The Robert Merritt Awards, commonly known as The Merritt Awards, were started in 2002 and are administered by Theatre Nova Scotia. The Merritts honour excellence in theatre throughout the province of Nova Scotia. They are named for Robert Merritt, who was well known to the Halifax community both as a teacher of playwriting in the Theatre Department at Dalhousie University, and as the film critic for CBC's Information Morning.
Awards are given for Acting, Direction, Lighting, Set Design, Costume Design, Sound Design, Music, and Outstanding New Play by a Nova Scotian Playwright. Special awards are given for Technician, Stage Manager, Volunteerism, and Career Legacy.
See references
2020 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Thomas Brookes, The Last Wife, Neptune Theatre
2020 Outstanding Stage Manager: Robin Munro, Frankenstein by Fire, Two Planks and a Passion Theatre
2020 Outstanding Volunteer: Alex Mills
2020 Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award: Joan Craig
2020 Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship: Logan Robins and Ursula Calder
2020 Wes Daniels Design Award: Wesley Babcock with Matchstick Theatre
2020 Neptune Theatre Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award: Anna Shepard
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2019 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Andrew Cull
2019 Outstanding Stage Manager: Jessica Lewis
2019 Outstanding Volunteer: Alex Mills
2019 Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award: Susan Stackhouse
2019 Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship: Anna Shepard
2019 Wes Daniels Design Award: Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre with Elizabeth Perry
2019 Neptune Theatre Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award: Chelsea Dickie
2019 Outstanding Presentation: Mouthpiece (presented by 2b theatre company)
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2018 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Sean Burke
2018 Outstanding Stage Manager: Louisa Adamson
2018 Outstanding Volunteer: Radovan Marinkovic & Brian McKenzie (Two Planks and a Passion Theatre) and Angela Butler (Theatre Arts Guild)
2018 Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award: Mary-Colin Chisholm
2018 Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship: Stephanie MacDonald
2018 Wes Daniels Design Award: Villain's Theatre with Vicky Williams
2018 Neptune Theatre Chrysalis Emerging Artist Award: Laura Vingoe-Cram
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2017 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Shawn Bisson
2017 Outstanding Stage Manager: Hannah Burrows
2017 Outstanding Volunteer: April Hubbard
2017 Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award: Deb Allen
2017 Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship: Kyle Gillis
2017 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Meghan Hubley
2017 Outstanding Presentation: âÂÂFriendâ âÂÂLikeâ #Me, by Gavin Crawford (presented by Queer Acts Theatre Festival)
2017 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Mary Lou Martin
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2016 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Justin Dakai
2016 Outstanding Stage Manager: Jane Creaser
2016 Outstanding Volunteer: Dean Taylor
2016 Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award: Bruce Klinger
2016 Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship: GaRRy Williams and Ivy Charles
2016 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Colleen MacIsaac
2016 Wes Daniel's Design Award: Rob Greene and Valley Summer Theatre
2016 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Elizabeth Murphy
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2014 Legacy Award for Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Christopher Shore
2014 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: John Dartt
2014 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Evan Brown
2014 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Matthew Downey
2014 Outstanding Stage Manager: Sarah O'Brien
2014 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Kevin Kindred, Austin Reade
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2013 Legacy Award for Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Shakespeare by the Sea, Halifax
2013 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Hugo Dann
2013 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Stephanie MacDonald
2013 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Garrett Barker
2013 Outstanding Stage Manager: Sarah O'Brien
2013 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Dick Sircom
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2012 Legacy Award for Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Marguerite McNeil
2012 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Bryden MacDonald
2012 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Lee-Anne Poole
2012 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Ingrid Risk
2012 Outstanding Stage Manager: Heather Lewis
2012 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Alleen and David Parsons
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2011 Legacy Award for Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Wendy Lill
2011 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre:
2011 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist:
2011 Outstanding Theatre Technician: Christopher Francis Mitchell
2011 Outstanding Stage Manager: Sarah O'Brien
2011 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Anne Mackay and Walter Carey
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2010 Legacy Award for Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Jean Murporgo
2010 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Jeremy Webb
2010 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Natasha MacLellan
2010 Outstanding Stage Manager or Theatre Technician: Sylvia Bell
2010 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Perry Kossatz & Aaron Harpell
See reference
2009 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Sara Lee Lewis
2009 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Gay Hauser
2009 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Stewart Legere
2009 Outstanding Stage Manager or Theatre Technician: Eleanor Creelman
2009 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Brian MacLeod
See reference
2008 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Addy Doucette
2008 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Mary-Colin Chisholm
2008 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Christian Barry
2008 Outstanding Stage Manager or Theatre Technician: Lisa Cochran
2008 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Gary Bugden
2007 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Jenny Munday
2007 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Mary Vingoe
2007 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Richie Wilcox
2007 Outstanding Stage Manager or Theatre Technician: Louisa Adamson
2007 Nova Scotia Theatre Volunteer of the Year Award: Ian Gilmore
2006 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Joan Orenstein
2006 Emerging Artist Award: Susan Leblanc-Crawford
2006 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Michael Melski
2006 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Ben Stone
2006 Nova Scotia Theatre Company Volunteer Awards: Jennifer Josenhans, Andrea Dymond, Diane Regan, Lawrence Tuttle
2005 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Linda Moore
2005 Emerging Artist Award: Alex MacLean
2005 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Linda Moore
2005 Mayor's Award for Emerging Theatre Artist: Anthony Black
2005 Nova Scotia Theatre Company Volunteer Awards: Joanne Porter, Val and Cliff Tyner, Debbie Ross, Michelle Herx, Carmel Rooney
2004 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: Jest in Time Theatre
2004 Mayor's Award for Achievement in Theatre: Steven Cross
2004 Nova Scotia Theatre Company Volunteer Awards: Mike Hodgson, Bill and Esther VanGorder, Gordon Tate, Pauline Liengme, Jeremy Webb
2003 Achievement for Outstanding Contribution to Theatre in Nova Scotia: David Renton
2003 Nova Scotia Theatre Company Volunteer Awards: Murdock MacDonald, Darlene Spears, John and Lyn Gratwick, John Slor, Ernest Zinck, Kathleen Smith, Doris Salsman, Penny Schofield, Gleneida Canning, Charlie Rhindress, Debbie Ross, Ian Waller, Mary Ritchie, Linda Hodgins, Gord Tate, Lauriena Noel, Dale Sanford
2002 Nova Scotia Theatre Company Volunteer Awards: Stan Salsman, Penny Dann, Robin Saywood, Iris Elliott, Judy & Austin Reade, Shelley Gullikson, Janet Hodder, Barney Morison, Cathy Macarthur, Sylvelin Oakey, Ernie MacLaughlin, Mary Ritchie, Jane Kansas, Lynn Buckley, Rona MacQuillan, Jim Mills, Catherine Banks, Bruce McCulloch, Susan Wolfraim, Gerald Parker