CLYDE 'N BONNIE Leads in 2012 Suzi Bass Awards Nominations!

The Suzi Bass Awards, Inc. announced nominations for the 2011-2012 Atlanta professional theatrical season this evening to an enthusiastic crowd of patrons and theatre industry artists. The Suzi Nomination Party, which rotates venues, was hosted this year by the Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, GA. The spacious lobby allowed guests to enjoy drinks, hors d'ouevres and the chance to congratulate their colleagues. Guest announcers, Atlanta's own funny men Bryan Brendle, Bart Hansard, Tony Larkin, Aurora Theatre artistic director Tony Rodriguez and Scott Warren shared the list of nominees while playfully riffing on the 2011/2012 Atlanta theatre season.

Nationally-recognized artists working in Atlanta were among this year's nominees. Broadway director Lonny Price and Josh Rhodes received nominations for Direction and Choreography of the World Premiere of Hunter Foster and Rick Crom's musical Clyde 'n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre. The show received 15 Nominations, the most of any show this season. In addition, Broadway producer GFour garnered an Ensemble – Musical nomination with their all-local Atlanta cast of Motherhood the Musical.

Other Atlanta resident artists fared well in all categories. Bethany Anne Lind received two acting nominations for her supporting work in Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company's World Premiere of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner? and in Georgia Shakespeare's The Glass Menagerie. Local sound designers Clay Benning and Bobby Johnston each scored three nominations for their work on different productions. In addition, identical twin designers Isabel A. and Moriah Curley-Clay continue their three season streak of multiple nominations with three more this season in two categories.

Although the ALLIANCE THEATRE lead the nomination tally with a total of twenty-two (22), Atlanta Lyric Theatre received eighteen (18) in Musical categories and Aurora Theatre also pulled in eighteen (18) total nominations in play and musical categories. Even with large groups of nominations going to the above, a wide distribution of Atlanta area theatres were recognized, with multiple nominations also going to Theatrical Outfit, Actor's Express, Georgia Shakespeare, Horizon Theatre, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre, Georgia Ensemble Theatre and Serenbe Playhouse.

Companies newly participating with the Suzi Awards got first nods from the Judging Panels as well, with Nominations for Stage Door Player's Lend Me a Tenor, Fabrefaction's Sweeney Todd, and JibJam's Faith Healer. In addition to the Suzi Performance Awards, the organization presents the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award to an Atlanta playwright, the Spirit of Suzi Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, and the publicly-voted Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Season.

Final Ballot voting for the Suzi Awards begins this week and culminates in the presentation of Suzi star statues at the 8th Annual Suzi Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 5, 2012 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in DeKalb County. Members of the Suzi Awards may also vote the final ballot, and the results of Member voting will be tallied in as a percentage of the panel judge votes. The Suzi Awards, Inc. is a member non-profit organization, and anyone may join by paying annual dues of $25.

For further information on the awards process, becoming a Member of the Suzi Bass Awards, or taking out business or congratulation ads in the Awards Event Program, please go to www.SuziAwards.org or email info@suziawards.org.

2012 Suzi Bass Award Nominations - Atlanta

Outstanding Production of a Musical
Ain't Misbehavin' at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Clyde 'n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Spring Awakening at Actor's Express
Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre

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