Luara Fukumoto, Nicole Yukiko, Yoshie Bancroft, Joanna Garfinkel, Brent Hirose and Daniel Deorksen were among the winners at this year’s Jessie Awards. PC: Artslandia Magazine. Photographed by Rob Trendiak.
UBC alumni were out in full force at the 2018 Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards, with 17 alumni bringing home awards. The annual awards show recognizes achievement in professional theatre in Vancouver.
Japanese Problem, a site-specific play that deals with the sobering history of Japanese internment, received the Critic’s Choice Innovation Award. Joanna Garfinkel (Theatre MFA ’07) and Yoshié Bancroft (Theatre BFA ’08) are co-creators of the play, and Daniel Deorksen (Theatre BFA ’06) composed music and collaborated on the project (Daniel also took home a second award for his sound design work on A Steady Rain). Accepting the award, Joanna said, “We wanted to change the stories that were told, who was in them, and who told them.”
Japanese Problem will be returning to Hastings Park this September, where it debuted last year, as well as heading to Toronto for Soulpepper’s 2018-2019 season in October. UBC Theatre & Film will be hosting a special event for UBC alumni at the October 25th performance as part of their 60th Anniversary.
1 Hour Photo, a play written and performed by Tetsuro Shigematsu (Creative Writing MFA ’11), traces the life of Mas Yamamoto through the major currents of the 20th century. Tetsuro along with collaborator Susan Miyagishima (Anthropology BA ’03) took home a Jessie Award for outstanding technical design and execution for the purpose of historical storytelling.
The biggest winner this year was The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius, which the Georgia Straight calls “an audacious take on Shakespeare’s bloodiest tragedy.” The production took home six awards, including an outstanding direction nod for Stephen Drover (Theatre MFA ’02)—who also took home a second direction award for his work on Hand to God—as well as ensemble performance honours for Sarah Afful (Theatre BFA ’08) and Naomi Wright (Theatre BFA ’02).
Two recent graduates took home awards for Jabber in the “Theatre for Young Audiences” category: Chelsea Haberlin (Theatre MFA ’13) for outstanding artistic direction and Parmiss Sehat (Theatre BFA ’16) for outstanding performance.
Finally, former UBC Theatre & Film department head and emeritus professor John Wright (Arts BA ’64) received the GVPTA Career Achievement Award.
A full list of all UBC alumni award recipients is below. Congratulations to all of the winners!
Critic’s Choice Innovation Award
Japanese Problem – Universal Limited and Multiple Organism – Mind of a Snail
Yoshié Bancroft (Theatre BFA ’08), Daniel Deorksen (Theatre BFA ’06), and Joanna Garfinkel (Theatre MFA ’07).
Outstanding Sound Design or Original Composition – Small Theatre
Daniel Deorksen (Theatre BFA ’06) – A Steady Rain – Seven Tyrants Theatre
Significant Artistic Achievement – Small Theatre
Tetsuro Shigematsu (Creative Writing MFA ’11) and Susan Miyagishima (Anthropology BA ’03) – 1 Hour Photo – Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre – Outstanding technical design and execution for the purpose of historical storytelling
Outstanding Performance – Theatre for Young Audiences
Parmiss Sehat (Theatre BFA ’16) – Jabber – Green Thumb Theatre and Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Artistic Creation – Theatre for Young Audiences
Chelsea Haberlin (Theatre MFA ’13) – Directing – Jabber – Green Thumb Theatre and Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Direction – Small Theatre
Stephen Drover (Theatre MFA ’02) – The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius – Rumble Theatre
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble – Small Theatre
Sarah Afful (Theatre BFA ’08) and Naomi Wright (Theatre BFA ’02) – The Society for the Destitute Presents Titus Bouffonius – Rumble Theatre
Georgia Straight Outstanding Direction – Large Theatre
Stephen Drover (Theatre MFA ’02) – Hand to God – Arts Club Theatre Company
GVPTA Career Achievement Award
John Wright (Arts BA ’64)
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble – Large Theatre
Kerry Sandomirsky (Theatre BA ’87) and Marcus Youssef (Creative Writing MFA ’00) – King Arthur’s Night – Neworld Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design – Large Theatre
Christine Reimer (Theatre MFA ’96) – Much Ado About Nothing – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding Set Design – Large Theatre
Lauchlin Johnston (Theatre BFA ’08) – Misery – Arts Club Theatre Company
Patron of the Arts Award
Bonnie Mah (BCom ’87)
Sam Payne Award for the Most Promising Newcomer
Tai Amy Grauman (Theatre BFA ’18)
You can find a full list of all Jessie Award winners on their website.
