The New York Innovation Theatre Foundation Announces The Recipients Of The 2018 IT Awards

On Monday, September 24, 2018 Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 14 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, presented 26 awards and four honorary awards for outstanding achievement in theatre at the 14th Annual New York Innovative Theatre Awards Ceremony, at Centennial Memorial Theatre (120 West 14th Street, NYC). If you were unable to attend, watch a replay online at www.nyitawards.com/live.

The ceremony was hosted by trans performer and writer Becca Blackwell; directed by 2014 Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award recipient Kevin R. Free; with script contributions by writer, director, and performer Joey Rizzolo. Presenters included Moe Angelos (The Builders Association), Beowulf Boritt (Scenic Designer), Leon Dobkowski (Costume Designer), MAGIE DOMINIC (Writer), Kit Goldstein Grant (Composer/Lyricist), Eva Kaminsky (Actress), Dorothy Lyman (Actress/Director/Producer), Charles Morey (Playwright), John Arthur Pinckard (Producer), Josh Prince (Choreographer), Everett Quinton (Actor/Director/Playwright), Charles Rice-Gonzalez (Writer), Bill Solly (Composer/Lyricist), G. Benjamin Swope (Lighting Designer), and Charles Turner (Actor).

The 2018 recipients were awarded from a pool of nominees that include 157 individual artists, 53 different productions, and 52 different theatre companies. Nominated productions were seen on stages in Queens, Brooklyn, and Manhattan. To date, the IT Awards have honored over 2,500 artists, over 700 productions and over 650 companies.

"We have studied the birth of Off-Off-Broadway for many years and this is a great opportunity to bring together two of our favorite Indie Theatre institutions, the Caffe Cino and the NY It Awards. We could not be more humbled to be receiving an award in honor of Joe and the Caffe Cino." ~ Ralph Lewis, Co-Artistic Director of Peculiar Works Project

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE

Denali Bennett, Victoria Bundonis, LaDonna Burns, Denise DeMars, Tia DeShazor, Susan Cohen DeStefano, Christine Donnelly, Andrea Dotto, Dan Entriken, Jonathan Fluck, Spencer Hansen, James Harter, Marcie Henderson, Greg Horton, Kathleen LaMagna, Andrea McCullough, Sharae Moultrie, Ben Northrup, Rusty Riegelman, Bruce Sabath, Carolyn Seiff, Cliff Sellers, Lauren Alice Smith, Lucy Sorlucco, Tina Stafford, Noah Virgile, Mandarin Wu Follies, Astoria Performing Arts Center

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE
Valerie Redd
You / Emma, Wandering Bark Theatre Company in association with IRT Theater

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE
Todd Ritch
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, 5th Floor Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE
LaDonna Burns
Follies,Astoria Performing Arts Center

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE
Ryan McCurdy
Greencard Wedding, Goode Productions

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
Maggie Low
Chickens in the Yard, Adjusted Realists

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT
Sara Brians
Follies, Astoria Performing Arts Center

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR
Mark Lewis
Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, Sea Dog Theater