Colm Feore returns as host of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala at the National Arts Centre on May 14
Ottawa (Canada) — Celebrated Canadian film, television and stage actor Colm Feore will return to the stage of the National Arts Centre (NAC) on May 14 to host the star-studded Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards (GGPAA) Gala, a night of tributes to the 2011 laureates, some of Canada’s best talent.
The eloquent Colm Feore, who acted as master of ceremonies for last year’s Gala, has a distinguished catalogue of work spanning more than 30 years. Mr. Feore’s talent crosses many borders: an international success story, he acts in both English and French. Mr. Feore has starred in the wildly successful Bon Cop, Bad Cop and the award-nominated The Trotsky. He most recently completed filming The Borgias with Jeremy Irons and Paramount Pictures’ Thor with Anthony Hopkins and Natalie Portman. The movie is set to open later this year. A fine stage actor, Mr. Feore recently made a triumphant return to Canada’s renowned Stratford Shakespeare Festival where he played two title roles, Cyrano de Bergerac, directed by his wife, Donna Feore, and MacBeth.
Yvon Deschamps, Margie Gillis, William Shatner, Howard Shore, Leslee Silverman and Paul Thompson have been named the 2011 laureates of the prestigious GGPAA Award for Lifetime Artistic Achievement.
Two other distinguished national awards are also conferred each year as complements to the GGPAA for lifetime artistic achievement. This year Jean?André Élie will receive the Ramon John Hnatyshyn Award for Voluntarism in the Performing Arts and Denis Villeneuve will receive the National Arts Centre Award.
The Governor General's Performing Arts Awards also feature a unique Mentorship Program, which unites past Lifetime Artistic Achievement Award recipients and talented mid-career artists. The program serves as a creative catalyst and as an investment in future Canadian artistic achievement. World-renowned ballerina Evelyn Hart, who received a Governor General’s Performing Arts Award in 2001, has chosen to mentor Heather Ogden, an extraordinarily talented young artist and principal dancer with the National Ballet of Canada.
Created in 1992, the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards are the ultimate recognition in Canada’s performing arts.
The 2011 laureates will be honoured at various events in Ottawa from May 12 to May 14. On May 12, the recipients will be introduced in the House of Commons, and will then attend a Parliamentary reception. On May 13, His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston, Governor General of Canada, will present the Awards at a special ceremony and reception at Rideau Hall. The Gala takes place on May 14.
The National Arts Centre is proud to produce the 2011 Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala in partnership with the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Foundation and the National Film Board of Canada. The Awards are presented with the support of the Department of Canadian Heritage and the Canada Council for the Arts. The GGPAAF gratefully acknowledges Enbridge as Presenting Sponsor of the GGPAA Gala, as well as Associate Sponsor Netflix, National Partners McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, Pratt & Whitney Canada Corporation and Weber Shandwick Worldwide and Print Sponsor The Printing House. The GGPAAF also acknowledges the significant contributions of Regional Partners Cisco Canada, Corus Entertainment, Desjardins Group and Groupe Aeroplan. Impresario Partners include The Banff Centre, the Council for Canadian American Relations, Joe Fresh and Trinity Development Group. In-kind support for the Awards is also received from Gowling Lafleur Henderson LLP, technology partner IBM, Llama Communications, The Royal Canadian Mint as well as Media Partners The National Post, The Ottawa Citizen, Chum Radio, A, Clear Channel Outdoors, Le Droit, Embassy, Hill Times and The Wig. Grateful thanks also go to the GGPAA’s National Committee of volunteers, led by Honorary Chair The Hon. Hilary M. Weston, CM, OOnt; Co-Chairs M. Ann McCaig, CM, AOE, LLD, and James S. Kinnear; Vice-Chair Susan Glass, CM; and all the individuals and families whose philanthropic support helps make these Awards possible.
Tickets for the Governor General’s Performing Arts Awards Gala on Saturday, May 14, 2011 are available at the NAC Box Office and through Ticketmaster, 1-888-991-2787 or www.ticketmaster.ca.
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For more information, please contact:
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Carl Martin
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