For an Outstanding Contribution to the Stage

Philip Akin Honoured with the 2010 Silver Ticket Award for Outstanding Contribution to the Development of Canadian Theatre

One of the country’s major contributors to Canadian theatre, Obsidian Theatre Artistic Director Philip Akin was presented with the Silver Ticket Award at the 31st Annual Dora Mavor Moore Awards, held Monday evening, June 28, 2010 at Toronto’s St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts in the Bluma Appel Theatre.

Since 1980, the Silver Ticket Award has been bestowed upon an individual who has excelled in their own career while also nurturing the development of Canadian theatre. Presented by the Toronto Alliance for the Performing Arts (TAPA), the Silver Ticket Award winner is selected by a committee of previous winners and entitles the recipient to a lifetime of theatre tickets to any TAPA member company production.

Philip Akin has been acting and directing in Toronto theatre for over 30 years. A founding member since 2000 of Obsidian Theatre, Canada’s leading black theatre company, he has served as its Artistic Director since 2006.

In his role as Obsidian Theatre’s Artistic Director, he has worked tirelessly to provide opportunities and guidance for emerging artists. In 2002, he launched the Obsidian Mentor/Apprentice Program, a one-of-a-kind program that has so far helped 26 black artists embark on exciting careers as directors, dramaturges, producers and production managers as well as lighting, set and costume designers with some of the most established performing arts companies nationwide. The program gives apprentices the chance to learn from some of the most sought-after experts in the industry, and to work on two professional productions.

Philip Akin has also personally mentored a dozen emerging playwrights through Obsidian’s Playwrights Unit, which he created in 2006. As leader of the unit, Philip focuses on the development of the playwrights rather than on play creation, and encourages open discussions about moving stories beyond the stereotypical ‘Black History’ play. Every one of the unit’s original participants has gone on to have a work produced and/or is workshopping new works to be produced in the near future.

In addition to the programs he has founded at Obsidian, Akin works with and mentors the next generation of Toronto theatre artists, teaching writers about self-producing and budgeting, coaching young actors for auditions and providing Obsidian fundraising resources to smaller companies. He has earned a reputation for being a source of support and guidance for young artists in Toronto’s theatre community.

Philip Akin was most recently seen on stage in the 2009 remount production of The Last days of Judas Iscariot (Birdland Theatre), and the 2007 productions of Othello and Of Mice and Men at the Stratford Shakespeare Festival. His directing credits include Toronto the Good and El Paso (Factory Theatre), Intimate Apparel (for Canadian Stage, Obsidian Theatre), and Black Medea, Born Ready and Pusha Man (all for Obsidian Theatre). His film and television credits include Shake Hands With the Devil (2007), The Sum of All Fears (2002) and “Flashpoint” (2008-2009).

Akin serves as a TAPA board member, as well as a jury member for several granting bodies at both provincial and federal levels and is a member of the Metcalf Foundation Strategic Initiative Committee. He has participated in panels for Magnetic North, PACT, Playwrights Guild of Canada and speaks regularly to theatre classes at George Brown, Ryerson, Brock and Humber College.

Eligibility Criteria

In order to nominate an individual for the Silver Ticket Award, please supply the following information:

• Nominator’s Name, Title, Company, Phone and Email
• Name of Nominee
• Nominee’s Bio
• Why you feel that the nominee should be awarded the Silver Ticket (up to 2 pages).

About

The Silver Ticket Award, inaugurated in 1980, is presented by the TAPA to an individual who has made an outstanding contribution to the stage in the Toronto area. The distinguished panel of past Silver Ticket winners considers those people who not only have excelled in their own careers, but also contributed to the development of Canadian theatre by helping and encouraging others. This award entitles the winner to a lifetime of complimentary tickets to TAPA member company productions.

The theatre community and the public are invited to submit names for consideration by the committee.

Past Silver Ticket Winners

• 1992 – Barbara Chilcott
• 1991 – Sandy Webster
• 1990 – Douglas Campbell
• 1988 – Mary Joliffe
• 1987 – Robert Christie
• 1986 – Araby Lockhart
• 1985 – Frances Hyland
• 1984 – Jean Roberts
• 1983 – Donald Davis
• 1982 – George Luscombe
• 1981 – Herbert Whittaker
• 1980 – Louis Appelbaum

Member Responsibilities

The Silver Ticket Award recipient is selected by a committee composed of previous award recipients from a slate of nominees submitted by the committee, the performing arts community and general public. The winner is presented with an award, and is entitled to two (2) free tickets to any production by a member company of TAPA for life. As a member of TAPA, we thank you for your continued support in recognizing the achievements of these recipients.

Please take a moment to review the following guidelines:

• As a member of TAPA, companies must surrender two (2) tickets to any Silver Ticket Award recipient who requests it (as outlined in the Members Responsibilities Section)
• Tickets are based on availability. TAPA Member companies reserve the right to refuse tickets to Silver Ticket recipients based solely on ticket availability (i.e. the show requested is sold out)
• Silver Ticket recipients are required to reserve 48 hours in advance of performance date requested

A list of recipients is available in Appendix C of your Members Handbook and online here. Please review the list of recipients, post it in your box office and inform your box office staff and publicist.