Lighting Designer Sonoyo Nishikawa Wins The 2024 Siminovitch Prize

 From a media release

Lighting Designer Sonoyo Nishikawa Wins The 2024 Siminovitch Prize
Canada's Top Theatre Prize

Toronto, ON (December 2, 2024) — Montreal-based lighting designer Sonoyo Nishikawa, acclaimed for her transformative and evocative lighting designs, is this year’s winner of Canada’s most valuable theatre award. Since 2001, the Siminovitch Prize has celebrated groundbreaking theatre artists whose work has strengthened the Canadian theatre landscape and advanced the art form. With a career spanning continents and collaborations with leading theatre artists, Nishikawa has established herself as a pioneering force in Canadian theatre. Sonoyo Nishikawa, the 2024 Siminovitch Prize Laureate, has selected Mayumi Ide-Bergeron as the Siminovitch Prize Protégé.

 “Sonoyo Nishikawa’s designs push the boundaries of what we expect lighting to do. Often working within challenging technical constraints and using an array of sources, Sonoyo unfailingly finds ways to transcend the limitations imposed and create unexpected and variously spectacular or intimate, compelling images that go far beyond typical theatre illumination. Known and admired for her dedication across all scales of productions, from indie theatre to opera, she brings the same excellence and attention to detail regardless of budget or venue. Her work embodies a profound spirit of collaboration, and her enduring commitment to experimentation and risk has moved theatre lighting into an expressive art form that reaches audiences on a deeply emotional level.” - Guillermo Verdecchia, 2024 Siminovitch Prize Jury Chair

Sonoyo Nishikawa 

Sonoyo Nishikawa has established herself as one of the most visionary lighting designers in Canadian theatre. Trained in London under the sponsorship of Japan’s Ministry of Education and Culture, Nishikawa has collaborated with some of the world’s leading theatre artists. Her work includes celebrated productions with Robert Lepage, such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Les Sept Branches de la Rivière Ōta, for which she won a Dora Mavor Moore Award. 

Her innovative approach has earned her numerous accolades, including the Prix des meilleurs éclairages, awarded by l'Académie québécoise du théâtre, and the Prix Jacques-Pelletier.

Nishikawa’s recent projects showcase her range and influence, from Les Sept Branches de la Rivière Ota at the National Theatre in London to Once Upon A One More Time at the Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington and Sexual Misconduct of the Middle Classes at Centaur Theatre. Known for her subtle yet powerful techniques, she transforms theatrical spaces with designs that resonate deeply, creating what has been described as “painting in light.”

“The light on stage turns on and off, disappears and reappears, according to the ever-changing story, the movements of the performers, the rhythm of the music and the breath of the audience. It's as ephemeral as fireworks. I aim to create lighting designs that give the audience hope for tomorrow, that leaves them with a lifetime of inspiration, just like watching a sunrise or sunset.”  - Sonoyo Nishikawa

Siminovitch Protégé Prize: Mentorship for the Next Generation

Supported by the RBC Foundation, the Siminovitch Protégé Prize underscores the importance of mentorship. This year, Sonoyo Nishikawa has selected Mayumi Ide-Bergeron, a multidisciplinary artist based in Montreal. A graduate of the National Theatre School of Canada’s Set and Costume Design program, Mayumi’s work bridges French and English theatre, incorporating an innovative style that is both poetic and eco-conscious.

Thanks to a partnership among the Siminovitch Theatre Foundation, the National Arts Centre, and the Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity, the 2024 Siminovitch Prize Laureate and Siminovitch Prize Protégé are also being given the opportunity to come together and collaborate at an artist residency at the Banff Centre in 2025.

Celebrating the Future of Canadian Theatre

The Siminovitch Prize Gala, held on December 2, 2024, was a vibrant celebration of Canadian theatre, attracting notable figures from the theatre community, including artists, producers and patrons. The evening began with the premiere screening of the 2024 Siminovitch Prize documentaries, also shown at siminovitchprize.com, followed by the eagerly anticipated winner announcement and Sonoyo’s passionate acceptance speech. 

2024 Siminovitch Prize Finalists

The Siminovitch Prize represents the highest level of peer recognition in the profession. This year’s finalists showcase the diversity and creativity within Canadian theatre design:

• Itai Erdal (Vancouver, BC): A performer, playwright, and lighting designer renowned for his evocative and atmospheric lighting designs.
• Debashis Sinha (Toronto, ON): An award-winning and boundary-pushing sound designer/composer who blends technology and heritage to add new meaning and richness to theatrical experiences.
• The Old Trout Puppet Workshop (Calgary, AB): A groundbreaking puppetry company known for its all-encompassing design work, creating whimsical, larger-than-life productions for audiences of all ages.

Each finalist receives a $5,000 award and a documentary for their portfolio.

“The Siminovitch Theatre Foundation congratulates the groundbreaking designers shortlisted for the 2024 Siminovitch Prize and the talented emerging artists that the finalists have chosen to mentor. We look forward to the significant work they will go on to make for years to come.” – Briony Glassco, Chair, Siminovitch Theatre Foundation Board of Directors

Commitment to Artistic Growth

A total of $138,000 was awarded: $75,000 to the Siminovitch Prize Laureate, $25,000 to the Siminovitch Prize Protégé, $5,000 to each of the shortlisted artists, and $5,000 to the three emerging artists selected by the finalists. Each finalist/emerging artist pair also receives $2,000 to support collaboration and mentorship in 2025.

Documentaries Showcasing Canadian Theatre

Audiences can step into the studios of the 2024 Siminovitch Prize finalists for an intimate glimpse into their artistic vision and creative process through short documentaries in the Siminovitch Showcase.

2024 Siminovitch Prize Jury

Each year, a jury of professional theatre artists from varied disciplines and backgrounds selects the Laureate. The 2024 Siminovith Prize jury included Reneltta Arluk, MJ Dandeneau, Soheil Parsa, Jessica Poirier-Chang, and Jury Chair Guillermo Verdecchia.