Latest news with #MakambeK.Simamba
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Indie theatre productions score big in local theatre awards
They may be small, but the independent theatres were the big winners at this year's Betty Mitchell Awards. The Bettys, now in their 26th year, recognize excellence in Calgary's professional theatres. Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers – Makambe K. Simamba's solo show, produced by Toronto's Tarragon Theatre and presented in Calgary by Verb and Handsome Alice theatres – was the big winner. It was named outstanding production of a play, and won Simamba a Betty for outstanding lead performance in a drama, as well as a joint award with Shakeil Rollock for outstanding choreography. Handsome Alice was also the production company behind Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby, Sonia Deleo's solo show about an unwanted pregnancy. Deleo was awarded a Betty for her original composition for the show. Inside Out and Chromatic Theatre's production of Static: A Party Girl's Memoir earned a Betty for Jamie Cesar for outstanding performance in a comedy, while fledgling opera company Ammolite Opera saw Geoffrey Schellenberg take home the award for outstanding supporting performance in a musical. Sage Theatre's production of Mary Stuart saw Javier Vilalta named outstanding director of a drama, while Ghost River Theatre's production of Echoes of the Land won outstanding musical direction for Clarence Wolfleg, Skip Wolfleg, Eric Rose, Kris Demeanor, Jennie Esdale, Cedric Lightning, Alanna Bluechild, Kenna Burima, and Tauran. Legally Blonde, which is a joint production of Theatre Calgary and The Citadel Theatre, picked up Bettys for Kelsey Verzotti for lead performance, Patricia Zentilli for best supporting performance, as well as outstanding production of a musical. Theatre Calgary's production of Awoowaakii won Sable Sweetgrass the award for outstanding new script, as well as Bettys for Marshall Vielle as outstanding lead performance in a comedy, and for John Doucet for his design of the show. The Play that Goes Wrong, which was a joint production of Theatre Calgary, The Citadel and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, took home the Betty for outstanding performance by an ensemble. Alberta Theatre Projects won a Betty for Relamy Kneeshaw's costumes in Charlotte's Web, while its production of The Seafarer earned Christopher Hunt the Betty for outstanding supporting performance in a drama. Vertigo Theatre's The Da Vinci Code won a Betty for Andy Moro's video designs, and its production of The Woman in Black won Narda McCarroll a Betty for her lighting design.
Calgary Herald
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Indie theatre productions score big in local theatre awards
Article content They may be small, but the independent theatres were the big winners at this year's Betty Mitchell Awards. Article content The Bettys, now in their 26th year, recognize excellence in Calgary's professional theatres. Article content Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers – Makambe K. Simamba's solo show, produced by Toronto's Tarragon Theatre and presented in Calgary by Verb and Handsome Alice theatres – was the big winner. It was named outstanding production of a play, and won Simamba a Betty for outstanding lead performance in a drama, as well as a joint award with Shakeil Rollock for outstanding choreography. Article content Article content Handsome Alice was also the production company behind Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby, Sonia Deleo's solo show about an unwanted pregnancy. Deleo was awarded a Betty for her original composition for the show. Article content Article content Inside Out and Chromatic Theatre's production of Static: A Party Girl's Memoir earned a Betty for Jamie Cesar for outstanding performance in a comedy, while fledgling opera company Ammolite Opera saw Geoffrey Schellenberg take home the award for outstanding supporting performance in a musical. Article content Sage Theatre's production of Mary Stuart saw Javier Vilalta named outstanding director of a drama, while Ghost River Theatre's production of Echoes of the Land won outstanding musical direction for Clarence Wolfleg, Skip Wolfleg, Eric Rose, Kris Demeanor, Jennie Esdale, Cedric Lightning, Alanna Bluechild, Kenna Burima, and Tauran. Article content Article content Legally Blonde, which is a joint production of Theatre Calgary and The Citadel Theatre, picked up Bettys for Kelsey Verzotti for lead performance, Patricia Zentilli for best supporting performance, as well as outstanding production of a musical. Article content Theatre Calgary's production of Awoowaakii won Sable Sweetgrass the award for outstanding new script, as well as Bettys for Marshall Vielle as outstanding lead performance in a comedy, and for John Doucet for his design of the show. Article content Article content The Play that Goes Wrong, which was a joint production of Theatre Calgary, The Citadel and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, took home the Betty for outstanding performance by an ensemble. Article content Alberta Theatre Projects won a Betty for Relamy Kneeshaw's costumes in Charlotte's Web, while its production of The Seafarer earned Christopher Hunt the Betty for outstanding supporting performance in a drama. Article content Vertigo Theatre's The Da Vinci Code won a Betty for Andy Moro's video designs, and its production of The Woman in Black won Narda McCarroll a Betty for her lighting design.
Calgary Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Many outstanding plays, actors highlighted in local Betty Award nominations
With 27 nominations, Theatre Calgary is the darling of this year's Bettys nomination committee, who agreed that TC's A Streetcar Named Desire, Alberta Theatre Projects' The Seafarer, Vertigo's The Da Vinci Code, Lunchbox's Go For Gold Audrey Pham!, and Sage's Mary Stuart were highlights of the 2024/25 theatre season. Article content The Bettys, now in their 26th year, recognize excellence in the city's professional theatre houses. Article content Article content TC's musical Legally Blonde is the season's most-nominated show, having received seven nominations. In addition to being named one of six outstanding productions of a musical, Legally Blonde received nominations for actors Kelsey Verzotti, Daniel Fong and Patricia Zentilli, Rachel Cameron for direction, and another for choreography, plus Rebecca Toon for costume designs. Article content Article content Article content Legally Blonde, which is a co-production with Edmonton's Citadel Theatre, is competing with Forte Musical Theatre's Austentatious, Ammolite Opera's Proving Up, Lunchbox and Forte's Twelve Days, and Handsome Alice's Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby for outstanding production of a musical. Article content Theatre Calgary dominates the outstanding production of a play category, with nominations for Awoowaakii, A Streetcar Named Desire – a co-production with the Citadel Theatre, and The Lehman Trilogy. Also competing for this award are Vertigo Theatre's The Woman in Black, and Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers, and Little Brothers – Makambe K. Simamba's solo show presented by Verb and Handsome Alice, which originated in Toronto with Tarragon Theatre. Article content Article content This year's nominees for outstanding performance by an ensemble include Ghost River Theatre's Echoes of a Land, TC's The Lehman Trilogy, ATP's Liars at a Funeral, Vertigo's Murder on the Links, and TC's The Play that Goes Wrong, a co-production with The Citadel and The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Article content Article content Nominated for outstanding lead performance in a drama are Lindsey Angell in A Streetcar Named Desire, Joe Perry in The Woman in Black, Makambe K. Simamba in Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers, and both Lauren Brotman and Norman Lewis in Mary Stuart.
Calgary Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Calgary Herald
Many outstanding plays highlighted in local Betty Award nominations
With 27 nominations, Theatre Calgary is the darling of this year's Bettys nomination committee, who agreed that TC's A Streetcar Named Desire, Alberta Theatre Projects' The Seafarer, Vertigo's The Da Vinci Code, Lunchbox's Go For Gold Audrey Pham!, and Sage's Mary Stuart were highlights of the 2024/25 theatre season. Article content The Bettys, now in their 26th year, recognize excellence in the city's professional theatre houses. Article content Article content TC's musical Legally Blonde is the season's most-nominated show, having received seven nominations. In addition to being named one of six outstanding productions of a musical, Legally Blonde received nominations for actors Kelsey Verzotti, Daniel Fong and Patricia Zentilli, Rachel Cameron for direction, and another for choreography, plus Rebecca Toon for costume designs. Article content Article content Article content Legally Blonde, which is a co-production with Edmonton's Citadel Theatre, is competing with Forte Musical Theatre's Austentatious, Ammolite Opera's Proving Up, Lunchbox and Forte's Twelve Days, and Handsome Alice's Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby for outstanding production of a musical. Article content Theatre Calgary dominates the outstanding production of a play category, with nominations for Awoowaakii, A Streetcar Named Desire – a co-production with the Citadel Theatre, and The Lehman Trilogy. Also competing for this award are Vertigo Theatre's The Woman in Black, and Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers, and Little Brothers – Makambe K. Simamba's solo show presented by Verb and Handsome Alice, that originated in Toronto with Tarragon Theatre. Article content Article content This year's nominees for outstanding performance by an ensemble include Ghost River Theatre's Echoes of a Land, TC's The Lehman Trilogy, ATP's Liars at a Funeral, Vertigo's Murder on the Links, and TC's The Play that Goes Wrong, a co-production with The Citadel and The Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre. Article content Article content Nominated for outstanding lead performance in a drama are Lindsey Angell in A Streetcar Named Desire, Joe Perry in The Woman in Black, Makambe K. Simamba in Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers, and both Lauren Brotman and Norman Lewis in Mary Stuart. Article content Recognized for their comedic performances this season are Karen Johnson Diamond in Verb Theatre's Every Brilliant Thing, Ashley King in Inside Out and Chromatic Theatre's Static: A Party Girl, Julie Orton in ATP's Charlotte's Web, Mera Reyes in Downstage's The Strategy of War, and Marshall Vielle in TC's Awoowaakii.
