Skip to content

Terrace Little Theatre wins big at Kitimat Drama Festival

The ensemble won ‘Best Play’ for their production of Daniel MacIvor’s The Best Brothers
12102582_web1_BestBrothers1
Kyle Best (Andy Roth) discusses with his older brother Hamilton (Garrett Doell) about what to do following their mother’s unexpected death. (Nancy Stone Archer photo)

Despite a shortened rehearsal time and last-minute casting change, Terrace Little Theatre walked away with ‘Best Play’ at the drama festival in Kitimat on May 26 for their production of Daniel MacIvor’s The Best Brothers.

The play’s two lead actors, Andy Roth and Garnett Doell, shared the award for Best Actor. Tim Keenan won the award for Best Sound, and Donal Willer won for Best Lighting. Marianne Brorup Weston was also awarded Best Director at the festival.

With a turbulent start, Weston says the Best Brothers ensemble came into the Mt. Elizabeth Theatre in Kitimat under-rehearsed, which was “terrifying” at first for her.

READ MORE: Terrace Little Theatre’s The Best Brothers play recast after May cancellation

“But when we got through our technical rehearsal and we were about three to five minutes into our play running, I just thought, ‘That’s magic! Like, the thing is doing it!’ and I kind of knew then that we had put on something quite special,” Weston said over the phone.

“It was really a strange feeling… I get that once in a while with my plays, not very often. And I haven’t had it for a long time.”

Their production went up against two other shows from Kitimat’s On Cue Players and Prince Rupert’s Habour Theatre at the Skeena Zone Drama Festival, who also won awards for their performances. But Terrace’s production “wowed” adjudicator Fran Gebhard and the audience, according to Weston.

“She said that most of the production was at 100 per cent and the parts that weren’t, and I wrote this down, were 98.9 per cent,” Weston said of Gebhard’s ranking of the play. “I’ve had compliments in the past… but I really respect this woman.”

With a successful run in Kitimat, the show will return for their Terrace performance on June 15-16 and June 23-24. Then they head to Vernon to perform at the Skeena Zone Main Stage competition on June 30.

“It goes to show you what dedicated ensemble work can do,” Weston said. “You don’t get there without doing that.”


 


brittany@terracestandard.com

Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter