Bettys 2025: Queer Joy, Indie Wins, and a Side of Fried Chicken
Posted Jun 24, 2025 10:58 am.
The 2025 Betty Mitchell Awards was full of bad jokes, cow music, and fried chicken — literally.
Before the main event, on-stage karaoke at the Jubilee echoed across empty seats, and as a parting gift, audience members were handed a box of KFC.
And while the show leaned into frivolity, the main event reflected what Calgary’s theatre community is really about: representation, diversity, and celebration of one another — big and small.
Indie theatre company Handsome Alice walked away with major wins for two very different but equally personal stories.
Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers, written and performed by Makambe K. Simamba and co-produced with Calgary’s Verb Theatre and Tarragon Theatre, took home three awards, including Outstanding Production of a Play. The piece follows a Black teen into the afterlife and was inspired in part by Trayvon Martin and Simamba’s own family experiences.
Simamba was unavailable to collect the accolades in person, but when reached for comment told CityNews, she was overwhelmed with emotion.
“I’m so overwhelmed. I’m just in bed in Stratford crying… I feel like the luckiest,” she said.
It marked a full-circle moment for a show that began in Calgary, found life in Toronto, and ended its run back where it started.
Handsome Alice also picked up a win for Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby, a tender, raw piece about abortion that resonated deeply with audiences. Composer Sonia Deleo was recognized for Outstanding Sound Design — a meaningful win for Deleo, who admits she has an easier time writing music than crafting lines and performed the show solo with just her strings.
Meg Farhall, Artistic Director of Handsome Alice, stood in the rain of confetti after the big win in a state of happy shock. She admitted to being overwhelmed and thrilled to bring important but difficult conversations to the forefront — and to have that work recognized.
“We were surprised because there were so many incredible shows in the category. And so we were excited that a little indie company was able to take it home,” she said.
“I think that they are things that are on a lot of people’s minds, especially when our identities are how we move through the world. And those things are being called into question sometimes in a political arena. And so it’s nice to be able to talk about those things in a public way, and connect with each other and do it in like a gentle, art based way rather than at screaming at each other on street corners, which also has its place.”
Another big winner — also representing the beauty of representation — was Theatre Calgary’s homegrown show Awoowaakii, a Blackfoot Two-Spirit story written by Sable Sweetgrass.
The production picked up awards for Outstanding Set Design (John Doucet), Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy (Marshall Vielle), and Outstanding New Play, affirming its place as a landmark moment for Indigenous and gender-diverse storytelling on Calgary’s biggest stage.
In her acceptance speech, Sweetgrass admitted humbly, “I cannot believe this even got off the page.”
Stafford Arima, Artistic Director of Theatre Calgary, previously shared how meaningful it was to see a story like Awoowaakii not only produced but recognized by Calgary’s professional community.
Championing representation and diversity continued as a theme in speeches throughout the night.
When Javier Vilalta accepted the award for Outstanding Direction (Mary Stuart), he reminded the crowd of the importance of equity and equality.
“When you hire an immigrant artist, you are changing a life,” he said.
The Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award went to Keshia Cheesman, an educator and creator with Quest Theatre, whose work has shaped how young people in this city experience the stage. She spoke of growing up without ever seeing a teacher who looked like her, and how her presence in the classroom today creates space for joy and freedom.
“When I am silly with children, it gives them permission to feel free and create,” she said.
Other notable achievements were honoured throughout the evening.
When Tayte Mitchell, CEO and Artistic Director of Ammolite Opera, accepted the Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical award on behalf of Geoffrey Schellenberg (Proving Up), he shared that the show was Ammolite’s first production. Mitchell, who was born and raised in Vulcan and is now based in Calgary, leads the chamber opera company with a focus on producing works by living composers through the voices of Canadian artists.
Barry “The Hammer” Eldridge, a longtime technical lead with Alberta Theatre Projects, was recognized with the Dean Ott/Debbie Boult Award for Technical Production. A crowd favourite, Eldridge spoke about the art of building sets and reflected on how meaningful it is that ATP has continued to bring him back over the years.
Here is the full list of awards each production received:
Our Fathers, Sons, Lovers and Little Brothers
Handsome Alice Theatre with Tarragon Theatre and Verb Theatre
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama – Makambe K. Simamba
- Outstanding Choreography or Fight Direction – Makambe K. Simamba (with Shakeil Rollock)
- Outstanding Production of a Play
Awoowaakii
Theatre Calgary
- Outstanding Set Design – John Doucet
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy – Marshall Vielle
- Outstanding New Play – Sable Sweetgrass
Legally Blonde
Theatre Calgary, in partnership with the Citadel Theatre
- Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical – Kelsey Verzotti
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical – Patricia Zentilli
- Outstanding Production of a Musical
The Play That Goes Wrong
Theatre Calgary with the Citadel Theatre and the Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre
- Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble
The Da Vinci Code
Vertigo Theatre
- Outstanding Projection or Video Design – Andy Moro
The Woman in Black
Vertigo Theatre
- Outstanding Lighting Design – Narda McCarroll
Charlotte’s Web
Alberta Theatre Projects
- Outstanding Costume Design – Ralamy Kneeshaw
Two Moons: A Folk Lullaby
Handsome Alice Theatre
- Outstanding Sound Design or Composition – Sonia Deleo
Proving Up
Ammolite Opera
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical – Geoffrey Schellenberg
Static: A Party Girl’s Memoir
Inside Out and Chromatic Theatre
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy – Jaime Cesar
The Seafarer
Alberta Theatre Projects
- Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama – Christopher Hunt
Echoes of the Land
Ghost River Theatre
- Outstanding Musical Direction – Clarence Wolfleg, Skip Wolfleg, Eric Rose, Kris Demeanor, Jennie Esdale, Cedric Lightning, Alanna Bluebird, Kenna Burima, Tauran
Mary Stuart
Sage Theatre
- Outstanding Direction – Javier Vilalta
Special Honours
Duval Lang Theatre for Young Audiences Award
- Keshia Cheesman
Dean Ott/Debbie Boult Award for Technical Production
- Barry “The Hammer” Eldridge
