United Solo, the world's largest solo theatre festival, concluded last night in a closing ceremony at Theatre ROW on 42nd Street in New York City. The Festival board, made up of artists and producers with vast experience in solo performance, gave awards to performers for their excellence in solo theatre. Four-time Academy Award nominee Marsha Mason joined the event to present the awards.
The 2010 uSolo Awards went to:
Best Production for Bill Bowers in "It Goes without Saying"
Best One-Man Show for John Paul Karliak in "Donna/Madonna"
Best One-Woman Show for Danusia Trevino in "Wonder Bread"
Best Solo Actor for Brian Stanton in "BLANK"
Best Solo Actress for Jelena Stupljanin in "Revolting Women/Woman Bomb-Sade"
Best Directing for Austin Pendleton for "CLUTTER: I?m Saving My Life and It?s Killing Me"
Best Script for Bob Brader in "Spitting In The Face Of The Devil"
Best Use of Set for "I Was Raised Mexican"
Best Storytelling for Alicia Dattner in "Eat, Pray, Laugh!"
Best Stand-up for Prescott Tolk in "High Jinxed"
Best Multimedia for "***[tenderpits]***" by Anthony Johnston and Nathan Schwartz
Best Foreign Show for Herbert Kaluza in "The Story of my Dovecote"
Best Festival Debut for Sivan Suzy Hadari in "The Emancipation of the Sassy Jewish Woman"
First Sold Out Show for Sarah Kay in "Square One"
Audience Award for Patty Staco in "In My Shoes"
United Solo also announced the special uAward for the outstanding solo performer of the recent season in New York City. This year, the Festival board nominated three artists: Carrie Fisher in "Wishful Drinking" (Roundabout Theatre Company), Anna Deavere Smith in "Let Me Down Easy" (Second Stage Theater) and Matt Oberg in "The Event" (Barrow Street Theatre).
The 2010 uAward went to Anna Deavere Smith.
The solo artists from 3 continents who took part in the two-week festival celebrated their success last night. There were many reasons for celebration, including high attendance, ten sold out shows, and impressive donations that have been collected through the Festival to support The Actors Fund.
"Our mission, to showcase the uniqueness of solo theatre, has been accomplished. Having witnessed the popularity of these one-person shows, we feel encouraged to do it again with the second annual Festival next year," says Omar Sangare, United Solo Founder and Artistic Director.
High quality pictures are available at http://unitedsolo.org/UnitedSolo/upress.html and upon request.
