OCTG Theatre Awards Announces 2022 Nominees

Nominees for the inaugural OC Theatre Awards were announced on Saturday, January 22, 2022 during OC Theatre Guild's annual membership meeting. The awards ceremony has been scheduled for the evening of Tuesday, April 26, 2022 at the outdoor amphitheater of the Muckenthaler Cultural Center in Fullerton.

Awards Coordinator and Guild vice-president Kristin Campbell said, "Considering what we've all been through, we're thrilled that our first ever awards program will contain a total of 86 nominations comprising 20 awards spread out over 16 categories. A number of these categories will be split up between plays and musicals and the gender-neutral performance categories will have double the number of nominees and ultimately two recipients each." Sixteen productions with a total of 179 artists were submitted for adjudication. Nine organizations in all participated, and the results were decided by a total of 44 voters made up of OC theatre artists who were chosen through a vigorous application process.

Leading the pack, with a total of 34 nominations, is Chance Theater for its productions of Fun Home (11), Striking 12 (10), Yellowman (7), and Edges (6). Maverick Theater follows with 18 nominations for its productions of The Crucible (12) and The Great Gatsby (6). Costa Mesa Playhouse garnered 15 nominations for its productions of Silent Sky (11) and Lost in Yonkers (4). The Wayward Artist snagged nine nominations, all for its production of The Nether. STAGEStheatre has four nominations for its production of It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play (3) and She Kills Monsters (1). The Curtis Theatre ties with nominations for All Shook Up (4), while P3 Theatre Company receives multiple nominations for Day After Day (2).

A complete list of nominees can be found at the end of this release. It's also posted on the Guild's official website at octheatreguild.org

The Guild launched its awards program with the intention of celebrating excellence in Orange County theatre for productions mounted in 2020, but the awards committee extended the scope to include productions in 2021 due to the pandemic. Fellow Awards Coordinator and Guild Board Member Katie Chidester said, "It's been a tough couple of years for OC theatres and artists, so in many ways we need this opportunity to celebrate our community and each other's work more now than when we launched it back in 2019. And we're super grateful to the Muckenthaler Cultural Center for donating their outdoor venue so we all can come together and cheer each other on in a safe environment."

LIST OF THIS YEAR'S NOMINEES

Outstanding Production of a Play

The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Lost in Yonkers, Costa Mesa Playhouse

The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Yellowman, Chance Theater

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Edges, Chance Theater

Fun Home, Chance Theater

Striking 12, Chance Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Brian Newell, The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Brian Newell, The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Craig Tyrl, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Kathy Paladino, Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Khanisha Foster, Yellowman, Chance Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

James Michael McHale, Edges, Chance Theater

Kari Hayter, Striking 12, Chance Theater

Marya Mazor, Fun Home, Chance Theater

Outstanding Leading Performance in Play

Dante Alexander (Eugene), Yellowman, Chance Theater

Hailey Tweter (Daisy), The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Jacqueline Jade (Iris), The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Jaycob Hunter (Nick), The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Julanne Chidi Hill (Alma), Yellowman, Chance Theater

Kalinda Gray (Elizabeth Proctor), The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Kendall Sinclair (Henrietta Leavitt), Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Nathan Baesel (Proctor), The Crucible, Maverick Theatre

Samantha Green (Abigail), The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Spencer Douglas (Danforth), The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

Allen Everman (The Man Who's Had Enough), Striking 12, Chance Theater

Anna Miles (Natalie), All Shook Up, Curtis Theatre

Ashlee Espinosa (Alison Bechdel), Fun Home, Chance Theater

Deborah Robin (Doris Day), Day After Day, P3 Theatre Company

Jacklyn Uweh (S.A.D. Light Seller/Little Match Girl), Striking 12, Chance Theater

Ron Hastings (Bruce Bechdel), Fun Home, Chance Theater

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

Chau Long (Chuck), She Kills Monsters, STAGEStheatre

David Rodriguez (Peter Shaw), Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Jami Bartlett (Bella), Lost in Yonkers, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Jennifer Walquist (Williamina Flemming), Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Margaret Dean (Mary), The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Mark Coyan (Rev. Hale), The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Marlene Galan Woods (Annie Jump Cannon), Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Patrick Vest (Mr. Doyle), The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Sarah McGuire (Margaret Leavitt), Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Steven Biggs (Joseph/Mr. Potter & Others), It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play, STAGEStheatre

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

Elizabeth Curtin (Woman #2), Edges, Chance Theater

Holly Reichert (Small Alison), Fun Home, Chance Theater

Ivy-Marie Simpson (Sylvia), All Shook Up, Curtis Theatre

Jennifer Richardson (Jack/Diane/NYE Host/Narrator/Lydia/Cello), Striking 12, Chance Theater

Kumari Small (Lorraine), All Shook Up, Curtis Theatre

Laura Leo Kelly (Craig/Space Invader Girl/Lydia/Grandma/Erica/Happy Foley/Drums), Striking 12, Chance Theater

Lex Leigh (Post-Nasal Drip Guy/Keys/Violin), Striking 12, Chance Theater

Madelyn Velazquez-Heywood (Medium Alison), Fun Home, Chance Theater

Sarah Pierce (Woman #1), Edges, Chance Theater

Tyler Marshall (Man #2), Edges, Chance Theater

Outstanding Set Design

Bradley Kaye, Lost in Yonkers, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Joe Hufferd, The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Kristin Campbell, Yellowman, Chance Theater

Mauri Anne Smith, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Steve Endicott, Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design

Beatrice Gray, Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Celestina Hudson, The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Celestina Hudson, The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Hannah Andersen, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Jojo Siu, Striking 12, Chance Theater

Outstanding Lighting Design

Andrea Heilman, Fun Home, Chance Theater

Andrea Heilman, Yellowman, Chance Theater

Camille Roberts, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Masako Tobaru, Striking 12, Chance Theater

Ryan Linhardt, Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design

Brian Newell, The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Brian Newell, The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Darryl B. Hovis, Yellowman, Chance Theater

Maddi Deckard, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Ryan Brodkin, Fun Home, Chance Theater

Outstanding Choreography

Kelsie Blackwell, All Shook Up, Curtis Theatre

Hazel Clarke, Fun Home, Chance Theater

Tony Santamauro, Day after Day, P3 Theatre Company

Outstanding Music Direction

Lex Leigh, Fun Home, Chance Theater

Lex Leigh, Striking 12, Chance Theater

Robyn Manion, Edges, Chance Theater

Outstanding Ensemble

The Crucible, Maverick Theater

Lost in Yonkers, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Fun Home, Chance Theater

It's a Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play, STAGEStheatre

The Great Gatsby, Maverick Theater

Notable Outstanding Achievement

Jon Gaw, Special Effects/Live Foley, It's A Wonderful Life: a Live Radio Play, STAGEStheatre

Maddi Deckard, Video Designer, The Nether, The Wayward Artist

Victoria Serra, Projections/Video Designer, Silent Sky, Costa Mesa Playhouse

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