The 2006 Pauline McGibbon Award was presented to Jennifer Tarver, at Monday’s Dora Mavor Moore Awards. The founder of Theatre Extasis and the Associate Director of the Theatre Centre, Jennifer was presented with the award in the theatre director category by the Honourable Caroline Di Cocco, Minister of Culture. Each year a jury of theatre professionals presents the Pauline McGibbon Award to an emerging theatre artist in Ontario who has displayed a unique talent and a potential for excellence. It is awarded on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and the Ontario Arts Council in a three-year cycle to a director, theatre craftsperson and designer.
Jurors for this year’s award were Diana Leblanc, director and actor, Toronto; Richard Rose, Artistic Director of Tarragon Theatre, Toronto; and Maja Ardal, playwright, director and actor, Toronto.
The jurors and the nominator were impressed with Jennifer’s “innovative work that gives new life, new meaning, to the [classic] texts.” They also noted her “patience; the long periods of artistic gestation in her work; and a thorough and well planned approach to the art” adding that it “resounds with clarity and sophistication.”
“Jennifer Tarver is an Ontario artist of whom we can all be proud,” said Minister Di Cocco. “Ontario has been culturally enriched by her contribution to the local theatre scene.”
Jennifer Tarver graduated from the University of Toronto in 1998 with a BA in drama. She has an MFA in Directing from the University of Alberta. She also has a Bachelor of Music in performance from the Manhattan School of Music. Jennifer has directed for Theatre Direct, Queen of Puddings, the Royal Conservatory of Music, York University, the Theatre Centre, as well as her own company Theatre Extasis.
The Pauline McGibbon Award was established by the Government of Ontario in 1981 to honour Ontario’s first female Lieutenant Governor. Mrs. McGibbon was a much-loved public figure who promoted the arts during her tenure as Lieutenant Governor, and was a supporter of the theatre in Ontario during her lifetime. The award is administered by the Ontario Arts Council and consists of $7,000 from the Ministry of Culture and a medal designed by Dora de Pédery Hunt.
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Click here for information about the Pauline McGibbon Award
For more information:
Kirsten Gunter
OAC Communications Manager
461-969-7403 or kgunter@arts.on.ca
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The Ontario Arts Council is an agency of the Government of Ontario.