Midtown International Theatre Festival Tenth Anniversary Season Announces Nominees For MITF Awards

The Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF) announces the nominees forthe MITF Tenth Anniversary Season Awards. The AWARDS CEREMONY, produced by Elisa Abatsis, will be held on Sunday, August 30, 2009 at 7:30pm (doors and bar open at 6pm) at New World Stages / Stage 2, 340 W. 50th Street (between 8th and 9th Avenues), NYC. Tickets are $25 ($20 if booked before 8/27) and are available now at www.midtownfestival.org or by phone at 866-811-4111.

The 2009 MITF Award Nominees are:

Outstanding Production of a Play
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara
Made in Heaven
Out of the Sandbox
The Lincoln Continental

Outstanding Production of a Musical
That's Showbiz!
A Night in the Kremlin
Connect/Disconnect
Insecurity!

Outstanding Production of a Special Event
(including Short Plays, One-Acts, Monologues, Readings, and Solo Shows)
1812, The Musical
Legends
NeverCracked
Love, Humiliation and Karaoke
Whiskey, Beer, and Apple Pie

Outstanding Playwriting for a New Script
(including Plays, Musicals, and Readings)
Checking In--Brian Hampton
Made in Heaven--Jay Bernzweig
Family Dinner--Michelle Willens
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Kate Gersten
Body Language--Jennie Contuzzi

Outstanding Music & Lyrics
A Night in the Kremlin--Bernard Besserglik & Bob Barton
Connect/Disconnect--Jan-Erik Saff & Owen Robertson
Insecurity!--Mickey Zetts
1812, The Musical--Ira Shapiro, Stacy O'Dell, & Michael Murray
That's Showbiz!--Colin Chaston & Tony Clout

Outstanding Direction
Made in Heaven--Andrew Shaifer
Bartholomew Fair, NJ--Billy Mitchell
Connect/Disconnect--Rick Jacobs
I Hate Love--Mark Duncan
Pizza Man--Bricken Sparacino
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Dan Fogler

Outstanding Costume Design
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Daniel Figueroa
Assholes and Aureoles--Karen Irwin & Diane Kondrat
That's Showbiz!--Izzy Fields
NeverCracked--Stacey Berman
The Sword Politik--Jon Ciccarelli & Kyle Baxter

Outstanding Sound Design
Benny--John Montgomery Theatre Company, producers
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Rich Meitin
How to Make an American Family--Marcelo Anez
Made in Heaven--Jay Bernzweig

Outstanding Scenic Design
That's Showbiz!--Mark Eardley
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Casey Smith
Gentleman's Wish--Anne Goelz
Crossroads--Howling Moon Cab Co., producers

Outstanding Lighting Design
Monroe Bound--Zach Murphy
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara--Zach Brown
Body Language--Ryan Metzler
Las Escenas de la Cruz (Scenes from the Cross)--Alex Moore

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
James Cronin--Out of the Sandbox
Stuart Aion--Christmas Guest
Alex Anfanger--Made in Heaven
Gabor Harsanyi--Prison Theater
Sam Albertsen--Pizza Man
Richard Vernon--The Lincoln Continental

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Susan Rankus--Pizza Man
Kate Gersten--Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara
Kelly McCreary--Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara
Kate Atcheson--Seal Songs
Karen Irwin--Assholes and Aureoles
Amy Miller Brennan--Body Language

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Derek Keeling--Connect/Disconnect
Jeff Essex--A Night in the Kremlin
Patrick Ryan Sullivan--That's Showbiz!
Enzo Lombard--Love, Humiliation and Karaoke
Don Brewer--1812, The Musical

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Heather Laws--Connect/Disconnect
Abigail Hardin--That's Showbiz!
Karen Culp--That's Showbiz!
Briana Layon--A Night in the Kremlin
Mary Jayne Raleigh--1812, The Musical

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play or Musical
Jeremy Zoma--That's Showbiz!
Angus Hepburn--A Night in the Kremlin
Yang Miller--Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara
Bjorn Thorstad--Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara
Duncan Pflaster--I Hate Love
Michael Andrew Daly--Body Language

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play or Musical
Anna Winthrop--Christmas Guest
Bethany James--The Sword Politik
Grace Kiley--NeverCracked
Ilana Becker--FaceSpace
Susan Barrett--Benny

Outstanding Ensemble Performance
I Hate Love
The Sword Politik
Insecurity!
Assholes and Aureoles
Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara

Outstanding Choreography
(including Dance and Fight)
The Sword Politik--Michael Hagins
Insecurity!--Fayth Caruso
That's Showbiz!--Natalie Loftin Bell & Andy J. Frye
A Night in the Kremlin--Natasa Trifan

Outstanding Show Marketing & Advertising
(including Programs, Postcards, Websites, etc.)
Bartholomew Fair, NJ
Checking In
That's Showbiz!
I Hate Love
FaceSpace
Gentleman's Wish

MITF's AWARDS CEREMONY will feature entertainment by Tenth Anniversary season shows, including a scene from Exposed! The Curious Case of Shiloh and Zahara; a scene from A Night in the Kremlin featuring Jeff Essex as Harpo Marx and Angus Hepburn as Joseph Stalin; a scene from Seal Songs; a musical number from That's Showbiz!; a scene with sword fight from The Sword Politik; among others. Drinks are available and there will be raffles for show and event tickets, theatre memorabilia, goods and services, including tickets to 39 Steps on Broadway, a Disney "Shows on Broadway" merchandise bag, a luxury pet supply gift pack from Modern Tails, and tickets to the following Exhibits in Manhattan: TITANIC, BODIES, ROCK & ROLL HALL OF FAME ANNEX, and LUCY'S LEGACY. Attendees will also vote for an Audience Favorite Award at the end of the evening.

The MITF's 2009 Season ran from July 13 - August 2, 2009 at the June Havoc Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 1st floor; the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 1st floor; the MainStage Theater, 312 W. 36th Street, 4th floor; the Jewel Box Theater, 312 W. 36th Street, 4th floor; and Where Eagles Dare Studio Blackbird, 347 W. 36th Street, 13th floor, NYC.

The Midtown International Theatre Festival, which has just completed its tenth year, celebrates the diversity of theatre. The MITF welcomes theatrical storytelling across a broad spectrum of genres, forms, identities, cultures, and appetites. The MITF seeks to nurture these new ideas, perspectives, and stories on its stages, with an eye set on guiding these productions toward future success and longevity. The festival, traditionally held in summer, represents a fantastic, often paradoxical, adventurous and intriguing cross-section of the forefront of the theatre world. The MITF proudly hosts production companies from across the country and around the globe, uniting talent in one of the biggest theatre capitals in the world.

Mr. Chatterton created the MITF in 2000, a Midtown alternative to other theatre festivals, as a way to present the finest off-off Broadway talent in convenience, comfort, and safety. All theatres are located near the MITF offices at 347 W. 36th Street (home of Mr. Chatterton's Where Eagles Dare rehearsal studios and theatre).

For more information, visit www.midtownfestival.org.