The 2024 Robert Merritt Awards, celebrating the best in professional theatre in Nova Scotia, were presented last night in a ceremony at Alderney Landing.
This year’s big winners were the epic two-part Cape Breton story Fall On Your Knees, based on Ann-Marie MacDonald’s sweeping novel, and Downed Hearts, inspired by the Swissair 111 disaster that struck off the coast of Peggy’s Cove in 1998. Both shows took home six awards each, with Fall On Your Knees taking the trophies for outstanding production and direction.
A complete listing of winners follows:
Outstanding Performances in a Leading Role
Deborah Hay – Fall On Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Zach Faye – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Outstanding Performances in a Supporting Role
Sherry Smith – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Elm Reyes – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
The New Canadian Curling Club – Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre
Outstanding New Nova Scotia Play
Catherine Banks – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Outstanding New Nova Scotia Adaptation
Hannah Moscovitch – Fall On Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Outstanding Direction
Alisa Palmer – Fall On Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Outstanding Choreography
Ray Hogg – Cinderella – Neptune Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design
Diego Cavedon Dias – The Adventures of the Little Girl and the Wind – Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre
Outstanding Musical Direction
Sean Mayes – Fall On Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Outstanding Original Score or Composition
Garry Williams – Pinocchio – Shakespeare by the Sea
Outstanding Sound Design
Jackson Fairfax-Perry – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Leigh Ann Vardy – Fall On Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Outstanding Projection Design
Christian Ludwig Hansen with Anna Shepard – The Movements – Zuppa
Outstanding Scenic Design
Sue LePage, with assistance from Brenda Duran – Downed Hearts – Ship’s Company Theatre & Eastern Front Theatre in association with MatchstickTheatre
Outstanding Independent Production
The Crevice: Season 2 – Bus Stop Theatre Co-Op in association with Phyllis Rising Productions
Outstanding Production
Fall on Your Knees – National Arts Centre, Vita Brevis Arts, Canadian Stage, Neptune Theatre & Grand Theatre
Outstanding Technician
Evan Brown
Outstanding Stage Manager
Tessa Pekeles
Theatre Nova Scotia Professional Development Scholarship
Rachel Lloyd
Neptune RBC Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award
Rooks Field-Green
Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award
Pamela Halstead
April Hubbard
April Hubbard Creative Access Award
Eastern Front Theatre
Editor’s Note (16 April 2024): The list of winners was corrected to identify Sherry Smith as the recipient of Outstanding Performances in a Supporting Role for Downed Hearts, not Fall On Your Knees, as originally reported. We apologize for the error.