TheatreWorks Celebrates Recognition: BATCC Awards, Tony and Drama Desk Award Nominations

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed Theatre Of Silicon Valley, had great cause to celebrate this week, from eight 2010 Tony® Award nominations and seven 2010 Drama Desk Award nominations for the TheatreWorks-born Broadway hit MEMPHIS to capturing top honors in the Bay Area Theatre Critic's Circle Awards. The week began with TheatreWorks accepting seven Bay Area Theatre Critic's Circle Awards, putting them on top for the most awards garnered in the musicals category.

Representing print and electronic media, the 23 members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announced the winners from 261 nominated actors, directors, and designers from more than 107 productions seen in 2009. TheatreWorks' production of IT AIN'T NOTHIN' BUT THE BLUES, dubbed "an outstanding two hour survey of where the blues came from and where they can take us" by the San Jose Mercury News, received awards including Best Entire Production; Best Principal Female Performance for TheatreWorks favorite C. Kelly Wright; Best Director for Randal Myler; Best Sound Design for Cliff Caruthers; and Best Ensemble. Called "rousing...sharply comic" by the San Francisco Chronicle, the world premiere of TINYARD HILL captured awards for Supporting Female Performance for Allison Briner and Supporting Male Performance for James Moye.

Following on the heels of Monday's awards ceremony came Tuesday's announcement of eight 2010 Tony® Award nominations for the Broadway hit MEMPHIS. The show was developed at TheatreWorks' 2002 New Works Festival and received its world premiere in 2004 on TheatreWorks' Mainstage. Since then, MEMPHIS has been working its way to Broadway, where it made its debut last October. The rock ‘n' roll sensation is one of the most nominated shows of this Broadway season, including Best Musical; Best Book of a Musical; Best Original Score; Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Musical (for Chad Kimball in the role he played at TheatreWorks); Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical (for Montego Glover in the role she played at TheatreWorks); Best Direction of a Musical; Best Orchestrations; and Best Costume Design of a Musical. The show also received seven Drama Desk Award nominations in categories including Best Musical; Outstanding Actor in a Musical; Outstanding Actress in a Musical; Outstanding Choreography; Outstanding Music; Outstanding Book of a Musical; and Outstanding Orchestrations.

With over 8,000 subscribers and 100,000 patrons per year, TheatreWorks has captured a national reputation for artistic innovation and integrity, often presenting Bay Area theatre-goers with their first look at acclaimed musicals, comedies, and dramas, directed by award-winning local and guest directors, and performed by professional actors cast from across the country. TheatreWorks has just unveiled the line-up for its 41st season, which will begin in July 2010, and will include three more World Premieres, bringing the company's total to 56. The 2009-2010 season will wrap-up in June with OPUS, a comedic look a string quartet forced to find a new player just days before an appearance at the White House.

For more information, visit www.theatreworks.org.

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