Planet Connections 10th Annual Theatre Festivity Announces 2018 Nominees

TenthPlanet: Planet Connections 10th Annual Theatre Festivity played to packed houses and great acclaim for each production. Another sold out house was achieved for the company's annual "Playwrights for a Cause" event, this year, benefiting the Ali Forney Center. The banner season culminates with the Planet Awards. This year, the gala event will be Friday, September 21, at the Abrons Arts Center at 466 Grand St, New York City. Tickets and further info: planetconnections.org/

Planet Connections Theatre Festivity (PCTF), the brainchild of arts professional Glory Kadigan, turned 10 years old this past summer. In that decade, PCTF has successfully changed the landscape of the theatre festival and all of New York independent theatre. The multi-award-winning theatre festival premiered more than 50 timely and topical plays and musicals written by the next generation of playwrights this season. Each play contains a powerful message serving as a parable of various world themes.

Artists presented works from across America, including Denver, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Providence and New York City; and from all over the planet, including Japan, Yugoslavia, Russia, Peru, France, Belarus, and Haiti.

A defining facet of PCTF is its truly tangible connection to the world. Each artist within each season uses their work to shed light on causes that matter and inspire audiences to get involved. PCTF's artists raise awareness - and funds - for a charity of their own selection. Furthering its message, PCTF is the country's first eco-friendly arts festivity, providing green marketing and promotional materials and supporting sustainable design production practices.

The Planet Activist Award will be presented to:

Magaly C. Colimon of The Hunting Season for her panels with The Lambi Fund of Haiti

Robert Gelberg and the cast of The Sundogs for raising a large amount of money for Human Needs Food Pantry

Aileen Kyoko of The Year of the Solar Eclipse for raising a large amount of money for Planned Parenthood

Diana Wyenn of Blood / Sugar for her informative talkbacks after every performance with a representative from the Juvenile Diabetes organization.

The Greener Planet Award will be presented to:

Irina Abraham and Tim Abraham of Man Frog and Other People for their completely eco-friendly design work and production values.

April Alsup and the WYSIWYG team for an entirely paperless rehearsal process and eco-friendly design.

Yoshiko Usami of SHINKA for raising a large sum for the World Wildlife Fund while creating a completely eco-friendly design for a movement production about the dangers of pollution.

The Congeniality Award will be presented to:

Adam Belvo (The Brutes)

Laura Sisskin-Fernández (You Hold A Pole Everyday)

Nicoletta Mandriotti (Girl Inside the Mirror)

Steven Tenney (ray gun say0nara)

These artists attended the most shows in the festival and have been supportive of all of the artists and staff within our community. Thanks so much to you all!

Lifetime Achievement in Activism in the Arts will be presented to:

The late Joe Pintauro, writer of Raft of the Medusa, who recently passed away during the rehearsal process for his Planet Connections production. To quote him from an interview with The Times: "When men of craft and artistry are mistreated and wiped out or laid off in record numbers by the capitalistic monster, leaving workers and their skills in the dust of profit over everything, the artist must make a statement."

The nominees in the production categories are:

Outstanding Production of a Musical, Or Play with Music

Close Your Eyes and Sleep benefiting Trauma Survivors Foundation

The Inside of His Severed Head benefiting New York Blood Center

Rusalka benefiting Women for Women International

WYSIWYG The Musical benefiting Ackerman Institute for the Family

Outstanding Production of a Play

Dead Brains benefiting RAINN

The Hunting Season benefiting The Lambi Fund of Haiti

This Stretch of Montpelier benefiting Gulf Restoration Network

The Year of the Solar Eclipse benefiting Planned Parenthood of New York City

Outstanding Production of a Revival or Adaptation

The Head Hunter benefiting St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital

Man Frog and Other People benefiting Actors Theatre Workshop: Builders of the New World

Raft of the Medusa benefiting Planned Parenthood of Nassau County: Connected Health Solutions

Outstanding Production of an Experimental or Dance Piece

The 11th DIMENSION benefiting The Indie Theater Fund

SHINKA benefiting World Wildlife Fund

Umbilical benefiting LifeWay Network

When I Recall Her benefiting RAINN

Outstanding Production of A One-Act

4 $tages benefiting Our Revolution

Girl Inside the Mirror benefiting Women in Need

America The Beautiful (Broken Pieces) benefiting Planned Parenthood

The Wife of the Headless Horseman (Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro) benefiting Brooklyn Public Library

Outstanding Production of an Overall Evening of one-acts

4 $tages and Arabella benefiting Our Revolution and GRID Alternatives

Broken Pieces benefiting Planned Parenthood

Pregnant Pause and Girl Inside the Mirror benefiting Women in Need

Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro benefiting Brooklyn Public Library

Outstanding Production of a Solo Show

The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear benefiting The Actors Fund

Blood / Sugar benefiting Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation

Ruby benefiting Through the Heart

You Hold a Pole Everyday benefiting Girls Inc NYC

Outstanding Production of a Reading

The Irish Goodbye benefiting Planned Parenthood

ray gun say0nara benefiting World Wildlife Fund

She Started It benefiting Alliance for a Greater New York

Stars Out of Balance benefiting Kids in Need of Defense

Outstanding Actor in a Musical, Play with Music, Experimental or Dance Piece

Randy Chalmers for the role of Carl in WYSIWYG the Musical

Ryan McKenna for the role of Biff Loman in The Inside of His Severed Head

Ben Quinn for the roles of Paul in Rusalka and Mack in Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Joey Rotter for the role of Prince Alex in Man Frog and Other People

David Shakopi for the role of Man in Umbilical

Michael Thurber for the role of Willy Lowman in The Inside of His Severed Head

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical, Play with Music, Experimental or Dance Piece

John Cencio Burgos for the role of Rosalindo in The 11th DIMENSION

Denver Crawford for the role of Flutist in Umbilical

Michael Donaldson for the role of The Historian in Man Frog and Other People

Michael Fell for the role of Jackson in Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Derek Laurendeau for the role of Mopey in The Inside of His Severed Head

Outstanding Actress in a Musical, Play with Music, Experimental or Dance Piece

Christina Dewar for the role of Marie in Birthday Boy

Thomas Ilalaole for the role of April in WYSIWYG the Musical

Victoria Paradis for the role of Lin in The Inside of His Severed Head

Erika Phoebus for the role of Nessa in Rusalka

Rocio Mendez for the role of Katherine in Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Joyce Miller for the role of Woman in Umbilical

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Play with Music, Experimental or Dance Piece

Lia Barcellona Tamborra for the role of True in The 11th DIMENSION

Sarah Ettner for the role of Jules in Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Kyra Gee for the role of Eliza in Happy If - Happy When: A Family Musical

Elizabeth Kensek for the role of Aletta in Rusalka

Genia Starcev for the role of Serenity The Witch in Man Frog and Other People

Outstanding Actor in a Play

Ali Arkane for the role of Salvy in The Head Hunter

John Hardin for the role of John Wilkes Booth in The Brutes

Trevor Latez Hayes for the role of Boukman Delacroix in The Hunting Season

William Serri for the role of Jeunhomme in Éléphant

Richard Wingert for the role of Henry in Dead Brains

Christopher Whalen for the role of Larry in Raft of the Medusa

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

Adam Belvo for the role of Edwin Booth in The Brutes

Lamar K. Cheston for the role of Boniface in This Stretch of Montpelier

Guyviaud Joseph for the role of Emanuel Delacroix in The Hunting Season

Matt Maretz for the role of Corey in Dead Brains

Scott McCord for the role of Casmir in The Head Hunter

Francisco Solorzano for the role of Jimmy Horando in Raft of the Medusa

Outstanding Featured Actor

Michael Coppola for the role of Jason in The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Charles Everett for the role of Doug Forester in Raft of the Medusa

James B. Kennedy for the role of Terry Lupo/P.O Michael Walker in The Hunting Season

Grant Harrison for the role of Tom in Two Sides

Eric Parness for the role of Allard/Grandhomme in Éléphant

Perri Yaniv for the role of Donald Miller in Raft of the Medusa

Outstanding Actress in a Play

Raiane Cantisano for the role of Clerese in Éléphant

Suzannah Herschkowitz, for the role of Marissa in Surfacing

Geany Masai for the role of Miss Janice in This Stretch of Montpelier

Nadege Matteis for the role of Marie Jose "Jojo" Delacroix in The Hunting Season

Elyssa Nicole Trust for the role Gabby Goldblum in BT: Master of Return

Viviana Valeria for the role of Mimi in Two Sides

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

Paule Aboite for the role of Marie Allerte Delacroix in The Hunting Season

Montana Lampert Hoover, for the role of Chelsea in Surfacing

Ashleen Rowan for the role of Elle in The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Connie Saltzman for the role of Ivy in The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Alisha Spielmann for the role of Francis in This Stretch of Montpelier

Abby Goldfarb for the role of Shoshana Tauber in BT: Master of Return

Outstanding Featured Actress

Cassandra Borgella for the role of Mary in A Hand Across the Bridge

Ellie Kallay for the role of Sam in The Sundogs

Carole Monferdini for the role of Ruby in This Stretch of Montpelier

Samantha Quiles for Various in The Nuclear Plays

Delissa Reynolds for the role of Nairobi in Raft of the Medusa

Sarah Grace Sanders for the role of Detective Jones in Two Sides

Outstanding Actor in a One-Act

Patrick Clements for various in Broken Pieces

Mateo Moreno for various in Broken Pieces

Alex C. Ferill for Humpty Dumpty in Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Alex Kirshy for the role of Lloyd Hopkins in Arabella

Andrew Cawley for the role of Henry Wolf in Arabella

Outstanding Actress in a One-Act

Simoné Elizabeth Bart for various in Broken Pieces

Lori Kee for the role Wife to the Headless Horseman in Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Tatyana Kot for the role of Marie in Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Cemre Su Salur for the role of Girl in Girl Inside the Mirror

Michaela Alyse Tomcho for various in Broken Pieces

Outstanding Performance in a Solo Show

Amie Cazel, Pregnant Pause

Lauren Sisskin Fernandez, You Hold A Pole Every Day

Susan Gross, Ruby

Larry Phillips, The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear

Diana Wyenn, Blood / Sugar

Outstanding Actor in a reading

Konrad Custer, ray gun say0nara

David Wayne Fox, DEHAAN or What The Butler Didn't See

Anthony Michael Irizarry, Last Will and Testament

Bobby Daniel Rodriguez, Last Will and Testament

Sam Underwood, The Island of No Time (A Timeless Tale)

Fidel Vicioso, Stars Out of Balance

Christopher Whalen, The Irish Goodbye

Outstanding Actress in a Reading

Jessica Angleskhan, She Started It

Claire Ganshert, Eulogy Turnstile

Barbara Kingsley, The Irish Goodbye

Kate Mueth, The Island of No Time (A Timeless Tale)

Vicki Oceguera, Before The Road

Paula Pizzi-Black, Last Will And Testament

Margaret Loesser Robinson, The Irish Goodbye

Outstanding Ensemble

The Brutes

Éléphant

The Hunting Season

Raft of the Medusa

Rusalka

Outstanding Ensemble of an Experimental/Dance Piece

The 11th DIMENSION

Girl Inside The Mirror

SHINKA

Umbilical

When I Recall Her

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Daniella Caggiano, Surfacing

Sara Fellini, The Brutes

Francisco Solorzano, Raft of the Medusa

Akia Squitieri & Anna Hogan, Éléphant

Cezar Williams, The Hunting Season

David Zayas Jr., The Head Hunter

Outstanding Direction of a Musical, Play with Music, Experimental or Dance Piece

Irina Abraham, Man Frog and Other People

Isaac Byrne, Rusalka

Adam Chisnall, Umbilical

Andrew Karl & Vanessa Bontea, Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Roi Escudero, The 11th DIMENSION

Outstanding Direction of a One-Act or Solo Performance

Astrid Cook, You Hold A Pole Everyday

Ben Liebert, The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear

Jake Lipman, Ruby

Nicoletta Mandriotti, Girl Inside The Mirror

Diana Wyenn, Blood / Sugar

Outstanding Direction of a Reading

Andrew Block, A Man's Man

Lori Kee, The Listening Room

Terry Greiss, Stars Out of Balance

William Roudebush, The Irish Goodbye

Susan Tenney & Steven Mark Tenney, ray gun say0nara

Outstanding Choreography

Georgina Bates, Man Frog and Other People

Adam Belvo & Becca Musser, The Brutes

Stacy Grossfield, Girl Inside The Mirror

Alicia Rodis, Rusalka

Yoshiko Usami, SHINKA

Outstanding Playwright of a Play (New Script)

Magaly Colimon, The Hunting Season

Erik Champney, Dead Brains

Robert Gelberg, The Sundogs

Kelley Nicole Girod, This Stretch of Montpelier

Mike Poblete, Surfacing

Elyssa Nicole Trust, BT: Master of Return

Outstanding Book/Lyrics of a Musical, Script of Play with Music

Evan Duggan, WYSIWYG the Musical

Aaron Johnson, Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Erika Phoebus, Rusalka

Lenny Schwartz, The Inside of His Severed Head

Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics

Connie Saltzman, The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Kimerer LaMothe and Geoffrey Gee, Happy If - Happy When: A Family Musical

Duncan Pflaster, The Inside of His Severed Head

Lilli Hokama & Samantha Aneson, Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Outstanding Playwright of an Experimental or Dance Piece

Éamon Boylan & Company (Devised), When I Recall Her

Michael Landes, Umbilical

Anthony J. Piccione, 4 $tages

Ren Gyo Soh, SHINKA

Roi Escudero, The 11th DIMENSION

Outstanding Playwright of a One-Act or Solo Performance

Mateo Moreno, Broken Pieces

Don Nigro, Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Larry Phillips, The Art of Acting: A Master Class With Fozzie Bear

Jamie Semel, Arabella

Diana Wyenn, Blood / Sugar

Outstanding Playwright of a Reading

Lynda Crawford, Stars Out of Balance

Joyce Miller, The Handmaid's Dianetics

Jerry Polner, She Started It

Barry Lee Sheppard, Eulogy Turnstile

Allan Staples, The Irish Goodbye

Mark Jason Williams, A Man's Man

Outstanding Lighting Design

Ry Burke, Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Robin Dill, SHINKA

Benjamin Ehrenreich, The Hunting Season

Joshua Langman, Girl Inside The Mirror

Lizzie Mahoney, Two Sides

Outstanding Costume Design

Allison Crutchfield, Éléphant

Roi Escudero, The 11th DIMENSION

Sara Fellini, The Brutes

Janet Mervin, Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Ben Philipp, Rusalka

Outstanding Sound Design

Caroline Eng, The Hunting Season

Andrew Karl, Close Your Eyes and Sleep

Andy Evan Cohen, Tales With Teeth: Five Nightmares by Don Nigro

Bryan James Hamilton, The Listening Room

Vander Washington, Umbilical

Outstanding Scenic Design

Tim Abraham, Man Frog and Other People

Nicole Amaral, The Head Hunter

Scott Fetterman, This Stretch of Montpelier

Lily Guerin, The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Pancharee Sangkaeo, Umbilical

Outstanding Projection Design

Valentin Ewan, The 11th DIMENSION

Jason H. Thompson & Kaitlyn Pietras, Blood / Sugar

James Masciovecchio, The Hunting Season