Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
| Siminovitch Prize in Theatre | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best in Canadian theatre |
| Country |
 Canada |
| Presented by | BMO Financial Group |
| First awarded | 2001 |
| Official website | https://www.siminovitchprize.com/ |
The Siminovitch Prize in Theatre (formally, the Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre; commonly, the Siminovitch Prize) is given to recognize achievement in Canadian theatre; specifically, professional directors, playwrights and designers in three-year cycles. Established in 2001, the award named after Elinore & Louis ("Lou") Siminovitch.
In March 2012, organizers announced that the 12th edition of the prize would be its last. No reasons were given for the award's termination.[1] although in an interview one of the prize's founders, Joseph Rotman, stated that the prize was never conceived to run in perpetuity.[2] However, in July 2013, organizers announced a new partnership with the University of Toronto and the RBC Foundation that resulted in the revival of the prize.[3] The prize will be awarded again on October 21, 2013 at the University of Toronto.[3]
The prize
The Siminovitch Prize was established in 2001 to honour Elinore Siminovitch, a playwright, and her husband Lou Siminovitch, a scientist.[4][5] The purpose of the prize is to celebrate "the marriage between the arts and the sciences".[6] Twelve individuals and six organizations founded the prize; primary amongst them is the prize's largest financial sponsor, the BMO Financial Group.[4][7]
The prize is awarded annually to a director, playwright, or a designer, rotating through each of these theatre professions in a three-year cycle.[4][5] It is one of the few theatre awards that includes designers.[8] Winners are selected by a jury made up of prominent theatre professionals and awarded CAD$100,000, making it the largest prize of its kind in Canada.[4][6][9] Anyone may nominate a qualified candidate for the prize; the jury may also nominate qualified candidates.[6] Individuals who may be nominated must be a professional director, playwright, or designer who, in the preceding 10 years, has made a significant creative contribution to no fewer than two (in the case of playwrights) or three (in the case of directors and designers) noteworthy theatre projects in Canada.[4]
A condition of the award is that one quarter of the prize (CAD$25,000) must be awarded to a "protégé" selected by the winner.[4][5] The protégé may be an individual or organization (such as a theatre or educational facility) involved in professional direction, playwriting, or design in Canadian theatre.[6] The winner may choose to grant the amount to a single protégé or divide it between two eligible protégés.
Recipients
The recipients of the Siminovitch Prize since its inception are:[4][10]
- 2001 (director) Daniel Brooks of Toronto
- 2002 (playwright) Carole Fréchette of Montreal
- 2003 (designer) Louise Campeau of Montreal
- 2004 (director) Jillian Keiley of St. John's
- 2005 (playwright) John Mighton of Toronto
- 2006 (designer) Dany Lyne of Toronto
- 2007 (director) Brigitte Haentjens of Montreal
- 2008 (playwright) Daniel MacIvor of Toronto
- 2009 (designer) Ronnie Burkett of Calgary and Toronto
- 2010 (director) Kim Collier of Vancouver
- 2011 (playwright) Joan MacLeod of Victoria
- 2012 (designer) Robert Thomson
- 2013 (director) Chris Abraham
References
- ↑ Adams, James (18 March 2012). "Prestigious Siminovitch theatre prize coming to an end". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 18 March 2012.,
- ↑ Adams, James (19 March 2012). "Siminovitch Prize was never meant to run forever". Globe and Mail. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Siminovitch Prize in Theatre announces new partnerships with University of Toronto and RBC Foundation". Yahoo! Finance. 24 July 2013. Retrieved 26 July 2013.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 "Siminovitch Prize in Theatre". Canadian Theatre Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "Joan MacLeod wins Siminovitch Prize". Globe and Mail. 2011-11-07.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 "Siminovitch Prize". Siminovitch Prize/BMO Financial Group. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
- ↑ "Siminovitch Prize – The People Behind the Award". Siminovitch Prize/BMO Financial Group. Retrieved 2011-11-10.
- ↑ Brockett, Oscar; Hildy, Franklin (2007). History of the Theatre, 10th ed. Westport, CT: Allyn & Bacon. p. 549. ISBN 0-205-51186-4.
- ↑ King, Kimball (2007). Western Drama Through the Ages: Four great eras of western drama. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. p. 137. ISBN 0-313-32934-6.
- ↑ "Siminovitch Prize – Celebrating Excellence and Mentorship". Siminovitch Prize/BMO Financial Group. Retrieved 2011-11-10.