Honouring Contribution to Community Theatre in Eastern Ontario

Do you know someone whose sustained contribution, generosity of spirit, involvement, and commitment within his/her region has helped community theatre flourish?

Theatre Ontario is now inviting nominations for the 2017 Michael Spence Award for Contribution to Community Theatre. The award is presented annually to an individual from the region that is hosting the Theatre Ontario Festival—which in 2017 is Eastern Ontario.

Murray Finn, recipient of
the 2016 Michael Spence Award

Past recipients of the award are Joan McRae, Anne Wilson, Lillian Sievanen, Sharon Sproule, Betty Coates, Arlene Watson, Vince Mathewson, David Glover, Harry Houston, Hans Warmenhoven, Beth McMaster, Val Hadley, Maureen Lukie, Ken Stephen, Gabe Ferrazzo, Margaret Shearman, Lawrie Bonanno, Jo-anne Spitzer, Walter Maskel, Joe O’Brien, Bev Dietrich, and John Storey. The 2016 award was presented to Murray Finn of Elliot Lake.

The 2017 award will be presented to an individual from the Eastern Ontario community theatre region, which includes the City of Kawartha Lakes, the counties of Northumberland, Peterborough, Haliburton, Hastings, and Renfrew, and all other municipalities eastward to the Quebec border.

The award was established in 1997 by Theatre Ontario on the occasion of Theatre Ontario's 25th Anniversary. Multiple awards were presented on the quinquennial anniversaries of Theatre Ontario until 2012, when it became an annual award. The award is named in honour of Michael Spence, the founding President of Theatre Ontario.  Michael was active in community theatre at Hart House Theatre, London Little Theatre, and the University Alumnae Dramatic Club (now known as Alumnae Theatre.)  He was a member of the Board of Governors of the Dominion Drama Festival, a past President of Arts Etobicoke, and continues to be an enthusiastic supporter of Theatre Ontario.

The nomination deadline is January 31, 2017.

Learn more about Theatre Ontario’s Michael Spence Award for Community Theatre and download the award guidelines and nomination form