FIDDLER Leads Barrymore Award Nominations; Ceremony Set for 10/4

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia announced the nominations in 27 categories for the 2010 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre at a press conference held today at New Freedom Theatre. The organization also announced plans for this year's Barrymore Awards Ceremony, the premier annual event in Philadelphia theatre, to be held on Monday, October 4th at 7:00 p.m. at the Walnut Street Theatre, with a reception following at the Ballroom at the Ben in the Benjamin Franklin House.

The evening of October 4th will kick off with a red carpet event beginning at 6:00 p.m. as local theatre celebrities and nominees gather. This year's ceremony, directed by Karen DiLossi, celebrates the work of our local theatre artists and companies as they continue the legacy of the Barrymore family.

In its 16th year, The Barrymore Awards program is produced by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and is the only comprehensive awards program in the region, recognizing artistic excellence in theatre. Each year, over 100 productions, produced by local professional theatres, are reviewed by the Barrymore voting committee. 184 actors, directors, and designers representing 25 companies and 40 productions became nominees for the 2010 Barrymore Awards. They stand as the newest generation in the continuous legacy of theatrical excellence initiated by the Barrymores as the first-family of American theatre and represented by the past 15 years of awards given in their honor. Since 1995, the Barrymore Awards have recognized 62 organizations, 559 productions, and 791 artists for the excellence and vitality that they have brought to Greater Philadelphia.

Theatre Alliance Executive Director, Margie Salvante, spoke of the growing scope and vitality of the theatre industry in Greater Philadelphia, and outlined Theatre Alliance plans for helping member theatres meet the Engage 2020 goal of doubling their audiences over the next ten years. "The resourcefulness our theatres show in the face of this challenging economy is only outdone by the artistry they display on their stages," said Salvante. "How can we not double the size Greater Philadelphia's theatre audience with ten whole years ahead of us?"

The Theatre Alliance presented a Special Recognition Barrymore Award to actor Pete Pryor, acknowledging the significance of Pryor's acceptance in the prestigious Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship Program as emblematic of his stature as one of the top regional theatre actors in the country. With this Special Recognition Award the Theatre Alliance thanks Pryor for raising the national profile of Philadelphia as a vibrant theatre city.

The Philadelphia theatre community is also recognized with four unique awards each year. The first of these special awards, Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, recognizes the work of theatres and theatre artists who provide innovative theatre and educational experiences as a vehicle for betterment within the community. The 2010 nominees are 1812 Production's 1812 Outreach, B. Someday Production's Of Mythic Proportions, and Philadelphia Young Playwright's Annual Playwriting Festival.

The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations celebrates unique collaborations between theatre companies and other non-theatre organizations. These collaborations each result in a public event and have an impact both on the participating organizations and the Greater Philadelphia community. The nominees for this year's award are Enchantment Theatre Company & Philadelphia Orchestra for The Firebird, InterAct Theatre Company & Mural Arts Program for City of Numbers, and Lantern Theater Company & DaVinci Art Alliance for Henry IV, Part I.

The Brown Martin Philadelphia Award was established in 2007 to honor those plays that best lead audiences to a better understanding of the unique experiences that make up our diverse global community. Named in honor of Virginia Brown Martin, a lover and supporter of theatre in her own lifetime, the Brown Martin Philadelphia Award carries with it a significant monetary prize to support a continued focus on producing plays that help us better appreciate unique points of view, and heal the divisiveness that springs from intolerance and fear. This year's nominees are Black Pearl Sings! at InterAct Theatre Company, Language Rooms at The Wilma Theater, and Nathan the Wise at The People's Light & Theatre Company.

The F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, which includes a $10,000 cash prize, is given to a Philadelphia theatre artist who shows outstanding promise in his or her field and is dedicated to working in the Philadelphia theatre community. Named after the late F. Otto Haas, noted philanthropist, civic leader, and former Chairman of Rohm & Haas, the award is sponsored through the generosity of Carole Haas Gravagno and is specifically designed to help cover the artist's living expenses for one year to allow the individual to focus solely on his or her craft. The runners-up each receive a $1,000 cash award. This year's nominees are James Ijames, Steve Pacek, Sarah Sanford, Amanda Schoonover, and Thom Weaver.

THE BARRYMORE AWARD NOMINEES FOR 2010 ARE:

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play: Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; The History Boys - Arden Theatre Company; If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Arden Theatre Company; Welcome to Yuba City - Pig Iron Theatre Company

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre; Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; The Story of My Life - Act II Playhouse; Sunday in the Park with George - Arden Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction of a Play: Gabriel Quinn Bauriedel - Welcome to Yuba City - Pig Iron Theatre Company; James J. Christy - Rabbit Hole - Arden Theatre Company; Walter Dallas - Blue Door - Arden Theatre Company; Madi Distefano - A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano - Brat Productions; Anne Kauffman - Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Joe Calarco - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Bruce Lumpkin - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Bud Martin - The Story of My Life - Act II Playhouse; Kimberly Reilly & Matt Silva - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The Devon Theater; Richard Stafford - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre

OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION: Patrick Brady - Closer Than Ever - Bristol Riverside Theatre; Eric Ebbenga - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Eric Ebbenga - Sunday in the Park with George - Arden Theatre Company; Douglass G. Lutz - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Collin Maier - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The Devon Theater

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Jeremy Bobb as Max Garrett - Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; Tony Braithwaite as Sam - Fully Committed - Montgomery Theater; Keith J. Conallen as Stephen - The Long Christmas Ride Home - Azuka Theatre; Scott Greer as John - Shining City - Theatre Exile; Steve Pacek as Mouse - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Arden Theatre Company

THE CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Grace Gonglewski as Becca - Rabbit Hole - Arden Theatre Company; Patrice Johnson as Veronica - Coming Home - The Wilma Theater; Ceal Phelan as Madeleine - The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; Mary Elizabeth Scallen as Winnie - Happy Days - Lantern Theater Company; Cheryl Williams as Frances - The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; C. Kelly Wright as Pearl Johnson - Black Pearl Sings! - InterAct Theatre Company

GARFIELD REFINING COMPANY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Ben Dibble as Freddy Benson - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre; Mark Jacoby as Tevye - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Steve Pacek as Seymour - Little Shop of Horrors - 11th Hour Theatre Company & Theatre Horizon; Hugh Panaro as Fagin - Oliver! - Walnut Street Theatre; Paul Schoeffler as Lawrence Jameson - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre

GARFIELD REFINING COMPANY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Janine DiVita as Nancy - Oliver! - Walnut Street Theatre; Sherri L. Edelen as Margaret Johnson- The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Liz Filios as Narrator - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The Devon Theater; Maggie Lakis as Audrey - Little Shop of Horrors - 11th Hour Theatre Company & Theatre Horizon; Mary Martello as Golde - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Peter DeLaurier as Kent - King Lear - The People's Light & Theatre Company; Andrew Kane as Hotspur, Ensemble - Henry IV, Part I - Lantern Theater Company; Kes Khemnu as Simon, Rex, Jesse - Blue Door - Arden Theatre Company; Stephen Novelli as Gloucester - King Lear - The People's Light & Theatre Company; Pete Pryor as Mickey - Any Given Monday - Act II Playhouse & Theatre Exile

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Brooke Bloom as Becky Shaw - Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; Kim Carson as Cordelia - King Lear - The People's Light & Theatre Company; Janis Dardaris as Susan Slater - Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; Charlotte Ford - Welcome to Yuba City - Pig Iron Theatre Company; Sarah Sanford as Wendy - Hunter Gatherers - Theatre Exile

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Nick Dalton as Perchik - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Charles Pistone as Signor Naccarelli, et al - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Fran Prisco as André Thibault - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre; Matthew Scott as Fabrizio Naccarelli - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Marcus Stevens as Motel - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Whitney Bashor as Clara Johnson - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Jennie Eisenhower as Julie - Show Boat - The Media Theatre; Rita Markova as Tzeitel - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Mary Martello as Muriel - Dirty Rotten Scoundrels - Walnut Street Theatre; Gianna Yanelli as Hodel - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN: Michael Fagin - The Light in the Piazza -Philadelphia Theatre Company; David P. Gordon - If You Give a Mouse a Cookie - Arden Theatre Company; Dave Jadico- The Foocy - Delaware Theatre Company; Mimi Lien - Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; Mimi Lien - Welcome to Yuba City - Pig Iron Theatre Company

PECO AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN: Jack Jacobs - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; R. Lee Kennedy - The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; Thom Weaver - Blue Door - Arden Theatre Company; Thom Weaver - The Breath of Life -Lantern Theater Company; Thom Weaver - The Foocy - Delaware Theatre Company

EARL GIRLS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN: Colleen Grady - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Mark Mariani - The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; Rosemarie E. McKelvey - Snow White - The People's Light & Theatre Company; Rosemarie E. McKelvey - Sunday in the Park with George - Arden Theatre Company; Richard St. Clair - Golden Age - Philadelphia Theatre Company

CLEAR SOUND AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN: Christopher Colucci - The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; Christopher Colucci - The Long Christmas Ride Home - Azuka Theatre; Jorge Cousineau - The History Boys - Arden Theatre Company; Mark Valenzuela - The Story of My Life - Act II Playhouse; Ryan Rumery - Golden Age - Philadelphia Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC: Christopher Colucci - The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; Christopher Colucci - Rabbit Hole - Arden Theatre Company; Tim Harbeson - Cabinet of Wonders, An Impossible History - Gas & Electric Arts; Robert Kaplowitz - Blue Door - Arden Theatre Company; Michael Ogborn - Snow White - The People's Light & Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT: John Bellomo & Tony "Hitman" Stetson- The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity - InterAct Theatre Company; John Bellomo - Hunter Gatherers -Theatre Exile; J. Alex Cordaro - Henry IV, Part I - Lantern Theater Company; Michelle Gaudette - Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Angela Pomo - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The Devon Theater

INDEPENDENCE FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY: Any Given Monday - By Bruce Graham - Act II Playhouse & Theatre Exile; Cabinet of Wonders, An Impossible History - By Kira Obolensky - Gas & Electric Arts; Grace, or the Art of Climbing - By Lauren Feldman - Nice People Theatre Company; Welcome to Yuba City - By Pig Iron Theatre Company & Deborah Stein - Pig Iron Theatre Company; When We Go Upon the Sea - By Lee Blessing - InterAct Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY: A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano - Brat Productions; Becky Shaw - The Wilma Theater; The Breath of Life - Lantern Theater Company; The History Boys - Arden Theatre Company; Welcome to Yuba City - Pig Iron Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL: The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Montgomery Theater; Fiddler on the Roof - Walnut Street Theatre; Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat - The Devon Theater; The Light in the Piazza - Philadelphia Theatre Company; The Story of My Life - Act II Playhouse

The Brown Martin Philadelphia Award: Black Pearl Sings! - InterAct Theatre Company; Language Rooms - The Wilma Theater; Nathan the Wise - The People's Light & Theatre Company

The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations: Enchantment Theatre Company & The Philadelphia Orchestra - The Firebird; InterAct Theatre Company & Mural Arts Program - City of Numbers; Lantern Theater Company & DaVinci Art Alliance - Henry IV, Part I

Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award: 1812 Productions - 1812 Outreach; B. Someday Productions - Of Mythic Proportions; Philadelphia Young Playwrights - Annual Playwriting Festival

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist: James Ijames; Steve Pacek; Sarah Sanford; Amanda Schoonover; Thom Weaver

Special Recognition Award: Pete Pryor - Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship recipient

Major support for the Barrymore Awards is provided by Actors' Equity Association, The Charlotte Cushman Foundation, The CHG Charitable Trust, Clear Sound, CRW Graphics, Drucker & Scaccetti, P.C., Earl Girls Theatrical Equipment, Garfield Refining Company, Independence Foundation, PECO, The Virginia Brown Martin Fund, William Penn Foundation, and The Wyncote Foundation.

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia strengthens and leads the region's richly diverse theatre community, by promoting awareness and serving as a resource for information, professional development and advocacy. Tickets for the Barrymore Awards Ceremony and more information are available online at www.phillytheatretix.com or by calling (215) 413-7150.