I’ve said over and over again how pleased I was to learn upon moving to Calgary two years ago what a vibrant and varied theatre scene the city enjoys. And I’m both delighted and proud to be involved with it in my own little way.
And now I’m thrilled to announce that my own little way is getting a tad bigger. It’s been the worst kept secret in Calgary over the last few months (me and my big mouth!!) but now it’s official. Myself, along with Stephen Hunt and Bob Clark of the Calgary Herald and Louis B. Hobson of the Sun have banded together to establish the first annual Calgary Theatre Critics’ Awards.
We have categories, we will have nominees and there will even be a free award ceremony. What we don’t have yet is an official name for the awards. That’s where you come in, lured we hope by a fancy-shmancy prize.
All the info is in the press release below. Have a read. Pass it on. And I look forward to your creative ideas!
Critics Announce New Theatre Awards in Calgary
Public invited to help give the awards an official, stage-worthy name
Oscar is taken. Tony is, too. Dora is out, Jessie is messy and better forget Betty, Emmy and Grammy as well. Help! Calgary has a new theatre award and it needs a name.
Calgary’s Theatre Critics are pleased to announce the establishment of the first annual Theatre Critics’ Awards in Calgary. Jury members, Stephen Hunt and Bob Clark of the Calgary Herald, Louis B. Hobson of the Sun and Jessica Goldman of The Eyeopener and applause-meter.com have joined forces to recognize the great productions and performances they have seen over the season and to celebrate the vibrant Calgary theatre community they are privileged to work with.
The awards will honour winners in 14 categories and will consider all productions performed in Calgary between August, 2011 and June, 2012, with the exception of Broadway Across Canada performances. Nominations for each category will be announced on July 18th and the awards will be handed out in a ceremony at the Auburn Saloon on August 1, 2012.
Theatre Critic’s Awards have been operating successfully and with great respect in cities such as London, New York, Los Angeles and Boston. Even Toronto theatre critics jumped on the idea last year and held their inaugural award event. With Calgary’s distinction as the Cultural Capital in 2012, the group felt it was the perfect time to join their colleagues and establish a Theatre Critic’s Award here in Calgary.
But what to call the awards? “We have great respect for the Betty Mitchell Awards and we love that they are affectionately known as the Bettys” said the critics. “So when it came to naming our awards we wanted something that was equally fun and catchy”. However coming up with an appropriate name proved harder than it seemed, so it was decided to throw the question over to the public and invite them to submit name ideas for the awards.
Submissions can be sent to namethecriticsawards@gmail.com and will be accepted up until 8pm on Sunday, June 17th. The winning name will be announced on Thursday, June 21st and the winner will receive two tickets to see Rick Mercer live on June 22 at 8pm at the Jack Singer Concert Hall.
The Calgary Critics would like to thank their award and contest event sponsors: Calgary Herald, Davis Jensen Law, Bottom Line Productions, Auburn Saloon, The Collectors’ Gallery of Art and Petrocraft Products Storage Inc. for their support and enthusiasm.
Applause! Meter 
Reblogged this on Calgary Musicals and commented:
Well at least all Calgary’s theatre critics will have to attend more musicals now – who knows, maybe they’ll become converts – even Jessica!