Nominations for the 2015 CAT Awards (Community Theatre Awards), celebrating the best of community theatre in Calgary and neighbouring communities were announced on July 20, 2015. There are 107 nominees in the 23 categories this year.

The CAT Awards are presented annually by Calgary-ACTS, Calgary’s Alliance of Community Theatres. Calgary-ACTS is a not-for-profit society founded in 2000 with a focus on promoting community theatre in Calgary. It also provides a network of communication, support and resource sharing for its members. This year’s ceremony will mark the 12th annual presentation of the CAT Awards.

Calgary audiences were offered 36 productions from 22 local theatre companies who are members of Calgary – ACTS. The awards acknowledge, reward, and celebrate the contributions of local theatre artists with nominations selected through a combination of public input and show adjudications. Audiences were not disappointed by the quality and professionalism of the casts and crews of these productions

The recipients of the 2015 CAT Awards will be announced at the gala ceremony on Saturday, August 22nd, 2015 at 7:30 pm at the Rozsa Centre at the University of Calgary. Please join the best in local community theatre for this amazing evening of celebration. With so many stage plays being turned into films recently, the theme for this year is “From Stage to Screen”. Creative costuming is possible!

Tickets to the event are $15 and are on sale now through University ticketing at www.ucalgary.ca/tickets. Please visit www.calgary-acts.com for more information.

2015 CAT Award Nominees

Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play

• •Dorin McIntosh as Colm Primose in Sea Marks (Liffey Players) •
• Duane R. K. Jones as John Barrymore in I Hate Hamlet (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Janos Zeller as David Frost in Frost/Nixon (Scorpio Theatre)
• •Steve Buoninsegni as Tom in A Poster of the Cosmos (Dewdney Players)

Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play

• •Chelsea Restall as Joanna Markham in Move Over, Mrs. Markham (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Gillian Klassen as Maggie in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players) •
• Jennifer MacLean as Mrs. Doris Truscott in The Steven Truscott Story (Workshop Theatre)
• •Tanya Wolff as Timothea Stiles in Sea Marks (Liffey Players)

Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play •

• Darcy Wilson as Jack in Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre) •
• Greg Spielman as Big Daddy in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players)
• •Simon McKenzie as Gollum in The Hobbit (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Steven Morton as Alistair Spenlow in Move Over, Mrs. Markham (Morpheus Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play •

• Christine Alarie Rose as Mae in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players) •
• Gillian Klassen as Dorinda in Beaux’ Strategem (Gas and Light Productions)
• •Leanne Melathopolous as Lillian Troy in I Hate Hamlet (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Shandra McQueen as Dorothy Gale in Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre) •
• Stephanie Morris as Alice Liddell in Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre) •
• Toni Lynne as Big Mama in Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players)

Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical

• •Adam Sanders as Bobby Strong in Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Ian Fundytus as Sir Ruthven Murgatroyd /Robin Oakapple in Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •James Noonan as Captain Hook in Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre)
• •Keelan McAuley as Peter Pan in Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre)
• •Mike Sornberger as Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl’s Willly Wonka (StoryBook Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical •

• Caitlynne Medrek as Hope Cladwell in Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Jennifer Michaud as Rose Maybud in Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Kayla Christine Mackenzie as Pippi in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cappuccino Musical Theatre)
• •Tanis Laatsch as Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Musical

• •Alex Bergen as Mr. Smee in Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Bruce Fraser as Moonface Martin in Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)
• •Doug Keeling as Duke in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cappuccino Musical Theatre) •
• Fadi Saghir as Sir Despard Murgatroyd in Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Janos Zeller as Lord Evelyn Oakleigh in Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Michael Brown as Officer Lockstock in Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Musical •

• Andrea O’Brien as Erma in Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Cj Moore as Little Sally in Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players)
• •Jennifer Merio as Betty in The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cappuccino Musical Theatre) •
• Winnifred Hume as Mad Margaret in Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)

Outstanding Performance by a Chorus

• •Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble

• •Cooking Can Be Murder (Symons Valley Players) •
• Cry Havoc 3 (Scorpio Theatre) •
• Eclipsed (Liffey Players) •
• The Hobbit (StoryBook Theatre) •
• 12 Angry Men (Simply Theatre)

Outstanding Costume Design

• •Frank MacLeod (Design), Paige Fossheim (Hair & Makeup)Marilyn & Christie (Assistants) for Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Lianne Smith (Design). Lindsay Kurtze (Makeup/prosthetics), Cat Bentley (Hair/Wigs) for Roald Dahl’s Willly Wonka (StoryBook Theatre)
• Magz Ross (Design), Kim Johnson (Assistant), Cat Bentley (Hair), Kirstie Gallant (Makeup) for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Victoria Krawchuck (Design) for Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre)

Outstanding Scenic Design

• •Bill Brown, Dale Hirlehey, (Set Design) Heather Low (Props) for Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Jamie Eastgaard-Ross, Steven Eastgaard-Ross, and Rich Davis (Set Design), Heather Low (Prop Design), Meghan Skeet (Set Painting), Jody Low (Set Decoration), Sam Stemmler (Scenic Artist) for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)
• •JP Thibodeau for The Hobbit (StoryBook Theatre)
• •Nina Garcia for Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre)
• •Rich Davis for The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cappuccino Musical Theatre)

Outstanding Lighting Design

• •Bryan Smith for Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre)
• •Jerod Blake/Ed Sands for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players) •
• JP Thibodeau/Kris Mish for Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players) •
• JP Thibodeau for Red Riding Hood (StoryBook Theatre)
• •JP Thibodeau for Roald Dahl’s Willly Wonka (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Lisa Floyd for The Hobbit (StoryBook Theatre)

Outstanding Sound SFX (Musical)

• •Etienne St. Jacques for Red Riding Hood (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Kris Mish for Jesus Christ Superstar (Front Row Centre Players)
• Kris Mish for Roald Dahl’s Willly Wonka (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Kris Mish for The Hobbit (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Patrick Murray for Young Sherlock Holmes and the Case of Dick Whittington’s Cat (Morpheus Theatre)
• Steven Eastgaard-Ross for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Soundscape (Play)

• Bill Torrie for Eclipsed (Liffey Players) •
• Bill Torrie & Dean Caplan for Sea Marks (Liffey Players) •
• Ed Sands for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players)
• Janos Zeller for The Wizard of One (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Patrick Murray for Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre)

Outstanding Direction of a Play

• •Bill Torrie for Sea Marks (Liffey Players)
• •Chelsea Millard for Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre) •
• Dale Hirlehey for 12 Angry Men (Simply Theatre) •
• Jerod Blake for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players) •
• Michelle Brandenburg for I Hate Hamlet (Morpheus Theatre)

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

• •Bryan Smith for The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Cappuccino Musical Theatre)
• •Dale Hirlehey for Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Jamie Eastgaard-Ross for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)
• •Lindsay Kurtze for Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Musical Direction

• •Andrea O’Brien for Urinetown (Front Row Centre Players)
• •Brian Holiday for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)
• •Ian Robertson for Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Patrice Barnes for Peter Pan the Musical (StoryBook Theatre)

Outstanding Choreography

• •Amy Tollefson for Ruddigore (Morpheus Theatre)
• •Amber Bissonnette for Red Riding Hood (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Danielle Desmarais for Jesus Christ Superstar (Front Row Centre Players) •
• Lauren Thompson for Roald Dahl’s Willly Wonka (StoryBook Theatre) •
• Mikee Ames and Danielle Desmarais for Anything Goes (Front Row Centre Players)

Outstanding Stage Fight

• •Ben Blue for I Hate Hamlet (Morpheus Theatre) •
• Jerod Blake for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Dewdney Players)
• •John Knight, Anastasia St. Amand, Holleay Rohm, and Ian Pond with Aaron Conrad* (Professional) for Cry Havoc 3 (Scorpio Theatre)
• •John Knight for The Wizard of One (StoryBook Theatre)

Outstanding Original Script or Adaptation

• •Dan Gibbins for Blood of the Red Queen (Scorpio Theatre)
• •Maria Crooks for The Servant (Urban Stories) •
• Neil James (original concept) and Amos Altman for The Wizard of One (StoryBook Theatre) •
• The Writer’s Forge (Ben Blue, Aaron Conrad, Dan Gibbins, Keith Kollee, Matt Pickering, John Tebbutt) for Cry Havoc 3 (Scorpio Theatre)

Outstanding Production of a Play

Blood of the Red Queen – Scorpio Theatre
Producer: Daisy Pond
Director: Chelsea Millard
Fight Choreography: Anastasia St. Amand
Stage Manager: Samantha Bellamy-Smith

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof – Dewdney Players
Producer: Ed Sands
Director: Jerod Blake
Fight Choreography: Jerod Blake
Stage Manager: Pat Baceda

I Hate Hamlet – Morpheus Theatre
Producer: Sean Anderson
Director: Michelle Brandenburg
Fight Choreographer: Ben Blue
Assistant Director: Lonni Olson
Stage Manager: Daisy Pond

Sea Marks – Liffey Players
Producer: Chris Kane
Director: Bill Torrie
Stage Manager: China Marsh

12 Angry Men – Simply Theatre
Producer: James Noonan and Ginette Simonot
Director: Dale Hirlehey
Stage Manager: Laura Jones

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Anything Goes – Front Row Centre Players
Producer: Kristine Astop
Director: Jamie Eastgaard-Ross
Musical Director: Brian Holiday
Choreographer: Mikee Ames, Danielle Desmarais
Stage Manager: Marina Sakellis and Daisy Pond

Peter Pan the Musical – StoryBook Theatre
Producer: Jolene Anderson
Director: JP Thibodeau
Musical Director: Patrice Barnes
Choreographer: Lauren Thompson
Stage Manager: Jody Low

Ruddigore – Morpheus Theatre
Producer: Tim Elliott
Director: Dale Hirlehey
Musical Director: Ian Robertson
Choreographer: Amy Tollefson
Stage Manager: Jody Low

The Great American Trailer Park Musical – Cappuccino Musical Theatre
Producer: Jen Leclaire
Director: Bryan Smith
Musical Director: Ian Robertson
Choreographer: Eden Hildebrand
Stage Manager: Cameron Lugg

Urinetown – Front Row Centre Players
Producer: Darren Stewart
Director: Lindsay Kurtze
Musical Director: Andrea O’Brien
Choreographer: Jordana Fraser-Stangeland
Stage Manager: Mikee Ames

Congratulations to all the nominees!