Photo Flash: Abingdon Theatre Company Celebrates 6th Annual AB*IE Awards

Nancy Opel (currently portraying Mama in MEMPHIS on Broadway) brought her own energetic zeal to the presentation ceremony as MC. Her comic tale of going on for Patti LuPone during the original Broadway production of EVITA was a classic story of an understudy surmounting unanticipated adversity with as much grace as her Julliard training and an unflinching spotlight operator would allow.

The Ab*ies celebrate all of the artists who create on Abingdon's stages. Abingdon's season subscribers vote for outstanding play, performance, director, scenic, costume, lighting and sound design. The company's 19th season, which began last October, included three world premieres: BLAME IT ON BECKETT by John Morogiello, directed by Jackob G. Hofmann; LOST ON THE Natchez Trace by Jan Buttram, directed by Kate Bushmann; and LIFELINE by Frank Tangredi, directed by Jules Ochoa.

Abingdon Theatre Company is entering its 20th season of developing and producing new plays by American Playwrights, under the guidance of Artistic Director Jan Buttram and Managing Director Samuel J. Bellinger. Since 1993, their actors, directors, designers, producers and dramaturgs have collaborated with more than 200 playwrights to develop original plays. The company provides a safe home in which playwrights collaborate with other theatre artists and receive audience feedback through readings and workout labs, culminating in full productions.

For more information, call 212-868-2055, or visit www.abingdontheatre.org.

Photo credit: Kim T. Sharp