Representing the print and electronic media, 23 members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announce the winners of 37 Drama awards and 37 Musical awards from 257 nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2008. Over 400 productions were seen in 2008 by Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.
This year, Actors' Equity Association (AEA), representing over 900 actors and stage managers in the Bay Area, is proud to sponsor this year's Critics Circle Awards. "We both share a common goal to support professional Equity theatres in the Bay Area," announced David Lotz, AEA's National Communications Director, "in order to improve the livelihood of the artists who work in those theatres. We are pleased to join the SFBATCC in honoring the achievements of our members and all artists in this incredibly talented community." The 2008 Final Nominees who are AEA members, theatres, and candidates are herein designated.
Also this year, the SFBATCC inaugurated the three-part separation of award categories between Theatres with (1) Over 300 Seats; (2) Between 100-300 Seats; and (3) 99 Seats or Less. As such, theatre companies of similar sizes will compete and receive recognition for their outstanding work.
Over 300 Seats -- In Drama, California Shakespeare Theater's production of Uncle Vanya led with 5 awards, including top honors for Entire Production. And American Conservatory Theater's Curse of the Starving Class received 3 awards. In the Musicals category, TheatreWorks led with 8 awards for Caroline, or Change including Entire Production, as well as 4 more awards for their production of Grey Gardens.
Between 100-300 Seats -- In Drama, the Entire Production goes to the Aurora Theatre Company for The Best Man. SF Playhouse takes 3 awards for Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party and 3 more awards for Bug. And Marin Theatre Company's The Seafarer receives 3 awards. In the Musicals category, 7 awards go to Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek for The Musical of Musicals, including the Entire Production award. Also, SF Playhouse's Cabaret wins 3 awards, and New Conservatory Theatre Center's Zanna Don't receives 2 awards.
99 Seats or Less -- In Drama, Cutting Ball Theatre's Victims of Duty takes top honors for Entire Production. The Off Broadway West Theatre Company takes 2 awards for Ladies of the Camellias and 1 more award for The Taming of the Shrew. In the Musicals category, Playhouse West receives 4 awards, including the Entire Production award. Also receiving 4 awards is Shotgun Players' Vera Wilde.
Touring Productions -- The Drowsy Chaperone, produced by Best of Broadway, wins the critics' nod among 5 nominations.
Following is the complete list of Critics Circle award winners.
San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle
2008 AWARD WINNERS
TOURING PRODUCTIONS
Drowsy Chaperone, The---Best of Broadway
THEATRES OVER 300
DRAMA
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Pamela Reed---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Dan Hiatt---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Phoebe Moyer---The Foreigner---San Jose Repertory Theatre
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Andy Murray---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater
DIRECTOR:
Timothy Near---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater
SET DESIGN:
Loy Arcenas---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater
SOUND DESIGN:
Jeff Mockus---Uncle Vanya---California Shakespeare Theater
LIGHTING DESIGN:
Japhy Weideman---Curse of the Starving Class---American Conservatory Theater
COSTUME DESIGN:
Anna Oliver---Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde---San Jose Repertory Theatre
Beaver Bauer---The Government Inspector---American Conservatory Theater
SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Marcus Shelby (musical director, original score)---Sonny's Blues---Word for Word in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre
ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Itamar Moses---Yellowjackets---Berkeley Repertory Theatre
SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Nilaja Sun---No Child---Berkeley Repertory Theatre
ENSEMBLE:
Sonny's Blues---Word for Word Performing Arts Company in association with Lorraine Hansberry Theatre
MUSICALS
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Beth Glover---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Shane Partlow---The Will Rogers Follies---Diablo Light Opera
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Allison Blackwell---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Julian Hornik---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
Paul Myrvold---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks
DIRECTOR:
Robert Kelley---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
William Liberatore---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
SET DESIGN:
J.B. Wilson---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
J.B. Wilson---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks
SOUND DESIGN:
[no nominees]
LIGHTING DESIGN:
Pamela Grey---Grey Gardens---TheatreWorks
COSTUME DESIGN:
Fumiko Bielefeldt---Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Sheri Stockdale (choreographer)---The Will Rogers Follies---Diablo Light Opera
ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
[no nominees]
SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]
ENSEMBLE:
Caroline, or Change---TheatreWorks
THEATRES 100 - 300 SEATS
DRAMA
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Best Man, The---Aurora Theatre Company
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Susi Damilano---Bug---SF Playhouse
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Andy Murray---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE FEMALE:
Christine Macomber---The Cocktail Hour---Ross Valley Players
Velina Brown---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---SF Playhouse
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE MALE:
Julian Lopez-Morillas---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company
Warren David Keith---The Devil's Disciple---Aurora Theatre Company
DIRECTOR:
Mary Ann Rodgers---The Cocktail Hour---Ross Valley Players
SET DESIGN:
J.B. Wilson---The Seafarer---Marin Theatre Company
SOUND DESIGN:
Cliff Caruthers---Bug---SF Playhouse
LIGHTING DESIGN:
Jon Tracy---Bug---SF Playhouse
COSTUME DESIGN:
Anna R. Oliver---The Devil's Disciple---Aurora Theatre Company
SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Chris Houston (music composer)---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---
SF Playhouse
ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Aaron Loeb---Abraham Lincoln's Big Gay Dance Party---SF Playhouse
SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]
ENSEMBLE:
Best Man, The---Aurora Theatre Company
MUSICALS
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Musical of Musicals, The---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Lauren English---Cabaret---SF Playhouse
PRINCIPAL PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Mark Farrell---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Karen Grassle---Cabaret---SF Playhouse
SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Louis Parnell---Cabaret---SF Playhouse
DIRECTOR:
Mindy Cooper---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
BranDon Adams---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
SET DESIGN:
Robert Broadfoot---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
SOUND DESIGN:
Will McCandless---Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris---Marin Theatre Company
LIGHTING DESIGN:
Kurt Landisman---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
COSTUME DESIGN:
Cassandra Carpenter---The Musical of Musicals---Center Repertory Company of Walnut Creek
SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Stephanie Temple (choreography)---Zanna, Don't!---New Conservatory Theatre Center
ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
[no nominees]
SOLO PERFORMANCE:
[no nominees]
ENSEMBLE:
Zanna Don't---New Conservatory Theatre Center
THEATRES UNDER 99 SEATS
DRAMA
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Victims of Duty---Cutting Ball Theater
PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Joyce Henderson---Ladies of the Camellias---Off Broadway West Theatre Company
PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Liam Vincent---Dead Mother or Shirley Not All in Vain---Thick Description
DIRECTOR:
Joyce Henderson---The Taming of the Shrew---Off Broadway West Theatre Company
ORIGINAL SCRIPT:
Susan Jackson---Blessing Her Heart as part of Marin Fringe Fall 2008 (Program One) Dominican University
SOLO PERFORMANCE:
Andrew Nance---I Am My Own Wife---New Conservatory Theatre Center
ENSEMBLE:
Ladies of the Camellias---Off Broadway West Theatre Company
MUSICALS
ENTIRE PRODUCTION:
Into This House---Playhouse West
PERFORMANCE, FEMALE:
Lynda DiVito---Into This House---Playhouse West
PERFORMANCE, MALE:
Sean Owens---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players
DIRECTOR:
Lois Grandi---Into This House---Playhouse West
MUSICAL DIRECTOR:
Dave Dobrusky---Into This House---Playhouse West
Tim Hanson---Thrill Me---New Conservatory Theatre Center
SPECIALTIES: (Fight choreographer, video, musical directors, original score)
Chris Jeffries (original score)---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players
Lisa Clark (set designer)---Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players
ENSEMBLE:
Vera Wilde---Shotgun Players
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