EODL Spring Play Festival - 2011  

Peter Adams introduced Graham Hart the MC as a Peterborough Memory. This was the light hearted kick off to the Eastern Ontario drama League’s Spring Play Festival. The Festival usually consists of 4 plays at the home of a host group over a single week end. However, this year there was no host group so the adjudicator traveled to each of the theatres to see their production. On Sunday April 3, 2011 the Peterborough Theatre Guild hosted the Awards brunch at Baker’s Hill Banquet Hall. This was the culmination of the traveling festival that has taken place from October 22 to April 3, 2011.

The six Plays were:

Northumberland Players Cobourg – “Having Hope at Home” - By David S. Craig

Ottawa Little Theatre – “The Long Weekend” - By Norm Foster

Valley Players of Almonte – “Looking” - By Norm Foster

Peterborough Theatre Guild – “Art” - By Yasmina Reza

Domino Theatre Kingston – “Trying” – Grant Buckler - By Joanna McClelland Glass

Theatre Night in Merrickville – “The Farm Show” - By Theatre Passe Muraille

Although Graham Hart is not closely involved with PTG, he demonstrated by his comments, a good understanding of the energy and heart that goes into live amateur theatre and gave all of the guests that relaxed Peterborough feeling. Peter Adams reminded everyone of how important theatre is to every community. Dean Papas welcomed all of the groups to Peterborough on behalf of the Mayor and City Council. Gwyneth James spoke as Board Chair of the Peterborough Theatre Guild. Lee Jourard from EODL and Linda Conway from PTG kept the presentation ceremony running smoothly. Jill Adams and Marilyn Robinson, co-chairs repeated many times that the fun, brightness and smooth running of the event was due to the keen organizational skills of Sheryl Capeling.

There were a few tense moments when the adjudicator had not arrived and the brunch was beginning. No one had a cell phone number for him and it was discovered that Baker’s Banquet Hall does not show up on a GPS. When he arrived shortly after, he assured everyone that it had nothing to do with the GPS but simply his tendency to get lost. After a lovely meal and time to relax, John Lazarus presented his choices for the awards.

Adjudicator, John Lazarus is an internationally-known, award-winning Canadian playwright and teacher. He has taught at Studio 58, the Vancouver Film School, and the National Theatre School, and is presently a professor in the Drama Department at Queen’s University. For many years he worked as the Vancouver theatre critic for CBC Radio. In addition to the E.O.D.L., he has also adjudicated for Theatre B.C., the Association of B.C. Drama Educators, and the Sears Festivals, and this year he is adjudicating festivals for both the Eastern Ontario and Western Ontario Drama Leagues. His latest play, Trouble on Dibble Street, was produced this past summer at the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, Prescott, and his next play, Old Enough to Kill, will be produced on Queen’s campus by Gnu Ground this coming April. John is a graduate of the National Theatre School.

The Awards Were:

City of Pembroke Trophy (Adjudicator’s Award) Peterborough Theatre Guild – “Art” – sophisticated overall look

Armagh Sifton Award (Adjudicator’s Award) Theatre Night in Merrickville – “The Farm Show” – Marsha Phillips and her musicians

Arnold Connerty Award (Adjudicator’s Award) Northumberland Players Cobourg – “Having Hope at Home” – Greg Curtis- Acting

Peterborough Theatre Guild Award (Set Design) Peterborough Theatre Guild – “Art” – Ian Burns and Wyatt Lamoureux

John L. Walley Award (Best Costuming) Domino Theatre Kingston – “Trying” – Claudia Wade

Deep River Players Award (Best Visual Presentation) Theatre Night in Merrickville – “The Farm Show”

Margaret White Award (Acting Excellence) Ottawa Little Theatre – “The Long Weekend” – Irish O’Brien

Bancroft Theatre Guild Award (Acting Excellence) Valley Players of Almonte – “Looking” – Robert Horne

Leonard Beaulne Memorial Trophy ( Best Actor in Major Role) Domino Theatre Kingston – “Trying”

Leonard Beaulne Memorial Trophy (Best Actress in Major Role) Northumberland Players Cobourg – “Having Hope at Home” – Jody Ledgerwood

Peterborough Theatre Guild Award ( Best use of Speech) Peterborough Theatre Guild – “Art” – Randy Lawrence

Ron Hazelgrove Award (Best Cameo Performance) Theatre Night in Merrickville – “The Farm Show” – Gerard Phillips

Therese May Memorial Award ( Outstanding Student Contribution) Valley Players of Almonte – “Looking” – Jeff Gourgon - sound

Trentonian & Tri-County Award (Best Director) Domino Theatre Kingston – “Trying” – Penny Nash

The Kingston Trophy (Best Production of a Canadian Play) Ottawa Little Theatre – “The Long Weekend”

Leslie Frost Award (Best Production) Domino Theatre Kingston – “Trying”

Wyatt Lamoureux accepts the Peterborough Theatre Guild Award for Set Design (On behalf of Wyatt Lamoureux and Ian Burns) from PTG Board Chair Gwyneth James

Wyatt Lamoureux accepts the Peterborough Theatre Guild Award for Best Use of Speech from Andy Trasuk on behalf of Randy Lawrence for his role of Yvan in the PTG production of Art

Marilyn and Jill would like to thank the committee:
Sheryl Capeling- brunch Organizer
Linda Conway – Awards Chair
John and Ruth Brandow – Ticket sales
David Moes- Photography
Beth McMaster- Adjudicator’s Escort