Ryan Beil is nominated for four roles, including his performance in Art Club Theatre and Persephone Theatre's co-production of Billy Bishop Goes to War. Ryan Beil is nominated for four roles, including his performance in Art Club Theatre and Persephone Theatre's co-production of Billy Bishop Goes to War. (Tim Matheson/Arts Club Theatre Company)Though best known nationally as the lanky burger shop employee in A&W TV ads, West Coast actor and improv artist Ryan Beil is the performer to beat at this year's Jessie Richardson Awards in Vancouver.

Organizers of the annual theatre honours announced a lengthy list of nominees on Tuesday — dozens of contenders in more than 25 categories — for the 28th edition of the awards on June 21.

The versatile Beil stood out among the contenders by capturing four coveted acting nods.

He earned two nominations in the outstanding performance by an actor in a lead role (large theatre) category: the title character in Art Club Theatre/Persephone Theatre's co-production of the classic musical Billy Bishop Goes to War and for his comedic turn as Dromio of Syracuse in Bard on the Beach's The Comedy of Errors.

He also picked up a nod in the corresponding lead actor (small theatre) category for his portrayal of the violent and menacing Teach in Main Street Theatre Equity Co-op's staging of David Mamet's American Buffalo.

Finally, his goofy turn as Guy of Gisborne in Carousel Theatre's production of The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood earned a nomination in the outstanding performance (theatre for young audiences) category.

"It's super satisfying," Beil, who is also slated to tour with his improv troupe the Sunday Service this summer, told the Vancouver Sun on Tuesday night.

"I worked my ass off, and the recognition, whatever meaning you want to assign to it, feels nice."

Vancouver Playhouse in lead

Vancouver Playhouse led the nominees in the large theatre category, nabbing 20 nominations for its productions, including Beyond Eden. The Art Club followed with 18 nods (including seven for its revival of Les Misérables) and Bard on the Beach scored 15 nominations.

Among small theatres, Presentation House earned a leading eight nominations (including seven for The Edward Curtis Project), while the Carousel Theatre's A Year with Frog and Toad scored seven nominations in the young audiences categories.

Other nominees include:

  • Outstanding production (large theatre): Beyond Eden (Playhouse Theatre Company/Theatre Calgary); Billy Bishop Goes to War (Arts Club Theatre Company/Persephone Theatre); Les Misérables (Arts Club Theatre Company); The Comedy of Errors (Bard on the Beach); The Miracle Worker (Playhouse Theatre Company).
  • Outstanding production (small theatre): after homelessness (Headlines Theatre); American Buffalo (Main Street Theatre Equity Co-op); Palace of the End (Touchstone Theatre/Felix Culpa/Horseshoes & Hand Grenades Theatre); The Edward Curtis Project (Presentation House Theatre); Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Blackbird Theatre).
  • Outstanding production (young audiences): A Year with Frog and Toad (Carousel Theatre); Comment Devenir Parfait en Trois Jours (Théâtre la Seizième); Love You Forever...and More Munsch (Carousel Theatre); The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (Carousel Theatre).
  • Outstanding original script: Marie Clements, The Edward Curtis Project (Presentation House Theatre); Lucia Frangione, Paradise Garden (Arts Club Theatre Company); Jennifer Griffin, Via Beatrice (Fugue Theatre Society); Berend McKenzie, nggrfg (Small Brown Package Productions/Origins Theatre); John Murphy, True Story ((r)evolution theatre).
  • Critics' Choice Innovation Award: antigone undone (Leaky Heaven Circus); Kismet one to one hundred (The Chop Theatre); Nix (The Only Animal); True Story ((r)evolution theatre); Via Beatrice (Fugue Theatre Society).

The 28th annual Jessie Richardson Awards gala will take place at Vancouver's Commodore Ballroom on June 21.