Seattle Theater Writers Announce 2011 Winners of Gypsy Rose Lee Awards

Seattle Theater Writers, a group of 11 local theater writers and reviewers, has announced the 2011 winners of the first annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, a new set of theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the Equity and non-Equity spectrum. 2011 marks the 100th year of Ms. Lee's birth in Seattle.

"Determining winners for the Gypsys was a difficult process. We had over 460 nominees across 32 categories and had to make some tough choices. This demonstrates the enormous variety of excellent theatrical performances last year in Seattle, as well as the variety of opinions from our writers!" said Seattle Theater Writers founder, Miryam Gordon. "We feel our final slate reflects a real cornucopia of delights from a critics' choice perspective."

The 2011 Gypsy Rose Lee Award winners are as follows:

Excellence in Production of a Play

The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre) Sick (New City Theater)

Also recognized: 

O Lovely Glowworm (New Century Theatre Company)

Live from the Last Night of My Life (Theater Schmeater)

Excellence in Production of a Musical

Iron Curtain (Village Theatre)

The Drowsy Chaperone (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Excellence in Direction of a Play

Juliette Carrillo, The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Karen Lund, Brownie Points (Taproot Theatre Company)

Also recognized: 

Valerie Curtis-Newton, All My Sons (Intiman Theatre)

Wayne Rawley, Live from the Last Night of My Life (Theater Schmeater)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical

Steve Tomkins, Iron Curtain (Village Theatre)

Brandon Ivie, The Drowsy Chaperone (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actor

Michael Patten, O Lovely Glowworm (Or Scenes of Great Beauty) (New Century Theatre Company) Jaryl Draper, How I Learned To Drive (Stone Soup Theater)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actress

Anne Allgood, Mary Stuart (ACT Theatre)

Elizabeth Kenny, Sick (New City Theater)

Also recognized:

Carolee Carmello, Saving Aimee (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as a Supporting Actor – any non-lead

Todd Jefferson Moore, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Aaron Lamb, An Ideal Husband (Taproot Theatre Company)

Also recognized:

Joshua Carter, Mary Stuart (ACT Theatre) NiCK Edwards, Shipwrecked (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Performance as a Supporting Actress – any non-lead

Bobbi Kotula, Iron Curtain (Village Theatre)

Stacie Calkins, Hairspray (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Also recognized:

Terri Weagant, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble

Cast of The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Cast oF Brownie Points (Taproot Theatre Company)

Also recognized:

Cast of A Lie of the Mind (Collektor)

Excellence in Set Design

Roger Benington, O Lovely Glowworm (Or Scenes of Great Beauty) (New Century Theatre Company)

Mark Lund, Something's Afoot (Taproot Theatre Company)

Also recognized: 

Mikiko Suzuki MacAdams, The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Michael Mowery, Live from the Last Night of My Life (Theater Schmeater)

Richard Schaefer, Arms and the Man (Seattle Public Theater)

Excellence in Costume Design

Harmony Arnold, O Lovely Glowworm (Or Scenes of Great Beauty) (New Century Theatre Company)

Deborah Sorenson, Pygmalion (Sound Theatre Company)

Also recognized:

Catherine Hunt, In The Next Room, or The Vibrator Play (ACT Theatre)

John Allbritton, Hairspray (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Excellence in Lighting Design

Geoff Korf, The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Tess Malone, Duel of the Linguist Mages (Annex Theatre)

Also recognized:

Dave Hastings, Crooked (Theater Schmeater)

Excellence in Sound Design

Matt Starritt, The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Christopher Overstreet, Duel of the Linguist Mages (Annex Theatre)

Also recognized: 

Matt Starritt, The K of D (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Larry A. Ryan, Live from the Last Night of My Life (Theater Schmeater)

Excellence in Musical Direction RJ Tancioco, Iron Curtain (Village Theatre)

Josh Zimmerman, Hairspray (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Excellence in Choreography or Movement

Sonia Dawkins, The Brothers Size (Seattle Repertory Theatre) Lack of consensus

Also recognized:

Noah Racey, Guys & Dolls (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

NON-DIVISIONAL:

Excellence in Local Playwrighting Elizabeth Kenny, Sick (New City Theater)

Also recognized:

Scotto Moore, Duel of the Linguist Mages (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Local Composing Lack of consensus

For the 2011 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, 11 Seattle theater writers and reviewers have come together to award their choices for excellence in theater: Jose Amador, Brent Aronowitz, Miryam Gordon, David-Edward Hughes, Jay Irwin, Jerry Kraft, Katherine Luck, Michael Strangeways, Michael van Baker, Omar Willey and Nancy Worssam. All members see and review a significant number of performances throughout the year in order to recommend nominees for excellence in theater. Group members may alter each year, based on the changing complexion of area writers and reviewers, allowing for new perspectives with each progressive year of the awards.

The awards are limited to fully staged, professional theater performances of a play or a musical within the Seattle city limits. Exceptions have been made to include Village Theatre's and Seattle Children's Theatre's mainstage productions. 

About Seattle Theater Writers:

Founded in 2011 by Miryam Gordon and comprised of 11 local writers and reviewers, Seattle Theater Writers is a group dedicated to raising the visibility of local artists and the work produced by professional Equity and non-Equity community theater organizations. Born from this mission are the first annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, recognizing excellence in Seattle theater across 32 categories-the most comprehensive and inclusive local theater awards to date!

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