Feature: 2020 ARTS-LOUISVILLE/BROADWAY WORLD THEATRE AWARDS at Arts-Louisville.com

Shelby Lynn Steege accepting the Theatre Educator of the Year Award.

Images courtesy Zachary Burrell Photography.

Entire contents copyright © 2020 by Arts-Louisville.com. All rights reserved.

For the 6th consecutive year, Arts-Louisville.com, hosted an awards ceremony honoring excellence in local theatre. The event was held at Art Sanctuary on February 24 and was attended by about 200 people. Arts-Louisville Managing Editor Keith Waits was the MC.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was this year christened The Kathi E.B. Ellis Award for Lifetime Achievement, honoring a woman who was a theatrical director and educator for over 30 years, most notably with Looking for Lilith Theatre Company. Colleagues of Ellis' from that company, Shannon Woolley Allison and Jennifer Thalman Kepler, made the presentation to this year's recipient Juergen Tossman, Producing Artistic Director Bunbury Theatre, who has enjoyed an equally lengthy career in Louisville theatre.

Juergen Tossmann, recipient of the Kathi E.B. Ellis Lifetime Achievement Award

The Theatre Educator's Award was presented to Shelby Lynn Steege by one of her former students, Zoe Brooks-Jeffers. Steeg is currently head of the theatre program at Atherton High School but previously taught theatre for 17 years in Spencer County and was the Artistic Director at Anchorage Children's Theatre. A select committee of individuals from the Louisville theatrical community chose these honorees.

Recognition for local playwrights in two categories was chosen by a jury. Best Full-length Play was David Clark's god's play, which was produced as a part of the 2nd Derby City Playwrights New Play Festival, while the Best Short Play was Jacob Cooper's Big Gay Bear Board Game Night, which was included in the 2019 Ten-Tucky Festival of Short Plays.

Live performances representing the four Best Musical winners included Scout Grass, Jess Harris Stiller, Eryck Knear, and Myranda Thomas.

Awards that resulted from the voting through Broadway World:

Best Music Director/Student Production
Angela Hampton - LEGALLY BLONDE - Floyd Central High School

Best Costume Design/Student Production
Karen Merrill - WIZARD OF OZ - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Director of a Student Musical
Amy Miller - MAMA MIA - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Director of a Student Play
Amy Miller - RUMORS - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Lighting Design/Student Production
Crit Fisher - ONCE ON THIS ISLAND - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Scenic Design/Student Production
Crit Fisher - ONCE ON THIS ISLAND - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Sound Design/Student Production
Crit Fisher - WIZARD OF OZ - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Student Actor in A Musical
Matt Landon - MAMMA MIA - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Student Actor in A Play
Troy Jones - RUMORS - New Albany Theatre Arts

Best Choreographer/Student Production
Lexie Stites - SEUSSICAL - Scribner Middle School

Best Student Actress in A Musical
Lexie Stites - LEGALLY BLONDE - Floyd Central High School

Best Student Actress in A Play
Bailey Pierce - PETER AND THE STARCATCHER - Youth Performing Arts School

Best Student Play
RUMORS - New Albany Theatre Arts

Faculty and students from Youth Performing Art School, winner of Best Student Musical for their production of Legally Blonde.

Best Student Musical
LEGALLY BLONDE -Youth Performing Arts School

Best Director/Play (professional/national/touring)
Matt Wallace - KING LEAR - Kentucky Shakespeare

Best Director/Musical (professional/national/touring)
Lee Buckholz - SHREK - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Actress in a Play (professional/national/touring)
Jennifer Pennington - KING LEAR - Kentucky Shakespeare

Best Actor in a Play (professional/national/touring)
Cary Wiger - LOVE SEX AND THE IRS - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Actress in a Musical (professional/national/touring)
Cami Glauser - SHREK, THE MUSICAL - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Actor in a Musical (professional/national/touring)
Bobby Conte - SHREK, THE MUSICAL - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Play (professional/national/touring)
DRACULA - Actors Theatre of Louisville

Best Musical (professional/national/touring)
DEAR EVAN HANSEN - PNC Broadway in Louisville

Best Play by a Regional Company (outside 15-mile radius)
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM - Shelby County Community Theatre

Best Musical by A Regional Company (outside 15-mile radius)
SWEENEY TODD - Hayswood Theatre

Best Choreographer
Heather Paige Folsom - NEWSIES - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Costume Design
Sharon Murray Harrah - HOLIDAY INN - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Lighting Design
Kota Earnhardt - THE SECRET GARDEN - Theatreworks of Southern Indiana

Best Music Director
Scott Bradley - SHREK, THE MUSICAL - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Scenic Design
Chris Bundy - THE SECRET GARDEN - Theatreworks of Southern Indiana

Best Sound Design
Laura Ellis - KING LEAR - Kentucky Shakespeare

Best Actor in a Musical (local)
Greg Collier - THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - Theatreworks of Southern Indiana

Best Actress in a Musical (local)
Myranda Thomas - PIPPIN - Acting Against Cancer

Best Director/Musical (local)
Georgette Kleier - THE DROWSY CHAPERONE - Theatreworks of Southern Indiana

Best Musical (local)
PIPPIN - Acting Against Cancer

Best Actor in a Play (local)
Zachary Hebert - PETER AND THE STARCATCHER - Theatre Works of Southern Indiana

Best Actress in a Play (local)
Heidi Caroline Keck - PETER AND THE STARCATCHER - Theatre Works of Southern Indiana

Best Director/Play (local)
Jason Roseberry - PETER AND THE STARCATCHER - Theatreworks of Southern Indiana

Best Ensemble Cast (Local)
SHREK, THE MUSICAL - Derby Dinner Playhouse

Best Play (local)
PETER AND THE STARCATCHER - Theatre Works of Southern Indiana

To post a comment, you must register and login.