- JULIE GARISTO
- BETTER OFF RED: From left, Scott Daniel and Matthew McGee as Scott and Patti.
Nothing brightens a Monday like celebrating talented, deserving locals.
Well, at least for me, anyway. I had a swell time last night at the Palladium Theatre last night for the Theatre Tampa Bay Awards (formerly known as the Jeff Norton Awards). Wore a red dress, presented an award and blurted out a joke about twerking (or the lack thereof) during the night's musical numbers — of which there were more this year, and were bigger and fabber. (freeFall's Fiddler on the Roof and New Stage's Little Shop of Horrors among them). A giant video screen debuted, which took a lot of pressure off presenters (the nominee lists were projected).
Best of all, you can't beat Matthew McGee in drag. The night's host with the most busted out his Patti alter ego and performed his half of the Scott and Patti show with partner Scott Daniel. He was an a theater-insider joke machine, riffing on breeder duos (namely Alison Burns and Chris Jackson) and positing that all artistic directors are bears, calling Anna Brennen an "Ursula" and David Jenkins a ginger cub.
Below is a list of finalists, chosen by an independent panel of local theater experts. An asterisk —* — indicates the winner in each category.
Outstanding Featured Actor, Play
Alan Bomar Jones, The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Greyson Lewis, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
John Lombardi, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
ranney, The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Brian Shea, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
* Kim Sullivan, The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Featured Actor, Musical
* Larry Alexander, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Matthew Branic, Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
Chris Crawford, A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
Eric Davis, A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
John Lombardi, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Featured Actress, Play
Caitlin Eason, Hamlet, Tampa Repertory Theatre & Hat Trick Theatre Productions
Caitlin Eason, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
Jonelle Meyer, 7 Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, American Stage Theatre Company
* Jennifer Christa Palmer, Romeo and Juliet, freefall Theatre
Lauren Wood, A Doll’s House, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Featured Actress, Musical
Alison Burns, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
* Roxanne Fay, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Meghan Colleen Moroney, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Ann Morrison, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Honey Ribar, Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
Eric Davis, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
Karla Hartley, Of Mice and Men, Stageworks Theatre
* Todd Olson, The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
Shawn Paonessa, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
T. Scott Wooten, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Costume Design
Glenn Breed, Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
Mike & Kathy Buck Designs, A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
Eric Davis, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Adrin Erra Puente, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
* Katerina Stevenson, Gorey Stories, Jobsite Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design
Megan Byrne, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Phillip Frank, 7 Homeless Mammoths Wander New England, American Stage Theatre Company
Ian Mills, The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
Joseph P. Oshry, Wit, American Stage Theatre Company
Chris Rutherford, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
* Mike Wood, Of Mice and Men, Stageworks Theatre
Mike Wood, Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Set Design
Greg Bierce, The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
Frank Chavez, Of Mice and Men, Stageworks Theatre
Frank Chavez, The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Jerid Fox, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
* Steve K. Mitchell, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Choreography/Fight Direction
Blake Braswell, Romeo and Juliet, freefall Theatre
Giles Davies, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
* Carolina Esparza, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Carolina Esparza, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accents, Stageworks Theatre
Cheryl Lee, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actor, Play
Bryant Bentley, The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Chris Crawford, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Dennis Dugan, Of Mice and Men, Stageworks Theatre
* Chris Jackson, Good Egg, A Simple Theatre
David Jenkins, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
Patrick Ryan Sullivan, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
Brian Russell Webb, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actor, Musical
Chris Crawford, John and Jen, freefall Theatre
Steve Garland, Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
* David Mann, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Matthew McGee, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Steve Patterson, A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actress, Play
Kim Crow, Wit, American Stage Theatre Company
Georgia Mallory Guy, Phoenix, Tampa Repertory Theatre
Meg Heimstead, Good Egg, A Simple Theatre
Georgina McKee, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Katherine Michelle Tanner, A Doll’s House, American Stage Theatre Company
* Katherine Michelle Tanner, The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Actress, Musical
* Buffy Baggott, Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
Laura Hodos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Caitlin Longstreet, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Lisa Kay Powers, Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
Rachel Potter, Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
Outstanding Director, Musical
Dean Anthony & Mark Sforzini, Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
Eric Davis, A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
Eric Davis, Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
* Eric Davis, Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Stephan Flaa, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Director, Play
Eric Davis, An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
Gavin Hawk, Good Egg, A Simple Theatre
* Todd Olson, The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
Paul Potenza, The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
T. Scott Wooten, My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble, Musical
A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
* Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Cabaret, freefall Theatre
Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble, Play
A Doll’s House, American Stage Theatre Company
An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
* My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
Neville’s Island, Hat Trick Theatre Productions
The Lonesome West, Jobsite Theatre
The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Production, Musical
A Christmas Carol, freefall Theatre
* Bernarda Alba, freefall Theatre
Spring Awakening, freefall Theatre
Sweeney Todd, The St. Petersburg Opera
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, American Stage Theatre Company
Outstanding Production, Play
An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf, freefall Theatre
Good Egg, A Simple Theatre
My Name is Asher Lev, American Stage Theatre Company
* The Amish Project, American Stage Theatre Company
The Piano Lesson, American Stage Theatre Company
Wit, American Stage Theatre Company
TOTALS by Theatre:
freefall Theatre 9
American Stage 6
A Simple Theatre 1
Jobsite Theater 1
Stageworks 1
St. Pete Opera 1
TOTALS by Show: (12 out of 35 eligible productions)
Cabaret 5
Amish Project 4
Bernarda Alba 3
Asher Lev 1
Empty Plate 1 (citation)
Good Egg 1
Gorey Stories 1
Of Mice and Men 1
Piano Lesson 1
Romeo and Juliet 1
Spring Awakening 1 (citation)
Sweeney Todd 1
JUDGES’ SPECIAL CITATIONS:
Michael Raabe: Musical Direction
For his Herculean efforts on both sides of Tampa Bay, enthralling audiences at Busch Gardens, freeFall Theatre and American Stage, the Judges' Special Citation for Musical Direction goes to Michael Raabe.
Eric Davis: Olfactory Design
For transporting audiences to the world of haute cuisine via their sense of smell — literally leading them by the nose — the Judges' Special Citation for Olfactory Design goes to Eric Davis for freeFall Theatre's An Empty Plate in the Cafe du Grand Boeuf.
Burt Rushing: Beating Heart of a Production
For serving as the BEAT and PULSE of freefall Theatre’s Spring Awakening, the Judges’ Special Citation goes to Burt Rushing. His unique position front and center, at the heart of the arena staging, added to the action when he easily could have been a distraction. As a musician always in the moment, he is an unsung hero.
This article appears in Oct 10-16, 2013.