The Drawer Boy, written by Michael Healey and directed by Julie Wheeler Bryant, was performed at the Fergus Grand Theatre from Feb. 5 to 14.
It was selected by travelling adjudicato Sandy Macdonald to be one of five plays presented at the Western Ontario Drama League (WODL) Festival, held this year in Woodstock.
The Elora Community Theatre (ECT) production was remounted on the Woodstock stage and performed for a full house on March 16 followed by an adjudication by Ron Cameron-Lewis.
At the awards gala Saturday evening, the cast and crew were presented by the adjudicator with the WODL Brickenden Trophy for Best Production of a Canadian Play, a trophy from Playwright’s Canada Press that can be kept for one year and a smaller trophy from WODL for permanent display at the ECT rehearsal space.
ECT was awarded the Adjudicator’s Special Award for The Drawer Boy’s fiddler Barbara Kidd for “grounding us in the world of the play,” stated the press release.
Actors recognized
The Drawer Boy also received a nomination for The Spanik Award for Best Visual Production for their set (Robert Banning, Lawrence Lee, Maggie Parent). Actor Gary Bryant received a nomination for The Terry Doyle Memorial Award for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Major Role. And all three actors (Ray Kavanagh, Dan Williams and Gary Bryant) received a nomination for Outstanding Ensemble Work – The Pat and Vincent Mathewson Memorial Award.
Sarnia won the Best Production in Festival with a play called 33 Variations and will go on to represent WODL in North Bay on May 24.
Officials note the Woodstock festival was a packed full week with each day filled with detailed adjudications, theatre workshops and every night a different play to enjoy.
ECT is currently preparing for their next play called Little Women directed by Deb Stanson which will be performed at the Fergus Grand Theatre from May 6 to 15.
