Mr. Speaker, Dartmouth North is many awesome things, and today it can add "home to many powerhouse thespians" to its list of things to brag about. Yesterday, the nominees for the 2018 Theatre Nova Scotia Merritt Awards were announced and six of the nominees in the outstanding performance categories live in my community.
Congratulations go to Burgandy Code, Jeff Schwager, Ryan Rogerson, and Genevieve Steele for being nominated for their roles in Two Planks and a Passion Theatre's Animal Farm by Fire; Lee J. Campbell for his title role in Shylock by No Holds Bard theatre; and to Sebastien Labelle for his role as Francis in Workshirt Opera's production of Tom at the Farm.
The Merritt Awards, named for a beloved professor of theatre at Dalhousie University, Robert Merritt, honour theatre productions and people all over Nova Scotia and are the annual celebration of the vibrant theatre community that Nova Scotia should be extremely proud of.
I ask that all members of this Assembly join me in congratulating the nominees and in thanking the theatre community for its invaluable contribution to the cultural fabric of our province. Thank you.