BroadwayWorld Celveland's Roy Berko Shares His 2023 Critic's Picks

Broadwayworld Cleveland's Roy Berko recognizes each year local theaters, performances, writers, performers and technicians of plays staged by area professional theaters during the January 1-December 31 year. 

Only plays that this reviewer saw, and were locally produced, are included in the citations. 

Shows and individuals are listed in alphabetical order, with no intention of ranking.

Best Musical Productions  

BLACK NATIVITY, KARMAU HOUSE THEATRE/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY 

FUN HOME, CAIN PARK

GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER  

 RENT, CAIN PARK

Best Non-Musical Productions

DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATRE

LUNGS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER

STEW, DOBAMA THEATER    

THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

THE LIGHT, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATER

TROUBLE IN MIND, SEAT OF PANTS ENSEMBLE

Best Actors – Musical

Alex Syiek, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

Mark Doyle, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

Scott Esposito, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK THEATER

TIM CULVER, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM, PORTHOUSE

Best Actors – Non-Musical

Ananias Dixon, THE LIGHT, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Chris Richards, CAT’S PAWS, BECK CENTER

CHRISTOPHER BOHAN, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

DOUG SUTHERLAND, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATRE

KOYDÉ SOYEMI, Mary Shelley’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

NICHOLAS BRADLEY, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

NNAMDI OKPALA, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Robert Williams, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Tom Woodward, TROUBLE IN MIND, SEAT OF PANTS ENSEMBLE

Best Actresses – Musical 

Colleen Longshaw, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER           

ISRAELJAH REIGN, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

LANE LA VONNE, THE PROM, PORTHOUSE

JESSIE KIRTLEY, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

MADISON SHANNON, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Julia Martin, PIPPIN, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY

Best Actresses – Non-Musical

Christina Johnson, STEW, DOBAMA THEATRE

Derdriu Ring, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

GABRIELLLOA O’FALLON, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

KATIE SIMÓN, LUNGS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

MARGIE KETTERING, SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER        

Natalie Green, LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATRE

Nicole Sumlin, THE LIGHT, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Nicole Sumlin, TROUBLE IN MIND, SEAT OF PANTS ENSEMBLE

Tracee Patterson, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATRE

Best Directors – Musical

Christopher Chase Carter, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

JOANNA MAY CULLINAN, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK

 NATHAN HENRY, RENT, CAIN PARK

 TERRI KENT, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

  Victoria Bussert, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

  Victoria Bussert, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

Best Directors – Non-Musical

BECKY MOSLEY, LUNGS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

Donald Carrier, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

JEANNINE GASKIN, THE LIGHT, ENSEMBLE THEATRE

JEANNINE GASKIN, TROUBLE IN MIND, SEAT OF PANTS ENSEMBLE

MELISSA CRUM, LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATER

NATHAN MOTTA, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATRE

Sara Bruner & JACKLYN MILLER, SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER

SARAH MAY, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE     

Best Choreographers

Christopher Chase Carter, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

ERRIN WEAVER, BLACK NAIVITY, KARAMU/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

GREG DANIELS, PIPPIN, BALDWIN WALLACE

Jaclyn Miller, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

 KENYA WOODS, RENT, CAIN PARK

 LAUREN TIDMORE, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

MARTIN CÉSPEDES, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM,  PORTHOUSE

MARTIN CÉSPEDES, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Best Musical Directors

BRADLEY WYNER, RENT, CAIN PARK

DAVID M. THOMAS, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

 EDWARD RIDLEY, JR., BUBBLY BROWN GIRL, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE

Rachel Woods, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK

 JENNIFER KORECKI, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

 Larry Goodpaster, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

Matthew Webb, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

 Matthew Webb, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

Best Scenic Designers

CHERI PROUGH-DEVOL, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

COURTNEY O’NEILL, SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER         

GENNIE NEUMAN-LAMBERT, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

JEFF HERMANN, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

JILL DAVIS, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER       

JORDAN JANOTA, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

LAURA CARLSON TARANTOWSKI, STEW, DOBAMA THEATER

TRAD A BURNS/SARA MAY, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK

Best Lighting Designers

Russ Borski, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

ADAM DITZEL, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

COLLEEN ALBRECHT, RENT, CAIN PARK

EMMA HANSEN, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

TRAD A BURNS, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

JALYUNG C. SEO, Mary Shelley’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE 

DAVID BRUNS, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

Best Projection Designers

KASUMO, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER

Jeremy Paul, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATER

Joe Burke, BUBBLY BROWN GIRL, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE

T. Paul Lowry, BLACK NAIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

Best Costume Designers

ABBIE HAGEN, THE MARVELOUS WONDERETTES, PORTHOUS

INDA BLATCH GEIB, BLACK NAIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE

INDA BLATCH-GEIB, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER

Lex Liang, Mary Shelley’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE 

MEIKA VAN PLOEG, SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER

MICHELLE HUNT SOUZA, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY

TESIA DUGAN BENSON, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER

Best Sound Designers

ANGIE HAYES, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER

Carlton Guc, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER        

MEGAN CULLEY, STEW, DOBAMA THEATER

Paul James PRENDERBAST, SENSE AND SENSILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER

Sharath Patel, Mary Shelley’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE   

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