When it comes to the annual Ovation Awards honouring the best in the Lower Mainland's musical theatre scene, New West is always in the mix - and this year is no different.
The Ovation Awards were handed out on Sunday, Jan. 18 - and, though the Royal City Musical Theatre Company didn't come home with the hardware this year, the company did make itself felt in the nominations.
It captured a nomination for Outstanding Community Production (Large Theatre) for its spring production of Annie - an award taken by Align Entertainment's Shrek. Its young star, Julia MacLean, also snagged herself a nomination for Outstanding Lead Female, an award taken by Jocelyn Gauthier for Theatre Under the Stars' Legally Blonde. Caitlin Clugston, who delighted audiences with her portrayal of Miss Hannigan, also captured a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Performance - Female.
Other New West representation came from the city's own Patrick Street Productions, which staged two musicals - Floyd Collins and Out of a Dream - at the York Theatre last year.
Floyd Collins was in contention for Outstanding Professional Production, where it was beaten out by Gateway Theatre's Crazy for You.
Out of a Dream was in contention for Outstanding Chamber Production (with six or fewer performers), but in the end was beaten out by Carousel Theatre's Busytown. Out of a Dream, incidentally, featured New West's own Sayer Roberts. And another contender in the same category - Footlight Theatre's The Marvelous Wonderettes - was directed by a New Westminsterite, Wayne Nolan.
Out of a Dream also earned nominations for Outstanding Music Direction (Nico Rhodes) and Outstanding Direction (Peter Jorgensen).
Floyd Collins, meanwhile, was a multiple nominee as well, taking nominations for Outstanding Set Design (Amir Ofek), Outstanding Costume Design (Barbara Clayden) and Outstanding Lighting Design (Jeff Harrison).
Daren Hebert also earned an Outstanding Lead Male Performance nomination for Floyd Collins, and cast member Andrew Wade earned an Outstanding Newcomer nomination.
Jay Davis, Graham Coffeng and Michael Culp earned a nomination for a special award for their turn as the reporters.
Another New West connection came in the audience choice category, as the Arts Club's Avenue Q - directed by Jorgensen - won for Outstanding Remounted Musical.
And I'd be remiss not to note one of the big winners of the night - Gateway Theatre's Crazy for You, which captured Outstanding Professional Production honours as well as awards for set design and choreography, plus a special award for its tap ensemble. Its cast included New West residents Henry Beasley and Robin Sukorokoff, and it was directed by New West's own Barbara Tomasic - who, by the way, also earned the award for Outstanding Direction.
And let's not forget Chris Sinosich, New West's favourite costume designer, who earned a nomination for costume design for her work on Theatre Under the Stars' Shrek.
Whew. I think that's the list of Royal City connections, but you can check out the whole list of winners and nominees for yourself at www.applausemusicals.com.
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It's been five years in the making, and now it has officially been launched.
City Stage New West is celebrating the CD launch for Stump City Stories, the original musical by George Ryan that tells the story of the history of New Westminster in drama and song.
The theatre company commissioned the musical in 2009 and has successfully staged it in concert form. The company launched a Kickstarter campaign in 2013 to help fund the cost of a recording to help create a cultural legacy for the city.
It has now completed the recording and formally donated the rights to the city at a council meeting earlier this month.
The CD launch party was held Wednesday at the Anvil Centre.
Check out www.citystagenewwest.org for more about the project.
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The dramatic real-life story of a plane crash and its survivors is the basis of an award-winning book - and its author is coming to the New Westminster Public Library.
Carol Shaben will be on hand at the library on Tuesday, Feb. 3 for a slide show and talk about her book, Into The Abyss.
She's the daughter of one of the survivors of a deadly plane crash in Northern Alberta - in which a pilot, a politician, a criminal and a cop survived. They found themselves at the mercy of freezing temperatures and discovered that their survival hinged on one of them - the prisoner in transit to face charges.
Shaben is an award-winning, Vancouver-based author and the recipient of two National Magazine Awards. Into the Abyss, her first book, received the 2013 Edna Staebler National Award for Non-Fiction and was a finalist for the B.C. Book Prizes Hubert Evans Non-Fiction Prize.
The talk is free, but pre-register by calling 604-527-4667 or email [email protected]. The library is at 716 Sixth Ave., uptown.
Do you have an item for Lively City? Send arts and entertainment ideas to Julie, [email protected], or find her on Twitter, @juliemaclellan.
