2010 Betty Mitchell Award Nominations Announced!

Home grown plays and diverse range of work prominent on this year’s ballot.

Nominations for the 2010 Betty Mitchell Awards, celebrating Calgary’s professional theatre, were announced today at the Auburn Saloon. Presenting the 2010 nominees was last year’s awards show host and Co-Chair of the Betty Mitchell Awards Steering Committee, Trevor Rueger.

This year’s nominations reflect an ever-growing appreciation for home grown plays. In all there are 23 nominations spread over 16 categories for plays that originated in Calgary. Some of these are newly created works, others indigenous plays with a lengthy production history and international recognition.

Also noteworthy is the diversity of works represented on this year’s ballot. From collective creations to Broadway musicals, the range of performances presented to Calgary audiences over the theatre season is apparent in this year’s Betty Mitchell Awards Nominations. Reflecting on the spectrum of productions appearing in the nominations line-up, Rueger remarks,

“It’s amazing to me that you have work as diverse as a collective creation performed on a 16 square foot platform being recognized as equally as Broadway musicals where Jesus actually descends from the heavens.”

Three special adjudicated awards will also be presented at the 2010 Betty Mitchell Awards: the Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award (a $2000 cash prize) presented in conjunction with Quest Theatre, the Greg Bond Memorial Award (a $1000 cash prize, honouring Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in Calgary), and the Dean Ott/ Debbie Boult Award (honouring Outstanding Achievement in Technical Production). The Bettys’ media sponsor, Fast Forward Weekly will also be presenting the Fast Forward Weekly Readers’ Choice Award.

The complete list of nominees can be accessed at the Betty Mitchell Awards website, www.bettymitchellawards.com.

The 2009/2010 professional theatre season (June 15, 2009-June 14, 2010) brought to the stage 59 shows eligible for Betty Mitchell Award nominations. Ballots for voting on the nominations will be distributed to the 12-member Nominating Committee and eligible Passport Holders from the theatre community and general public.

The recipients of the 2010 Betty Mitchell Awards will be announced at the gala ceremony on Monday, August 30, 2010 at the Max Bell Theatre in the EPCOR CENTRE for the Performing Arts (205-8th Ave., S.E.). Tickets go on sale Thursday, July 22, 2010 at 12:00 p.m. at the Pumphouse Theatres Box Office (2140 Pumphouse Ave. S.W.). Tickets are $32.25 (all fees included) and include entrance to both the Betty Mitchell Awards Show and the Official After Party at the Auburn Saloon. Tickets may be purchased in person by cash, credit card, or debit. Using a credit card, tickets may also be purchased by phone: 403.263.0079, or online: www.pumphousetheatre.ca.