Dial M for Murder, Antigone, Wildwoman among contenders in Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards nominees
In medium-budget category, shows like The Effect, Fire Never Dies, and People, Places & Things stand out, while small-budget division features diverse field of nominees
Left to right: The Effect (photo by Chelsey Stuyt), Antigone (photo by Emily Cooper), Dial M for Murder (photo by Trudie Lee), and People, Places & Things (photo by Emily Cooper).
THE BOARD OF THE Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards has just released its nominees for the 2025–26 stage season, spreading the accolades across large-, medium-, and small-budget categories, as well as a theatre-for-young-audiences section. There is also a script division in this year’s juried competition.
The awards ceremony is set to take place on November 23 at the Arts Club’s Lindsay Family Stage at Granville Island.
In the large-budget division, almost all of the Arts Club Theatre Company’s big productions last season made the cut, from Dial M for Murder to The Play That Goes Wrong, Kimberly Akimbo, Disney’s Frozen, and others. Gateway Theatre’s Wildwoman, Bard on the Beach’s Antigone, and Théâtre la Seizième’s Liste des enfants dévorés par les loups are all up for multiple awards.
Among medium budgets, Rumble Theatre & ITSAZOO Productions’ The Effect, The Search Party’s People, Places, & Things, and Electric Company Theatre’s Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project are just a few that dominate.
And the small-budget realm has a wide assortment that includes work by The Elbow Theatre, Mitch and Murray Productions, and The Apiary Collective.
In the large-budget division, nominees for outstanding production are:
Liste des enfants dévorés par les loups – Théâtre la Seizième
Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding musical production nominees in the same category cover only two contenders, both Arts Club productions: Disney's Frozen and Kimberly Akimbo.
Elsewhere, nods for outstanding direction span:
Cory Haas – Liste des enfants dévorés par les loups – Théâtre la Seizième
Jillian Keiley – Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
Josh Epstein – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Jamie King – Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
Ming Hudson – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
In the same large-budget category, the following nominations were released.
Outstanding performance in a leading dramatic role:
Siona Gareau-Brennan and Gabrielle Morin – Ensemble – Liste des enfants dévorés par les loups – Théâtre la Seizième
Olivia Hutt – Maxine Hadley – Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
Amanda Trapp – Rielle – On Native Land – Urban Ink
Elizabeth Barrett, N Girgis, Nathan Kay, Connor Suart, and Synthia Yusuf – Ensemble – Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
Tess Degenstein – Lady Macbeth – Macbeth – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding performance in a leading comedic role:
Charlie Gallant – Oliver Warbucks – Annie – Gateway Theatre
Steffanie Davis – Pattie Levaco – Kimberly Akimbo – Arts Club Theatre Company
Josh Epstein – Buddy Levaco – Kimberly Akimbo – Arts Club Theatre Company
Jason Sakaki – Seth – Kimberly Akimbo – Arts Club Theatre Company
Praneet Akilla, Andrew McNee, Genevieve Fleming, Zander Eke, Kelli Ogmundson, Pedro M. Almeida-Siqueira, Scott Bellis, Ben Elliott, Alexandra Lainfiesta, Argel Monte de Ramos, Marco Walker-Ng – Ensemble – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding performance in a supporting dramatic role:
Ron Pederson – Nils Krogstad – A Doll’s House – Arts Club Theatre Company
Carmela Sison – Kristine Linde – A Doll’s House – Arts Club Theatre Company
Steffanie Davis – Lady Macduff/Porter/Citizen – Macbeth – Bard on the Beach
Paul Moniz de Sá – Creon – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Jennifer Lines – Jocasta – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding performance in a supporting comedic role:
Leanne Uy – Young Elsa – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Nora Cowan – Young Elsa – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Adriana Buvyer – Young Anna – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Perla De Leon – Young Anna – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Sarah Cantuba – Teresa – Kimberly Akimbo – Arts Club Theatre Company
Steffanie Davis – Ms Quickly – The Merry Wives of Windsor – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding lighting design:
Narda McCarroll – A Doll’s House – Arts Club Theatre Company
Itai Erdal – Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
Sophie Tang – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Gerald King – Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
John Webber – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding set design:
Anton deGroot – Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
Alaia Hamer – On Native Land – Urban Ink
Ryan Cormack – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Narda McCarroll – Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
Scott Penner – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Outstanding costume design:
Alaia Hamer – Disney’s Frozen – Arts Club Theatre Company
Evan Ducharme & Alaia Hamer – You Used to Call Me Marie – Savage Society
Alaia Hamer – Wildwoman – Gateway Theatre
Alaia Hamer – Macbeth – Bard on the Beach
Jessica Oostergo – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Outstanding sound design or original composition:
Anton Lipovetsky – Dial M for Murder – Arts Club Theatre Company
Rick Colhoun – Franklinland – Arts Club Theatre Company
Anton Lipovetsky – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Joelysa Pankanea – Antigone – Bard on the Beach
Significant artistic achievement:
Nicol Spinola – choreographer – Annie – Gateway Theatre
Caryn Fehr – stage manager – The Play That Goes Wrong – Arts Club Theatre Company
Kathleen Nisbet as music composition and band captain and Krystle Pederson as vocal captain – Musical Direction & Performance – You Used to Call Me Marie – Savage Society
Azaleah Korn, Mela Pietropaolo, Mana Nakamura, Lucia Liberato, Tegan Swain, Katie Bradshaw, and Elle Hanson – Significant Artistic Achievement for Excellence as a Children’s Chorus – Annie – Gateway Theatre
JC D’Almeida, Craig Fulker, Michael Gall, Amy Harris, Tegan Klancnik, Kade Larson, Carol MacDonald, Ace Martens, Sarah Mauracher, Jill Papp, Robyn Volk, Lorraine West, Chris White – Crew – Significant Artistic Achievement in exceptional craftsmanship and technical ingenuity in bringing the collapsing world of The Play That Goes Wrong to life – Arts Club Theatre Company
Faye’s Room
Over in the medium-budget division, outstanding production nominees are:
The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Tomboy (Chłopczyca) – the frank theatre company
Also in the medium division, the following nominees were announced.
Outstanding performance in a leading dramatic role:
Tanja Dixon-Warren – Gertrude Stein – Gertrude and Alice – Western Gold Theatre
Tess Degenstein – Emma – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Rae Takei – Aleks – Tomboy (Chlopczyca) – the frank theatre company
Paige Louter – Connie – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Andy Kalirai – Tristan – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Outstanding performance in a supporting dramatic role:
Praneet Akilla – Edward Weston/Ensemble – Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project – Electric Company Theatre
Meghan Gardiner – Dr Lorna James – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Marlee Michael Pearl – Ari – Faye's Room – Glitch Theatre
Robert Salvador – Mark – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Jennifer Clement – Doctor/Therapist/Mum – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Outstanding performance in a supporting comedic role:
Andy Marie – Ensemble – The Baking Show Show: The Play – Ruby Slippers Theatre
Sharon Crandall – Ensemble – The Baking Show Show: The Play – Ruby Slippers Theatre
Outstanding lighting design:
John Webber – Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project – Electric Company Theatre
Phil Miguel – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Sophie Tang – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Outstanding set design:
Shizuka Kai – Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project – Electric Company Theatre
Cecilia Vedala – Gertrude and Alice – Western Gold Theatre
Julia Kim – The Baking Show Show: The Play – Ruby Slippers Theatre
Jaewoo Kang – Tomboy (Chłopczyca) – the frank theatre company
Ryan Cormack – Canadian Psycho – Vancouver Asian Canadian Theatre
Outstanding costume design:
Carmen Alatorre – Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project – Electric Company Theatre
Alaia Hamer – The Baking Show Show: The Play – Ruby Slippers Theatre
Jaewoo Kang – Tomboy (Chłopczyca) – the frank theatre company
Outstanding sound design or original composition:
Jack Goodison – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Kate de Lorme – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Rick Colhoun – Grease – CTORA Productions
Carey Dodge – Me & the Forest – Boca del Lupo
Outstanding direction:
Jivesh Parasram – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Lois Anderson – Gertrude and Alice – Western Gold Theatre
Mindy Parfitt – People, Places & Things – The Search Party
Significant artistic achievement:
Cande Andrade and Jack Chipman – Significant achievement in media design and integration – Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project – Electric Company Theatre
Lisa Goebel – Significant achievement in intimacy direction – The Effect – Rumble Theatre and ITSAZOO Productions
Glitch Theatre – Significant achievement in audience accessibility – Faye’s Room
Oh Augustine – Significant achievement in choreography – Tomboy (Chłopczyca) – the frank theatre company
Ru Ji Yun, Jo Hyun San, Randi Edmundson, Stephanie Elgersma, Shizuka Kai, Joylyn Secunda, Tara Travis, Vic Ustare – Significant achievement in puppet design and puppeteering – Me & the Forest – Boca del Lupo
Soldiers of Tomorrow. Photo by Matt Reznek
Over in the small-budget division, nominations for outstanding production are:
Constellations – Exact Resemblance collective
HARM – Mitch and Murray Productions
Soldiers of Tomorrow – The Elbow Theatre
The Apiary – The Apiary Collective
The following also made it onto the finalists’ list in the small-budget category.
Outstanding performance:
Gillian Clare – Marianne – Constellations – Exact Resemblance collective
Kelli Ogmundson – Woman – HARM – Mitch and Murray Productions
Emad Armoush – Soldiers of Tomorrow – The Elbow Theatre
Jasmine Chen, Lisa Goebel, Molly MacKinnon, Christine Quintana, and Carmela Sison – Ensemble – The Apiary – The Apiary Collective
Christina Cook, Rae Takei, Alia Rusu-Tahir, Tara Cheyenne Friedenberg, Hayley Sullivan, and Sarah Finn – Ensemble – Postcards to My Younger Transexual Self – Christina Cook
Outstanding design:
Victoria Bell – production design – Constellations – Exact Resemblance collective
Brian Ball – set design – Soldiers of Tomorrow – The Elbow Theatre
Merve Yoruk – set and props design – The Apiary – The Apiary Collective
Molly MacKinnon – sound design – The Apiary – The Apiary Collective
Hayley Sullivan and Sara Vickruck – sound design – Postcards to My Younger Transexual Self – Christina Cook
Outstanding creation:
Cristiana Ripeanu – director – Constellations – Exact Resemblance collective
Jennifer Copping – director – HARM – Mitch and Murray Productions
Anita Rochon – director – Soldiers of Tomorrow – The Elbow Theatre
Daniela Atiencia – director – The Apiary – The Apiary Collective
In the theatre-for-young-audiences division, nominees for outstanding production feature:
Caged – Green Thumb Theatre
The Paper Bag Princess – Carousel Theatre for Young People
People Like Vince – Green Thumb Theatre
Elsewhere in the same category, the following are finalists.
Outstanding performance:
Erin Purghart – Jas – Caged – Green Thumb Theatre
Katrina Teitz – Ronnie – Caged – Green Thumb Theatre
Ghislaine Dote – Various – Petit Ondine – Theâtre la Seizième and Kleine Compagnie
Therese Champagne – Various – Petit Ondine – Theâtre la Seizième and Kleine Compagnie
Merewyn Comeau – Elizabeth – The Paper Bag Princess – Carousel Theatre for Young People
Outstanding design:
Donnie Tejani – costumes – Caged – Green Thumb Theatre
Jonathan Kim – lighting – The Paper Bag Princess – Carousel Theatre for Young People
Outstanding creation:
Leslie Dos Remedios – directing – People Like Vince – Green Thumb Theatre
Kathleen Dubourg – directing – The Paper Bag Princess – Carousel Theatre for Young People
Significant artistic achievement:
Caged – Content relevancy for youth audiences – Green Thumb Theatre
Green Thumb Theatre – Resource guide creation
Petit Ondine – Integration of table-top puppetry and live-streaming – Theâtre la Seizième and Kleine Compagnie
The script division spanned nominees for outstanding original script:
Liste des enfants dévorés par les loups/List of Children Devoured by Wolves by Caroline Bélisle, with translation to English by Cory Haas
Tomboy (Chłopczyca) by Anais Mateusz West
Fire Never Dies: The Tina Modotti Project by Carmen Aguirre
Soldiers of Tomorrow by Itai Erdal, with Colleen Murphy
Me & the Forest by Yvette Nolan, with Sherry J. Yoon and Jay Dodge
This year’s 41st annual Jessie Awards will be hosted by Mark Chavez and Amanda Sum. 
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