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A scene from Merry Wives of Windsor from the 2012 season of Bard on the Beach in Vancouver

Bard on the Beach's production of Merry Wives of Windsor – set in Windsor, Ont., – leads the nominations in the large-production category for the 31st annual Jessie Richardson Theatre Awards in Vancouver, with seven. The audience-pleasing country-and-western take on Shakespeare is up for outstanding production, direction (Johnna Wright), lead actor (Ashley Wright), supporting actor (David Marr), set design (Pam Johnson), costume design (Drew Facey) as well as a nomination for significant artistic achievement (Benjamin Elliott for outstanding musical direction).

The Arts Club Theatre Company's Master Class has six nominations in the large-theatre category, including outstanding production, direction (Meg Roe), lead actress (Gina Chiarelli), lighting and set design (John Webber in both instances), and significant artistic achievement (Corwin Ferguson for outstanding projection design).

Also nominated for outstanding production in the large-theatre category is the Arts Club's Clybourne Park.

Rounding out the nominees for outstanding direction in the large-theatre category: David Mackay for Boeing-Boeing, Dean Paul Gibson for Xanadu and Janet Wright for Clybourne Park, all Arts Club productions.

Pi Theatre's Terminus led the small-theatre category with eight nominations, including outstanding production, lead actor (John Emmet Tracy), lead actress (Leanna Brodie and Pippa Mackie), lighting design (Alan Brodie), set design (David Roberts), costume design (Carmen Alatorre), and outstanding sound design or original composition (David Mesiha).

The Virtual Stage's Broken Sex Doll had seven nominations, including a second nomination for Benjamin Elliott – this time in the lead-actor category – as well as outstanding production, direction (Andy Thompson), lighting design (Itai Erdal), costume design (Drew Facey) and significant artistic achievement for the musical direction of Anton Lipovetsky.

Rounding out the nominees for outstanding production in the small-theatre category are ITSAZOO Productions' Mojo, Théâtre La Seizième's Porc-épic and Winners and Losers, produced by Theatre Replacement and Neworld Theatre in association with Crow's Theatre.

The Jessies will be handed out in Vancouver on June 24.

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