Montreal English Theatre
honours its best

The METAs hand out 2020 awards in a virtual ceremony

By Byron Toben

The 8th annual Montreal English Theatre Awards (META) were celebrated, like everything else, digitally this year on November 29.

Originally held in the glamorous Rialto Theatre and recently moved to the National Theatre School main stage, it gave our local theatre community a little taste of Oscar glamour.
So, not a lot of schmoozing and mingling this year, but hats off to the organizing committee headed by Jen Viens, which did a fine job all things considered.

For the official results listing all nominees visit metas.ca/awards/2020-ceremony

I list the highlights below, but first, a few quick words about the history and inclusions.

Small Mouth Sounds – Image: Leslie Schachter

Before the METAs there was a more modest forerunner, the MECCAs (Montreal English Critics Awards). I forget what the extra C stood for. It held court at La Sala Rosa and later the Théâtre Ste-Catherine. Its voting membership was limited to the small number of English language theatre critics around, some of whom did not even participate.

Just as in sports, the journalists’ opinions are not as valued as those of the players and coaches, so a movement grew to include performers, producers, technicians, etc., and voilà, The METAs, which also include community theatres in its expanded reach.

Originally held in the glamorous Rialto Theatre and recently moved to the National Theatre School main stage, it gave our local theatre community a little taste of Oscar glamour.

What is missed in the online version is the usual musical band of 4 or 5 live musicians, all actors as well, headed by playwright pianist Nick Carpenter. Also missed is the large stage allowing some group dancers as well as the often agile MCs to whirl about. Anyway, that was then, this is now.

So, some highlights of the major categories:

Supporting Actress – Julie Tamiko Manning (Paradise Lost)
Supporting Actor – Dakota Jamal Wellman (Simone, Half and Half)
Outstanding Director – Caitlin Murphy (Small Mouth Sounds)
Outstanding Lead Actor – Matthew Kabwe (MOB)
Outstanding Lead Actress – Warona Setshwaelo (Small Mouth Sounds)
Unsung Hero of the Theatre – Patrick Lloyd Brennan (MainLine, Elan, PACT and QDF)

We’ll see the META cylinders, hopefully, handed out in person, “Same Time, Next Year.”

Feature image: MOB, by Andrée Lanthier

More articles from Byron Toben

Byron Toben, a past president of The Montreal Press Club, has been WestmountMag.ca’s theatre reviewer since July 2015. Previously, he wrote for since terminated web sites Rover Arts and Charlebois Post, print weekly The Downtowner and print monthly The Senior Times. He also is an expert consultant on U.S. work permits for Canadians.