Editors Note: Photos for this press release will be available on
the Canadian Press picture wire via Marketwire.
The founders of the Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in
theatre today announced that Montreal-based lighting designer,
Robert Thomson, has been selected as the recipient of the 2012
Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, the largest theatre
award in the country.
Mr. Thomson was chosen from a short list of five finalists
including Alan Brodie (Vancouver), Richard Feren (Toronto), Anick
La Bissoniere (Montreal) and Richard Lacroix (Montreal).
Robert Thomson is widely recognized as one of Canada's most
prolific and versatile lighting designers for theatre, opera and
dance. His work is noted for its precision, visual poetry,
psychological insight and dramaturgical impact, and his acclaimed
designs have garnered a Sterling Award and four Dora Mavor Moore
Awards.
"In making its decision, the jury was inspired not only by this
artist's stunningly beautiful body of work but also by his passion,
joy and spirit," said Maureen Labonte, Jury Chair. "His work as a
lighting designer is mesmerizing. It is sensitive, fresh, bold and
visceral. He deftly conducts the visual experience with focus and
clarity, suggesting, never dictating, ways of seeing moment to
moment. He delves deep, insisting on getting at the very core of
the work. He helps tell the story and then enhances it with the
visual poetry of his lighting."
"I am absolutely thrilled and humbled to be selected as the
recipient of the Siminovitch Award," said Mr. Thomson. "It is such
a great honour to be chosen from such a distinguished group of
colleagues, who are amongst Canada's finest theatre designers."
Mr. Thomson received a cheque for $75,000 at a gala ceremony
this evening in Toronto. In keeping with his commitment to sharing
his knowledge and experience with his colleagues as well as with
younger artists, he has selected two lighting designers, Jason Hand
and Raha Javanfar, as his proteges. They will share the $25,000
prize. The Siminovitch Prize is set up in this way to put an
emphasis on the role of mentorship in Canadian theatre.
"On behalf of the Founders, I would like to congratulate Mr.
Thomson on his outstanding achievements and contribution to the
Canadian stage," said Joseph Rotman, chair of the Canada Council
and one of the Founders of the Siminovitch Prize. "This prize
recognizes the excellence that Robert has demonstrated throughout
his career. His work continuously illustrates the important role
creative stage lighting plays to affect an audience's senses and
evoke their emotions."
About Robert Thomson
Over 12 consecutive seasons at the Stratford Shakespeare
Festival, his 28 productions include collaborations with Jonathan
Miller, Jennifer Tarver, Peter Hinton, Christopher Newton, Des
McAnuff and Antoni Cimolino. He served as Resident Lighting
Designer for 12 seasons at The National Ballet of Canada, designing
over 25 productions, and through 24 seasons at the Shaw Festival
(10 as Head of Lighting Design) he is credited on more than 55
productions.
Robert began his professional career at the Tarragon Theatre in
Toronto. Since then, he has worked with a diverse range of Canadian
companies, including the: National Arts Centre, Canadian Stage,
Citadel Theatre, MTC, Pleiades Theatre, and Montreal's Centaur
Theatre and Segal Centre. Internationally, his designs have been
featured at: Lincoln Center Theater, Metropolitan Opera, Goodman
Theatre, Hartford Stage, American Ballet Theatre and Stuttgart
Ballet.
Mr. Thomson's award-winning design for Robert Lepage's
Bluebeard's Castle/Erwartung has been seen across Canada and around
the world. Other opera credits include: COC, Seattle Opera, Geneva
Opera, l'Opera de Montreal, Pacific Opera Victoria and Tapestry New
Opera. Robert's passion is for the evolving creative process,
seeking his influences from the text or score, the rehearsal hall,
and the collective journey of his fellow artists. His work is noted
for its precision, visual poetry, psychological insight and
dramaturgical impact, and his acclaimed designs have garnered a
Sterling Award and four Dora Mavor Moore Awards. Mr. Thomson
trained at The Studio and Forum of Stage Design in NYC, and has
taught at Sheridan College, Ryerson University, Carnegie Mellon
University, and the National Theatre School of Canada.
Mr. Thomson trained at The Studio and Forum of Stage Design in
NYC, and has taught at Sheridan College, Ryerson University,
Carnegie Mellon University, and the National Theatre School of
Canada
About Jason Hand and Raha Javanfar
Jason Hand is a Toronto-based lighting designer working in
theatre and opera. This past season he received a Dora nomination
for his design of The Ugly One for Theatre Smash. He also lit the
acclaimed productions of La Boheme and Turn of the Screw for
Against the Grain Theatre, and A Midsummer Night's Dream for
Canadian Stage. Jason has a very exciting season lined up for
2012/2013. Projects include The Arsonists and This (Canadian
Stage), Morris Panych's adaptation of The Amorous Adventures of
Anatol (Tarragon Theatre), Joel Ivany's The Tales of Hoffman
(Edmonton Opera), and with be working with Allan MacInnis for the
first time on Blue Planet at Young People's Theatre.
Raha Javanfar has designed lighting and projections for theatre,
dance, art installation, and opera. She has toured extensively
across Canada, as well as abroad to Mexico, Malaysia, China,
Australia, and New Zealand. Her most recent design credits are
projection design for Opera Atelier's Der Freischutz and lighting
design for Miss Caledonia for Tarragon Theatre. Other past design
projects include lighting and projection design for How to Succeed:
A Musical Tribute to Des McAnuff (Ryerson Theatre School), Forces
of Nature and House of Dreams (Tafelmusik), lighting design
forHercules (Tafelmusik/Opera Atelier),Cavalleria Rusticana/I
Pagliacci (Opera Hamilton), as well as credits for other notable
companies such as Ballet Jorgen Canada, Ballet Creole, Nuit
Blanche, Royal Conservatory of Music, Festival Players of Prince
Edward County, and Queen of Puddings.
About the 2012 Siminovitch Prize Jury
Maureen Labonte, a Montreal-based translator, teacher and
dramaturge with extensive theatre experience in English and French
Canadian communities across the country, has presided as jury chair
since 2009. Other members of the jury include:
Alison Green who has worked as a scenographer and theatre artist
for most of her career and is currently a member of the faculty of
the UBC Department of Theatre in Vancouver;
Claude Goyette, a Quebec-based designer, who has created over a
150 sets for stage, theatre, opera, dance and television, as well
as exhibits for museums and infrastructures for the Cirque du
Soleil;
Jock Munro, who currently resides in Meech Lake, Quebec, and
whose 34-year design career includes credits in most major theatres
across Canada, has also worked as a lighting designer in the U.S.
and Europe in the fields of theatre, opera and dance;
Leigh Ann Vardy, a lighting designer for theatre and dance, who
has worked in theatres across Canada and has a keen interest in
designing new works, is currently an instructor and coach at the
National Theatre School of Canada in Montreal;
Shawn Kerwin, an award winning set and costume designer with
credits in Canada, England and the United States, is currently an
Associate Professor in the Department of Theatre at York
University.
About the Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
The Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre honours
professional directors, playwrights and designers by acknowledging
excellence and encouraging further exploration in Canadian theatre.
The Siminovitch Prize was created in 2001 and is dedicated to
distinguished scientist Lou Siminovitch and his late wife Elinore,
a playwright. For further information about the prize, please visit
www.siminovitchprize.com. Previous recipients include:
-- Toronto director Daniel Brooks - 2001
-- Montreal playwright Carole Frechette - 2002
-- Montreal designer Louise Campeau - 2003
-- St. John's director Jillian Keiley - 2004
-- Toronto playwright John Mighton - 2005
-- Toronto designer Dany Lyne - 2006
-- Montreal director Brigitte Haentjens - 2007
-- Toronto playwright Daniel MacIvor - 2008
-- Calgary and Toronto designer Ronnie Burkett - 2009
-- Vancouver director Kim Collier - 2010
-- Victoria playwright Joan MacLeod - 2011
Contacts: Media Contact: Joseph Rotman (416)
964-7821patm@royl.ca www.siminovitchprize.com