Dan Augusta Promise Prize
The Dan Augusta Promise Prize is an annual prize which recognizes an artist with a Disability who shows exceptional promise or potential. These funds help to support the artist to cultivate the seed of a brilliant new idea, or to take advantage of a timely opportunity in education, training, or mentorship
About Dan
Dan Augusta was memorable – you couldn’t meet him and not remember him.
Dan had a great sense of humour. He saw the world through glasses just slightly askew and all who knew him experienced his comedic timing, storytelling skill, and love of the pun. These natural talents lead him to pursue a theatre degree at the University of Winnipeg and to be a familiar presence within the local theatre scene.
In 2017, Dan joined Sick + Twisted Theatre. His one-man show in their first disability cabaret, Lame Is, was a personal and courageous exploration of the company’s belief that “truth in performance is not dependent on bodily perfection.” The power of art to change and broaden perspectives was important to Dan and after performing in two disability cabarets, he joined the board of the company.
2025
Ethan Stark
Ethan Stark (He/Him) is a Winnipeg theatre artist who loves “getting to work with the fascinating, different bubbles of Winnipeg artists and help out in whatever way they need.” He has worked with One Trunk Theatre, We Quit Theatre, Sick and Twisted, Art Holm, The Village Conservatory and Young Lungs. At his core, Ethan is a playwright and storyteller.
The promising projectthat this prize will support is his new script, Our Father, which he has also received support for from Teesri Dunya’s 2025 - 2026 Fireworks program. The play features a son who is longing for his father’s approval, while exploring his identity, conformity, his relation to Christianity, and his need for community. Ethan will be bringing Our Father to the 2026 Winnipeg Fringe Festival this July.
2024
Daphne Finlayson
Daphne Finlayson is a director, producer and emerging playwright in the theatre community. She is currently a member of the RealWheels Playwriting Circle, Associate Producer for the Village Conservatory and a Production Associate with the Keep Theatre.
The promising project that we are supporting Daphne to work on is her new script FanAddict. The play is a look at our current influencer culture, examining the lengths someone will go to, to stay relevant. The play uses a mixture of live-action and video feed and is intended for production at the 2025 Winnipeg Fringe Festival.