Interview: Maine Celebrates with BWW Winners

There was a buzz of excitement in theatres across the country on Wednesday, January 4, as Broadway World Regional Managing Editor Christina Mancuso announced each region's winners in the 2016 Broadway World Audience Choice Awards. Here in Maine within seconds of the postings, congratulations and comments poured in on social media and websites. Hoping to get a measure of the reaction, we contacted all the winners and took a sampling of responses to share with everyone.

This year's sixteen Maine contests were highly competitive. The 81 finalists (less than 1%) were selected from original pool of just over 9000 nominations, based on highest number of nominations. So to have made the initial cut was a major accomplishment and honor as well, and the list included some of Maine's venerable Equity Theatres like Maine State Music Theatre, which swept 11 categories for a second year in a row, Portland Stage, the Good Theater, Ogunquit Playhouse and non-Equity companies like Portland Players, which won 4 categories, Biddeford City Theater, which won one award, and newcomers like Cast Aside Productions. Almost 900 ballots were cast for the final tally, and in some cases, the voting was very close indeed. But since Maine, for all its geographic size, is really a very small world and the theatre community an even smaller one figuratively speaking, the success of the winners has been viewed as a shared success for the arts and for audiences who get to experience some truly fine theatre.

Here's a sampling of what winners and fans have to say!

Both actor Bill Nolte and director/choreograopher Marc Robin received two awards each. Though he is a veteran of Broadway and countless regional theatres, Nolte was new to Maine this summer when he starred as Tevye in MSMT's Fiddler on the Roof ,directed/choreographed by Gary John La Rosa, and the actor's virtuoso, heartwarming performance was honored for Best Local Debut and Best Actor in a Musical. I caught up with him in Las Vegas where he was taking a little break after "tackling three other regional roles since Tevye - Major Metcalff in the Mousetrap, Marcus Lycus in Forum, and Fagin in Oliver! It's been quite a year, but I hope this [award] is a sign that I will return to Maine soon. I am so honored and so ready for more! Thanks to Broadway World, Curt, Gary, and the cast!" La Rosa replied in an email saying, "I am so proud of our cast and show! It was truly a Director's dream on every level -- made possible by the incredible staff at MSMT. Kudos to all nominees and award-winners!" La Rosa's choreography received an additional award with the Best Dance Performance going to the Fiddler Ensemble with a special citation for the Bottle Dancers. Giovanni DiGabriele, one of those dancers commented, "Yay! So honored to have been a part of this summer."

Marc Robin, well-known and loved for his numerous productions in Maine, not only directed/choreographed MSMT's two main stage shows, Ghost (a co-production with the Fulton Theatre and the World/East Coast premiere of the new chamber version) and Evita, but he made his Portland Stage debut with The Irish and How They Got That Way in their co-production with MSMT. He was honored for this entire body of work with the Best Director of a Musical and Best Choreographer awards. Reached in Lancaster, PA, where he is Executive Artistic Producer of the Fulton and currently directing Annie Get Your Gun, Robin exclaimed, "This is awesome!! I am so proud to be included as part of the MSMT team. I am so grateful!"

Another Maine favorite, Charis Leos was honored as Best Actress in a Musical for her insanely funny, powerhouse performance in The Irish and How They Got That Way. Leos, who just finished a run as Mrs. Potts in the Fulton Theatre's Beauty and the Beast expressed her appreciation: " I'm not sure what to say. Just that it's wonderful, and I so appreciate the people who thought of me and voted. Such a nice surprise! The Maine audiences have always been incredibly supportive. It's why I love working there year after year!" As a Facebook post on Leos' page corroborated, "Maine loves you, Charis!", while another fan commented, "Charis Leos is always funny, but she was exceptionally so in The Irish."

Among the other artists who worked at MSMT this year, lighting designer Paul Black, who won for his work on Ghost and Mamma Mia!, observed, "MSMT is one of my favorite places to work. It was fun to do two very different shows there. As always at MSMT the creative tams and staff were a joy to work with. It's great that there is such strong support for the arts in Maine and especially in Brunswick."

Winner of Best Set Design for his evocative scenery for Fiddler on the Roof, Michael Schweikardt echoed these sentiments: "It is an honor to be recognized by Broadway World for my work on Fiddler. I am thrilled to be part of the MSMT family, a family that makes it possible for artists like me to realize and share their very best work. Thanks to Curt Dale Clark, Stephanie Dupal, and Gary John LaRosa, and special thanks to the young men and women of the scene shop, the paint shop, and the prop shop at MSMT for sharing their amazing talents."

Jeff Hendry, who designed the flamboyantly fantastic clothing for Mamma Mia! took home honors for Best Costume Design, while MSMT's fourth main stage show, Mamma Mia!, directed/choreographed by Mark Martino was named Best Musical. Martino expressed his delight at the accolades for the show: "So thrilled that Broadway World readers have recognized Mamma Mia! as the season's best musical. The recognition is the perfect cherry on the top of a joyous experience. I feel lucky to have been invited by Curt Dale Clark and Stephanie Dupal to make my directing and choreographing debut with this amazing family that is Maine State Music Theatre. The well deserved awards across all categories are a reflection of the high quality work being done at this very special theatre."

Portland Stage's executive/Artistic Director Anita Stewart who shared responsibility for The Irish and How They Got That Way production with MSMT's Artistic Director Curt Dale Clark commented, "Portland Stage was pleased to collaborate with MSMT on The Irish and we are honored that Broadway World Maine considers the show a winner!" The sell-out four-person play with music, won not only for Marc Robin's direction/choreography and Charis Leos' Best Actress in a Musical but also for Curt Dale Clark's Best Vocal Performance in a Musical for his unforgettable performance of the show's rich melodies which included a haunting "Danny Boy." Clark gave special thanks in his remarks to his colleagues in Portland, praising the efforts of "everyone at Portland Stage for being our partner in our '5th show' and for helping to make the season great."

In the area of straight drama, this year's audience choices all went to Portland Players for The Crucible, called the year's Best Play. Director Michael Donovan's work was honored, as was Cullen Burke's stormy performance as John Proctor (Best Actor in a Play) and Grace Fosler's subtle portrayal of his wife Elizabeth. (Best Actress in a Play). The Players issued a statement congratulating Donovan, the entire cast and crew: "We are so proud of our winners and truly honored to have won in our categories during such an amazing year of theatre. Thank you to everyone who voted and congratulations to all of this year's winners."

Similar thanks came in an email from Biddeford City Theater's Artistic Director Linda Sturdivant: "City Theater and the cast and crew of Next to Normal are overjoyed with the Audience Choice Award Award for Best Ensemble Performance. City Theater is an amateur theater that owes its success to the dedication and passion of their volunteer performers and technical staff. We all work hard and laugh harder because if we are not having fun, we are not doing it right."

Justifiably proud of having swept these awards for two seasons in a row (10 citations or 2015 and 11 for 2016), Maine State Music Theatre posted this statement on their Facebook page: "We are incredibly grateful to all the talented artists we worked with this season and are glad to see their hard work recognized. Thank you to everyone who voted, and we look forward to seeing you again this summer!" Managing Director Stephanie Dupal summed up the feeling of gratitude and accomplishment by saying, "What an honor it is for Maine State Music Theatre to be recognized by Broadway World. I am so proud of the talented company members MSMT brings to our theatre, and it is great to see them recognized for their hard work. I congratulate all of our winners and thank all of our casts and crews for their contributions to an amazing 2016 season."

Many of the company's fans echoed these thoughts with one audience member writing: "Wow! Congratulations to MSMT I was lucky to grow up and go to plays my whole life as my uncle was/is also in the theatre. I always thought that MSMT's shows could compare to any play that I have seen anywhere. Now I know that I am right! CONGRATULATIONS!" while another wrote succinctly, "totally deserved awesomeness." Board member James Saindon congratulated Clark as Artistic Director, saying, "You make the impossible happen, and it is nothing short of spectacular," while among the season performers to weigh in, Peter Cormican called the experience working on The Irish for MSMT and Portland Stage "a magical time together, and Siri Howard-Quinlan (MSMT Fiddler) said she was "so honored to have been a part of this amazing season."

But perhaps it was MSMT Artistic Director and award winner, Curt Dale Clark, himself, who suggested another valuable dimension to these Broadway World awards. Besides engaging audiences in honoring excellence in the artists' achievements, Clark spoke of his appreciation for the way in which theatres and arts publications could create a partnership to support live theatre and to promote awareness for the arts: "MSMT is grateful to Broadway World for all they do to promote theatre across the country and especially right here in the Great State of Maine!"

Photos courtesy MSMT, Portland Stage, and Portland Players