The Ovation Awards and I.

I made a mistake today.

And, this blog being a pseudo-journal/confessional for me as well as communications tool and general writing outlet, I figure, why not explore it here. Teach me not to make similar mistakes again. 🙂

The mistake? I didn’t attend The Ovation Awards. I’m not entirely certain why. I hadn’t heard they were coming up until a week or so ago, and then I never gave the awards ceremony much thought, despite having castmates up for big awards, even a show I was in, up for an award. Why? Half-hearted reasons of only having arrived in town in September and only having been involved in one eligible show for the whole year (and not having seen others)… but the truth is, I just didn’t think about it. Didn’t come to much of a decision. So path of least resistance took over, and after a dinner out with castmates, I went home for the evening.

When I moved back to Vancouver, one of my prime goals was to connect with the theatre community here. A big city can be a lonely place without friends to share it with. And I have done that, in many ways. I am happy with the connections I have made thus far. Heck, just yesterday I made a new friendly acquaintance from chatting about a play reading we both attended. And I DID go out for lunch/dinner with castmates today, after rehearsal. But this awards ceremony would have complimented that goal. A place to cheer on newfound friends in their triumphs and whatnot. So yes, I’m kicking myself, pity party and whatnot, and all that. Heck, I even had a ticket given to me at one point, but I don’t feel bad at all for letting Ryan take the seat. 🙂

So, what did you learn?

There’s a reason I plunge myself into this self-reflection, and it’s not to kick myself for the sake of kicking myself. Grew out of that habit a long time ago. Thankfully. No, I do so, to make this a spurring on point. The ‘aw shucks drat’ feeling I feel right now reminds me just what my goals and hopes are. Reminds me to be oh so very grateful for the wonderful opportunities I have been given thus far by brilliant people like Cathy Wilmot and Ryan Mooney and Amiel Gladstone. Reminds me to seize hold of those opportunities, to seize hold of the life I want to build here. Because this theatre community is a place I want to call home, goshdarnit. I treasure all of you. You’re good people. And I am so blessed to have had the opportunity to work with so many of you, hopefully with many, many more grand adventures to come.

So congratulations, my friends, friendly acquaintances, and folks I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting yet, on your fine awards. Ranae Miller! Yay! Cameron Dunster! Huzzah! Dawn Ewen! Fantastic! And to pick one at random, Jacqueline Breakwell! I’m sure you’re a lovely person! And I’m sure you deserve your award as well (even if I wasn’t in town to see the shows you it for).

It’s just an awards show. But awards are important. I think so, anyway. And so are reminders. And this is just a reminder to myself to diem some carpes and so forth.

Tally ho!

Cheers,
Andrew Wade