In the January 2012 issue of The Beat Magazine, Susan Scott previewed London’s two awards shows celebrating local independent theatre – the Brickenden Awards, founded in 2002-2005, and The Beat DISH Awards, founded in 2010 by Donald D’Haene – both of which were taking place that month.
In comparing the two, Susan wrote:
“It has been said that the Brickendens are akin to the Oscars, and the DISH Awards are like the Golden Globes. While both have the same aim – to recognize and celebrate excellence – they differ in tone and temperament. The orderly Brickendens exude decorum, while the DISH Awards is more sass and sizzle. This makes both have-to-attend events.”
Jayson McDonald served as the Bricks M.C. at the Wolf Performance Hall, while Jeff Leeson and Lars Classington hosted the DISH Awards at the Hilton Hotel.
“With two awards shows and a vibrant theatre scene, London is likely the biggest winner of all. When I started, if you were cast in a play, that was a miracle because there were so few of them,” says Donald D’Haene. “Since then, we have gone from very few companies to numerous, creative production companies. Now that’s something to cheer about.“
Unfortunately, neither the Brickenden Awards nor the Beat DISH Awards exists today.
The Beat Magazine 2025 