The Spotlight Awards

Celebrating local talent and community connection, the Victoria Theatre Collective hosted its inaugural Spotlight Awards on July 24, 2026. This landmark event honored outstanding achievements from the 2025–2026 performance season, bringing together over 20 Greater Victoria theatre companies. 
Huge congratulations to our marquee winners, including Kizuna Theatre's Genki Bear: Memoirs of a Granddaughter for Semi-Professional Production, Langham Court Theatre's Shakespeare in Love for Community Production, and Sheldon Parathundyil for Performance in The Comeuppance. We also proudly recognized Misty Yumiko Cozac and Kevin Eastman for Direction, Tim Gosley for Individual Design, and the legendary Zelda Dean with the Community Spirit Award. 
Thank you to everyone who makes our vibrant island theatre community shine!

2025/26 VTC Spotlight Award Finalists

(winners in bold)

VTC Spotlight: Semi-Profesional Production
  • The Comeuppance, Theatre Inconnu
  • Genki Bear, Kizuna Theatre
VTC Spotlight: Community Production
  • Acting Can Be Murder, St. Luke's Players
  • The Gondoliers, Victoria Gilbert and Sullivan Society
  • Shakespeare in Love, Langham Court Theatre
VTC Spotlight: Direction
  • Peter Gatt, Acting Can Be Murder
  • Misty Yumiko Cozac, The Comeuppance
  • Misty Yumiko Cozac & Kevin Eastman, Genki Bear
  • Heather-Elayne Day, Shakespeare in Love
    VTC Spotlight: Performance
    • James Johnson, A Number
    • Kathy Macovichuk, Acting Can Be Murder
    • Sheldon Parathundyil, The Comeuppance
    • Jerry Callaghan, Perseverance
    • Ensemble, Shakespeare in Love

    VTC Spotlight: Individual Design

    • David Fenger, Lighting Design, Acting Can Be Murder
    • Jason King, Projection Design, Casting for Murder
    • Tim Gosley, Shadow Puppet Design, Genki Bear
    • Helena Hitchcock, Set Design, Jack and the Beanstalk
    VTC Spotlight: Community Spirit
    • Catriona "Cat" Black
    • Kurt Archer
    • Misty Cozac
    • Zelda Dean

    First Annual Spotlight Awards

    The Victoria Theatre Collective is pleased to announce the continuation of the local community theatre awards program for the 2026/27 theatre season.

    Victoria Theatre Collective Spotlight Awards! 

    The VTC Spotlights will shine a light on the tremendous work being done by community theatre organizations, artist collectives, and semi-professional theatre companies in Greater Victoria. For the inaugural awards program celebrating the 2026/27 season, we will recognize artists across six categories: Community Production, Semi-Professional Production, Direction, Individual Design, Individual Performance (Actor/Ensemble), and Community Spirit. 

    Eligibility

    • Your group or organization must become a member of the Victoria Theatre Collective to qualify for the VTC Spotlights.
    • Productions must occur within the boundaries of the CRD.
    • Productions must have at least three performances to a run, one-off shows are NOT eligible.
    • Productions presented as part of a local festival with an awards component are NOT eligible (ie. Fringe, Victoria One Act Play Festival, SKAMpede, etc).

    Nomination Process

    Productions must be submitted by each member's designated representative AT LEAST one month before opening night through the VTC Spotlight Award Nominations Google Form.

    You must provide one complimentary ticket to each jury member (up to 3), usable for any performance during your run.

    Nominate Now (Members Only)

    Jury Process

    • The awards for Community Production, Semi-Professional Production, Direction, Individual Design, and Individual Performance (Actor/Ensemble) will be selected by a three person jury made up individuals connected to the Victoria theatre community. At least two of the three jurors will see each production.
    • The award for Community Spirit will be voted on by the membership of the collective.
    • The jury will be guided and advised by the VTC Spotlight Award Chair, a member of the board of the Victoria Theatre Collective.
    • The VTC Spotlight Award Chair is responsible for interpreting and enforcing the VTC Spotlight Award Guidelines, and ensuring the jury process is fair and impartial.
    • In July 2027, the VTC Spotlight Award Chair will lead the jurors through a final assessment process to determine the award winners. Full details on that process will be available in the full award guidelines, but our intent is to utilize a ‘highest average rank’ system similar to the BC Arts Council Jury process to determine winners, to account for variance in scoring approaches amongst jurors.

    2026/2027 Jurors

    We are excited to announce Christina Haska, Brianna Bock, as our Jurors this year. (more to be announced shortly)

    Award Descriptions

    • VTC Spotlight: Community Production
      Recognizes an outstanding production presented by a community-based company or collective. This award honours excellence in storytelling, performance, and production values by a volunteer or non-professional team.
    • VTC Spotlight: Semi-Professional Production
      Honours a production of exceptional quality by a company that includes both paid and unpaid artists. This award is based solely on the creative and technical merits of the production.
    • VTC Spotlight: Direction
      Celebrates a director whose leadership and artistic vision resulted in a cohesive, dynamic, and engaging production.
    • VTC Spotlight: Individual Design
      Recognizes excellence in a specific area of theatrical design, such as set, lighting, costume, sound, or projections. This award honours the skill, imagination, and execution behind the visual or auditory elements of a production.
    • VTC Spotlight: Performance (Individual or Ensemble)
      Highlights an exceptional performance, either by a solo actor or an ensemble. This award acknowledges talent, presence, and the ability to convey emotion and character with impact.
    • VTC Spotlight: Community Spirit
      Voted on by the VTC membership, this award honours a person, group, or project that embodied generosity, encouragement, or positivity during the season. This award is not tied to artistic output.