WHAT IS THE OVATION! AWARDS?
Various performers pictured over the first 20 years of the OVATION! Awards show in Vancouver, British Columbia.
The OVATION! AWARDS is an annual community celebration of Musical Theatre in the Lower Mainland. The goal of the awards is to recognize and promote the outstanding achievements companies and individuals who make up the musical theatre community of the Lower Mainland. Also with an awards show to have the community gather to celebrate the previous year and collectively welcome in a new year of musicals!
THE PROCESS:
A volunteer jury, made up of a diverse group of musical theatre creators, attends musicals in the Lower Mainland (all companies are welcome to invite the jury). The jury deliberate together to create a list of the nominees which are announced roughly one month before the awards show. The jury then vote for the winners. The general public can participate in "audience choice" awards which are conducted online starting January 1st.
The AWARDS CEREMONY & SHOW
Awards are given out in a number of categories including: outstanding new work, production, performance, direction, music direction, choreography, design, and newcomer. Special awards are also given for “significant contribution for the previous year" as well as an award for “major contribution” awarded to a member of the community who has contributed a minimum of 10 years to the development, promotion and continuation of musical theatre in the lower mainland. The show includes performances from various productions and special guest presenters.
PRODUCTION ELIGIBILITY
GENERAL AWARD CATEGORIES
Outstanding Professional Production. Awarded to the company of a professional production. The OVATION! Awards defines professional productions, as those presented by companies who are members of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), and/or are mandated to present professional productions OR are set up as a co-op or profit share with the actors getting paid, OR companies that are paying an honorarium or fee to more than 50% of the artists involved. Where there are 6 or less performers they are automatically included in the "Chamber/Small Cast Production" category. Fringe shows are generally considered in the Professional, unless presented by an established "community" company.
Outstanding Community Production
Awarded to a company where the focus/mission of the company is presenting musicals with members of the community versus paid performers. Traditionally these are the "amateur" companies that focus on creating opportunities for people wishing to build their skills in the performing arts and volunteer their time. It's recognized that some community companies occasionally hire professionals, but the focus is still on presenting community based musicals. Sometimes this category is separated into Small & Large Theatre: awarded to the presenting company of a community production in a theatre with 150 or fewer seats, and/or a theatre with 151 or more seats.
creating opportunities for non-professional actors to participate in the performing arts
Outstanding Small Cast/Chamber Production (formerly called Ensemble). Awarded to a community or professional show with seven or fewer performers.
Outstanding New Musical. Awarded to the composer/lyricist of a new work performed off book in a staged production (not a reading or workshop). To be considered for this award, a new work must feature original composed material, be created and presented by a Lower Mainland company/individual, and have a minimum of six public performances. Musicals that are New Work are also eligible to be included in the "Outstanding Production" category.
Outstanding Music Direction of a musical
Outstanding Direction of a musical
Outstanding Choreography of a musical
Outstanding Set Design of a musical
Outstanding Costume Design of a musical
Outstanding Lighting Design of a musical
Outstanding Sound Design of a musical
Outstanding Performance in a Principal role (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting role (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance in the Ensemble (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance - Youth (under 18)
Outstanding Newcomer (often two awards)
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Behind the Scenes Award. Awarded to an individual who demonstrated an exceptional work ethic, enthusiasm while significantly contributing a show or company as a stage manager, assistant stage manager, crew member, producer, or publicist.
Outstanding Contribution of the Year. Awarded to an individual, cast, administrator, producer or company that has made a groundbreaking, special and/or unique contribution to that particular year.
Outstanding Longtime Contribution. Awarded to a member of the community who has contributed more than 10 years to the development, promotion, and continuation of musical theatre in the lower mainland. Past recipients of this award include: Valerie Easton, Bruce Kellett, Jeff Hyslop, Bill Millerd, Shel Peircy, Lloyd Nicholson, Pat Waldron, Johnny Duncan, Ed Harrington, Cecilia & Roger Smith and Perry Ehrlich.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
The following awards are chosen online by a popularity vote from the general public:
The Cheryl Hutcherson Award.
Further information click here.
A special note: As with many things in the arts, changes to award categories and nomination processes are often in flux. APPLAUSE! Musicals Society and the OVATION! Awards has a goal of involving as many people/companies as possible, and represent the diversity of our community as much as we are able. Each year, the volunteer jury is composed of a diverse group of individuals with varying specializations (such as directors, actors, designers, music directors, etc.), as well as different ages, genders, levels of experience, and backgrounds within the community. Recommendations for changes to the awards are often driven by this jury, but APPLAUSE! welcomes feedback from the community.
Jury information, eligibility, guidelines, process, awards and descriptions are reviewed every year in December. Updated for 2024: January 3, 2024.
THE PROCESS:
A volunteer jury, made up of a diverse group of musical theatre creators, attends musicals in the Lower Mainland (all companies are welcome to invite the jury). The jury deliberate together to create a list of the nominees which are announced roughly one month before the awards show. The jury then vote for the winners. The general public can participate in "audience choice" awards which are conducted online starting January 1st.
The AWARDS CEREMONY & SHOW
Awards are given out in a number of categories including: outstanding new work, production, performance, direction, music direction, choreography, design, and newcomer. Special awards are also given for “significant contribution for the previous year" as well as an award for “major contribution” awarded to a member of the community who has contributed a minimum of 10 years to the development, promotion and continuation of musical theatre in the lower mainland. The show includes performances from various productions and special guest presenters.
PRODUCTION ELIGIBILITY
- Our goal is to be as inclusionary with productions defined as musical theatre, revue, musical in concert, and/or light opera/operetta.
- A production has to have run five or more performances and be produced by a company in the Lower Mainland.
- Touring productions are not eligible. Productions must be presented or co-presented by a company from the Lower Mainland.
- All productions must have at minimum one live musician/music, versus a performance track.
- A remount is defined as a production which, once closed, is remounted and the original set and costume designs and/or 50% of the actors in speaking roles are returning to the production in their original role. In the case of a remount, only elements significantly different from the original production will be eligible for nomination (e.g. replacement performers, new design, etc.). Remounted productions are not eligible for "Outstanding Production" awards, but are eligible for individual awards as long as the individual has not previously been nominated in that category.
- Only the cast credited in the opening performance programme is eligible for consideration. Replacement performers/understudies are not eligible. Companies with shows that feature double-cast actors are required to provide enough tickets to jurors to allow them to see both performers in the double-cast role should they want both casts be considered.
- Eligibility is reviewed every year by the standing jury & board of APPLAUSE! Musicals Society.
GENERAL AWARD CATEGORIES
- The categories may change from year to year set by the standing jury.
- The jury may combine, add, or eliminate categories for that particular year.
- There need to be a minimum of three nominees in a category for a category to stand, and a maximum of six nominations per category.
Outstanding Professional Production. Awarded to the company of a professional production. The OVATION! Awards defines professional productions, as those presented by companies who are members of the Professional Association of Canadian Theatres (PACT), and/or are mandated to present professional productions OR are set up as a co-op or profit share with the actors getting paid, OR companies that are paying an honorarium or fee to more than 50% of the artists involved. Where there are 6 or less performers they are automatically included in the "Chamber/Small Cast Production" category. Fringe shows are generally considered in the Professional, unless presented by an established "community" company.
Outstanding Community Production
Awarded to a company where the focus/mission of the company is presenting musicals with members of the community versus paid performers. Traditionally these are the "amateur" companies that focus on creating opportunities for people wishing to build their skills in the performing arts and volunteer their time. It's recognized that some community companies occasionally hire professionals, but the focus is still on presenting community based musicals. Sometimes this category is separated into Small & Large Theatre: awarded to the presenting company of a community production in a theatre with 150 or fewer seats, and/or a theatre with 151 or more seats.
creating opportunities for non-professional actors to participate in the performing arts
Outstanding Small Cast/Chamber Production (formerly called Ensemble). Awarded to a community or professional show with seven or fewer performers.
Outstanding New Musical. Awarded to the composer/lyricist of a new work performed off book in a staged production (not a reading or workshop). To be considered for this award, a new work must feature original composed material, be created and presented by a Lower Mainland company/individual, and have a minimum of six public performances. Musicals that are New Work are also eligible to be included in the "Outstanding Production" category.
Outstanding Music Direction of a musical
Outstanding Direction of a musical
Outstanding Choreography of a musical
Outstanding Set Design of a musical
Outstanding Costume Design of a musical
Outstanding Lighting Design of a musical
Outstanding Sound Design of a musical
Outstanding Performance in a Principal role (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance in a Supporting role (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance in the Ensemble (often two awards)
Outstanding Performance - Youth (under 18)
Outstanding Newcomer (often two awards)
SPECIAL AWARDS
Outstanding Behind the Scenes Award. Awarded to an individual who demonstrated an exceptional work ethic, enthusiasm while significantly contributing a show or company as a stage manager, assistant stage manager, crew member, producer, or publicist.
Outstanding Contribution of the Year. Awarded to an individual, cast, administrator, producer or company that has made a groundbreaking, special and/or unique contribution to that particular year.
Outstanding Longtime Contribution. Awarded to a member of the community who has contributed more than 10 years to the development, promotion, and continuation of musical theatre in the lower mainland. Past recipients of this award include: Valerie Easton, Bruce Kellett, Jeff Hyslop, Bill Millerd, Shel Peircy, Lloyd Nicholson, Pat Waldron, Johnny Duncan, Ed Harrington, Cecilia & Roger Smith and Perry Ehrlich.
AUDIENCE CHOICE AWARDS
The following awards are chosen online by a popularity vote from the general public:
- Outstanding Special Event or Non Juried Show of the previous year.
- Outstanding Panto. A form of musical comedy stage production, designed for families. Mostly performed during the Christmas and New Year season, panto's includes songs, slapstick comedy and dancing, employs gender-crossing actors, and combines topical humour with a story loosely based on a well-known fairy tale. It is a participatory form of theatre, in which the audience is expected to sing along with certain parts of the music and shout out phrases to the performers.
The Cheryl Hutcherson Award.
Further information click here.
A special note: As with many things in the arts, changes to award categories and nomination processes are often in flux. APPLAUSE! Musicals Society and the OVATION! Awards has a goal of involving as many people/companies as possible, and represent the diversity of our community as much as we are able. Each year, the volunteer jury is composed of a diverse group of individuals with varying specializations (such as directors, actors, designers, music directors, etc.), as well as different ages, genders, levels of experience, and backgrounds within the community. Recommendations for changes to the awards are often driven by this jury, but APPLAUSE! welcomes feedback from the community.
Jury information, eligibility, guidelines, process, awards and descriptions are reviewed every year in December. Updated for 2024: January 3, 2024.
What is the OVATION! Awards? Check out this video to find out.
