San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Announces 2018 Special Award Recipients

The San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle has announced the recipients of its four Special Awards for 2018. The Special Awards will be presented as part of its 42nd Annual Excellence in Theatre Awards Gala to be held on Monday, March 26, 2018 at San Francisco's historic Victoria Theatre. The event will be hosted by Walter M. Mayes with musical entertainment provided by The Lost Trio.

The SFBATCC 2018 Paine Knickerbocker Award for a continuing contribution to Bay Area theatre will be presented to the San Jose Stage Company. Founded 35 years ago, "The Stage" has dedicated itself to its mission of illuminating the human condition through imaginative and edgy theatrical experiences that spark ideas and dialogue with the audience. This decades-long tradition of serving the South Bay artistic community through the creation of quality theatre led to its selection for this year's award.

The recipient of the SFBATCC 2018 Annette Lust Award - given to a promising new theatrical talent or an organization that has demonstrated early in its existence the potential to have a significant impact on Bay Area theatre - is San Francisco's FaultLine Theater. FaultLine, founded in 2012, has displayed a commitment to local artists and original works that appeal to an underserved demographic and has successfully produced 22 full-length plays.

The 2018 SFBATCC Gene Price Award honors a person who embodies superlative professionalism and passion for Bay Area theatre. This year's recipient is photographer Eric Chazankin. Eric is one of the most respected members of the North Bay theatre community. He expresses his passion for theatre through his photographic skills which are called upon regularly by theatre companies, large and small, who wish to bring the most professional look in advertising and publicity to their shows. Eric devotes and donates countless hours in the service of the theatre community and brings the same skill set to each production, whether it be on a forty-foot stage in a 500-seat house or the small space of a storefront theatre.

The 2018 Jerry Friedman Award, given to an individual who has furthered the creativity and growth of theater in the Bay Area throughout his or her career, will be awarded to Margo Hall. Ms. Hall is an actor, singer, director, playwright, and educator who has done it all and done it well. With acting credits from A Raisin in the Sun to Be Bop Baby and directing credits from Simpatico to Barbecue, Ms. Hall has long been a major contributor to the Bay area theatre scene and a main reason that it enjoys its excellent reputation.

Along with the four special awards, over 60 awards in performance, direction, design and production categories will also be presented at the Gala. Those nominations will be announced on Thursday, February 1, 2018.

The SFBATCC is a private 501(c)(6) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and serving theatres of all types and sizes in the greater region by recognizing excellence and outstanding achievement in the field. Active since 1976, the Circle consists of reviewers covering theatre in all nine Bay Area counties across various media.

For the latest information on the Awards, the Gala, and the Critics Circle, please go to www.sfbatcc.org

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