The Gypsy Rose Lee Awards Announce 2017 Winners

The winners of the 2017 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards are announced by the Seattle critics circle, Seattle Theater Writers!

This year, several productions were clear critical favorites, with multiple nominations and multiple wins. Among musicals, 5th Avenue Theatre's Ragtime was a standout, and in the Large division, Lydia, produced by Strawberry Theatre Workshop, also produced significant winners. In the Small division, the two favorites were Teh Internet Is Serious Business by Washington Ensemble Theatre, with six wins, and Sound Theatre Company's Hoodoo Love (taking top acting awards in three categories).

This year we also have a Special Recognition for Donald Byrd and Spectrum Dance Theater for their Excellent Production of (IM)Pulse!

The 2017 Gypsy Rose Lee Award Winners are (**Starred entries):

Excellence in Production of a Play:

(Large Theaters):

Barbecue - Intiman Theatre

Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 - Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective

Blues for Mister Charlie - The Williams Project

**Lydia - Strawberry Theatre Workshop

The Crucible - ACT Theatre

(Small Theaters):

Downstairs - Theatre22

Greensward - MAP Theatre

Hoodoo Love - Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project

Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine - Annex Theatre

**Teh Internet Is Serious Business - Washington Ensemble Theatre

Excellence in Production of a Musical:

Dreamgirls - Village Theatre

Newsies - Village Theatre

Persuasion - Taproot Theatre

**Ragtime - 5th Avenue Theatre

The Pajama Game - 5th Avenue Theatre

Excellence in Direction of a Play:

(Large Theaters):

**Sheila Daniels - Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Rosa Joshi - Bring Down the House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

John Langs - The Crucible (ACT Theatre)

Malika Oyetimein - Barbecue (Intiman Theatre)

Ryan Purcell - Blues for Mr. Charlie (The Williams Project)

(Small Theaters):

Julie Beckman - Downstairs (Theatre22)

Eddie DeHais - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

Malika Oyetimein - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Bobbin Ramsey - Wellesley Girl (The Horse in Motion)

**Wayne Rawley - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical:

Bill Berry - The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)

**Peter Rothstein - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Steve Tomkins - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Male):

(Large Theaters):

Joshua Castille - Tribes (ACT Theatre)

**Craig MacArthur - (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)

Timothy McCuen Piggee - The Legend of Georgia McBride (ACT Theatre)

Brandon J. Simmons - The Cherry Orchard (The Seagull Project)

Michael Winters - Evidence of Things Unseen (Taproot Theatre)

(Small Theaters): TIE!

Peter Crook - Frozen (ArtsWest)

Tim Gouran - Building the Wall (Azeotrope)

Tim Gouran - Burn This (Theatre22)

**Richard Gray - The Nance (ArtsWest)

**Brandon Ryan - Downstairs (Theatre22)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Male):

Joey Barriero - Newsies (Village Theatre)

Joshua Carter - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

John Devereaux - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Richard Gray - Murder for Two (5th AvenueTheatre/ACT Theatre)

**Douglas Lyons - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Female):

(Large Theaters):

Lindsay W. Evans - Tribes (ACT Theatre)

Anastasia Higham - Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Nike Imoru - Coriolanus: Fight Like a Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)

Aishé Keita - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Mari Nelson - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

**Sofía Raquel Sánchez - Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Theaters):

Kiki Abba - No More Sad Things (Forward Flux Prods.)

Christine Marie Brown - Downstairs (Theatre22)

Demene E. Hall - Sycorax (Snowflake Avalanche)

Jody Kuehner - Cherdonna's Doll's House (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

**Porscha Shaw - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Female):

Kendra Kassebaum - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Corinna Lapid Munter - Sweeney Todd (ArtsWest)

**Mari Nelson - Into the Woods (Village Theatre)

Sara Porkalob - Howl's Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Sara Porkalob - Madame Dragon's 60th Birthday (Cafe Nordo/Sara Porkalob)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Male) - any non-lead:

(Large Theaters):

Ronnie Hill - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Charles Leggett - Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Christopher Morson -Room Service (Taproot Theatre)

Brandon O'Neill - Pride and Prejudice (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

**Andrew Pryor-Ramírez - Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Theaters):

**André G. Brown - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Daniel Christensen - The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)

Drew Highlands - The Nance (ArtsWest)

John Q. Smith - Downstairs (Theatre22)

Corey Spruill - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Male) - any non-lead:

Greg McCormick Allen - The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)

Guthrie Bettinger - Newsies (Village Theatre)

John Coons - Howl's Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Michael Krenning - Newsies (Village Theatre)

**Nathaniel Tenenbaum - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Female) - any non-lead:

(Large Theaters):

Sunam Ellis - The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)

Peggy Gannon - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

**Kamaria Harris - Barbecue (Intiman Theatre)

Shaunyce Omar - I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Wendy Robie - Coriolanus: Fight Like A Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)

(Small Theaters):

**Eva Abram - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Megan Ahiers - Money, Take Run (Theater Schmeater)

Nabilah Ahmed - No More Sad Things (Forward Flux Prods.)

Rachel Guyer-Mafune - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Jay O'Leary - Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Female) - any non-lead:

Danyel Fulton - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Alexandria Henderson - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

**Kate Jaeger - Howl's Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Lorna Luft - Holiday Inn (5th Avenue Theatre)

Arika Matoba - Into the Woods (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble:

(Large Theaters):

Barbecue - Intiman Theatre (Angel Brice, Macall Gordon, Kamaria Harris, Eryn Joslyn, Lamar Legend, Charles Leggett, Shaunyce Omar, Rachel Pate, Carol Roscoe, Cynthia Lauren Tewes)

**Blues for Mister Charlie - The Williams Project (Grant Chapman, Ryan Williams French, Alexis Green, Rafael Jordan, Brenda Joyner, Leicester Landon, Elise LeBreton, Nancy Moricette, Max Rosenak, Reggie D. White)

I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings - Book-It Repertory Theatre (Ronnie Hill, Aishé Keita, Lamar Legend, Shaunyce Omar, Chip Sherman, Anthony Lee Simmons, Lindsay Zae Summers, Brennie Tellu, Dedra D. Woods)

Lydia - Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Yadira Duarte, Ray González, Pablo López, Rafael Molina, Carolyn Marie Monroe, Andrew Pryor-Ramírez, Sofía Raquel Sánchez)

The Legend of Georgia McBride - ACT Theatre (Adam Standley, Nastacia Guimont, Timothy McCuen Piggee, Jeff Steitzer, Charles Smith)

(Small Theaters):

Downstairs - Theatre22 (Christine Marie Brown, Brandon Ryan, John Q. Smith)

Hoodoo Love - Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project (Eva Abram, André G. Brown, Porscha Shaw, Corey Spruill)

Milk Like Sugar - ArtsWest (Allyson Lee Brown, Andre G. Brown, Marlette Buchannan, Nastacia Guimont, Jay O'Leary, Lindsay Zae Summers, Dimitri Woods)

Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine - Annex Theatre (Kiki Abba, Kai Curtis, Kelly Johnson, Corinne Magin, Jordan Moeller, Emily Pike, Carter Rodriquez, Jenn Ruzumna, Cody Smith, Raymond Williams, Sarah Winsor)

**Teh Internet Is Serious Business - Washington Ensemble Theatre (Megan Ahiers, Jeffrey Azevedo, Ian Bond, Stanley Dang, Samie Spring Detzer, Nick Edwards, Rachel Guyer-Mafune, Kevin Kelly, Arjun Pande, Ryan Sanders, Zenaida Smith, Jessie Underhill, Lisa Viertel, Jordan-Michael Whidbey)

Excellence in Set Design:

(Large Theaters):

**Andrea Bryn Bush - The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)

Shawn Ketchum Johnson - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

Matthew Smucker - Dry Powder (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Julia Welch - Coriolanus: Fight Like A Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)

Carey Wong - Murder for Two (5th Ave Theatre/ACT Theatre)

(Small Theaters):

Eddie DeHais - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

Brandon Estrella - Greensward (MAP Theatre)

Robin Macartney - Downstairs (Theatre22)

**Tristan Roberson - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Margaret Toomey - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Excellence in Costume Design:

(Large Theaters):

Karen Ann Ledger - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Rose Pederson - The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)

Pete Rush - The Government Inspector (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

**Pete Rush - The Legend of Georgia McBride (ACT Theatre)

Christine Tschirgi - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

(Small Theaters):

Jordan Emery Fell - Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Michael Notestine & Danial Hellman - Cherdonna's Doll's House (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Jennifer Oaster - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

**Fantasia Oslund & Sydney Tucker - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

Kelsey Rogers - Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Lighting Design:

(Large Theaters):

Evan Christian Anderson - The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)

Jack Mehler - (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)

**Reed Nakayama - Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Duane Schuler - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Tom Sturge - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

(Small Theaters):

Ahren Buhmann - Burn This (Theatre22)

Emily Leong - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

Tess Malone - Greensward (MAP Theatre)

Alyssa Millione - Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

**Tristan Roberson - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Excellence in Sound Design:

(Large Theaters):

Matt Jorgensen - Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Sharath Patel & Josh Schmidt - Coriolanus: Fight Like a Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)

Matt Starritt - Pride and Prejudice (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

**Robertson Witmer - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

Robertson Witmer - (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)

(Small Theaters):

D.R. Amromin - Into the Deeps (Dangerswitch)

Erin Bednarz & D.R. Amromin - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

**Mariah Brougher - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

GOODSTEPH - Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

Stefanie Senior - The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)

Excellence in Musical Direction:

Joel Fram - The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)

Michael Nutting - Persuasion (Taproot Theatre)

R.J. Tancioco - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

R.J. Tancioco - Newsies (Village Theatre)

**Ben Whiteley - Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Choreography or Movement:

Daniel Cruz - Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Alyza DelPan-Monley - Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

**Alice Gosti (Movement) & Peter Dylan O'Connor (Fight Choreography) -Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

Ryan Higgins (Fight Choreography) - Money & Run Trilogy (Theater Schmeater)

Katy Tabb - Newsies (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting:

Amy Escobar - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

Katie Forgette - Evidence of Things Unseen (Taproot Theatre)

**Rosa Joshi & Kate Wisniewski - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 - Adapting Shakespeare's Henry VI Part I, II, III (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

Darian Lindle - The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)

Y York - Sycorax (Snowflake Avalanche)

Excellence in Local Composing:

William Satake Blauvelt - Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

Amy Escobar - Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)

**Chris Jeffries - Persuasion (Taproot Theatre)

Excellence in Video Design:

Reed Nakayama - Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

**Travis Mouffe - (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)

Charlie Spears - Much Better (Really-Really Theatre Group)

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