North Battleford city councillor Len Taylor, third from left, presents the McIntosh Memorial Cup Award for the Winning Entry to the cast and crew of The Tin Woman. (Angela Brown/battlefordsNOW Staff)  

By Angela Brown

TheatreFest 2024

TheatreFest wraps up in Battlefords with night of winners

Apr 29, 2024 | 7:48 PM

TheatreFest Saskatchewan was a big hit in the Battlefords..

The week long event wrapped up at the Dekker Centre Saturday night with the last play in the competition, and awards to follow.

Nena Hawkes, Theatre Saskatchewan executive director, was thrilled with the positive reception to all the plays as well as the workshops that were offered.

“The feedback we received from the folks who were able to go to our events has been phenomenal,” she said. “I honestly just can’t wait to come back to the Battlefords.”

Next, Hawkes said she’ll be taking a couple days off after such a busy week.

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“I am honestly buzzing,” she added. “This has been an incredible experience. This year’s festival in the Battlefords feels like a key, pivotal moment for us post-pandemic. The Arts are coming back in Saskatchewan. We’ve had an incredibly successful week. We’ll see how we can build on that next year, and the year after that.”

TheatreFest was hosted by Battlefords Community Players (BCP) this year.

Donna Challis, BCP executive producer and chair of the festival committee, said TheatreFest was “fabulous,” and attendance was high, with many people packing in the Dekker Centre each night.

“I don’t think we could ask for anything better,” she said. “The audience was great, the workshops were fabulous. Everybody went home just filled with knowledge.”

Challis noted the event saw 16 Grade 10 drama students take in one production. She said they left the theatre with their eyes “wide with wonder,” and chattering with excitement about the show.

“That was so fulfilling,” she said. “I can’t say enough about the partnership we had with Theatre Saskatchewan, and the Dekker Centre staff here were amazing. The community has been great. There were a lot of people here, night after night.”

Here are the list of winners:

Stan Danbrook Memorial Technical Merit Award: Yorkton Paper Bag Players.

Best Visual Presentation: Battlefords Community Players.

Walters Trophy, Outstanding performance in a supporting role: Lynn Wagner, The Tin Woman by Last Mountain Theatre Company (Strasbourg, Sask.).

Mary Ellen Burgess Trophy, outstanding performance in a supporting role: Bailey Lemcke, Agnes of God by Yorkton Paper Bag Players.

S.J. Safian Trophy, outstanding performance in a lead role: Rick Kostiuk, Looking by Cochin Community Players.

Woodward trophy, outstanding performance in a lead role: Jenn Gritzfeld, The Tin Woman.

McIntyre Trophy, excellence in characterization: Chris Wagner, The Tin Woman.

Verna Alonza Trophy, best stage manager: Ivy Sheward, Spirit Control, Moose Jaw Community Players.

Hilda Allen Memorial Trophy: runner up to best director: Pam Willerton, Agnes of God.

Goodfellow trophy, best director: Lorne Gottselig, The Tin Woman.

Dorothy Leibel runner up to winning entry: Agnes of God.

McIntosh Memorial Cup, winning entry: The Tin Woman.

Margaret Corbett Aspirant Award, offered to a novice participant that shows remarkable progress in their performance or as a member of the production team or crew: Nolan Fehr, Dogbarked, Odyssey Productions (Prince Albert).

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angela.brown@pattisonmedia.com

On X: @battlefordsNOW