Thom Allison

Last updated
Thom Allison
Born
Nationality Canadian
Alma mater Ryerson Theatre School
Occupation Actor · singer · director
Years active1990s–present

Thom Allison is a Canadian actor. [1] He is best known for his regular recurring role as Pree in the television series Killjoys , [2] for which he won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series at the 8th Canadian Screen Awards. [3]

Contents

Biography

Allison was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba as the son of a Black Nova Scotian father and a Mennonite mother. [4]

Education and career

Allison graduated from the acting program offered at Ryerson Theatre School . [5] Beginning his career in the early 1990s, Allison eventually went on to act for film, television and theatre alike. [6]

Primarily a stage actor, he first attained prominence for his performance as Robin Turner in Canadian Stage's 2000 stage adaptation of Outrageous! , [1] for which he received a Dora Mavor Moore Award nomination for Outstanding Performance by a Male in a Principal Role – Musical in 2001. [7] He has also frequently appeared in productions at the Shaw Festival and the Stratford Festival, and in touring productions of Rent and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert , [8] and appeared as drag queen Therese in the first episode of Kim's Convenience . [9]

In 2003, Allison produced a solo CD A Whole Lotta Sunshine covering famous songs including "Moon River" and "Somewhere Over the Rainbow". [10]

In 2019, Allison and Micah Barnes collaborated on Knishes 'n Grits, a stage show in which they explored the links between Jewish music and African American music. [11]

Filmography

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
2002 Leaving Metropolis ShannonFilm Debut Role
2003 One Last Dance Babysitter
2008 Repo! The Genetic Opera Gossip Journalist
2017Miss Odette's Modern Handbook to MannersIanShort Film
2018 22 Chaser Teeny
2019 Canadian Strain Gary
2022 Junior's Giant Leo
2023 Queen Tut

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
2006 The Road to Christmas MicheleTV movie
Why I Wore Lipstick to My Mastectomy Queen from QueensTV movie
2007 I Me Wed BillTV movie
2015–2019 Killjoys PreeRecurring Role; 39 Episodes

Won Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series

2016 Private Eyes Gil Schmit1 Episode
Kim's Convenience Therese1 Episode
Murdoch Mysteries Oscar Ducharme1 Episode
2017 Odd Squad Chef1 Episode
Your All Time Classic Hit Parade5 Episodes
2021 Frankie Drake Mysteries Roger LeBlanc1 Episode
Canada's Drag Race Guest mentor1 Episode
2022-present Pinecone & Pony Greymoon (voice)Recurring Role; 8 Episodes
2022-present Coroner Dr. Elijah ThompsonMain Role; 10 Episodes
2023 Slasher Georges RondeauMain Role; 8 Episodes

Stage

YearTitleRoleLocationNotesReference
1993–1995 Miss Saigon Ensemble The Princess of Wales Theatre Mirvish Productions

National Premiere

[12]
1995 The Who's Tommy Hawker

Ensemble

Elgin Theatre Mirvish Productions

National Premiere

[12]
2002 My Fair Lady CostermongerFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
The Threepenny Opera Street Singer

Crookfinger Jake

Avon Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
2003 Evita CheMax Bell Theatre Theatre Calgary [12]
The King and I The KralahomeFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
The Adventures of PericlesLord GentlemanFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
2004 Macbeth DonalbainFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
King Henry VIII (All is True)Duke of SuffolkFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
2005 Take Me Out Darren LemmingBluma Appel CanStage [12]
Into the Woods The Wolf

Cinderella's Prince

Avon Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
Hello, Dolly! Rudolph ReisenweberFestival Theatre Stratford Festival of Canada [12]
2007Elegies: A Song CycleBerkeley Street Theatre UpstairsActing Up Stage Theatre Company [12]
2008 Wonderful Town Chick ClarkFestival Theatre Shaw Festival [12]
2009 A New Brain Roger Delli-BoviBerkeley Street Theatre UpstairsActing Up Stage Theatre Company [12]
The Drowsy Chaperone AldophoShoctor Theare Citadel Theatre [12]
2011 Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical The Princess of Wales Theatre [12]
2011–2012 Priscilla Queen of the Desert the Musical Ensemble

Understudy for Bernadette, Miss Understanding, Jimmy

Palace Theatre Broadway [12]
2012 Ragtime Coalhouse Walker, Jr.Festival Theatre Shaw Festival [12]
2012 His Girl Friday Diamond LouieFestival Theatre Shaw Festival [12]
2014Elegies: A Song CycleDaniels Spectrum Aki Studio TheatreActing Up Stage Theatre Company [12]
2020The Louder We GetLonnie WynnMax Bell Theatre Theatre Calgary [12]

Awards and nominations

Allison won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Pree in the television series Killjoys. [2] He was also the recipient of two Tyrone Guthrie Awards presented by the Stratford Festival Company. [5]

Over the course of his career, Allison was nominated for various Canadian Theatre Awards including three Dora awards, two Bettys, two Jessies, an Ovation, and a Sterling. [5]

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References

  1. 1 2 Richard Ouzonian, "Mad about the boy". Toronto Star , September 29, 2000.
  2. 1 2 S. E. Fleenor, "Killjoys' Pree is a gender-thwarting style icon". SyFy Wire , August 22, 2019.
  3. Brent Furdyk, "Canadian Screen Awards: Winners Announced For Scripted Drama, Comedy Categories". Entertainment Tonight Canada , May 27, 2020.
  4. Robert Crew, "Allison gives Outrageous character a new twist; Musical changed by actor's background". Toronto Star , September 24, 2000.
  5. 1 2 3 "Alumni Panel 1". Ryerson University. November 4, 2020. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  6. Boisvert, Nick (February 13, 2019). "Toronto's first black theatre companies are gone, leaving a void that still hasn't been filled | CBC News". CBC. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  7. Michael Posner, "Iron Road tops the lot at Doras". The Globe and Mail , May 19, 2001.
  8. Alison Mayes, "Putting the broad in Broadway". Winnipeg Free Press , July 29, 2010.
  9. Lacey Vorrasi-Banis, "Kim's Convenience stars pick their favorite episodes (and a recipe!) to celebrate season 4 debut". Entertainment Weekly , March 31, 2020.
  10. "Tracks on A Whole Lotta Sunlight - Thom Allison (November 2003) | SecondHandSongs". secondhandsongs.com. Retrieved 2021-02-26.
  11. Ruth Schweitzer and Kathryn Kates, "The links between African-American and Jewish music". Canadian Jewish News , May 17, 2019.
  12. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "Thom Allison theatre profile". www.abouttheartists.com. Retrieved 2021-02-26.