The Elinore & Lou Siminovitch Prize in Theatre is awarded annually to either a professional director, playwright or designer. The three disciplines are recognized in three-year cycles, beginning with direction, then playwriting, then design. The prize recipients are:

Brigitte Haentjens, Winner for Direction, 2007 . In selecting Brigitte Haentjens as the recipient of the 2006 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, the Jury wanted to recognize the prodigious virtuosity of her “écriture scénique” [her work as a director/creator], as well as the profoundly human character of her mission "In Brigitte's world, ideas bleed, bodies think, space throbs. This is écriture scénique that defies classification; that displays a breathtaking tension between meticulousness and brutality; and wherein people, even as they are excited and inspired by the show itself, will find themselves forced to question the very foundations of their existence, of their identity, without any possible escape.”

Ms. Haentjens studied theatre in Paris before moving to Ontario in 1977, serving as artistic director of the Théâtre du Nouvel-Ontario for eight years. From 1991 to 1994 she was artistic director of Nouvelle Compagnie Théâtrale in Montréal, and from 1996 to 2006 she was artistic co-director for the Carrefour International de Théâtre de Québec. Ms. Haentjens has also run her own theatre company, Sibyllines, since 1997, intended as a vehicle to further explore her artistic approach with greater freedom. She is currently working at Sibyllines on a French production of Blasté by Sarah Kane, translated by Jean Marc Dalpé and starring Paul Ahmarani, Céline Bonnier and Roy Dupuis, scheduled to open in the spring of 2008.

Dany Lyne, Winner for Design, 2006. In selecting Dany Lyne as the recipient of the 2006 Siminovitch Prize in Theatre, the Jury was particularly impressed by the evolution of her work. “While sensitive to the metaphors of words and music, Ms. Lyne’s work sustains the narrative logic of the piece. She rises to the demands of working in the realm of opera, while also being able to deftly apply her creative vision to productions for both small and large theatres. Each project is a laboratory in which she collaborates with her fellow artists, while exploring and applying her vision. Poised to fully realize her creative powers, Ms. Lyne is an artist who establishes a visible and highly unique creative signature in Canadian theatre and beyond.”

Ms. Lyne has been involved in 72 productions in Canada, the United States and Europe, from new plays, to opera, from small independent theatres to large international theatres. Her work has been seen at the Stratford Festival of Canada, the Canadian Opera Company, Theatre Français de Toronto, Necessary Angel Theatre Company, Soulpepper, National Arts Centre, Tarragon Theatre, Elgin Theatre, Tapestry New Opera Works, Pacific Opera, Cincinnati Opera, Central City Opera - Denver, Nationale Reisopera – Netherlands, Opera North – England, De Vlaamse Opera – Belgium, among others.

John Mighton, Winner for Playwriting, 2005. In awarding the 2005 Siminovitch Prize to Toronto playwright John Mighton, the jury was particularly impressed by the profound combination of intellect and heart embodied in Mr. Mighton's work. "The writing represents a unique, singular and necessary worldview," the jury said. "Understated in a very positive sense, his plays are open ended and unresolved in a way that kindles and suggests possibilities. Mr. Mighton's voice possesses grace, delicacy and a gentle humanity. His line of inquiry is often shot through with a rare and fragile warmth. He also brings tremendous depth to the plays, taking complex, sophisticated ideas and making them playable in a truly theatrical manner."

Mr. Mighton's plays, including Scientific Americans, Possible Worlds, A Short History of Night, Body and Soul, The Little Years, and Half Life, have been performed across Canada, as well as in Europe, Japan and the United States. He has won several national awards including the Governor General's Literary Award for Drama. Possible Worlds has been adapted into a feature film by renowned director Robert Lepage. In addition to playwriting, Mr. Mighton completed a Ph.D. in Mathematics at the University of Toronto and has lectured in Philosophy at McMaster University. He is currently an Adjunct Professor at the University of Toronto and for the past seven years, has coordinated JUMP (Junior Undiscovered Math Prodigies), an innovative school program designed to tutor children who are having difficulties in math. Mr. Mighton has written an inspirational book based on his experiences with JUMP called The Myth of Ability: Nurturing Mathematical Talent in Every Child, published by House of Anansi Press.

Jillian Keiley, Winner for Direction, 2004. The Jury described Newfoundland director Jillian Keiley's work as "startlingly original and radically imaginative". According to the jury citation, she is a "visionary, innovative artist whose experiments with form and content have magical results for audiences and performers alike. Simultaneously cerebral and visceral, her productions explore the parameters of theatre art, often with powerful effect".

Ms. Keiley is the founding Artistic Director of Artistic Fraud of Newfoundland, where she has directed 14 new productions, almost all of which were original scripts and scores created for the company by playwright Robert Chafe and composer Petrina Bromley. For the past 10 years, Ms. Keiley has been working with Artistic Fraud to develop a unique, mathematic and music-based choreography and directing system called Kaleidography. Ms. Keiley has been teaching this new system at universities and professional training institutes across the country for the past six years.

Louise Campeau, Winner for Design, 2003. In awarding the Siminovitch Prize to Montreal designer Louise Campeau, the Jury expressed admiration for her designs, which they said, "possess a coherent, refined and subtle vision. She has a strong sense of visual artistry beyond the normal. She is truly a collaborative artist. This collaboration fully respects the expression of the actor, and gives lighting, costume and sound designers an enriched opportunity to allow their work to ‘perform’ in harmony. Ms. Campeau is an extraordinary theatre artist whose work provides a unique sense of play and is unparalleled in its dedication to the service of the play. Her work allows audiences to see and hear more clearly, engaging them in a better understanding of the production."

A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada in 1984, Louise Campeau has designed approximately 60 productions for 14 different companies in Quebec -- from the large institutional theatres to the smallest experimental spaces.

Carole Fréchette, Winner for Playwriting, 2002. Montreal playwright Carole Fréchette had authored more than eight plays when she won the Siminovitch Prize, most of which had been published within the preceding five years. In announcing their choice, the jury described Ms. Fréchette as an artist "at the height of her powers, with the wind full in her sails" and expressed the desire that Canadians come "to know and to cherish" this writer. "In an especially fresh and startling way she uses the mysteries of theatre to explore the mysteries of our daily lives," said the jury citation. "Her plays negotiate that delicate balance of the known and the unknown, the forever accessible and the forever exotic, which is the property of all great art."

Ms. Fréchette's plays are among those that have enjoyed success around the world. Her plays have been translated and staged in Belgium, France, Germany, Lebanon, Luxemburg, Mexico, Romania, Switzerland and Syria, in addition to their successful performances in Canadian theatres.

Daniel Brooks, Winner for Direction, 2001. A creator, director, writer and actor, by 2001 Daniel Brooks had emerged as a prolific and versatile artist, winning accolades and awards from around the country for his productions. He had co-founded the Augusta Company, directed for Soulpepper Theatre, his productions with da da kamera toured the globe and he was the playwright in residence at the Tarragon Theatre.

In commenting on Brooks, the jury said it "recognizes and celebrates his depth of commitment, intellectual discipline and brilliant stagecraft. As he has grown from a co-creator to a director, his scope as an interpretive artist has become awesomely clear. With idealism and fearlessness, he has been eager to address complex issues in both contemporary and historical works. His theatrical rigour is infectious, challenging and inspiring the artists - notably actors and designers - whom he gathers into an investigative ensemble. Most remarkably, Brooks has been able to work on his own and establish a reputation outside the framework and opportunities provided by the larger companies. He is in every way an independent artist, consciously and proudly using the stage as an arena for moral debate and theatrical wonder."