Nominees Announced for 9th Annual Planet Connections Awards at Theatre Row

After a banner year for their summer festivity and Playwrights for a Cause, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity will be hosting its annual awards ceremony honoring the finest of an outstanding season.

The Ninth Annual Planet Connections Theatre Festivity Awards will be presented on Monday, September 18 at 7:00 p.m. at The Acorn Theater, Theatre Row (410 W 42nd St, New York City). Tickets $25 on sale HERE.

Receiving special honors at this event will be:

· Erik Ehn, for a life devoted to activism.

· Michael Puzzo, for raising a significant amount of funds for Women In Need.

· Planet Connections gives honorable mention to the writers, cast, director and designers of Quiet House by Erik Ehn and Without by Michael Puzzo

The Following Artists will be presented with the Planet Activist Award:

· Peggy Chane, Writer, Trust Your Local Squirrel

· Ralph Columbino, Writer/Director, of Lost Angels

· Padraic Lillis, Producer, The Floor Is Lava

· Akia Squitari, Producer/Director, The Glory of Living

The Greener Planet Award will be presented to:

· Lynda Crawford, Writer, Rojo Verde

· Lori Kee, Director, The Conservation Theater: Fresh From Africa

· Lenny Schwartz, Writer/Producer, Ben Minus Zoe Minus Ben

· Bricken Sparacino, Writer/Performer, The Conservation Theater: Fresh From Africa

The Following Artists will be presented with the Congeniality Award:

· Sally Burgos, Stage Manager, Occasion of Sin

· Kristen Kelm, Director, Waiting

· Ben Leftkowitz, Stage Crew, The Glory of Living

· Michael Rehse, Actor, Michael Is Black

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AND THE NOMINEES ARE:

Outstanding Overall Production of a New Play (previously unpublished script; excludes adaptations/revivals)

· Horse produced by Roly Poly Productions

· The Floor is Lava produced by The Farm Theater

· They Say We'll Have Some Fun presented by Robert Gelberg

· Victory Girls presented by Kristina Poe

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical/Play With Music or Comedy

· Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip presented by Good Works Productions

· Last Chance For Mama presented by Larry Phillips

· Occasion For Sin presented by Katherine Bran Fredericks

· The Last Station presented by Necessary I.T.E.M.S Project 3

Outstanding Overall Production of a Revival/Adaptation/Sequel (previously published/or adapted script)

· Buffalo Heights presented by Tongue In Cheek Productions

· Occasionally Nothing presented by Natalie Menna

· The Glory of Living presented by Rising Sun

· The Woolgatherer presented by Gianna Palminteri / MGRP Productions

Outstanding Overall Production of a Short Play, One-Act, or Monologue

· A Family Affair from Gornisht

· Dead Wives Dance The Mambo from Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Emerson At Big Mart presented by Waving Cat Productions

· Proposal from Waiting

Outstanding Overall Production of an Entire Evening of One-Acts /Paired Productions

· Gornisht

· Philosophical Protest and Emerson At Big Mart

· Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Waiting

Outstanding Overall Production of a Solo Show

· Conservation Theater: Fresh from Africa

· HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr!

· Michael is Black

· Shirley and Me

Outstanding Overall Production of a Staged Reading

· Building A Real Boy

· CAIN Produced by Roi Escudero and ETdC Projects' Lab

· Doormen

· Pangaea

· Rojo Verde

Outstanding Playwriting for a New Script (readings and revivals/adaptations excluded)

· Janet Bentley, Horse

· Michael Hagins, Michael Is Black

· Kristina Poe, Victory Girls

· Alex Riad, The Floor Is Lava

· Robin Rice, Every Day Edna Mae

Outstanding Book of a New Musical and/or Script of a Comedy

· Monica Bauer, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Katherine Bran Fredericks, Occasion for Sin

· Larry Phillips, Last Chance For Mama

· Lenny Schwartz, Ben Minus Zoe Minus Ben

Outstanding Music & Lyrics

· Katherine Bran Fredericks & Oriente Lopez, Occasion For Sin

· Eugene Muzica, The (Last) Station

· Erkin Osmanli, David Tenney, Topu Iyo, Mike Thies, Michelle Tsai, Steven Mark Tenney, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

Outstanding Playwriting Short Form (One Act/Paired)

· Camilla Crawford, A Philosophical Protest

· Albi Gorn, Gornisht

· Mark Levy, Waiting

· Desi Moreno-Penson, Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Hope Wiener, Emerson at Big Mart

Outstanding Playwriting for A Staged Reading

· Frank Avella, Vatican Falls

· Erik Champney, Pangaea

· Lynn Crawford, Rojo Verde

· Mario Fratti, CAIN Produced by Roi Escudero and ETdC Projects' Lab

· Charles Gersham, Harbor On Six

· Penny Jackson, Doormen

Outstanding Direction of a Musical or Comedy

· Irina Abraham, The (Last) Station

· Chris Macdonald, Last Chance For Mama

· Shaun Peknic, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Susan Tenney & Steven Mark Tenney, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

Outstanding Direction of a Play

· Jessica O'Hara-Baker, The Floor Is Lava

· Janet Bentley, Horse

· Chazz Palminteri, The Woolgatherer

· Akia Squiteri, The Glory Of Living

Outstanding Direction of a Staged Reading

· Kate Cundari, Canaries

· Anna Hogan, Hold My Spot

· Ashley Marinaccio, Building A Real Boy

· Roi Escudero, CAIN Produced by Roi Escudero and ETdC Projects' Lab

· Francisco Solorzano, Doormen

Outstanding Direction of a Short Play/One-Act or Solo Production

· Adam Chisnall, Emerson At Big Mart

· Kristen Keim, Waiting

· Lori Kee, Conservation Theater: Fresh From Africa

· Janelle Zapata, Snipped/Cut/Tied

Outstanding Choreography (Fight or Dance)

· Georgina Bates, The (Last) Station

· Monica Blaze, Glory of Living

· Shelly Hutchinson, Occasion For Sin

· Gus Solomons, Jr., Horse

· Susan Tenney, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

Outstanding Scenic Design

· Tim Abraham, The (Last) Station

· Alaina Hernandez & Valerie Dursi, The Floor Is Lava

· Josh Iocavelli and Mike Keller Sr., The Woolgatherer

· Raye Levine, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Jak Prince, The Glory Of Living

Outstanding Lighting Design

· Ben Ehrenreich, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Alex Moore, HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr!

· Joe Novak, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Lucky Gilbert Pearto, Horse

· Christina Tang, The Glory Of Living

Outstanding Sound Design

· Morry Campbell, Listen! The River

· Andy Evan Cohen, Horse

· Ralph Columbino, Lost Angels

· Mathew Fisher, Anne Frank In the Gaza Strip

· Jacob Subotnick, HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr!

Outstanding Costume Design

· Heather McDevitt Barton, The Floor Is Lava

· Allison Crutchfield, The Glory Of Living

· Kellin Lopez, The Last Station

· Janet Mervin, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Emily White, Occasion For Sin

Outstanding Use Of Projections, Special Effects, AND/OR Multi-Media Event

· Lindsea Bevington, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Valentin Ewan, CAIN Produced by Roi Escudero and ETdC Projects' Lab

· Jim Marlowe & Charles Marlowe, HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr!

· Anna Hogan & Amir Muhammad, Hold My Spot

· Gil Sperling, Building A Real Boy

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

· John K. Hart, The Glory Of Living

· Mike Keller, The Woolgather

· Karl Knapp, Christ Detained by Homeland Security

· Vin Krindakorn, The Floor Is Lava

· Chaz McCormack, Fifteen Minutes With Ellen

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

· Valeria A. Avina, Victory Girls

· Molly Collier, The Floor Is Lava

· Sophie Gagnon, The Glory Of Living

· Rachel Schefrin, Horse

· Christina Toth, The Woolgatherer

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

· Peter Collier, Horse

· John Dimino, The Floor Is Lava

· Ian Poake, The Floor Is Lava

· William Sours, Fifteen Minutes with Ellen

· David Triacca, Occasionally Nothing

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

· Caitlin Ladda, They Say We'll Have Some Fun

· Maria Maloney, Buffalo Heights

· Annie McGovern, Everyday Edna Mae

· Maiken Wiese, Occasionally Nothing

· Nancy Wolfe, Horse

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical, Play with Music, or Comedy

· Konrad Custer, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Sean J. Moran, Listen! The River

· Pepe Nufrio, Occasion For Sin

· Larry Phillips, Last Chance For Mama

· Jason Pintar, Occasion For Sin

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical, Play with Music, or Comedy

· Crystal Edn, Listen! The River

· Danijela Popovich, The (Last) Station

· Lauren D. Salvo, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Sarah Grace Sanders, Last Chance For Mama

· Morissa Trunzo, Occasion For Sin

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical, Play with Music, or Comedy

· Seigei Burbank, Listen! The River

· Alan Hayhurst, Last Chance For Mama

· Bruce Jones, Anne Frank In The Gaza Strip

· Michael Thurber, Ben Minus Ben Minus Zero

· Patrick Truhler, Buffalo Heights

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical, Play with Music, or Comedy

· Ivette Dumeng, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Isra Elsalihie, Anne Frank In the Gaza Strip

· Ashley Grombol, Last Chance For Mama

· Alenka Kraigher, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Genia Starcev, The (Last) Station

Outstanding Actor in a Featured or Cameo Role of a Play or Musical

· Pedro Coppeti, Occasion For Sin

· John Fico, Anne Frank In the Gaza Strip

· Sven Haabeth, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· William Serri, The Glory Of Living

· Rich Wisneski, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

Outstanding Actress in A Featured or Cameo Role of A Play Or Musical

· Tatyana Kot, Horse

· Margaret Ladd, Victory Girls

· Brittany Anikka Liu, Buffalo Heights

· Jeanne lauren Smith, d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Jenny Vallancourt, Everyday Edna Mae

Outstanding Actor in a One-Act/Short Form Production

· Ramiro Batista, Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Michael Handleman, Emerson At Big Mart

· Mateo Moreno, Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Nam Pham, Emerson At Big Mart

· Phillip Pineno, Emerson At Big Mart

Outstanding Actress in a One-Act/Short Form Production

· Jazmyn Arroyo, Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Raiane Cantisano, Snipped/Cut/Tied

· Joyce Miller, Emerson At Big Mart

· Becca Quinn, Gornisht

· Gina Marie Russell, Emerson At Big Mart

Outstanding Actor in a Reading

· Jerry Chapa, Rojo Verde

· James Kennedy, Doormen

· Ryan Molloy, Pangaea

· Misha Oserovich, Pangaea

· MarRick Smith, Pangaea

· Perri Yaniv, Doormen

Outstanding Actress in a Reading

· Carlotta Brentan, Vatican Falls

· Elizabeth Inghram, Pangaea

· Sachi Parker, Trust Your Local Squirrel and Bloody Mary

· Susannah Perkins, Pangaea

· Rivka Rivera, Rojo Verde

· Jill Shackner, Doormen

Outstanding Performance in a Solo Show

· Heather Massie, HEDY! The Life and Inventions of Hedy Lamarr!

· Michael Rehse, Michael Is Black

· Bricken Sparacinn, Conservation Theater: Fresh From Africa

· Jan Wallace, Shirley and Me

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play, Musical or Evening of One-Acts (Cast of 3 or more)

· d4rkly your retrorockets fl4re

· Emerson At Big Mart

· Last Chance For Mama

· The Floor Is Lava

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Event directed by Shaun Pecnik, with David Stallings, emcee, Jenna Lazar, stage manager, lighting design by Ben Ehrenreich, and sound design by Jacob Subotnick.

The Planet Connections Festivity is New York's premiere socially-conscious arts festival. The Festivity is designed to invoke the power of art in motivating philanthropy, community outreach and social change. Planet Connections' artists use their work to shed light on the causes that matter, while inspiring audiences to get involved. Our artists raise awareness for an organization/topic of their own selection. We are also the country's first eco-friendly arts festivity as all our artists work to create eco-conscious art by revising their marketing, design and rehearsal techniques.

Since its inception, Planet Connections has presented 233 Full Theater Productions and 86 Staged Readings. 300 charities have benefitted from Planet Connections Artists.

Planet Connections has been featured on the Sundance Channel, NY1, and in The New York Times! Check out an interview on NBC with our Producing Artistic Director Glory Kadigan: The Planet Connections Gala-One-Acts for a Cause.

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