Feature: THE MUNY’S 30 NODS LEADS THE ST LOUIS THEATER CIRCLE AWARDS NOMINATIONS

The St. Louis Theater Circle has announced their 2025 nominations for their annual awards. Each year, the Circle honors excellence in professional theater with awards in 34 categories for producing, directing, acting, and technical theatre. This year The Muny leads all companies with 30 nominations spread across their seven musicals presented in their 106th season. STAGES St. Louis, The New Jewish Theatre, and The Repertory Theater of St. Louis earned 19 nominations each.  

Albion Theatre joins The Muny, and The New Jewish Theater with the distinction of earning nominations for every show the companies produced in 2024. Albion’s three shows, MOLLY SWEENEY, WOMAN IN MIND (DECEMBER BEE), and LUNGS, earned 11 nominations, just behind Tesseract Theatre Company who earned 13 total nominations for their productions of THE INHERITANCE PARTS 1 & 2 and ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL.  

St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s production of AS YOU LIKE IT and STAGES St. Louis production of RAGTIME are the most nominated productions of the year. AS YOU LIKE IT earned 10 nominations for Outstanding Production of a Comedy, Outstanding Director Nancy Bell, Outstanding Ensemble, Outstanding Lighting Designer Denisse Chavez, Outstanding Costume Designer Dorothy Marshall Englis, and Set Designer Scott C. Neale. In addition, four actors received nominations for their work in the comedy including lead actor Caroline Amos, and supporting performers Ricki Franklin, Joel Moses, and Jasmine Cheri Rush. 

STAGES St. Louis Production of RAGTIME also earned 10 nominations, tying it with AS YOU LIKE IT for the most nominated production of the year. RAGTIME was nominated for Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Director Diedre Goodwin, Outstanding Musical Director E. Reneé Gamez, Outstanding Costume Designer Brad Musgrove, and Outstanding Lighting Designer Sean M. Savoie. The entire cast was named in the Outstanding Ensemble of a Musical category. Four actors were nominated across the lead and supporting categories. Those performers honored with individual acting nominations are Tamar Green, Marissa McGowan, Matthew Cox, and Shereen Pimentel.  

The St. Louis Theater Circle nominations by the numbers: 53 shows were recognized across 24 different companies. 118 artists were called out for their outstanding contributions in productions, with 11 artists receiving more than one nomination.  

Alan Knoll and Sarah Gene Dowling each received three nominations. Knoll was nominated as Director of a Drama for the New Jewish Theater’s production of RED. He was also named in both the lead and supporting actor categories for his roles in WE ALL FALL DOWN and AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY. Dowling was honored with an acting nomination for her lead role in RUTHLESS and for her costume designs for ANASTASIA THE MUSICAL and NEVERMORE. Other nominees receiving two nominations each included set designer Ann Beyersdorfer, director Lucy Cashion, lighting designer Denisse Chavez, actor Amy Loui, actor Joel Moses, set designer Margery Spack, set designer Peter Spack, lighting designer Sean M. Savioe, and sound designer Amanda Werre. 

Five playwrights were nominated for Outstanding New Play among a crowded crop of more than two dozen original plays and musicals in the 2024 season. The five recognized for their playwriting prowess includes Courtney Bailey for ROMANOV FAMILY YARD SALE, Shualee Cook for TEMPEST IN A TEAPOT, e.k. doolin for AM I DANGEROUS, Jayne Hannah for LOVE IN THE TIME OF NOTHING, and Lize Lewy for LONGING. 

Joe Hanrahan and Ron Himes will be honored with a Special Award for Lifetime Achievement during the 12th annual awards ceremony on March 24, 2025. Hanrahan is the founder and artistic director of The Midnight Company. He has spent nearly his entire career in St. Louis Theater and was a member of the Theatre Project Company, the first professional theater troupe in St. Louis. Himes is the founder and producing director of The Black Rep. He has produced more than 200 plays and musicals, including all 10 of August Wilson’s plays.  

This year the Theater Circle added a new technical category. The nominees for Outstanding Projections or Special Effects includes Zach Cohn for his historically accurate work on The Black Rep’s production of HOLD ON, Zachary Grimm for creating a realistic virtual platform for Lize Lewy’s new play LONGING, Kylee Loera for her set enhancing projections in The Muny’s production of ANYTHING GOES, Joe Taylor for his magnificent black and white film that is part of the narrative in ERA’s ROMANOV FAMILY YARD SALE, and Mike Tutaj for his vibrant projections in The Muny’s production of WAITRESS.  

The annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards will be presented at a formal gala event on March 24, 2025, at the Loretto-Hilton Center. More information about The St. Louis Theater Circle, the 2025 nominees, and previous winners can be found at stltheatercircle.org. Tickets for the gala awards ceremony are available by visiting repstl.org. A complete listing of all the nominations across 34 categories is listed below. 

The Nominees for the 2025 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are: 

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Ricki Franklin, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Zoe Vonder Haar, "Steel Magnolias," Stages St Louis 

Amy Loui, "Steel Magnolias," Stages St Louis 

Jasmine Cheri Rush, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Susan Wylie, "Woman In Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Danny Brown, "Woman in Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Joseph Garner, "Woman in Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Isaiah Di Lorenzo, "Woman in Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Joel Moses, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Spencer Sickmann, "Trayf," The New Jewish Theatre 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Caroline Amos, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Emily Baker, "Woman In Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Claire Coffey, "Bell, Book & Candle," Stray Dog Theatre 

LaWanda Jackson, "Don't Be a Hero, Thank You," Prison Performing Arts  

Kelley Weber, "The Roommate," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Alan Knoll, "We All Fall Down," The New Jewish Theatre 

Bryce A. Miller, "Trayf," The New Jewish Theatre 

Ben Ritchie, "Red Jasper," Michael Madden Productions 

Jacob Schmidt, "Trayf," The New Jewish Theatre 

Joel Wilper, "Bell, Book & Candle," Stray Dog Theatre 

  

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play 

Denisse Chavez, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

Denisse Chavez, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Minjoo Kim, "Dial 'M' for Murder," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

William C. Kirkham, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Sean Savoie, "Hold On!," The Black Rep 

  

Outstanding Sound Design 

Kareem Deanes, "The Roommate," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Chuck Harper, "Wolf Kings," YoungLiars 

Rick Sims, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Amanda Werre, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

Amanda Werre, "Dial 'M' for Murder," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

  

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play 

Dorothy Marshall Englis, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Colleen Michelson, "Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap," Stray Dog Theatre 

Carolyn “Sully” Ratke, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Michele Friedman Siler, "Life is a Dream," Upstream Theater 

Marcy Wiegert, "Romanov Family Yard Sale," ERA Theatre 

  

Outstanding Set Design in a Play 

Andrea Ball, "We All Fall Down," The New Jewish Theatre 

Scott C. Neale, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Courtney O'Neill, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Margery Spack and Peter Spack, "Dial 'M' for Murder," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Margery Spack and Peter Spack, "Red," The New Jewish Theatre 

  

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Evann De-Bose, "Hold On!," The Black Rep 

Kari Ely, "Wedding Band," The Black Rep 

Margery Handy, "The Inheritance," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Nadja Kapetanovich, "The Whale," St Louis Actors Studio 

Claire Karpen, "August: Osage County," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

  

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

J. Samuel Davis, "King Hedley II," The Black Rep 

Gary Glasgow, "Life Is a Dream," Upstream Theater 

Jayson Heil, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

Alan Knoll, "August: Osage County," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Peter Mayer, "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Nicole Angeli, "Lungs," Albion Theatre Company 

Amy Loui, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

Ellen McLaughlin, "August: Osage County," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Jacqueline Thompson, "Wedding Band," The Black Rep 

Maggie Wininger, "Molly Sweeney," Albion Theatre Company 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Christopher Harris, "Red," The New Jewish Theatre 

Greg Johnston, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

Joel Moses, "Lungs," Albion Theatre Company 

Gabriel Paul, "The Inheritance," Tesseract Theatre Company 

William Roth, "The Whale," St Louis Actors Studio 

  

Outstanding New Play 

"Am I Dangerous?," Contraband Theatre 

"Longing," Lize Lewy 

"Love in the Time of Nothing," St Louis Actors Studio 

"Romanov Family Yard Sale," ERA Theatre 

"Tempest in a Teapot," SATE Ensemble 

  

Outstanding Achievement in Opera 

Justin Austin, "The Barber of Seville," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

Daniela Candillari, "Julius Caesar," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

Sarah Mesko, "Julius Caesar," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

Elise Quagliata, "Carmen," Union Avenue Opera 

Laura Skroska, "Into The Woods," Union Avenue Opera 

  

Outstanding Production of an Opera 

"Carmen," Union Avenue Opera 

"Galileo Galilei," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

"H.M.S. Pinafore," Winter Opera St Louis 

"Julius Caesar," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

"The Barber of Seville," Opera Theatre of St Louis 

  

Outstanding Musical Director 

E. Reneé Gamez, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

Khalid McGee, "Blues in the Night," The Black Rep 

James Moore, "Les Misérables," The Muny 

Zach Newman, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Andra Velis Simon, "Waitress," The Muny 

  

Outstanding Choreographer 

William Carlos Angulo, "In the Heights," The Muny 

Jared Grimes, "Anything Goes," The Muny 

Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Mike Hodges, "Xanadu," Stray Dog Theatre 

Lindsay Joy Lancaster, "Disney's Newsies," Stages St Louis 

  

Outstanding Projections or Special Effects 

Zach Cohn, "Hold On!," The Black Rep 

Zachary Grimm, "Longing," Lize Lewy 

Kylee Loera, "Anything Goes," The Muny 

Joe Taylor, "Romanov Family Yard Sale," ERA Theatre 

Mike Tutaj, "Waitress," The Muny  

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Rachel Bailey, "[title of show] the gender bend," Prism Theatre Company 

Sarajane Clark, "Ruthless," Stray Dog Theatre 

Lissa deGuzman, "Waitress," The Muny 

Kimmie Kidd, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Shereen Pimentel, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

  

Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Will Bonfiglio, "First Date," The New Jewish Theatre 

Kevin Chamberlin, "Anything Goes," The Muny 

Matthew Cox, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

Fergie L. Philippe, "Disney's The Little Mermaid," The Muny 

Lara Teeter, "Anything Goes," The Muny 

  

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical 

Tyler Duenow, "Nevermore," Stray Dog Theatre 

John Lasiter, "Fiddler on the Roof," The Muny 

Jason Lyons, "Les Misérables," The Muny 

Sean M. Savoie, "Disney's Newsies," Stages St Louis 

Sean M. Savoie, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

  

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical 

Ann Beyersdorfer, "Disney's Newsies," Stages St Louis 

Ann Beyersdorfer, "Les Misérables," The Muny 

Wilson Chin, "Waitress," The Muny 

Edward E. Haynes Jr., "Anything Goes," The Muny 

Arnel Sancianco, "In the Heights," The Muny 

  

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical 

Leon Dobkowski, "Dreamgirls," The Muny 

Sarah Gene Dowling, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Sarah Gene Dowling, "Nevermore," Stray Dog Theatre 

Robin L. McGee, "Disney's The Little Mermaid," The Muny 

Brad Musgrove, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role 

Sarah Gene Dowling, "Ruthless," Stray Dog Theatre 

Tiffany Mann, "Dreamgirls," The Muny 

Marissa McGowan, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

Jessica Vosk, "Waitress," The Muny 

Sarah Wilkinson, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

  

Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role 

Jordan Donica, "Les Misérables," The Muny 

Aaron Fischer, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Tamar Greene, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

Adam Heller, "Fiddler on the Roof," The Muny 

John Riddle, "Les Misérables," The Muny 

  

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy 

"As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

"Romanov Family Yard Sale," ERA Theatre 

"Spirits to Enforce," Midnight Company 

"Steel Magnolias," Stages St Louis 

"Woman In Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

  

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama 

"All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

"August: Osage County," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

"Hold On!," The Black Rep 

"Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

"The Inheritance," Tesseract Theatre Company 

  

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical 

"Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

"Anything Goes," The Muny 

"Disney's Newsies," Stages St Louis 

"Fiddler on the Roof," The Muny 

"Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

  

Outstanding Director of a Comedy 

Robert Ashton, "Woman in Mind (December Bee)," Albion Theatre Company 

Nancy Bell, "As You Like It," St Louis Shakespeare Festival 

Lucy Cashion, "Romanov Family Yard Sale," ERA Theatre 

Lucy Cashion, "Spirits to Enforce," Midnight Company 

Aaron Sparks, "Trayf," The New Jewish Theatre 

  

Outstanding Director of a Drama 

Gary Wayne Barker, "All My Sons," The New Jewish Theatre 

David Catlin, "Moby Dick," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

Alan Knoll, "Red," The New Jewish Theatre 

Stephen Peirick, "The Inheritance," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Amelia Acosta Powell, "August: Osage County," The Repertory Theatre of St Louis 

  

Outstanding Director of a Musical 

Lili-Anne Brown, "Waitress," The Muny 

Marcia Milgrom Dodge, "Anything Goes," The Muny 

Deidre Goodwin, "Ragtime," Stages St Louis 

Brittanie Gunn, "Anastasia: The Musical," Tesseract Theatre Company 

Rob Ruggiero, "Fiddler on The Roof," The Muny 

  

Outstanding Production of a Comedy  

“As You Like It,” St. Louis Shakespeare Festival 

“Romanov Family Yard Sale,” ERA Theatre 

“Steel Magnolias,” Stages St. Louis 

“Trayf,” New Jewish Theatre 

“Woman in Mind (December Bee),” Albion Theatre 

  

Outstanding Production of a Drama  

“All My Sons,” New Jewish Theatre 

“August: Osage County,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 

“Moby Dick,” Repertory Theatre of St. Louis 

“The Inheritance,” Tesseract Theatre Company 

“Wedding Band,” The Black Rep 

  

Outstanding Production of a Musical  

“Anastasia: The Musical,” Tesseract Theatre Company 

“Disney’s Newsies,” Stages St. Louis 

“Fiddler on the Roof,” The Muny 

“Ragtime,” Stages St. Louis 

“Waitress,” The Muny 

  

Special Award for Lifetime Achievement 

Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director, The Midnight Company 

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