaret Performer (female):

TWISI Award: Sharron Matthews for Sharron’s Party

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Sharron Matthews for Sharron’s Party

17.  Outstanding Achievement by a Cabaret Performer (male):

TWISI Award: Thom Allison for Rainbows and Songbirds

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Bryce Kulak for The Big Idea

18.  Outstanding Achievement by a Playwright:

TWISI Award: Wajdi Mouawad for Scorched.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Wajdi Mouawad for Scorched.

19.  Outstanding Achievement by a Canadian Playwright:

TWISI Award: Stewart Lemoine for Happy Toes. Teatro la Quindicina. AND Jonathan Monro for Variations On a Nervous Breakdown. Talk is Free Theatre.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Kristen Thompson. I, Claudia. Crow’s Theatre.

20.  Outstanding Achievement in the Production of an Improv, Sketch or Comedy Show (awarded to the theatre company):

TWISI Award: Ghost Jail Theatre (Ian Rowe/ Caitlin Howden).

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Ghost Jail Theatre (Ian Rowe/Caitlin Howden).

21.  Outstanding Achievement by an Improviser (Male)

TWISI Award: Fraz Wiest

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Matt Baram

22.  Outstanding Achievement by an Improviser (Female)

TWISI Award: Kayla Lorette

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Kayla Lorette.

23.  Outstanding Achievement in Musical Direction

TWISI Award: Reza Jacobs for The Sound of Silence. Acting UpStage.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Wayne Gwillim. A New Brain. Acting UpStage.

24.  Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Visiting or Touring Show:

TWISI Award: Spring Awakening. David Mirvish.

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Spring Awakening. David Mirvish.

25.  Outstanding Achievement on CD by a Canadian male theatre artist (The album must have been released between June 1^st, 2008- June 30^th 2009).

TWISI Award: Michael Hughes for Michael Hughes

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Michael Hughes for Michael Hughes

26.  Outstanding Achievement on CD by a Canadian female theatre artist. (The album must have been released between June 1^st 2008- June 30^th, 2009).

TWISI Award: Patricia Zentilli and Patti Loach for Pull Me Through

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Janet MacEwen for Back Where I Belong AND Patricia Zentilli and Patti Loach for Pull Me Through

27.  Special Honour for Best Theatre Programme (as in, the booklet you receive at the theatre):

TWISI Award: Soulpepper Theatre. (Albert Schultz)

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Shaw Festival. (Jackie Maxwell).

28.  Special Honour for Favourite Theatre Space (as in, the building that houses the theatre):

TWISI Award: The Berkeley Street Theatre (Matthew Jocelyn)

TWISI People’s Choice Award: BusStop Theatre (Lee-Anne Poole)

29.  Special Honour for Most Audience Friendly Theatre Company:

TWISI Award: The Canadian Stage Company (Natasha Mytnowych)

This award is going to Natasha Mytnowych to honour all the work that she has done to develop and implement amazing programs that reach out to young artists and the theatre community as a whole and enriches the Canadian Stage experience so much. 

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Acting UpStage Theatre. (Mitchell Marcus) AND Ghost Jail Theatre (Caitlin Howden and Ian Rowe).

30.       Special “Just Cuz” Award for Someone in the Theatre Community most deserving of recognition:

TWISI Award: Jenni Burke.

Jenni Burke has fostered, encouraged and inspired dozens of young performers through her work at Statler’s and with her huge heart and beautiful spirit. 

TWISI People’s Choice Award: Derrick Chua.

 While I was tallying the votes, I was really touched by the “Just Cuz” category, and I realized that there were so many people in the theatre community that were deemed deserving of recognition. So, I decided to post all the names that were emailed to me on the blog as a way of honouring each person individually.

The Other Recipients of “Just Cuz” Shout Outs Are:

Martha Burns, Martha Irving, Jon Kaplan, Matt Baram, David Shore, Caden Douglas, Meghan Hubley, Sharron Matthews, Thom Allison, Barbara Fingerote, Nina Aquino, David Oyie, Blair Irwin, Janet McEwen, Raquel Duffy, Steven Gallagher, Claire Leger, Matthew Amyotte, Ron Pederson, Pat Thornton, Mike Jackson, Kayla Lorette, Jeigh Madjus

            I was sitting in the park beside St. James Cathedral one pretty spring day in Toronto after coming from seeing a particularly extraordinary production at Soulpepper when I started to muse about the little things I enjoyed about the theatre. The programmes, the theatre buildings, and I found myself saying (in my head), “Someone should give out awards for these types of things!” The next thing I knew, I had realized that I was that perfect someone, and that I could. Not only could I give out awards for things no one seemed to be talking about, but I could give out production and performance awards too. Before I knew what was happening I had come up with thirty categories and had a flutter of excited butterflies in my belly.

            The more I sat in the park and thought, however, the more it seemed a smidgen self-serving for me to use my blog to give awards to the people I thought deserved them. But… what if my readers could vote too? And thus the TWISIs and the TWISI People’s Choice Awards were born! I have had so much fun playing hostess to the 2009 TWISIs. It gives me a little thrill every time people say or type the word ‘TWISI’! The response delighted me and exceeded my expectations, so thank you to everyone who voted, and to every single person who is reading the results right now. Thank you from the very bottom of my heart for finding your way here.