SF Bay Area Theater Critics Circle Announces 74 Winners

Representing the print and electronic media, 23 members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announce the winners of 37 Drama awards and 37 Musical awards from 257 nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2008. Over 400 productions were seen in 2008 by Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.

This year, Actors' Equity Association (AEA), representing over 900 actors and stage managers in the Bay Area, is proud to sponsor this year's Critics Circle Awards. "We both share a common goal to support professional Equity theatres in the Bay Area," announced David Lotz, AEA's National Communications Director, "in order to improve the livelihood of the artists who work in those theatres. We are pleased to join the SFBATCC in honoring the achievements of our members and all artists in this incredibly talented community." The 2008 Final Nominees who are AEA members, theatres, and candidates are herein designated.

Also this year, the SFBATCC inaugurated the three-part separation of award categories between Theatres with (1) Over 300 Seats; (2) Between 100-300 Seats; and (3) 99 Seats or Less. As such, theatre companies of similar sizes will compete and receive recognition for their outstanding work.

Over 300 Seats -- In Drama, California Shakespeare Theater's production of Uncle Vanya led with 5 awards, including top honors for Entire Production. And American Conservatory Theater's Curse of the Starving Class received 3 awards. In the Musicals category, TheatreWorks led with 8 awards for Caroline, or Change including Entire Production, as well as 4 more awards for their production of Grey Gardens.

Between 100-300 Seats -- In Drama, the Entire Production goes to the Aurora Theatre Company for The Best Man. SF Playhouse takes 3 awards for Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party and 3 more awards for Bug. And Marin Theatre Company's The Seafarer receives 3 awards. In the Musicals category, 7 awards go to Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek for The Musical of Musicals, including the Entire Production award. Also, SF Playhouse's Cabaret wins 3 awards, and New Conservatory Theatre Center's Zanna Don't receives 2 awards.

99 Seats or Less -- In Drama, Cutting Ball Theatre's Victims of Duty takes top honors for Entire Production. The Off Broadway West Theatre Company takes 2 awards for Ladies of the Camellias and 1 more award for The Taming of the Shrew. In the Musicals category, Playhouse West receives 4 awards, including the Entire Production award. Also receiving 4 awards is Shotgun Players' Vera Wilde.

Touring Productions -- The Drowsy Chaperone, produced by Best of Broadway, wins the critics' nod among 5 nominations.

Following is the complete list of Critics Circle award winners.

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle

2008 AWARD WINNERS

TOURING PRODUCTIONS

Drowsy Chaperone, The---Best of Broadway

THEATRES OVER 300
DRAMA

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Pamela Reed---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Dan Hiatt---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Phoebe Moyer---The Foreigner---San Jose Repertory Theatre

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Andy Murray---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater

DIRECTOR:
Timothy Near---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater

SET DESIGN:
Loy Arcenas---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater

SOUND DESIGN:
Jeff Mockus---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater

LIGHTING DESIGN:
Japhy Weideman---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater

COSTUME DESIGN:
Anna Oliver---Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde---San Jose Repertory Theatre
Beaver Bauer---The Government Inspector---American Conservatory Theater

SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Marcus Shelby (musical director, original score)---Sonny's Blues---Word for Word in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre

ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Itamar Moses---Yellowjackets---Berkeley Repertory Theatre

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Nilaja Sun---No Child---Berkeley Repertory Theatre

ENSEMBLE:
Sonny's Blues---Word for Word Performing Arts Company in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre

MUSICALS

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Beth Glover---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Shane Partlow---The Will Rogers Follies---Diablo Light Opera

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Allison Blackwell---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Julian Hornik---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
Paul Myrvold---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks

DIRECTOR:
Robert Kelley---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
William Liberatore---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

SET DESIGN:
J.B. Wilson---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
J.B. Wilson---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks

SOUND DESIGN:
[no nominees]

LIGHTING DESIGN:
Pamela Grey---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks

COSTUME DESIGN:
Fumiko Bielefeldt---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Sheri Stockdale (choreographer)---The Will Rogers Follies---Diablo Light Opera

ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
[no nominees]

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]

ENSEMBLE:
Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks

THEATRES 100 - 300 SEATS
DRAMA

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Best Man, The---Aurora Theatre Company

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Susi Damilano---Bug---SF Playhouse

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Andy Murray---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE FEMALE:
Christine Macomber---The Cocktail Hour---Ross Valley Players
Velina Brown---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---SF Playhouse

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE MALE:
Julian Lopez-Morillas---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company
Warren David Keith---The Devil's Disciple---Aurora Theatre Company

DIRECTOR:
Mary Ann Rodgers---The Cocktail Hour---Ross Valley Players

SET DESIGN:
J.B. Wilson---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company

SOUND DESIGN:
Cliff Caruthers---Bug---SF Playhouse

LIGHTING DESIGN:
Jon Tracy---Bug---SF Playhouse

COSTUME DESIGN:
Anna R. Oliver---The Devil's Disciple---Aurora Theatre Company

SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Chris Houston (music composer)---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---
SF Playhouse

ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Aaron Loeb---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---SF Playhouse

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]

ENSEMBLE:
Best Man, The---Aurora Theatre Company

MUSICALS

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Musical of Musicals, The---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Lauren English---Cabaret---SF Playhouse

PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Mark Farrell---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Karen Grassle---Cabaret---SF Playhouse

SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Louis Parnell---Cabaret---SF Playhouse

DIRECTOR:
Mindy Cooper---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
BranDon Adams---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

SET DESIGN:
Robert Broadfoot---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

SOUND DESIGN:
Will McCandless---Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris---Marin Theatre Company

LIGHTING DESIGN:
Kurt Landisman---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

COSTUME DESIGN:
Cassandra Carpenter---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek

SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Stephanie Temple (choreography)---Zanna, Don't!---New Conservatory Theatre Center

ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
[no nominees]

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]

ENSEMBLE:
Zanna Don't---New Conservatory Theatre Center

THEATRES UNDER 99 SEATS
DRAMA

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Victims of Duty---Cutting Ball Theater

PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Joyce Henderson---Ladies of the Camellias---Off Broadway West Theatre Company

PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Liam Vincent---Dead Mother or Shirley Not All in Vain---Thick Description

DIRECTOR:
Joyce Henderson---The Taming of the Shrew---Off Broadway West Theatre Company

ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Susan Jackson---Blessing Her Heart as part of Marin Fringe Fall 2008 (Program One) Dominican University

SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Andrew Nance---I Am My Own Wife---New Conservatory Theatre Center

ENSEMBLE:
Ladies of the Camellias---Off Broadway West Theatre Company

MUSICALS

ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Into This House---Playhouse West

PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Lynda DiVito---Into This House---Playhouse West

PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Sean Owens---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players

DIRECTOR:
Lois Grandi---Into This House---Playhouse West

MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
Dave Dobrusky---Into This House---Playhouse West
Tim Hanson---Thrill Me---New Conservatory Theatre Center

SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Chris Jeffries (original score)---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players
Lisa Clark (set designer)---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players

ENSEMBLE:
Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players

 

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