Curtain closes on award-winning season for Mariposa Arts Theatre

MAT received 12 award nominations and three wins for this past season’s shows at Association of Community Theatre – Central Ontario and the THEA Awards

Mariposa Arts Theatre has officially wrapped up our 2024-2025 season, and what a season it was.

Through each of our shows, MAT delved into the complex motivations, morality and nature of villainy. Our season began with the classic musical tale Gypsy: A Musical Fable, directed by Josh Halbot with Musical Director Sami-Jo Whalen and choreography by Sheri Nicholls.

We next featured the hilarious and timely The Thanksgiving Play, written by Larissa FastHorse and co-directed by Samantha Cole and Alyssa LaPlume. In April we brought the classic drama A Streetcar Named Desire, directed by Stevie Baker, to the stage despite delays caused by the ice storm.

Finally, last weekend we concluded the season in a joyful celebration of community with our third Annual Queer Cabaret.

Earlier this month, MAT received 12 award nominations and three wins for this past season’s shows at ACT-CO’s (Association of Community Theatre – Central Ontario) The THEA Awards in the comedy, drama, and musical categories. The awards were as follows:

Best Set Design in a Musical — Nomination: Brian Halbot (Gypsy: A Musical Fable)

Comedy Adjudicators Award for Best Use of Video — Nomination: Geoff Taylor (The Thanksgiving Play)

Best Performance by an Individual in a Female Leading Role (Drama) — Winner: Alyssa LaPlume as Blanche DuBois (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Best Performance by an Individual in a Female Leading Role (Musical) — Nomination: Finnie Jesson as Rose (Gypsy: A Musical Fable)

Best Performance by an Individual in a Male Leading Role (Musical) — Nomination: Ted Powers as Herbie (Gypsy: A Musical Fable)

Musical Adjudicators Award for Best Youth Ensemble — Nomination: Gypsy: A Musical Fable

Best Hair & Makeup Design in a Musical —- Nomination: Erin Hawke and Kirstie Duke (Gypsy: A Musical Fable)

Best Newcomer/Youth Under 25 in a Comedy — Nomination: Anastasia Vermeulen, Audrey Buchanan, Gabriel Van Dam, Rachel Walker-Brown (The Thanksgiving Play)

Best Ensemble in a Drama — Winner: A Streetcar Named Desire

Best Ensemble in a Comedy — Nomination: The Thanksgiving Play

Best Direction in a Drama — Nomination: Stevie Baker (A Streetcar Named Desire)

Best Direction in a Comedy — Winner: Samantha Cole and Alyssa LaPlume (The Thanksgiving Play)

We are proud of everyone’s hard work and dedication that was put into each of these shows and are thrilled for our work to be recognized in this way in the Central Ontario region.

Throughout the season, we also hosted two MAT Film Nights series, which features top quality, award-winning and alternative films selected from the Toronto International Film Festival’s Film Circuit catalogue at Orillia’s Galaxy Cinemas.

Our Fall series concluded with the prison-drama Sing Sing (2023), which was nominated for Best Actor and Best Adapted Screenplay at this year’s Academy Awards, while our Winter series featured Universal Language (2024) in the line-up, an absurdist dramedy which won ‘Best Canadian Discovery’ at TIFF and the ‘Audience Favourite’ Award at Cannes.

Our next Film Night series will pick back up in September.

After a brief intermission, we look forward to seeing you for our upcoming 2025-2026 season!

About Mariposa Arts Theatre

Mariposa Arts Theatre is a community-based theatre foundation that seeks to entertain and inspire with quality theatre productions and film showings year-round. Since 1970, MAT has been tightly woven in Orillia’s cultural tapestry, putting on more than 180 theatrical productions and 300 film screenings for audience members of all ages.

To learn more and get involved, please visit www.mariposaartstheatre.com.

For news on all the latest happenings at MAT, please consider subscribing to our e-blasts and following us on Facebook and Instagram!

By OrilliaMatters Staff