THE JURIES HAVE CONVENED, DELIBERATED, AND HAVE CHOSEN THE RECIPIENTS FOR THE 2014 BETTY MITCHELL AWARDS JURIED AWARDS:
Rose Brow for the Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award presented in conjunction with Quest Theatre, honouring Outstanding Achievement in Theatre for Young Audiences;
Willy Joosen for the Greg Bond Memorial Award recognizing Outstanding Contribution to Musical Theatre in Calgary;
Jack Jamieson for the Dean Ott / Debbie Boult Award honouring Outstanding Achievement in Technical Production
The 2014 Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award honours Rose Brow.
“The unanimous feeling amongst the jury was that so many children across Alberta have benefited from Rose’s dedication to managing a company in such a way that it can provide the best, most professional theatre for young audiences. She does that by caring for her staff, mentoring young artists, and always being such a big part of each school tour even from head office.” Karen Johnson-Diamond, chair of the Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences award said in a statement of support for Rose.
Formerly the long-time managing director of Calgary’s Quest Theatre, Rose was named the winner of a Rozsa Award for Excellence in Arts Management in 2014. Rose is an alumnus of the Rozsa Arts Management Program at the University of Calgary’s Haskayne School of Business, and is a well-known and much beloved face on the Calgary performing arts scene. She has instructed at Mount Royal University, chaired and participated in committees with the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), and worked with other notable Calgary organizations such as Green Fools, Alberta Theatre Projects, and Ghost River.
This annual award has been created to honor 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 2014 Dean Ott/Debbie Boult Award honours Jack Jamieson.
“When it comes to sustained contribution to the Calgary community, Jack Jamieson has provided decades of commitment and passion to his craft. For the past 26 years, Jack has been the heart, soul and ears for both the Jack Singer Concert Hall and of the Calgary sound community at large. Jack has mentored numerous sound technicians who have gone on to become the heads of sound departments for almost every venue in Calgary. He is knowledgeable, passionate and goes out of his way to assist others in learning and improving their skills.” wrote Leslie Biles in support of Jack’s nomination for the award.
Jack Jamieson has been working professionally in the live sound reinforcement industry for over thirty-five years. In 1988, after 10 years in local and regional touring, he began his career as a venue technician at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary, where he remains, as head sound technician, to this day. He attributes his long relationship with the Epcor Centre to the wide variety of talented artists and technicians he gets to work with on a daily basis, and to the high degree of trust placed in him on the part of both the artists and his employers. From the classical musicians of the Calgary Philharmonic Orchestra to world class blues, world music, and pop artists, he’s always found an opportunity for both new knowledge and shared joy in his daily interactions with artists, technicians and audiences.
This annual award has been created to 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 2014 Greg Bond Memorial Award honours Willy Joosen.
Kathryn Kerbes, Chair of the jury for the Greg Bond Memorial Award was quick to point out that honouring Willy Joosen with the Greg Bond memorial award is not just about the years put in (although Willy has thirty-plus of those) or the specific skills or attributes he brings to a production, but that “he has the ability to elevate a performance just by playing.”
Willy Joosen has been a prolific contributor to the music of Calgary; from playing the organ at Flames games to performing with the Calgary Jazz Orchestra. His musical tastes and talents know little boundary – from playing slow and silky jazz, to well-known classics, to suddenly breaking out in riffs from Ms. Pac Man – you can always be assured the music will be entertaining and fun. “Willy is a stalwart contributor to the Calgary theatre scene, and has a musical mind like no other. He definitely embodies the spirit of excellence this award is intended to recognize.”
This annual award is intended to honour the outstanding achievement by an individual in musical theatre in Calgary. The award is made possible through the Toronto Community Foundation, and is presented by the Bond Family in memory of their son, Greg (1954–1989). Greg studied and worked in musical theatre across Canada, from Banff to Charlottetown as well as in Australia. His life was marked by a drive for professionalism, a talent for composition, and a desire to continually study, create and perform. He will be remembered for his positive attitude and his remarkable ability to give and engender respect from everyone whom his life touched.
Celebrating the past season on the eve of the new, this year’s Betty Mitchell Awards will be held on Monday, August 18th, 2014 at Stage West, 727 42 Avenue SE. The gala ceremony is always great fun and this year promises to be no exception.