Ogunquit Playhouse, Huntington Theatre Company, 'Spamalot' and 'Once on This Island' Are Fan Favorites in 2010 BroadwayWorld Boston Theatre Awards

Voting has ended and winners have been decided in the inaugural BroadwayWorld Best of Boston Theatre Awards. Results for 2010 underscore the breadth and depth of the region's outstanding theatre community, with favorites ranging from Broadway luminaries to fringe newcomers.

The Ogunquit Playhouse in Ogunquit, Maine, the historic summer theater located one hour north of Boston, was the big winner, earning top spots in 10 Large Theatre categories. Its critically acclaimed and hilarious production of Spamalot took eight of those honors, including Best Musical and Best Ensemble. Other top vote getters from that show were Charles Shaughnessy, Best Actor in a Musical; Scott Taylor and Mike Nichols, Best Direction of a Musical; Tim Hatley, Best Costume Design; Richard Latta, Best Lighting Design; Tim Hatley, Best Scenic Design; and Rick Bertone, Best Music Direction.

Other winners for Ogunquit were Gerry McIntyre, Best Choreographer for Chicago, and television star Stefanie Powers, Best Actress in a Musical for her powerful portrayal of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Close behind Powers in a hotly contested category were Amanda Palmer for her gender-bending performance as the Emcee in Cabaret at the A.R.T. and Rachel York for her alternately funny and touching turns in Spamalot at Ogunquit and Into the Woods with the Reagle Music Theatre. Also in close competition with Charles Shaughnessy was Broadway and local favorite George Dvorsky, who positively slithered across the Ogunquit stage in Chicago as Billy Flynn.

The Huntington Theatre Company dominated the Large Theatre grouping in terms of non-musicals, competing against itself in virtually every play category. Will Lyman and Karen MacDonald were runaway favorites as Best Actor and Actress for their stunning portrayals in All My Sons. Best Direction of a Play went to Melia Bensussen for her skillful interpretation of Annie Baker's Circle Mirror Transformation, which also won as Best Play.

The Small Theatre grouping was more evenly divided, with long-standing companies SpeakEasy Stage (3), the New Rep (1), and Lyric Stage (2) sharing honors with relative newcomers the Independent Drama Society (2), Metro Stage Company (1), and Blue Spruce Theatre Company (4). The latter's Once on This Island scored victories for Lindsay Hurley, Best Costume Design; PJ Strachman, Best Lighting Design; Dan Rodriguez, Best Music Direction; and Best Musical.

The most hotly contested category in the Small Theatre grouping was Best Actress in a Play. It's no wonder considering the exceptional roster of leading ladies who bless the Boston theatre scene. Stage stalwart Anne Gottleib edged out the competition for her fine work in SpeakEasy Stage's daring Best Play In the Next Room. Close in contention were her co-star Marianna Bassham, Leigh Barrett in Indulgences at New Rep, and Megan Cooper in Romeo and Juliet with the Independent Drama Society.

Boston fans had a hard time deciding which Broadway stars were their favorites as they came through on national tours in 2010. Best Actor honors went to Constantine Maroulis for Rock of Ages, but Topol was a close second for his farewell performance as Tevye in Fiddler on the Roof. In the Best Actress category, Rachel York proved to be the most winning villainess, earning top honors for her portrayal of Cruella de Vil in The 101 Dalmatians Musical. Tough talking matriarch Estelle Parsons of August: Osage County was hot on York's stiletto heels, as was Jackie Burns of Wicked. Best Touring Production honors went to In the Heights. Best Solo Performance was awarded to the legendary Leslie Uggams, who brought her Uptown/Downtown concert to Reagle Music Theatre.

Below is the complete list of fan favorites for 2010:

National Tours

Best Actor in a Touring Production - Constantine Maroulis, Rock of Ages, Broadway Across America
Best Actress in a Touring Production - Rachel York, The 101 Dalmatians Musical, Broadway Across America
Best Touring Production - In the Heights, Broadway Across America

Large Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical - Charles Shaughnessy, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Actress in a Musical - Stefanie Powers, Sunset Boulevard, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Actor in a Play - Will Lyman, All My Sons, Huntington Theatre Company
Best Actress in a Play - Karen MacDonald, All My Sons, Huntington Theatre Company
Best Direction of a Musical - Scott Taylor/Mike Nichols, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Direction of a Play - Melia Bensussen, Circle Mirror Transformation, Huntington Theatre Company
Best Musical - Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Play - Circle Mirror Transformation, Huntington Theatre Company
Best Music Direction - Rick Bertone, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Choreography - Gerry McIntyre, Chicago, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Costume Design - Tim Hatley, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Lighting Design - Richard Latta, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse
Best Scenic Design - Tim Hatley, Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse

Small Theatre

Best Actor in a Musical - Michael Borges, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Lyric Stage
Best Actress in a Musical - Amelia Broome, Adding Machine, SpeakEasy Stage
Best Actor in a Play - Adam Lauver, Romeo and Juliet, Independent Drama Society
Best Actress in a Play - Anne Gottleib, In the Next Room, SpeakEasy Stage
Best Direction of a Musical - Stephen Terrell, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Lyric Stage
Best Direction of a Play - Bridget Kathleen O'Leary, Boom, New Repertory Theatre
Best Musical - Once on This Island, Blue Spruce Theatre Company
Best Play - In the Next Room, SpeakEasy Stage
Best Music Direction - Dan Rodriguez, Once on This Island, Blue Spruce Theatre Company
Best Choreography - Rachel Bertone, A Little Night Music, Metro Stage Company
Best Costume Design - Lindsay Hurley, Once on This Island, Blue Spruce Theatre Company
Best Lighting Design - PJ Strachman, Once on This Island, Blue Spruce Theatre Company
Best Scenic Design - Kirsten Opstad, Proof, Independent Drama Society

Best Solo Performance - Leslie Uggams, Uptown/Downtown, Reagle Music Theatre
Best Ensemble - Spamalot, Ogunquit Playhouse

PHOTOS: Charles Shaughnessy and Rachel York in Spamalot; Stefanie Powers in Sunset Boulevard; Will Lyman and Karen MacDonald in All My Sons; The company of Once on This Island