by AMY BARRATT

It’s a good week for independent and student shows that won’t break the bank.

The fertile ground that is the Théàtre Ste-Catherine has given rise to an original production featuring 11 of the talented actors and comedians who hang out there. Homeroom, written by Etan Muskat, Max Ritts and Brent Skagford, recreates a Grade 8 classroom on oral presentation day. To get into the spirit of the play, we recommend putting on that old lumberjack shirt that’s hanging at the back of your closet, sitting in the back of the theatre chewing gum and doodling. It’s at 9 p.m. through Oct. 29, $10.

Concordia’s theatre department is kicking off its season with an intimate version of Henry IV, part one, in the Cazalet Studio at Loyola. Directed by Sarah Stanley, 8 p.m. through Oct. 29, 2 p.m. on Oct. 30, $5–$10.

Starting Wednesday, Nov. 2, Underdog Productions presents Earshot, by Morris Panych at Théâtre Calixa-Lavallée. This Quebec premiere of a Canadian play about a man who can hear too much stars Brad Carmichael, most recently seen in Gravy Bath’s This Table and Oedipus Rex.

Kiss My Cabaret tries out a spooky new venue this Halloween. Saturday night’s show (Oct. 29) moves to the historic Théâtre National in the gay village. The line-up, hosted as always by the unbelievably fabulous Danette MacKay, includes favourites like drag subversives Gigi Lamour and Pipi Douleur, lip synch stylists Never Surrender and poker-faced chansonnier Algan, alongside circus aerialist Senn Annis, the hilarious singing trio Ladies Luncheon, a flamenco dancer, the burlesque babes of Hot Club Cabaret and many more. Tickets to this really big show are slightly pricier than usual but still a bargain: $10 with a costume, $12 without. Proceeds go to Sero Zero. Show at 8:30 p.m., doors open at 7.

Facing MECCA

The ballots have been counted, and the cheesy certificates are in the mail. Congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Montreal English Critics Circle Awards.

Best Actor: Joe Cobden, The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios (infinitheatre)

Best Actress: Martha Henry, Rose (Segal Theatre)

Best Director: Gabrielle Soskin, Suburbia (Persephone Productions)

Best New Text: (tie) Bye Bye Baby (Imago)/ This Table (Gravy Bath)

Best Ensemble: BASH: Latterday Plays (Muttertung)

Best Visiting Production: Half Life (Necessary Angel Theatre Company in association with the Tron Theatre, Glasgow and Perth Theatre, Edinburgh)

Best Design/Look: Tales From Ovid (NTS-Centaur)

Best Independent Production: (tie) Suburbia (Persephone), BASH (Muttertung)

Best Professional Production: The Facts Behind the Helsinki Roccamatios (infinitheatre)

Award for Revelation: Actor Graham Cuthbertson.

Award for Distinction: Elsa Bolam of Geordie Productions, for her outstanding contribution to the cultural landscape of English Montreal. For 25 years, Geordie has cultivated new audiences for theatre while nurturing young talent. Bolam recently announced that at the end of the current season, she will be stepping down as artistic director of the company she founded.

Special Jury Award: Brahm and the Angel (Geordie Productions). Throughout our deliberations, this show kept coming up. We considered it among the best productions of the year, but it seemed not quite right to compare children’s theatre to theatre for grown-ups. We could have just created a new category for Best Children’s Production, but none of us felt we’d seen enough kids’ shows last season to make that call. The door is open to create that category in the future.

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