For Immediate Release

Veteran Rosebud actors receive Betty Mitchell Award Nominations

Karl Sine and Nathan Schmidt are nominated for Outstanding Choreography or Fight Direction

This is the first Betty Mitchell nomination for both Karl Sine and Nathan Schmidt, who have also done fight direction for Rosebud Theatre (Oliver!, Man of La Mancha & Fiddler on the Roof) and The Canadian Badlands Passion Play.

Rosebud, Alberta (July 25, 2011) – The tiny hamlet of Rosebud is abuzz with excitement after two of its veteran actors received a Betty Mitchell Award Nomination for Outstanding Choreography or Fight Direction. Karl Sine and Nathan Schmidt received the joint nomination for their work on The Shakespeare Company’s Macbeth, which played last fall at the Vertigo Theatre Centre in Calgary.

The Betty Mitchell Awards, named for a pioneer of Calgary’s theatrical community, Dr. Mitchell, were started in 1998 to celebrate and honour outstanding achievement in Calgary’s professional theatre community. Each year the Betty Mitchell Awards provide the opportunity for theatre artists to come together and recognize the excellent work that takes place on Calgary stages.

This is the first Betty Mitchell nomination for both Sine and Schmidt, who have also done fight direction for Rosebud Theatre (Oliver!, Man of La Mancha & Fiddler on the Roof) and The Canadian Badlands Passion Play.

Karl Sine most recently appeared on the Rosebud stage as Charlie in Mary's Wedding and the terrifying Bill Sykes in Oliver!, and also has two Rosebud Theatre Directing credits to his name, We Won't Pay! We Won't Pay! and this summer's W.O. Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid: Prairie Seasons. Sine also stars as Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor in Rosebud’s fall production Queen Milli of Galt.

Nathan Schmidt flashes sword in comedy Village of Idiots at Rosebud Theatre.

Rosebud Theatre patrons will remember Nathan Schmidt from numerous memorable roles including The Fiddler in Fiddler on the Roof, Father Damien in Damien, and Fagin in Oliver! He is currently in two Rosebud Theatre productions, appearing as Jake in W.O. Mitchell’s Jake and the Kid: Prairie Seasons, and Adam in The Diary of Adam and Eve.

Sine on being nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award, “I am so thrilled to be nominated alongside Nathan for our work on Macbeth. I have been working with The Shakespeare Company for a few years now and every time I get a chance to work with them it is really a joy. Iam Coulter, the Artistic Director of The Shakespeare Company, gave us great direction and the creative freedom to do what we thought worked for the play.”

“Receiving a nomination for Fight Direction is really flattering and it means so much to be nominated alongside my dearest friend Nathan. We have been creating fight scenes together right from the first time I picked up a sword. You could say we caught the Stage Combat bug together.”

The recipients of the 2011 Betty Mitchell Awards will be announced at the gala ceremony on Monday, August 8, 2011 at Stage West Theatre in Calgary. www.bettymitchellawards.com

About Rosebud Theatre - Celebrating the 2011 Season

Rosebud Theatre, about an hour’s drive northeast of Calgary, is nestled in picturesque country hamlet of Rosebud, Alberta. In its 28th season, Rosebud is one of Alberta’s premiere theatre companies and has gained an international reputation as an excellent Canadian destination for high quality live theatre. In the past years, Rosebud Theatre has received multiple awards including Travel Alberta’s “Alberta Pride” ALTO Award, the “Rural Tourism Champion” award and the Rozsa Awards. Annually, more than 40,000 patrons enjoy the “Rosebud Experience” of professional theatre, complemented by unique dining, art galleries, museums and shopping. Rosebud is also home to Rosebud School of the Arts, a post-secondary educational institution that offers conservatory training in theatre and music to students, many who advance to perform in productions by Rosebud Theatre. Box Office: 1-800-267-7553. www.rosebudtheatre.com

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For information, interviews and/or hi-rez photos, please contact:

Ms. Heather Little, Marketing Coordinator, Rosebud Theatre (403) 677-2350 heatherl@rosebudtheatre.com
Mr. Neil Bousquet, APR, PR, Rosebud Theatre (403) 256-8834 prwizard@prwizard.ca