The Williams Lake Studio Theatre production of The Memory of Water is heading to Theatre B.C.’s Mainstage provincial drama festival in Kamloops, July 1-9.
The Memory of Water was named best production by adjudicator Garry Davey during the Central Interior Zone drama festival held in Williams Lake May 26-29.
The Memory of Water came away with several other top awards including best actor for Curt Sprickerhoff and best actress for Tanya Isnardy.
Director Michael Rawluk won for best director and the production also won the award for best props.
“I am really excited to move on to Mainstage,” Rawluk says.
“It is always a great environment to learn new things and to see some wonderful theatre. I am also really looking forward to sharing the work of our wonderful Williams Lake crew and actors with people from all over the province.”
This is Curt Sprickerhoff’s second best actor award at a zone festival. He also won best actor for his part in Looking for Normal a couple of years ago.
“I was really surprised but it is kind of nice to have that validation,” Sprickerhoff says.
During the festival about 20 people participated in an acting workshop with adjudicator and professional actor Garry Davey on Friday evening.
Then on Sunday the cast and crew of the Memory of Water also work-shopped their play with Davey to prepare for the provincial festival.
Sprickerhoff says he really enjoyed working with Davey because he starts his critiques with positive comments and builds from there.
“He is a fantastic adjudicator,” Sprickerhoff says. “We worked with him for four hours yesterday (Sunday) and he gave us a lot of great new ideas.”
The Memory of Water starring Sprickerhoff, Isnardy, Shawna Sutherland, Kathy MacDonald, and Randy Morgan will be on the Sagebrush Theatre stage in Kamloops July 3 starting at 8 p.m.
“It can be a bit intimidating but it’s a lot of fun down there too,” Sprickerhoff says of the larger provincial festival venue in Kamloops this year.
The Prince George Serious Moonlight Productions’ presentation of Rollback directed by Virginia O’dine earned a best supporting actress award for Vivian Johnson, a best first-time actor award for Ciaran Maguire, and the awards for best lights, sound and back stage crew.
The Kersley Players’ production of Sweet Song Farewell written by Roy Teed of Kersley, earned Gino DeRose the best supporting actor award.
Kersley’s Jonathan Mathesonwon the best youth actor award and Kersley won the awards for best set design and best costumes.