Siminovitch Prize in Theatre
| Siminovitch Prize in Theatre | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Best in Canadian theatre |
| Country | Canada |
| Presented by | Hart House |
| First awarded | 2001 |
| Official website | https://www.siminovitchprize.com/ |
The Siminovitch Prize in Theatre (formally, the Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre; commonly, the Siminovitch Prize) is given to recognize achievement in Canadian theatre; specifically, professional directors, playwrights and designers in three-year cycles. The prize was launched in 2000 to honour the values and achievements of the distinguished scientist Louis ("Lou") Siminovitch and his late wife Elinore Siminovitch who was a pioneering playwright. A group of Dr. Siminovitch’s friends and colleagues came together on the occasion of his 80th birthday to create this award which is national, bi-lingual, and juried by theatre professionals.
In March 2012, organizers announced that the 12th edition of the prize would be its last. No reasons were given for the award's termination. although in an interview one of the prize's founders, Joseph Rotman, stated that the prize was never conceived to run in perpetuity. However, in July 2013, organizers announced a new partnership with the University of Toronto and the RBC Foundation that resulted in the revival of the prize. The prize was reinstated for the 2013 year and had continued ever since.
Established in 2001 to honour Elinore Siminovitch and her husband Lou Siminovitch, the purpose of the prize is to celebrate "the marriage between the arts and the sciences". Twelve individuals and six organizations founded the prize; primary amongst them was the prize's largest financial sponsor, the BMO Financial Group.
The prize is awarded annually to a director, playwright, or a designer, rotating through each of these theatre professions in a three-year cycle. It is one of the few theatre awards that includes designers. Winners are selected by a jury made up of prominent theatre professionals and awarded CAD$100,000, making it the largest prize of its kind in Canada. Anyone may nominate a qualified candidate for the prize; the jury may also nominate qualified candidates. Individuals who may be nominated must be a professional director, playwright, or designer who, in the preceding 10 years, has made a significant creative contribution to no fewer than two (in the case of playwrights) or three (in the case of directors and designers) noteworthy theatre projects in Canada.
A condition of the award is that one quarter of the prize (CAD$25,000) must be awarded to a "protégé" selected by the winner. The protégé may be an individual or organization (such as a theatre or educational facility) involved in professional direction, playwriting, or design in Canadian theatre. The winner may choose to grant the amount to a single protégé or divide it between two eligible protégés.
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