The juries have convened, deliberated, and have chosen the recipients for the 2019 Betty Mitchell Awards juried awards:
Kristin Eveleigh for the Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award presented in conjunction with Quest Theatre, honouring Outstanding Achievement in Theatre for Young Audiences;
Richard Gregson for the Dean Ott / Debbie Boult Award honouring Outstanding Achievement in Technical Production
Nicole Duma-Lorincz, Lisa O'Brien and Anita Miotti for the Greg Bond Memorial Award recognizing Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in Calgary;
Join us on June 24, 2019 for the 22nd Annual Betty Mitchell Awards at Vertigo Theatre where we will honour the recipients.
The 2019 Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award honours Kristin Eveleigh
"It is with great joy that we are able to recognize the heart and hard work that Kristin Eveleigh has put into theatre for young audiences and specifically Calgary Young People’s Theatre to create and sustain a theatre space for young people in Calgary. She mentors and empowers youth in a holistic way that values their place in the professional theatre realm and champions new and risky work by them. We thank her many nominators, as she’s been nominated twice with six people taking the time to compose beautiful and thoughtful letters of support. We thank her for making such an impact on our community and fostering a strong base of young, passionate theatre creators." -Lara Schmitz, Chair of the Jury for 2019
This annual award was created to honour an individual or group of individuals who have made an outstanding contribution or significant achievement in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences in Calgary. This award is made possible through a partnership between Quest Theatre and the Betty Mitchell Awards and is supported by a fund established in 2008 at the Calgary Foundation by a group of generous donors in recognition of Duval Lang.
Duval Lang was the founding Artistic Director of Quest Theatre and spent 25 years making theatre accessible, meaningful, and enjoyable to young audiences. Along the way he has nurtured many emerging artists who have been inspired by his influence. Duval’s dedication to his craft has, and will continue to have, a significant legacy in the field of Theatre for Young Audiences.
The 2019 Dean Ott/Debbie Boult Award honours Richard Gregson
"Richard Gregson has worked in the entertainment industry for 40 years and has been part of the Calgary community for most of that career. After graduating from National Theatre School in 1980, Richard hopped on a train in Montreal and headed to Banff for the summer of 1981 ….and never looked back. From 1981-1985 Richard’s summers were spent in Banff as the Shop Carp and Head Stage Carp, and winters in Edmonton at the Citadel as Shop and Stage Carp. Richard joined TC in 1985 for the opening of the Max Bell Theatre and what is now called Arts Commons as Stage Carp and then Technical Director.
In his freelance years he worked as a TD for various organizations and festivals, and was a Pyrotechnics specialist for 10 years with Unreel FX. Flames fans and people around the world see his creation of the “fireball” effect at Calgary Flames games. He has served as the House Stage Technician at SAJA for the last 14 years and it is in this role that he not only works with many artists and organizations, he is also committed to mentoring students and new technicians with whom he enthusiastically shares his extensive knowledge in Stage carpentry, safety, rigging, scenic carpentry and technical direction. Richard interacts with artists from around the world and works hard to provide an atmosphere of hospitality and professionalism. His career has given him multiple opportunities to be an excellent ambassador for the Calgary arts community and he has lived and continues to live up to the task." - Bonni Baynton, Chair of the Jury for 2019
The Dean Ott / Debbie Boult Award was created to annually honour a member of Calgary’s theatre community who has made a major contribution or significant achievement in the area of technical production in Calgary. This award is given in recognition of Dean Ott and Debbie Boult. Throughout their lives, Dean and Debbie continually strove for excellence and were regarded as a benchmark for professionalism. The recipient of this award will reflect Dean and Debbie’s passion for their craft.
The 201 Greg Bond Memorial Award honours Nicole Duma Lorincz, Lisa O'Brien and Anita Miotti
The recipients of the 2019 Greg Bond Memorial Award for outstanding contribution to musical theatre in Calgary are Nicole Duma-Lorincz, Lisa O’Brien and Anita Miotti, the three women who are the driving force behind the St.Francis High School Musical Theatre Program. Nominator Marilyn Potts stated, “ I would like to suggest that this is where a vibrant musical theatre community starts: with an interest in high school that is addressed by a group of teachers with a collective, cooperative spirit, that stress a sound work ethic among themselves and with their students and whose production each year show outstanding achievement."
Each year, the Greg Bond Memorial Award is presented by the Bond Family and the Toronto Community foundation in memory of Greg Bond (1954–1989). He was an energetic, enthusiastic and extremely talented actor/singer/dancer/musician who had a remarkable respect for, and from, the musicians and musical theatre artists with whom he delighted in working.
The award honours contribution to the profile of musical theatre in Calgary. It recognizes a cooperative spirit, a sound work ethic, and acknowledges outstanding achievement by peer.
