Calgary Musicals

Calgary’s Betty Mitchell Award Musical Theatre Nominees

The Betty Mitchell Award Nominees have just been announced. “The Bettys”, as they are colloquially known,  are named for a pioneer of Calgary’s theatrical community, Dr. Betty Mitchell, and were started in 1998 to celebrate and honour outstanding achievement in Calgary’s professional theatre  community. Most of the 2012 nominees related to musical theatre are in one of the five shows nominated for Outstanding Production of a Musical. Musicals are also, not surprisingly, well-represented in the costume and sound categories.

Alas, I did not see Peril in Paris, The Wizard of Oz or Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (since they were mounted before I launched this blog and made my commitment to try to see every musical opening in Calgary in 2012) or Moby Dick (which I didn’t  - and most people wouldn’t – consider a musical), but I saw all the others and consider them, for the most part, worthy nominees. Here’s the list of  musical theatre nominations (with links to my previous reviews and interviews):

Outstanding Production Of A Musical

Ash Rizin – Alberta Theatre Projects

Jeremy de Bergerac – Forte Musical Theatre Guild

Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Vertigo Theatre

The Wizard of Oz – Alberta Theatre Projects

Outstanding Musical Direction

Ethan Cole (Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Kyprios (Ash Rizin  - Alberta Theatre Projects)

Joe Slabe (Jeremy de Bergerac – Forte Musical Theatre Guild)

Joe Slabe (The Wizard of Oz – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Stephen Woodjetts  (Sweeney Todd – Vertigo Theatre)

Outstanding Performance By An Actor In A Comedy Or Musical

Kevin Aichele  (Sweeney Todd – Vertigo Theatre)

Tory Doctor (Jeremy de Bergerac – Forte Musical Theatre Guild)

Bruce Horak (The Wizard of Oz – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Scott Shpeley (Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Outstanding Performance By An Actress In A Comedy Or Musical

Jamie Konchak (Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Elizabeth Stepkowski Tarhran (Sweeney Todd – Vertigo Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by An Actress In A Supporting Role

Allison Lynch (Ash Rizin – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Outstanding Lighting Design

Harry Frehner (Moby Dick – Calgary Opera)

Narda McCarroll (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Vertigo Theatre)

Outstanding Set Design

Robert Brill (Moby Dick – Calgary Opera)

Narda McCarroll (Sweeney Todd – Vertigo Theatre)

Outstanding Performance By An Actor In a Supporting Role

Kyle Jespersen (Ash Rizin – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Daniel Mallett (Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Outstanding Costume Design 

Brian Craik (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Stage West)

Deitra Kalyn (Sweeney Todd – Vertigo Theatre)

John Pennoyer (The Wizard of Oz – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Tyler Sainsbury (Peril In Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Outstanding Sound Design Or Composition

Ethan Cole (Peril in Paris – Lunchbox Theatre)

Kyprios (Ash Rizin – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Joe Slabe (Jeremy de Bergerac – Forte Musical Theatre Guild)

Outstanding Choreography Or Fight Direction

Tara Blue (The Wizard of Oz – Alberta Theatre Projects)

Lisa Stevens (Cats – Theatre Calgary)

Outstanding New Play

Ethan Cole and Eric Rose (Peril in Paris)

Joe Slabe (Jeremy de Bergerac)

Outstanding Direction

Mark Bellamy (Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Vertigo Theatre)

The recipients of the 2012 Betty Mitchell Awards will be announced at the gala ceremony on Monday, August 27, 2012 at Stage West Theatre (727 42 Avenue S.E.). Tickets are on sale now at the Stage West Theatre Box Office. Early bird tickets (first 150 purchases) are $60.00, and regular price tickets are $65. Tickets include a buffet dinner, the Betty Mitchell Awards Show and entrance to the Official After Party at the Auburn Saloon.  Doors open for dinner at 6:00pm.  The Betty Mitchell Awards Show starts at 7:30pm. Tickets may be purchased by phone with a credit card at 403.243.6642 or in person at Stage West.

For further information and a complete listing, please visit the website at www.bettymitchellawards.com.