Philadelphia now has a new crop of Barrymore Award winners. The coveted local theater awards were doled out this evening in a ceremony at the Merriam Theatre on the Avenue of the Arts. The statuettes recognize achievement in performance, design and direction in shows in Philadelphia from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. There was a total of 39 companies and 107 shows up for honors.
The biggest winners of the night are 11th Hour Theatre Company and the Wilma Theater, with five awards each. 11th Hour racked up five wins—including Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical and Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical—for Lizzie, the edgy rock show based on the life of Lizzie Borden. The Wilma took home three prizes for the Blanka Zizka-helmed When the Rain Stops Falling and one for Constellations.
The Arden Theatre Company was next in line for most wins, taking home four trophies for The Light Princess (two wins), The Legend of Georgia McBride and Gypsy. EgoPo Classic Theater took home two prizes for The Seagull—including Outstanding Overall Production of a Play—and the June and Steve Wolfson Award for Evolving Theatre Company—a $10,000 prize that should help them with upcoming productions like the ambitious Lydie Breeze trilogy starting in late January.
More big news to come out of the award ceremony was the announcement of a the brand-new Philly Theatre Week, a 10-day celebration of regional theater in the form of new productions, play readings, networking events and more. For more information on that, visit theatrephiladelphia.org.
Check out the full list of winners below, with the winner bolded and at the top of each list.
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
- The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Hand to God (Philadelphia Theatre Company)
- How to Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)
- The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Mountaintop (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Stupid Fucking Bird (Arden Theatre Company)
- When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
- Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)
- A Year with Frog & Toad (Arden Theatre Company)
- Godspell (Eagle Theatre) Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)
- Monty Python’s Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)
Outstanding Direction of a Play
- Blanka Zizka (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Steve H. Broadnax III (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Emmanuelle Delpech (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Brenna Geffers (Anna, EgoPo Classic Theater)
- Claire Moyer (Radiant Vermin, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
- Aaron Posner (Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
- Lane Savadove (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theater)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
- Kate Galvin (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Kristin McLaughlin Mitchell (Monty Python’s Spamalot, Resident Theatre Company)
- Terrence J. Nolen (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Steve Pacek (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Ted Wioncek III (John and Jen, Eagle Theatre)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play
- Patrese D. McLain (Camae, The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Jaylene Clark Owens (Vanessa, WHITE, Theatre Horizon)
- Sarah Gliko (Marianne, Constellations, The Wilma Theater)
- Eleanor Handley (Romaine Helger, Witness for the Prosecution, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
- Kittson O’Neill (The Pilot, Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Susan Riley Stevens (Emma Goldman, Marcus/Emma, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Samantha Rosenstrater (Shelly, Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play (a tie)
- Jered McLenigen (Roland, Constellations, The Wilma Theater)
- Matteo Scammell (Casey, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Akeem Davis (Jackson, Buzzer, Theatre Exile)
- Akeem Davis (Marcus Garvey, Marcus/Emma, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Scott Greer (George, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Aubie Merrylees (Tyrone, Jason, Hand to God, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
- Lindsay Smiling (Steve, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Bowman Wright (Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical
- Alex Keiper (Lizzie Borden, Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Kim Carson (Chanteuse, Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Mary Martello (Rose, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nicole Stacie (Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, New Freedom Theatre)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical
- Alex Bechtel (Prince/Witch, The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Ben Dibble (Toad, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Steve Pacek (Gordon Michael Schwinn, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)
- Tim Rinehart (Black Stache, Peter and the Starcatcher, Eagle Theatre)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
- Hillary Parker (Liz, You for Me for You, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Carla Belver (Genevieve, John, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nancy Boykin (Older Elizabeth Law, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Taysha Canales (Younger Gabrielle York, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Eleni Delopoulos (Radiant Vermin, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
- Melanye Finister (Older Gabrielle York, When the Rain Stops Falling, The WIlma Theater)
- Stephanie N. Walters (Lamb 1, Peaceable Kingdom, Orbiter 3)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
- David Bardeen (Frog, Grand Concourse, Theatre Horizon)
- J Hernandez (Carlos, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Dan Hodge (Dev, Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
- Mikeah Ernest Jennings (Rexy & Jason, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Stephen Rishard (Joe Ryan, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Ed Swidey (Trigorin, The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- Greg Wood (Dr. Sorn, Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
- Caroline Dooner (Louise, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Rachel Brennan (Bridget Sullivan, Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Rachel Camp (June, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Leigha Kato (Mouse, Bird, Mole, Squirrel, Young Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
- Doug Hara (Mr. Bungee, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)
- Malik Akil (Tulsa, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Steve Pacek (Bird, Lizard, Snail, Mole, Father Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Josh Totora (Sam Slug, Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
Outstanding Scenic Design
- Thom Weaver (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- Tony Cisek (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Paul Kuhn (The Birds, Curio Theatre Company)
- Tim Mackabee (John, Arden Theatre Company)
- Sara Outing (How We Got On, Azuka Theatre)
- Matt Saunders (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Costume Design
- Rebecca Kanach (Peaceable Kingdom, Orbiter 3)
- Oana Botez (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Richard St. Clair (A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Nikki Delhomme (Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Olivera Gajic (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden) Rebecca Kanach (Peaceable Kingdom, Orbiter 3)
- Jill Keys (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Kayla Speedy (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Outstanding Lighting Design
- Yi Zhao (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Joshua Schulman (The Mountaintop, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Maria Shaplin (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Masha Tsimring (Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Thom Weaver (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theater)
Outstanding Sound Design
- Christopher Colucci (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Lucas Fendley (How We Got On, Azuka Theatre)
- Damien Figeuras (Antihero, Tribe of Fools)
- Rob Kaplowitz (Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)
- Daniel Perelstein (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Toby Pettit (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Chris Sannino (The Birds, Curio Theatre Company)
Outstanding Original Music
- Alex Bechtel and Anthony Lawton (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Alex Bechtel (Sleeping Beauty, People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Christopher Colucci (When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)
- Michael Hahn and Liz Filios (An Iliad, Lantern Theater Company)
- Andrew Nelson (The Arsonists, Azuka Theatre)
- Marina Sadovksa (Adapt! The Wilma Theater)
- Daniel Perelstein (Stupid Fucking Bird, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Choreography/Movement
- Michael Consenza (Anthihero, Tribe of Fools)
- Terry Brennan (School Play, Tribe of Fools)
- Melanie Cotton (The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)
- Brenna Geffers and K.O. Delmarcelle (Anna, EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- Jenn Rose (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
- Samantha Reading (Mauritius, Act II)
- Derek Roland (Monty Python’s Spamalot, Resident Theatre Company)
Outstanding Music Direction
- Dan Kazemi (Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Alex Bechtel (The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)
- Amanda Morton (A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)
- Jason Neri (Godspell, Eagle Theatre)
- Ryan Touhey (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
- When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)
- Anna (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- How to Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)
- The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- Peaceable Kingdom (Orbiter 3)
- The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
- Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)
- Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)
- The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)
- Monty Python’s Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)
- Sleeping Beauty (People's Light and Theatre Company)
Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical
- How to Use a Knife by Will Snider (InterAct Theatre Company)
- Anna by Brenna Geffers and the Ensemble (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
- The Light Princess by Anthony Lawton and Alex Bechtel (Arden Theatre Company)
- Marcus/Emma by Mary Tuomanen (InterAct Theatre Company)
- Peaceable Kingdom by Mary Tuomanen (Orbiter 3)
- WHITE by James Ijames (Theatre Horizon)
Lifetime Achievement Award
- Penelope Reed
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist
- Mary Tuomanen
- Rachel Camp
- Jaylene Clark Owens
- Katherine Fritz
- Allison Heishman
- Rebecca Wright
Virginia Brown Martin Philadelphia Award
- Peaceable Kingdom by Mary Tuomanen (Orbiter 3)
- Buzzer (Theatre Exile)
- Mountaintop (People's Light and Theatre Company)
- WHITE (Theatre Horizon)
June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company
- EgoPo Classic Theater
- The Bearded Ladies Cabaret
- Curio Theatre Company
- Quintessence Theatre Group
- Simpatico Theatre
- Tribe of Fools
Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program
- Curio Theatre Company
- Lantern Theater Company
- Theatre Exile
- Theatre Horizon