Posts Tagged ‘st louis theater circle awards’

Celebrate St. Louis Theatre–At Home!

Posted in St Louis Theatre, Theatre on TV, tagged , , , , , , , , on April 6, 2020| Leave a Comment »

The stage for last year’s St. Louis Theater Circle Awards at Webster University’s Loretto-Hilton Center for the Arts

I’ve said it many times to friends and acquaintances both in town and out of town–St. Louis has an exciting theatre scene, much larger and more spread out than many can imagine. We have big companies like the Muny and the Rep, but also smaller and just as excellent companies too numerous to mention. Unfortunately now, live theatre has been put on hold due to the current major health crisis, in St. Louis and throughout the country and the world. Still, just because we are staying home, that doesn’t mean we can’t still celebrate theatre in our city. Several local theatre companies are sponsoring events, and I’ll be featuring two of these companies later in this post. First, though, I want to mention an event that’s coming up tomorrow night in which I’ve been honored to participate–The St. Louis Theater Circle Awards streamcast.

Usually, the Theater Circle Awards are a live event affectionately nicknamed “Theatre Prom”, in which people from throughout the St. Louis theatre scene have been able to attend, including actors, directors, theatre company staff, and more, hosted by the St. Louis Theater Circle, the critics’ organization of which I am a member. It’s not just an awards event. It’s a party, and it’s been fun to participate in the festivities for the past several years. This year, however, in light of the current situation, the awards presentation is going online. The Theater Circle has voted, and the results will still be announced, but now you will be able to watch the results from your own home thanks to HEC TV, who will be streaming the awards on their Facebook page starting at 7pm.  Next year, I hope “Theatre Prom” will be able to return, but I’m glad this medium has been made available, and I hope many people will be watching. One benefit to this format is that viewers from outside of St. Louis will be able to watch, so I encourage readers to spread the word and tune in!

Now, although live theatre is a unique experience, the next best thing is being able to film these productions and post them online, which many theatre companies have done around the world. In St. Louis, you can stream Repertory Theatre of St. Louis’s recent production of The Cake (details at this link). The Rep is also participating with several other regional theatres around the country for a project called Play at Home, which you can find here.  

Another especially exciting online offering is Shakespeare Festival St. Louis’s the outstanding Cymbeline, presented by their TourCo ensemble and featuring a first-rate cast (Hannah Geisz, Britteny Henry, Mary Heyl, Keating, Halli Pattison, and Jenni Ryan), deftly directed by Tom Ridgely, with an excellent creative team including music director Tre’von “Tre G” Griffith, stage manager Emily Clinger, costume designer Michele Friedman Siler, and props master Laura Skroska. This is a superb production, well-paced and cleverly presented, and it’s up on the SFSTL Facebook page here. Go watch it while you can! Also, SFSTL is offering other streamed offerings from the TourCo ensemble, including readings of Shakespeare’s poem “Venus and Adonis” and Albert Camus’s The Plague. Check out their Facebook page for these productions and more. 

I hope the wonder that is live theatre will be able to return before too long, but in the meantime what we can do is stay home to flatten the curve, support our local theatre companies as best we can (viewing, donations, buying tickets to future productions, etc.), and always remember the value of the arts and the people who make them.

 

 

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The St. Louis Theater Circle Awards–The Nominations Are In!

Posted in St Louis Theatre, tagged , , , , , on January 30, 2015| Leave a Comment »

stlcircleawards1

Mark your calendars for Monday, March 23, 2015.  That’s the day of the third annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, which will be presented in a gala ceremony at COCA in University City, and broadcast on television locally on HEC-TV and streamed live on their website. The awards are voted on and presented by the St. Louis Theater Circle, the organization of local theatre writers and critics, of which I am honored to be a member. I attended the ceremony last year as spectator, shortly before officially joining the Circle, and this year I am a voting member and will be presenting awards along with my colleagues.  I’m looking forward to it. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate and recognize the remarkable contributions to the vibrant St. Louis theatre scene by a variety of talented artists and companies.

Congratulations to all nominees!  For more information, you can follow the St. Louis Theater Circle page on Facebook. Here’s the full list:

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy

All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Caroline Amos, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Nancy Lewis, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Ruth Pferdehirt, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Jamie Pitt, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Donna Weinsting, Chancers, Max & Louie Productions

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Paul Cereghino, The Little Dog Laughed, Stray Dog Theatre

Joneal Joplin, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Michael James Reed, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Ben Ritchie, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Evan Zes, One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

Sarajane Alverson, The Little Dog Laughed, Stray Dog Theatre

Nicole Angeli, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Nancy Bell, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Teresa Doggett, Shirley Valentine, Dramatic License Productions

Dale Hodges, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy

Ted Gregory, Quills, Max & Louie Productions

Raymond McAnally, One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Ben Nordstrom, Reality, HotCity Theatre

Michael James Reed, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Jared Sanz-Agero, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

Paul Mason Barnes, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Elizabeth Helman, All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Bobby Miller, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Suki Peters, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Edward Stern, Noises Off, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

All in the Timing, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

One Man, Two Guvnors, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama

Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics

The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

Katie Donnelly, Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics

Amy Loui, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Susan Pellegrino, A Kid Like Jake, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Susie Wall, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

Sharisa Whatley, A Raisin in the Sun, The Black Rep

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

Jason Contini, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

Gregory Fenner, The Whipping Man, New Jewish Theatre

Bobby Miller, The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Tim Schall, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Eric Dean White, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Drama

Andrea Frye, A Raisin in the Sun, The Black Rep

Linda Kennedy, Windmill Baby, Upstream Theater

Kate Levy, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Samantha Moyer, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Em Piro, The K of D: An Urban Legend, Blue Rose Stage Collective

Outstanding Actor in a Drama

Jim Butz, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

John Contini, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

John Flack, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Bobby Miller, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Jerry Vogel, Forget Me Not, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Director of a Drama

Fred Abrahamse, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions

Gary Wayne Barker, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Bruce Longworth, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Wayne Loui, Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

Marty Stanberry, The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Drama

Death of a Salesman, Insight Theatre Company

The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Eat Your Heart Out, R-S Theatrics

The Normal Heart, HotCity Theatre

The Price, New Jewish Theatre

 Outstanding Set Design in a Play

Jim Burwinkel, The Diary of Anne Frank, New Jewish Theatre

Michael Ganio, Other Desert Cities, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Rob Lippert, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre

Marcel Meyer, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions

Mark WIlson, The Price, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play

Eileen Engel, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre

Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, The Liar, St. Louis Shakespeare

Marcel Meyer, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions

Michele Friedman Siler, Blithe Spirit, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Susan Branch Towne, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play

Lonnie Rafael Alcaraz, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Patrick Huber, Stairs to the Roof, Sudden View Productions

John Lasiter, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Bess Moynihan, Mary Shelley Monster Show, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

John Wylie, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Justin Been, And Then There Were None, Stray Dog Theatre

Barry G. Funderburg, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Fitz Patton, The Other Place, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Rusty Wandall, Henry V, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Rusty Wandall, Opus, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

Rob Lippert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Robert Mark Morgan, Seussical, The Muny

Michael Schweikardt, The Addams Family, The Muny

James Wolk, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

James Wolk, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical

Amy Clark, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Leon Dobkowski, Seussical, The Muny

Andrea Lauer, The Addams Family, The Muny

Sarah Porter and Marcy Wiegert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Alexandra Scibetta Quigley, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

Rob Denton, Seussical, The Muny

Tyler Duenow, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Rob Lippert, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Matthew McCarthy, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

Matthew McCarthy, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Musical Director

Jeffrey Richard Carter, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Valerie Gebert, Seussical, The Muny

James Moore, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Chris Petersen, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Justin Smolik, Rent, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Choreographer

Stephen Bourneuf, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Denis Jones, Grease, The Muny

Gary John LaRosa, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

Ralph Perkins, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Zachary Stefaniak, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Rachel Hanks, First Lady Suite, R-S Theatrics

Sara Kapner, The Addams Family, The Muny

Teressa Kindle, Grease, The Muny

Mamie Parris, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Sarah Porter, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Patrick Kelly, Assassins, November Theater Company

Rob McClure, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Joseph Medeiros, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Whit Reichert, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Luke Steingruby, Rent, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Lavonne Byers, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Kari Ely, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

Abigail Isom, Seussical, The Muny

Beth Leavel, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Larissa White, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

Rob McClure, The Addams Family, The Muny

Ben Nordstrom, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Matt Pentecost, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Bruce Sabath, Fiddler on the Roof, Stages St. Louis

John Tartaglia, Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Justin Been, Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Michael Hamilton, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre

Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Rob Ruggiero, Hello, Dolly!, The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Bonnie & Clyde, New Line Theatre

Cabaret, Stray Dog Theatre

Hands on a Hardbody, New Line Theatre

How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Stages St. Louis

Seussical, The Muny

Outstanding New Play

Jennifer Blackmer, Human Terrain, Mustard Seed Theatre

Rebecca Gilman, Soups, Stews and Casseroles: 1976, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Nick Otten, Mary Shelley Monster Show, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Stephen Peirick, Four Sugars, Stray Dog Theatre

Lia Romeo, Reality, HotCity Theatre

Special Awards

Donna Northcott, St. Louis Shakespeare

Agnes Wilcox, Prison Performing Arts

 

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