Patti Murin and Hinton Battle Among Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Awards Nominees; Ceremony 7/29

The nominations have been announced for the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity's 2012 Awards Gala, taking place tonight, July 29 at 7:30pm at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (405 W. 55th Street). Among the nominees are three-time Tony Award-winner Hinton Battle (for directing & choreographing What We Do for Love or Other Desperate Measures) and recent Tony Award-nominee Patti Murin (for her performance in La Strega).

The Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York's premiere eco-friendly/socially-conscious theatre festival and took place from May 30th–June 24th at Culture Project. The Awards Gala will be Emceed by David Stallings and Eric Percival, is written by Mark Jason Williams and will feature direction by Reginald L. Douglas.

Categories and nominees for this year's awards include:

Outstanding Overall Production of a New Play: Baby Plays the Banjo, Safe, The American Play and Trafficked.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical or Play with Music: A Dance for Rylie, Pageant Princess, The Musical, WEBEIME and Ye Elizabeths.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation/Sequel (previously published/or adapted script): Civilization!, Falsettos, The Count of Monte Cristo, and What We Do for Love or Other Desperate Measures.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Short Play, One-Act, or Monologue: Adapting, Firework for Real, Scene/Unseen and The Closet.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Solo Show: Bridge to Baraka, faith, From Foster Care to Fabulous and See Bob Run.

Outstanding Playwriting for a New Script: Penny Brandt Jackson for Safe, Ashley Jacobson for The American Play, Kimberly Pau for Baby Plays the Banjo, Duncan Pflaster for Taint of Equality, Andrew Rothkin for Bubby's Shadow and Jonathan Wallace for A Brief History of Thyme.

Outstanding Direction: Joan Kane for Safe, Alex Mallory for faith, Eric Mercado for Baby Plays the Banjo, Ashley Marinaccio for Trafficked andAlexandra Siladi for The American Play.

Outstanding Direction of a Musical or Play with Music: Hinton Battle for What We Do For Love or Other Desperate Measures, Leah Bonvissuto for Ye Elizabeths, Layon Gray for WEBEIME, Rick Leidenfrost-Wilson for Falsettosand Shaun Pecknic for Pageant Princess, The Musical.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play: Richard Brundage in A Brief History of Thyme, Andy Chmelko in B=Essence, Jimmy Dailey in The American Play, Evan Kinkade in Civilization!, Alan McNaney in The Taint of Equality and Zach Wegner in Hot Steams.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play: Debby Brand in Safe, Rachel Christopher in The Bad Date Project,Rosie Cosch in Bubby's Shadow, Dana Hunter in Twelfth Night: Wall Street, Elizabeth Spano in Baby Plays the Banjoand Hannah Timmons in In The Wilderness.

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical: Ezra Hernandez in Falsettos, Simon Pearl in What We Do for Love or Other Desperate Measures, Rockford Samson in Pageant Princess, The Musical, Thom Scott in WEBEIMEand Adam Tackett in A Dance for Rylie.

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical: Jessica Mortellaro in The Count of Monte Cristo, Kimberly Michelle in A Dance for Rylie, Erin Leigh Schmoyer in Ye Elizabeths, Carla Stewart in What We Do for Love or Other Desperate Measures and Tanya Wills in Falsettos.

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play: Roberto Alexander for The Taint of Equality, John Buxton in Baby Plays the Banjo, Joseph Garner in Civilization!, Braeson Herold in Hot Steams, Shane Jensen in The American Play and Collin Smith in A Brief History of Thyme.

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