THE GASCON-THOMAS AWARDS

The Gascon-Thomas Awards

Created in 1990 by the NTS’s Board of Governors, the awards is named in honour of two of the School’s founders: Jean Gascon and Powys Thomas, who are equally among the School’s first great teachers to have made a lasting impression. In the spirit of the School’s co-lingual nature, the awards are bestowed each year to one Anglophone and one Francophone artist in two categories: Innovation and Lifetime Achievement. Those who receive this award have made their mark on today's theatre or who have helped to change tomorrow's theatre.



The two Gascon-Thomas Awards: Innovation and Lifetime Achievement

1. The Gascon-Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement

The Gascon-Thomas Award for Lifetime Achievement is presented to a Canadian theatre artist who, throughout their career, has helped the theatre community evolve artistically. The selected nominee is an established artist who has earned national and international recognition and has contributed to Canadian theatre through their vast and important body of work.

2. The Gascon-Thomas Award for Innovation

The Gascon-Thomas Award for Innovation is presented to a Canadian theatre artist who has brought about a wave of change within their field. The nominee is selected for their ability to generate new ideas and for their efforts to improve upon current practices and/or approaches to making theatre. Innovation also refers to the attitude and social commitment underlying the artistic process. An artist who has had an impact on their social environment and makes theatre more accessible also demonstrates innovation by contributing to the growth and democratization of theatre.                                                                       

GASCON-THOMAS RECIPIENTS 2019

Weyni Mengesha

THE GASCON-THOMAS AWARD FOR INNOVATION GIVEN TO WEYNI MENGESHA

Weyni Mengesha is the Artistic Director of Soulpepper Theatre Company and an award-winning director known for her ground breaking work and community engagement. Weyni is responsible for two of the most popular shows to come out of Canada in the last two decades – Da Kink in my Hair (Mirvish Productions) and Kim’s Convenience (Soulpepper). Other recent work has been seen in New York City and Pasadena, garnering her a NAACP nomination for Best Direction. She has also been nominated for the Outstanding Direction Dora Award five times. She has been an instructor at the National Theatre School of Canada, and was Co-Artistic Director and teacher with The Artists Mentoring Youth Project for 7 years. In 2017, Weyni was one of the Women In View “Five in Focus,” and she was recently named one of the 50 most influential people in Toronto by Toronto Life Magazine.



Read Weyni Mengesha's acceptance speech here!

Watch Weyni Mengesha's interview with Yousef Kadoura (Acting 2017)!

Gilles Renaud

THE GASCON-THOMAS AWARD FOR LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT GIVEN TO ACTOR GILLES RENAUD (INTERPRÉTATION, 1967)

Gilles Renaud is a key figure in Quebec theatre. An NTS graduate fromthe class of 1967, a professor, head of the Interprétation program, Director of Studies (1984-2001), and member of the School’s Board of Governors from 1992 to 2000, Gilles Renaud made a major contribution to the School’s development and towards Quebec Theater. He has had a rich and diverse career, playing defining roles both in Quebecois theatre (many major plays by Tremblay, Gauvreau, Ducharme, Mouawad), as well as repertory theatre (Brecht, Miller, Ionesco, Genet, and many others). He starred in over 30 television shows and over 50 movies.



Read Gilles Renaud's acceptance speech here!

Watch Gilles Renaud's interview with Valérie Tellos (Interprétation 4) IN FRENCH

Recipients Through the Years

Recipients of the Gascon-Thomas Through the Years

2021

Yvette Nolan: Recipient of the 2021 Gascon-Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award

Mellissa Larivière: Recipient of the 2021 Gascon-Thomas Award for Innovation

2019

Weyni Mengesha - Innovation Award

Gilles Renaud (Interprétation, 1967) - Lifetime Achievement Award

2018

Martin Faucher and David Fox


2016

Djanet Sears and Monique Miller

2015

Hannah Moscovitch and Olivier Choinière

2014

David Latham and Michel Marc Bouchard

2013

Suzanne Lebeau and Colm Feore

2012

Dominic Champagne and Peter Hinton

2011

Allan Hawco and Claude Poissant

2010

Wajdi Mouawad and Judith Thompson 

2009

Sandra Oh and Paul Buissonneau

2008

Sharon Pollock and Monique Mercure

2007

August Schellenberg and Brigitte Haentjens

2006

 Herménégilde Chiasson and Gordon Pinsent

2005

Jackie Maxwell and Janine Sutto

2004

Jean-Louis Roux and Christopher Plummer 

2003

Tomson Highway and Robert Lepage

2002

George F. Walker and André Brassard

2001

Lorraine Pintal and Ann-Marie Macdonald

2000

Kenneth Welsh and Jean-Pierre Ronfard

1999

Christopher Newton and Michel Tremblay

1998

John Murrell and Hélène Falcon

1997

Paul Hébert and R.H Thomson

1996

Diana Leblanc and Jean-Louis Millette

1995

Mavor Moore and Louisette Dussault 

1994

Mallory Gilbert and Jean-Claude Germain

1993

Neil Munro and Marcel Sabourin

1992

Martha Henry and Michelle Rossignol

1991

Herbert Whittaker and Mercedes Palomino

1990

Joy Coghill and Gratien Gélinas

Gascon-Thomas 2019

Valérie Tellos (Interprétation 4) delivering her introductory speech for Gilles Renaud, recipient of the Gascon-Thomas award for Lifetime Achievement

Current and past instructors at NTS reunited at the Gascon-Thomas awards ceremony

Students from the Acting program at the Gascon-Thomas awards ceremony

Gideon Arthurs, Valérie Tellos (Interprétation 4), Gilles Renaud, Sadie-Laflamme Snow (Acting 4) and Gil Desautels (Governor)

Gilles Renaud receiving his Gascon-Thomas award for Lifetime Achievement

Weyni Mengesha, Artistic Director of the Soulpepper Theatre Company, receiving her Gascon-Thomas award for Innovation, and Yousef Kadoura (Acting 2017) who presented her the award.

Yousef Kadoura (Acting 2017) in conversation with Weyni Mengesha, recipient of the Gascon-Thomas award for Innovation

Dean Fleming and Catherine Bourgeois receiving the Bernard Amyot prize - handed by Bernard Amyot himself! - for their excellence in teaching

Dean Fleming, Catherine Bourgeois, and Bernard Amyot at the Gascon-Thomas awards ceremony

Catherine Gadouas, recipient of the Sims Family award for her excellence in teaching

Actresses Véronique Leflaguais (Interprétation 1968) and Catherine Sénart (Interprétation 1991) the evening of the Gascon-Thomas

Frédéric Dubois, artistic director of the French section at NTS, with Caroline Marcadé and Louise Turcot

Alisa Palmer, Artistic Director of the English section at NTS and the School's CEO Gideon Arthurs

Alisa Palmer, Artistic Director of the English section at NTS, with Carol Serge Robichaud (Interprétation 1973)

Playwright John Lazarus and current NTS students at the Gascon-Thomas

Sadie Laflamme-Snow (Acting 4) introducing Weyni Mengesha, recipient of the Gascon-Thomas award for Innovation

Gilles Renaud, actor and recipient of the Gascon-Thomas award for his Lifetime Achievement, during the award ceremony

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