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Five Canadian Directors Make Short-List for 2004 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
(September 27, 2004) TORONTO (CP) - The jury has turned to Toronto and points east to track down this year's winner of the $100,000 Siminovitch Prize, the largest in Canadian theatre. Toronto-based Alisa Palmer is one of five finalists for the prize, to be presented Oct. 26. The other four, chosen from a record 59 nominees, consist of two directors from Newfoundland and two from Quebec.
Palmer directed the musical Pal Joey at the Shaw Festival this summer and has a show currently onstage at Tarragon Theatre - the Canadian premiere of Oren Safdie's Private Jokes, Public Places. Other noteworthy projects have included the Ann-Marie MacDonald/Allan Cole musical Anything That Moves, Sibs by Diane Flacks and Richard Greenblatt, and Smudge by Alex Bulmer.
The Newfoundland directors are Lois Brown, who has directed the premieres of plays by island writers Ed Riche, Joel Hynes and Sherry White, and Jillian Keiley, founding artistic director of Artistic Fraud, whose first professional shows were produced by Brown.
Eric Jean, who now heads Montreal's Theatre de Quat'Sous, has taught in Mexico and, like several of the others, at Montreal's National Theatre School. Martin Faucher has directed a variety of work over the last 15 years, including plays by last year's Siminovitch winner Carole Frechette and by Larry Tremblay, as well as classics by Moliere and Corneille.
The Siminovitch Prize was launched in 2001 and honours the renowned scientist Lou Siminovitch and his late wife Elinore, who was a playwright. The winner receives $100,000, of which $25,000 goes to a protege or organization of the winner's choice.
The award alternates between directors, playwrights and designers and is for artists in mid-career.
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For further information: JoAnne Hayes, Toronto, joanne.hayes(at)bmo.com,
(416) 867-3996; Lucie Gosselin, Montreal, lucie.gosselin(at)bmo.com,
(514) 877-1101; Internet: www.siminovitchprize.com/
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RESOURCE CENTRE FOR THE ARTS TO RECEIVE DONATION FROM “ALUMNUS” RICK MERCER
(Thursday, September 23, 2004 - St. John's) Newfoundland actor Rick Mercer was one of seven Canadians to receive the prestigious Governor Generals Award for the Performing Arts, on Tuesday this week. Mercer said in an interview following the announcement that he wanted ...”to help struggling young artists by giving his $15,000 prize to the “voice of Newfoundland theatre” – Resource Centre for the Arts at the L.S.P.U. Hall in St. John’s”.
Chairperson Sherry White commented from New York. ”This is fantastic, fantastic news!!! I am so thrilled by this.”
Mercer began his performing career at the L.S.P.U. Hall when he was 16, with comedy group Corey and Wades Playhouse. His early one-man shows were first produced at the Hall, and went on to the national stage, launching Rick’s career as one of Canada’s best known performers.
Resource Centre for the Arts is thrilled and delighted to receive this donation, which will go to support the Theatre program and our young and emerging artists. Artistic Animateur Amy House says, “this is tremendous support for our programming. We develop and produce new work by Newfoundland playwrights. This work really would not be produced anywhere else, so RCA is incredibly important”. Resource Centre for the Arts has launched the careers of many Newfoundland artists, who have gone on to national recognition.
“Part of our on-going program is to present the work of emerging artists. We would like to apply some of this funding to support an event for young artists. This is something we really want to do” said General Manager, Roberta Thomas, adding “we are absolutely delighted.” RCA is inviting participants to an artist forum “On the Verge” on November 6 and 7 to discuss how we can further exhibit the talents of our young and emerging artists.
Resource Centre for the Arts congratulates Rick and fellow Newfoundland recipient Gordon Pinsent for the award honouring their work.
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Contact: Roberta Thomas, General Manager
Resource Centre for the Arts
753-4531
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RCA IMPLEMENTS A BUILDING REPAIR
FUND SURCHARGE AT THE LSPU HALL
(Monday, September 22, 2003 - St. John's) Effective immediately, the Resource Centre for the Arts is implementing a Building Repair Fund surcharge of $1 per ticket for every performance that takes place at the LSPU Hall.
The charge is a necessary first step in a major capital campaign that is being planned to address urgent structural and maintenance needs of this downtown heritage structure. Initial needs include repairs to the foundation wall, insulation of the attic, painting the exterior of the building, repairs to the roof, and the ultimate replacement of the roof.
Cost estimates on these repairs are in the process of being determined. The campaign is expected to launch officially following RCA's Annual General Meeting in December.
The $1 per ticket charge is expected to raise $20,000 a year for the Building Repair Fund. The practice will remain in place until the building's repair requirements are met.
Important facts about RCA:
- The Resource Centre for the Arts (RCA) is a cornerstone arts organization for our province and our city.
- Governed under a 12-member volunteer board of directors, RCA operates 4 distinct companies - RCA Theatre (RCAT), the RCA Gallery (RCAV), Neighbourhood Dance Works (NDW), and RCA Operations
(RCAOps), which is responsible for the maintenance and operation of the LSPU Hall.
- The client base of RCA Ops includes theatre companies, filmmakers, visual artists, dancers and many arts and community organizations who together produce, stage or host hundreds of plays, readings, screenings, exhibits and symposia in the building each year.
- The LSPU Hall was built in 1926 and was, for fifty years, home to the Longshoreman's Protective Union.
- RCA has operated the LSPU Hall since 1979.
- The LSPU Hall is in constant use year-round for rehearsals, workshops and performances.
The campaign launching in December will be RCA's first significant capital program since 1983, when a fundraising target of $168,000 was applied to new seating, enhanced box office and dressing room, and upgrades for fire regulation and workplace safety standards.
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For more information please contact:
Jennifer Deon
Vice-Chair, Resource Centre of the Arts
Phone: 754-2456 (home) or 368-6081 x241 (work)
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