Winners Announced for The Annual Fresh Fruit Festival Awards: The FRUITIES

All-Out Arts and the acclaimed Fresh Fruit Festival will celebrate notable selections from last year's Fresh Fruit Festival. "It was a very powerful season," said Louis Lopardi, the executive producer of the festival. "It's fitting for our 15th year. So many amazing works," he continued. "And looking forward to one of most exiting seasons to come!" he concluded.

On May 14, the FRUITIE AWARDS honoring the best of the 2017 Fresh Fruit Festival plus leading community leaders at a gala celebration at Bowery Arts & Science, 310 Bowery (at First Street), in NYC.

And the winners are...

• Outstanding Play: Nelson Diaz-Marcano (The Diplomats)
• Outstanding Production: Doug DeVita & Dennis Corsi (The Phillie Trilogy)
• Outstanding Musical: Rachel Felstein & Pandora Scooter (wRETCH)
• Outstanding Short Play: W. Tre Davis (Damn Fool)
• Outstanding Solo Show: Adin Lenahan (Asher Rhys...)
• Outstanding Director of a Full Length: Blayze Teicher (The Diplomats)
• Outstanding Director of a Solo or Short Play: Caroline Kittredge Faustine (Asher Rhys...)
• Outstanding Musical Direction: Mark Oleszko (La Maupin)
• Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role: Ricki Lynee (The Diplomats)
• Outstanding Performance in a Lead Role: David Sabella (The Phillie Trilogy)
• Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role: Chris Callahan (The Diplomats)
• Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role: Teresa Kelsey (The Phillie Trilogy)
• Outstanding Debut Performance: Charvez Grant (Strings)
• Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical: Ariel de Ment (La Maupin)
• Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical: Cassidy Layton (La Maupin)
• Outstanding Solo Performance in a Musical or Cabaret: Tova Katz (See You at the Funeral!)
• Outstanding Featured Musician: Steph Barker (wRETCH)
• Outstanding Lead Performance in a Short Play: Renika Williams (Damn Fool)
• Outstanding Ensemble Performance: The Ensemble of Village Orpheus
• Outstanding Scenic Design: Alex Petersen (The Phillie Trilogy)
• Outstanding Fight Choreography: Jared Kirby (La Maupin)
• Outstanding Fight Choreography: Tony Mita (La Maupin)
• Outstanding Video and Projection Design: Lisa Renkel (Village Orpheus)
• Audience Favorite Award: Jessie Field & Jared Field (La Maupin)
• Fresh Fruit Spirit Award: Maybe Burke (Love Letters to Nobody)
• COMMUNITY AWARD: Allen Roskoff will receive the Harry Wieder Award for Community Service

President, the Jim Owles Liberal Democratic Club, Allen Roskoff is a legendary gay rights activist who has been a leader in the LGBT and social justice movements for over four decades. Roskoff achieved many early victories for the LGBT movement, including co-authoring the nation's first gay rights bill. The first openly gay person appointed to a community board and the first to serve in the offices of an elected official, Roskoff would serve in the administrations of Comptroller Harrison J. Goldin, Governor Mario Cuomo, Mayor David Dinkins, New York City Public Advocate Mark Green, and New York State Senators Martin Connor, David Paterson and Tom Duane.

This premier LGBTQ Festival of the Arts in NYC sponsors numerous events throughout the year. Their "Out-Wright" Developmental Reading Series featuring new LGBT works in readings with audience feedback sessions. This season, Virgo by Éamon Boylan, The Cantor's Tale by Fengar Gael, and Who's There? by Owen Panettieri were presented. The OUTWORDS, third Poetry Invitational of local LGBT published poets and the SHORT PLAY CONTEST will occur before the opening of the 16th Annual Fresh Fruit festival, July 9-22.