The Richmond Theatre Critics Circle (RTCC) has announced nominations for the Seventh Annual RTCC “Artsies” Awards.
Best Musical
Cabaret, Richmond Triangle Players
The Color Purple, Virginia Repertory Theatre
The Drowsy Chaperone, Swift Creek Mill
Fiddler on the Roof, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Shrek The Musical, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Direction (Musical)
Robin Arthur, Shrek the Musical
Chase Kniffen, The Color Purple
Penny Ayn Maas, Cabaret
Richard Parison, Fiddler on the Roof
Tom Width, The Drowsy Chaperone
Best Actor (Musical)
David Benoit, Fiddler on the Roof
Ronnie Brown, Shrek the Musical
Chris Hester, Cabaret
Jason Marks, Shrek the Musical
Josh Marin, The Color Purple
Jerold Solomon, The Color Purple
Best Actress (Musical)
Felicia Curry, The Color Purple
Grey Garrett, Beyond the Rainbow, Swift Creek Mill
Christie Jackson, The Drowsy Chaperone
Nicole Oberleitner, Caberet
Aly Wepplo, Shrek the Musical
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Musical)
Steve King, The Drowsy Chaperone
Josh Marin, The Wild Party, Firehouse Theatre
Doug Schneider, Cabaret
Matt Shofner, The Drowsy Chaperone
Scott Wichmann, Olympus on my Mind, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Musical)
Carolyn Meade, The Wild Party
Carolyn Minor-Daughtry, The Color Purple
Nicole Oberleitner, The Drowsy Chaperone
Desiree Roots, The Color Purple
Jeanie Rule, Cabaret
Best Musical Direction
Paul Deiss, The Drowsy Chaperone
Kim Fox, Cabaret
Ben Miller, The Color Purple
Ben Miller, The Wild Party
Anthony Smith, Fiddler of the Roof
Best Choreography
Robin Arthur, Shrek the Musical
Dennis Clark, The Drowsy Chaperone
Karen Getz, Fiddler on the Roof
Penny Ayn Maas, Cabaret
Leslie Owens-Harrington, The Color Purple
Best Play
Clybourne Park, Cadence Theatre (collaboration with Virginia Rep)
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity, Firehouse Theatre (aka ‘Chad Deity’)
Good People, Cadence Theatre (collaboration with Virginia Rep)
Joshua Plant, Chamberlayne Actors Theatre
Quality of Life, HATTheatre
Best Direction (Play)
Anna Johnson, Detroit, Cadence Theatre (collaboration with Virginia Rep)
Anna Johnson, Good People
Kerry McGee, Chad Deity
David Emerson Toney, ‘night, Mother, Firehouse Theatre
Keri Wormald, Clybourne Park
Best Actor (Play)
Joseph Carlson, A Streetcar Named Desire, Firehouse Theatre
Jeff Cole, Wittenberg, Henley Street/Richmond Shakespeare
Aaron Orensky, Joshua Plant
Alexander Sapp, Grace, TheatreLAB
Scott Wichmann, Say Goodnight Gracie, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Actress (Play)
Eva DeVirgilis, Hypocrites & Strippers, Richmond Triangle Players
McLean Jesse, Clybourne Park
Katrinah Carol Lewis, Death & the Maiden, Henley Street/Richmond Shakespeare
Catherine Shaffner, ‘night, Mother
Dawn A. Westbrook, Good People
Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Play)
Andrew Firda, Clybourne Park
Mauricio Marces, Chad Deity
Stephen Ryan, The Importance of Being Earnest, Henley Street/Richmond
Shakespeare/Richmond Triangle Players
Alexander Sapp, Richard III, Henley Street/Richmond Shakespeare
Alexander Sapp, Tartuffe, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Play)
Jennifer Frank, The Dixie Swim Club, Swift Creek Mill
Jacquie O’Connor, Good People
Melissa Johnston Price, Other Desert Cities, Virginia Repertory Theatre
Debra Wagoner, Tartuffe
Raven Wilkes, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Henley Street/Richmond Shakespeare
The Ernie McClintock Award for Best Ensemble Acting
Clybourne Park
Detroit
The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity
Grace
Quality of Life
Most Promising Newcomer
Isabella Cipolina, The Miracle Worker, Swift Creek Mill
Ally Dodds, Fiddler on the Roof
Brad Frazier, Tartuffe
Grace Mincks, Beyond the Rainbow
Diego Salinas, Joshua Plant
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Geno Brantley, Chad Deity
Joe Doran, The Drowsy Chaperone
Joe Doran, The Color Purple
Lynne M. Hartman, Other Desert Cities
Robert Perry, Fiddler on the Roof
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Maura Lynch Cravey, The Drowsy Chaperone
Sue Griffin, The Color Purple
Sue Griffin, Fiddler on the Roof
Sue Griffin, Tartuffe
Elizabeth Weiss Hopper, Shrek the Musical
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Ben Burke, Other Desert Cities
Tennessee Dixon, Death & the Maiden
Frank Foster, Cabaret
Ron Keller, Color Purple
Tom Width, The Drowsy Chaperone
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Andrew Craig, Death & the Maiden
Derek Dumais, The Color Purple
Chase Kniffen, Say Goodnight Gracie
Joey Luck, Cabaret
Joey Luck, Chad Deity
Outstanding Achievement in Fight Choreography
James Long, Chad Deity
Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Area Theater
The Acts of Faith Festival
The black-tie awards gala will be 10/19, 7pm at Virginia Repertory Theatre’s Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre ($15). It will feature musical performances from productions nominated for Best Musical, as well as an original song penned by the event’s emcees, local actors Debra Clinton and Jason Marks.
A new category has been added: Most Promising Newcomer to recognize the efforts of young performers and encourage them to continue to hone their skills.
The RTCC has chosen the Acts of Faith festival, the largest faith-based theater festival in the United States, to receive the Liz Marks Memorial Award for its ongoing contributions to Richmond-area theater.
The voting members of the RTCC include David Timberline & Rich Griset (Style Weekly), Julinda Lewis (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Bruce Levy (Show Biz Radio), and a recent addition to the Circle, Jerry Williams (newsite.newsite.tvjerry.com / WRIR). They must have seen at least two-thirds of the locally-produced shows during the last season to vote.
Non-voting members include Tony Farrell (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Liz Jewett (Richmond.com), Jen Maciulewicz (GayRVA.com), Matt Miller (GayRVA.com), John Porter (WCVE-FM) and Joan Tupponce (One Woman’s View).