Three members of The University of Winnipeg’s theatre department – Brenda Gorlick, Allison Loat, and Eric Blais – were recognized at the Winnipeg Theatre Awards, held virtually on Monday, November 2, and hosted by UWinnipeg alum, Melissa Langdon and Matthew Paris-Irvine.

The annual Evie Awards celebrate, recognize, and acknowledge excellence in Winnipeg’s theatre community.

“I’m so excited that the excellence of Allison, Eric, and Brenda’s work has been recognized so publicly by the Winnipeg Theatre Awards,” said Christopher Brauer, Chair, Department of Theatre and Film. “They are highly respected both as professional artists and as educators.”

Brauer is extremely proud of The University of Winnipeg’s contribution to the arts community.

“Our strength as a department is that all our faculty and staff are theatre and film professionals who link us directly with the performance industry and we’re so proud to count all three of them as long term members of our teaching family,” he said.

Brenda Gorlick, Theatre Educator Award.

Brenda Gorlick is a UWinnipeg alumna and instructor who returned to UWinnipeg in 2003 to initiate the “Introduction to Dance for Musical Theatre” program. She also served as guest professor and choreographer alongside Kayla Gordon over the last several years for the musical theatre performance courses offered by the department.

“As an educator in the field of musical theatre and dance for more than four decades, I have always hoped that my passion for the arts would inspire others along the path, just as my many teachers have done for me,” she said. “This award reinforces the fact that I might be doing something right!”

She is very proud and humbled by this recognition.

“I have never been one who believes that my teaching practices are exclusively responsible for the many successes of my students; I am only a stepping stone – imparting knowledge where I can, giving guidance to those who seek it and ultimately attempting to improve the outcomes of those who I am fortunate enough to teach,” she said. “I continue to learn from my students and from the world around me, which is what ignites me, both as a teacher and a human being.”

Tune in on Monday, Nov. 2nd @ 7:30 pm to the virtual broadcast of this year’s Winnipeg Theatre Awards- the Evies!
I am proud to be receiving an Honorary Award as Theatre Educator this year. The other wonderful humans being honoured are Allison Loat – Behind the Scenes Award, Campbell McIntyre – Theatre Champion Award and our dearly departed Nancy Drake – MLCC Career Contribution Award.
Also, enjoy my CTV Winnipeg interview:

https://www.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2066943&jwsource=cl

This November we are offering Round 2 of our Masterclass series – Musical Theatre edition: 9 sessions/9 guest instructors/3 different levels, one GREAT experience!
The program is open to emerging artists and professional performers of all ages. Auditor rates are also available for arts instructors and student participants.
Register online at: http://WST.com/workshop/

The roster includes artists Andrea Macasaet – newly-minted Broadway star of Six the Musical, Alyx Andrushuk – Featured Dancer on The Masked Singer, current Associate Artistic Director of Shaw Festival – Kimberley Rampersad, Alexandra Frohlinger and Josh Assor of Broadway shows Hello Dolly and Newsies respectively, stage and screen actor – Markian Tarasiuk, Joshua LeClair, fresh from the Matilda world tour, Kathleen Moore from the “Oz” company of Come From Away, Samantha Jeanne Hill of Broadway’s Les Miserables and The Phantom of the Opera and seasoned veteran of Broadway, Vegas and Guthrie stages – Andrea Mislan.

The sessions, divided into 3 age groups: Junior (age 10-13) Intermediate (age 14-17) and Adult (18+), cover all aspects of musical theatre performance – from training and auditions to acting, singing and dance technique for the professional stage. Each live Zoom session includes instruction as well as a Q & A with our guest faculty.

Learn from our Made-in-Manitoba acclaimed professionals about their personal journey in Manitoba and beyond. “IF YOU WANT TO BE THE BEST — LEARN FROM THE BEST”!

We are less than 6 weeks away from The Evies! Sponsored by the Gail Asper Family Foundation, The Winnipeg Foundation and Manitoba Liquor and Lotteries, The Evies will take place on November 2nd as a broadcast.

Today we announce the recipients of the Honorary Awards.

“In our COVID-19 isolation, the joy of being able to celebrate those in our community who have contributed so much to our art form is a lovely prospect” said Donna Fletcher, Chair of the Honorary Awards Committee. “The honorary awards are all about celebrating long-term commitment to the Winnipeg theatre community; the sung and unsung stalwarts who have given so much to our art form.”

THEATRE EDUCATOR

BRENDA GORLICK is deeply connected to the local performing arts community – from youth to adults, people with disabilities and the elderly. She has worked with every major arts group, including the Royal Winnipeg Ballet, Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre, Manitoba Opera Association, Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra, Rainbow Stage, Dry Cold Productions, Théâtre Cercle Molière, and her home company – Winnipeg Studio Theatre. Brenda has devoted her life to teaching and truly understands how to educate her students – not only to instill knowledge in them but to gift them with the confidence to become educators and performers themselves. She is fearless, unflappable, up to any challenge and most importantly, kind. Brenda is an artist, a loyal colleague, a teacher, and a deeply skilled mentor to emerging and professional artists alike.

Rainbow Stage’s Pot of Gold Gala brought together nine glorious performers from various places in their professional careers…from emerging artist to Broadway star to seasoned professional, the performances gave new meaning to the power of “live theatre”. Backed by a stunning trio of musicians led by Paul de Gurse, it was an evening that brought out raw emotion and celebrated what we do best – communicate with live audiences!

Thanks to Carson Nattrass, Artistic Director of Rainbow Stage for bringing it all together, the backstage and front of house crew and of course, all the patrons and supporters who completed the recipe for a very special evening. Til the next time we “fly beyond the Rainbow”…