Carol Bolt Award Winner – Kate Hennig

Presented for the best work premiered by a PGC member in the past year, the 2017 Carol Bolt Award was bestowed on Kate Hennig for The Virgin Trial. The Carol Bolt Award is sponsored by Alberta Playwrights’ Network, Pat the Dog Theatre Creation, Playwrights Atlantic Resource Centre, Playwrights Canada Press, Playwrights Guild of Canada, Playwrights Theatre Centre, Playwrights Workshop Montreal, and Saskatchewan Playwrights’ Centre.

Jury: Philip Akin (Chair), Joanna Falck, Rod Hayward, and Kevin Longfield.

RBC Emerging Playwright Award Winner – Gary Mok

Presented for the best play by a PGC member who is an emerging playwright, the 2017 RBC Emerging Playwright Award was given to Gary Mok for we could be clouds. The RBC Emerging Playwright Award is sponsored by The RBC Emerging Artists Fund.

Jury: Jenna Rodgers (Chair), Janet Hinton, and Daniel Macdonald.

The Robert Beardsley Award – Alexander Steele Zonjic

The Arts and Letters Club of Toronto Foundation gives an annual award to an emerging playwright under 25 who lives in the GTA while attending a postsecondary institution. The Robert Beardsley Award was granted to Alexander Steel Zonjic for Enola Gay. This award was sponsored and presented by the Arts and Letters Club of Toronto Foundation and administered by Playwrights Guild of Canada.

Jury: Tom Slater (Chair), Emma Mackenzie-Hillier, and Norm Reynolds.

Stage West Musical Award Winner – Kelley Jo Burke (with co-creator, Jeffery Straker)

Presented annually to a PGC-member for best musical in development, the 2017 Musical Award was given to Kelley Jo Burke (with Jeffery Straker) for Us. The Stage West Musical Award is sponsored by the Stage West Pechet Family.

Jury: Ted Dykstra (Chair), Clara Bullock, Meghan Gardiner, and Peter Jorgensen.

Stage West Comedy Award Winner – Claude Montminy

Presented annually to a PGC-member for best comedy in development, the 2017 Comedy Award was bestowed upon Claude Montminy (with translators Nina Lauren and Danielle Ellen) for Maestro. The Stage West Comedy Award is sponsored by the Stage West Pechet Family.

Jury: Drew Hayden Taylor (Chair), Neil Fleming, Joanne Miller, and Julie Orton.

The Lifetime Membership Award – Morris Panych

The Lifetime Membership Award is for a PGC member who is nominated by the membership, and voted on by the board of directors, for being an influential force in Canadian playwriting. Morris Panych has been named the 2017 Lifetime Member and will receive PGC membership for life.

To read a full press release with synopses of the plays and short biographies of the playwrights, please click HERE.