2025 Nominees
Click here to view the full list of 2025 Merritt Award Nominees
2025 Merritt Award Finalists
| Category: | Outstanding New Nova Scotian Play | |
| Production | Playwright | Producing Company |
| Deepwater | Dan Bray | The Villains Theatre |
| Mimikej | Sarah Prosper & Shawnee Paul | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Red Like Fruit | Hannah Moscovitch | 2b theatre company |
| Still Dancing | Melissa Mullen | Ship's Company Theatre |
| Winter Moons | shalan joudry and Winter Moons team | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Category: | Outstanding New Nova Scotian Adaptation | |
| Production | Playwright | Producing Company |
| A Midsummer Night's Dream | William Shakespeare, adapted by Jeremy Webb | Neptune Theatre |
| Chased by the Bear | Allen Cole and Ken Schwartz | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Fish and Dicks: Case Files from the Digby Neck & Islands Fish-Gutting Service & Detective Agency | Kathy France | Caravan Theatre |
| Shakespeare's Twelfth Night | Drew Douris-O'Hara, Music and Lyrics by Eliza Rhinelander with Shanoa Phillips | Shakespeare By The Sea |
| The Mountain and the Valley | Catherine Banks | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Choreography | |
| Choreographer | Production | Producing Company |
| Abady Alzahrani | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Genny Sermonia | Disney's Frozen | Neptune Theatre |
| Julie Tomaino | The Full Monty | Neptune Theatre |
| Sarah Prosper | Mimikej | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Stephen Greig | Funny Girl | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Costume Design | |
| Costume Designer | Production | Producing Company |
| Elizabeth Perry | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Kaelen MacDonald | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Neptune Theatre |
| Kaelen MacDonald | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Kaelen MacDonald | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Neptune Theatre |
| Oliver Dorais Fleming | The Last Show On Earth(tm)! | Neptune Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Direction | |
| Director | Production | Producing Company |
| Andrea Boyd | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Burgandy Code, with assistant direction by Colleen Arcturus MacIsaac | Deepwater | The Villains Theatre |
| Guillermo Verdecchia | The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Jake Planinc | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Ken Schwartz | Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Fight Direction | |
| Fight Director | Production | Producing Company |
| Drew Douris-O'Hara with Dylan Brentwood | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night | Shakespeare By The Sea |
| Dylan Brentwood | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Neptune Theatre |
| Karen Bassett | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Karen Bassett | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Neptune Theatre |
| Karen Bassett | The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Lighting Design | |
| Lighting Designer | Production | Producing Company |
| Holly Meyer-Dymny | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Ingrid Risk | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Leigh Ann Vardy | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Neptune Theatre |
| MacKenzie Cornfield | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| potatoCakes_digital (Emily Soussana & Andrew Scriver) |
The Fly Fisher's Companion | Theatre Baddeck |
| Category: | Outstanding Musical Direction | |
| Musical Director | Production | Producing Company |
| Allen Cole | Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Avery-Jean Brennan | Dear Rita | Neptune Theatre |
| shalan joudry and Winter Moons team | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Shanoa Phillips with Eliza Rhinelander | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night | Shakespeare by the Sea |
| Shawnee Paul | Mimikej | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Original Score or Composition | |
| Composer | Production | Producing Company |
| Allen Cole / Ken Schwartz | Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Eliza Rhinelander with Shanoa Phillips | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night | Shakespeare by the Sea |
| Jackson Fairfax-Perry | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Shawnee Paul | Mimikej | Highland Arts Theatre |
| Traditional Mi'kmaw songs, and Original Music created by Rose Meuse, shalan joudry, and Sarah Prosper | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Category: | Outstanding Projection Design | |
| Projection Designer | Production | Producing Company |
| Aaron Collier | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Andrew Moro | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Jordan Palmer & Joe Micallef | Disney's Frozen | Neptune Theatre |
| MacKenzie Cornfield | Deepwater | The Villains Theatre |
| potatoCakes_digital (Emily Soussana & Andrew Scriver) |
The Company Store | Theatre Baddeck |
| Category: | Outstanding Scenic Design | |
| Scenic Designer | Production | Producing Company |
| Andrea Evans | The Company Store | Theatre Baddeck |
| Andrew Cull | Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Neptune Theatre |
| Holly Meyer-Dymny | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Vickie Marston | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Wesley Babcock | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Category: | Outstanding Sound Design | |
| Sound Designer | Production | Producing Company |
| Aaron Collier | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Neptune Theatre |
| Jackson Fairfax-Perry | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Jackson Fairfax-Perry | Deepwater | The Villains Theatre |
| Paul Morgan Donald | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| potatoCakes_digital (Emily Soussana & Andrew Scriver) |
The Fly Fisher's Companion | Theatre Baddeck |
| Category: | Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role | |
| Performer - Role | Production | Producing Company |
| Amaka Umeh - The Queen of Hearts | Alice in Wonderland | Shakespeare By The Sea |
| Amaka Umeh - Viola / Cesario | Shakespeare's Twelfth Night | Shakespeare By The Sea |
| Amy Reitsma - May | Deepwater | The Villains Theatre |
| Bill Carr - Don | The Fly Fisher's Companion | Theatre Baddeck |
| Hugh Thompson - Jacob Mercer | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| James MacLean - Bottom | A Midsummer Night's Dream | Neptune Theatre |
| Kih Becke - Hermione | Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Liliona Quarmyne - Questa | Deepwater | The Villains Theatre |
| Shelley Thompson - Mary Mercer | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Stephanie MacDonald - Sherlock Holmes | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Category: | Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role | |
| Role - Performer | Production | Producing Company |
| Allister MacDonald - Lestrade / Elliot Monk / Moriarty | Ms. Holmes and Ms. Watson - Apt. 2B | Festival Antigonish Summer Theatre |
| Lily Falk - Sophia | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Mary Fay Coady - Martha | The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Mauralea Austin - Maeve | DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST |
| Patrick Jeffrey - The White Rabbit | Alice in Wonderland | Shakespeare By The Sea |
| Ryan Rogerson - Joseph | The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Ryan Rogerson - TIME | Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre |
| Sarah Prosper - Ntuksuinu | Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling |
| Sébastien Labelle - Harold | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Sharleen Kalayil - Minnie Jackson | Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company |
| Category: | Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble | |
| Production | Producing Company | |
| Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre | |
| DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST | |
| Dear Rita | Neptune Theatre | |
| Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company | |
| The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre | |
| Category: | Outstanding Production | |
| Production | Producing Company | |
| Chased by the Bear | Two Planks and a Passion Theatre | |
| Disney's Frozen | Neptune Theatre | |
| Leaving Home | Matchstick Theatre Company | |
| Rosencrantz & Guildenstern Are Dead | Neptune Theatre | |
| The Mountain and the Valley | HomeFirst Theatre and Two Planks and a Passion Theatre | |
| Category: | Outstanding Independent Production | |
| Production | Producing Company | |
| DANCE NATION | Keep Good (theatre) Company in association with HEIST | |
| Deepwater | The Villains Theatre | |
| Mimikej | Highland Arts Theatre | |
| Stealing Sam | The Lunenburg Theatre Collective | |
| Winter Moons | Nestuita'si Storytelling | |
| Category: | Outstanding Emerging Production | |
| Production | Producing Company | |
| Deeper | The Unnatural Disaster Theatre Co. | |
| Lifespan of a Mattress | Think of The Worst Theatre with support from The Villains Theatre | |
Announced at the Gala:
- Outstanding Technician
- Outstanding Stage Manager
- Outstanding Emerging Artist
- Theatre Nova Scotia Legacy Award
- April Hubbard Creative Access Award
- Wes Daniels Design Award
- Theatre Nova Scotia Professional Development Scholarship
