Richard Monette Wins 2005 Herbert Whittaker / Drama Bench Award

[Denis Salter]

Canadian Theatre Critics Association
Incorporated 1981

 

 

 

Richard Monette Wins Award 

For Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre

 

For Immediate Release
March 6, 2006

 

The Canadian Theatre Critics Association is pleased to announce that Richard Monette, Artistic director of the Stratford Festival of Canada, is the recipient of the 2005 Herbert Whittaker/Drama Bench Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre. The annual Award, which is voted on by members of the Canadian Theatre Critics Association, which also administers the Award, was first initiated by the Toronto Drama Bench in the late 1970's. Through the years the award has been given to such outstanding theatre practitioners as Gratien Gelinas, Mavor Moore, Ed Mirvish and David Mirvish, Joy Coghill, Brent Carver, Robert Le Page, Ronnie Burkett, Astrid Jansen, Martha Henry, William Hutt, Christopher Newton, and last year's recipient, David Gardner.

 

Mr. Monette's long association with the Stratford Festival began in 1965. Now in his 13th season as the Festival's Artistic Director, Mr. Monette has played more than 40 roles at the Festival including Henry V, Romeo, Mercutio, Caliban, Hamlet and Benedick and leading roles in Judgement and Filumena. He has performed throughout Canada, Britain and the U.S. Among his many, many Stratford directing credits are The Tempest, Edward II, King Henry VIII, Troilus and Cressida, My Fair Lady, The Merchant of Venice, Tartuffe, The Importance of Being Earnest, Amadeus, King Lear, Twelfth Night and The School for Wives.

 

He has also directed for Young People's Theatre, Tarragon Theatre, Theatre Plus, The Grand Theatre, The Citadel Theatre, the Canadian Opera Company and the CBC's Glenn Gould Studio.

 

A graduate of Concordia University, Montreal, Mr. Monette has received an honorary doctorate from Concordia University, as well as the University of Windsor, and most recently, the University of Western Ontario. He has also received a Dora Mavor Moore Award for Outstanding Direction of Saint Joan at Theatre Plus, a Eugene O'Neill Medallion, a Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal, and a Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal. In January, 1988, Mr. Monette was named a member of the Order of Canada.

 

The 2005 Herbert Whittaker/Drama Bench Award for Outstanding Contribution to Canadian Theatre will be presented to Richard Monette at the Media Luncheon, Wednesday, May 31, 12 noon, during the opening week of the 2006 Stratford Festival season.

 

For further information:

 

Jeniva Berger

Founding President, Canadian Theatre Critics Assocation

Award Administrator

scenechanges at rogers.com

Phone: 416-782-0966/Fax: 416-782-0366

 


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