Robert Merritt Award Nominations 2017
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (female)
| Name | Character | Show | Company |
| Francine Deschepper | Sister Martha McCann | Little Thing, Big Thing | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Sarah English | Elizabeth Barrett Browning | How Do I Love Thee | Angels & Heroes |
| Jamie Konchak | Emma de Brujin | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Stephanie MacDonald | Linda Lou Carmichael | Weekend Healer | KAZAN CO-OP |
| Amy Reitsma | Judy Denmark/Ginger DelMarco | Ruthless! The Stage Mother of All Musicals | Chester Playhouse |
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role (male)
| Name | Character | Show | Company |
| Rhys Bevan John | Henry | Here Lies Henry | Chester Playhouse |
| Dan Bray | The Cat | Pinocchio | Shakespeare by the Sea |
| Gordon Gammie | Larry O’Donnell | Little Thing, Big Thing | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Paul Rainville | King Lear | King Lear | Shakespeare by the Sea |
| Jacob Sampson | Sam Langford | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (male)
| Name | Character | Show | Company |
| Marty Burt | Various | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Andrew Gouthro | Aenthe | Sucker | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Graham Percy | Miles Cavendish | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Jeff Schwager | Jan van Egmond | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| GaRRy Williams | Gloucester | King Lear | Shakespeare by the Sea |
Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role (female)
| Name | Character | Show | Company |
| Burgandy Code | Aaltje De Brujin | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Micha Cromwell | various | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Stephanie MacDonald | Marijke Bos | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Kathryn MacLellan | Betina Carmichael | The Weekend Healer | KAZAN CO-OP |
| Andrea Lee Norwood | various | Goodnight Desdemona (Goodmorning Juliet) | Valley Summer Theatre |
Outstanding Choreography
| Name | Show | Company |
| Stephen Gray | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Mary Lou Martin | Ruthless! The Stage Mother of All Musicals | Chester Playhouse |
| Jay Whitehead | The Princess Show | Angels & Heroes |
Outstanding Costume Design
| Name | Show | Company |
| Paul Daigle | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Nicole Dowdall | Pinocchio | Shakespeare by the Sea |
| Jennifer Goodman | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Helena Marriott | Miracle on 34th Street | Neptune Theatre |
| Sean Mulcahy | Shrek! The Musical | Neptune Theatre |
Outstanding Direction
| Name | Show | Company |
| Dean Gabourie | The Weekend Healer | KAZAN CO-OP |
| Pamela Halstead | The Drowning Girls | DMV Theatre/Neptune Theatre |
| Ron Jenkins | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Ken Schwartz | Liberation Days | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Jeremy Webb | Little Thing, Big Thing | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
Outstanding Lighting Design
| Name | Show | Company |
| Jessica Lewis | How Small, How Far Away | Zuppa Theatre |
| Jessica Lewis | The Drowning Girls | DMV Theatre/Neptune Theatre |
| Ingrid Risk | Small Things | Mulgrave Road Theatre, presented by Neptune Theatre |
| Leigh Ann Vardy | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Leigh Ann Vardy | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
Outstanding Musical Direction
| Name | Show | Company |
| Scott Christian | Shrek! The Musical | Neptune Theatre |
| Paul De Gurse | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Sarah Richardson | Ruthless! The Stage Mother of All Musicals | Chester Playhouse |
Outstanding New Play by a Nova Scotian
| Name | Show | Company |
| Gillian Clark | Let’s Try This Standing | Keep Good (Theatre) Company |
| Aaron Collier | The Princess Show | Angels & Heroes |
| Lindsay Kyte | Tompkinsville | Go Fly A Kyte Productions, presented by Eastern Front Theatre |
| Jacob Sampson | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
Outstanding Original Score
| Name | Show | Company |
| Aaron Collier | The Princess Show | Angels & Heroes |
| Ian Sherwood & Lindsay Kyte | Tompkinsville | Go Fly A Kyte Productions, presented by Eastern Front Theatre |
| John Spearns | The Drowning Girls | DMV Theatre/Neptune Theatre |
| GaRRy Williams | Pinocchio | Shakespeare by the Sea |
Outstanding Scenic Design
| Name | Show | Company |
| Set Design Garrett G. Barker, Projection Design Corwin Ferguson | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Geofrey Dinwiddie | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Julie Fox | We Are Not Alone | 2b theatre |
| Set Design Katherine Jenkins-Ryan, Video Design Vojin Vasovic | How Small, How Far Away | Zuppa Theatre |
| Katherine Jenkins-Ryan | The Drowning Girls | DMV Theatre/Neptune Theatre |
Outstanding Sound Design
| Name | Show | Company |
| Aaron Collier | The Princess Show | Angels & Heroes |
| Adam Harendorf | Beauty & The Beast | Neptune Theatre |
| Joe Micallef | Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Brian Riley | How Small, How Far Away | Zuppa Theatre |
| Thomas Ryder Payne in association with Peter Balov, Dylan Green, & Christian Barry | We Are Not Alone | 2b theatre |
Outstanding Production by a New or Emerging Company
| Show | Playwright | Company |
| Constellations | Nick Payne | Keep Good (Theatre) Company |
| Let’s Try This Standing | Gillian Clark | Keep Good (Theatre) Company |
| Seminar | Theresa Rebeck | Kick at the Dark Theatre Company |
| The Princess Show | Aaron Collier | Angels & Heroes |
| Tompkinsville | Lindsay Kyte | Go Fly A Kyte Productions, presented by Eastern Front Theatre |
Outstanding Production
| Show | Playwright | Company |
| Beauty & The Beast | Linda Woolverton | Neptune Theatre |
| Little Thing, Big Thing | Donal O’Kelly | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Chasing Champions: the Sam Langford Story | Jacob Sampson | Ship’s Company Theatre |
| Liberation Days | David van Belle | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| The Drowning Girls | Beth Graham, Daniela Vlaskalic, Charlie Tomlinson | DMV Theatre/Neptune Theatre |
Announced at the Gala:
Outstanding Presentation
Outstanding Technician
Outstanding Stage Manager
Outstanding Volunteer
Theatre Nova Scotia Scholarship
Halifax Mayor’s Award for Emerging Artist
Halifax Mayor’s Award for Achievement in Theatre
Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award
