2014 GYPSY ROSE LEE AWARDS — SEATTLE THEATER WRITERS ANNOUNCE THEIR NOMINATIONS

From "Bethany" at ACT Theatre 
Board to the Belly - Emily Chisholm and Darragh Kennan
Photo: Chris Bennion 

Excitement has been building in Seattle this week and it is all because of one dedicated woman. Those who regularly partake of live theater in Seattle have probably seen Miryam Gordon in the audience, even if they don't know who she is. Because she feels such passion for theater, attends so often, and writes so many reviews, Gordon reached out to her peers and founded the Seattle Theater Writers group in 2011. She and the other members of STW, including myself, think more people would enrich their lives through the experience of live theater if they realized what it offers. STW exists to raise public awareness of the many fine professional theater organizations in this area and the people involved with them, and then to reward excellence. 

Today, we announce the group's nominations for our annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, fondly known as "the Gypsies." Winners will be announced next Thursday, January 15, 2015. The best part, in my opinion, is that these awards are so inclusive. They represent 32 theater companies and 57 productions.

For the first time, musicals and plays have their own separate categories. Also, the awards for 2014 will recognize Tony Award winner Mr. Robert Schenkkan with a Special Award of Recognition for Excellence in Playwriting. The Seattle Repertory Theatre presented his two-play history of Lyndon B. Johnson—All the Way and The Great Society. 

And the Nominees are….

Seattle Theater Writers Announces the Nominations of the

2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards

Excellence in Production of a Play 

(Large Budget): Tails of Wasps - New Century Theatre Company

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Book-It Repertory Theatre

The Boy at the Edge of Everything - Seattle Children's Theatre

The Invisible Hand - ACT Theatre

The Normal Heart - Strawberry Theatre Workshop

(Small Budget): A Small Fire - Sound Theatre Company

Blood Countess - Annex Theatre

Gidion's Knot - Seattle Public Theater

Seascape - Theater Schmeater 

The Lisbon Traviata - Theatre22

Excellence in Production of a Musical

A Little Night Music - SecondStory Repertory

In the Heights - Village Theatre

Little Shop of Horrors - The 5th Avenue/ACT Theatre co-production

Mary Poppins - Village Theatre

Monty Python's Spamalot - The 5th Avenue Theatre

Excellence in Direction of a Play

(Large Budget): Sheila Daniels - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Darragh Kennan - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

John Langs - Bethany (ACT Theatre)

Allen Nause - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Myra Platt - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Julie Beckman - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Shana Bestock - Gidion's Knot (Seattle Public Theater)

Valerie Curtis-Newton - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Alicia Mendez - The Pillowman (SecondStory Repertory)

Bobbin Ramsey - Attempts on Her Life (The Horse in Motion)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical

Eric Ankrim - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Bill Berry - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Brandon Ivie - A Christmas Story (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Josh Rhodes - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Steve Tomkins - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

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

(Large Budget): Elijah Alexander - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Frank Boyd - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

William Hall Jr. - A Lesson From Aloes (Thalia's Umbrella)

Greg Lyle-Newton - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Connor Toms - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

(Small Budget): Gordon Carpenter - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Daniel Christensen - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Matthew Gilbert - The Elephant Man (STAGEright Theatre)

Reginald Andre Jackson - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Will Rose - Don Quixote and Sancho Panza: Homeless in Seattle (ese Teatro)

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

Greg McCormick Allen - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

LeRoy Bell - Passing Strange (Sidecountry Theatre)

Joshua Carter - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Ryan McCabe -La Cage aux Folles (SecondStory Repertory)

Wade McCollum - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

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

(Large Budget): Emily Chisholm - Bethany (ACT Theatre)

Helen Harvester - Diana of Dobsons (Taproot Theatre)

Tracy Michelle Hughes - Pretty Fire (Taproot Theatre)

Pamela Reed - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Gillian Williams - Venus in Fur (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Mary Ewald - Hamlet (New City Theater)

Peggy Gannon - Blood Relations (Sound Theatre Company)

brianne a. hill - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Teri Lazzara - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Terri Weagant - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

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

 Sarah Rose Davis - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Cayman Ilika - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

Jennifer Littlefield - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Jessica Skerritt - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Valerie Vigoda - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

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

(Large Budget): Peter Crook - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Quinn Franzen - The Importance of Being Earnest (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Todd Jefferson Moore - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Timothy McCuen Piggee - Angels in America (Intiman Theatre)

Michael Winters - All the Way/The Great Society (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Andrew Lee Creech - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Eric Mulholland - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Carter Rodriquez - Uncle Vanya (Akropolis Performance Lab)

Ray Tagavilla - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

James Weidman - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Male)

Matt Giles - A New Brain (STAGEright Theatre)

Justin Huertas - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

David Anthony Lewis - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

John Scott - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Dane Stokinger - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Female) 

(Large Budget): Sylvie Davidson - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Amy Hill - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Amy Love - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Betsy Schwartz - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Amy Thone - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Budget): Lisa Branham - Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Alyson Scadron Branner - Arcadia (Seattle Public Theatre)

Evelyn Dehais - Chaos Theory (Annex Theatre)

Caitlin Frances - Blood Relations (Sound Theatre Company)

Tracy Leigh - American Wee-Pie (Seattle Public Theatre)

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

Taryn Darr - A Chorus Line (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Iris Elton - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Laura Griffith - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Megan Chenovick - Jerry Springer the Opera (Balagan Theatre)

Shermona Mitchell - A New Brain (STAGEright Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble

(Large Budget): A Lesson From Aloes - Thalia's Umbrella (William Hall, Jr., Terry Edward Moore, Pam Nolte)

Art Dog - Seattle Children's Theatre (Allen Galli, Auston James, Khanh Doan, Kate Jaeger)

Tails of Wasps - New Century Theatre Company (Sylvie Davidson, Brenda Joyner, Hannah Mootz, Betsy Schwartz, Paul Morgan Stetler)

The Invisible Hand - ACT Theatre (Elijah Alexander, Erwin Galan, William Ontiveros, Connor Toms)

The Normal Heart - Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Stephen Black, Rob Burgess, Peter Crook, Brian Culbertson, Joseph Cummings, Simon Hamlin, Greg Lyle-Newton, Andrew Russell, Amy Thone) 

(Small Budget): A Small Fire - Sound Theatre Company (Gordon Carpenter, Sara Coates, Teri Lazzara, Ray Tagavilla)

Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! - Theater Schmeater (Ashley Bagwell, Alyssa Bostwick, Lisa Branham, Nik Doner, Alyssa Keene, J.D. Lloyd, Corey McDaniel, Tim Moore, Allie Pratt, Lisa Viertel, Lantz Wagner)

Gidion's Knot - Seattle Public Theater (Heather Hawkins, Rebecca Olson)

Horse Girls - Annex Theatre (Erin Bednarz, Rachel Brow, Elizabeth Grant, Kasey Harrison, Anastasia Higham, Pilar O'Connell, Sascha Streckel)

Seascape - Theater Schmeater (Paul Custodio, Lori Lee Haener, Josh Ryder, Katherine Woolverton)

Excellence in Set Design

(Large Budget): Scott Bradley - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Andrea Bryn Bush - Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Matthew Smucker - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Carey Wong - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Children's Theatre)

Jennifer Zeyl - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

(Small Budget): Robin Macartney - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Robin Macartney - Balconies (Annex Theatre)

Cate McCrea - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

Montana Tippett - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Burton Yuen - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Costume Design

(Large Budget): Anastasia Armes - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Sarah Burch Gordon - Diana of Dobsons (Taproot Theatre)

Christine Meyers - Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Pete Rush - Truth Like the Sun (Book-It Repertory Theatre

Cynthia Savage - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

(Small Budget): Julia Evanovich - Attack of the Killer Murder...Of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Candace Frank - American Wee-Pie (Seattle Public Theater)

Cami Funk - Balconies (Annex Theatre)

Desiree Jones - The Hunchback of Seville (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Scarlett O'Hairdye - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Excellence in Lighting Design

(Large Budget): Brian Bembridge - Mary's Wedding (New Century Theatre Company)

Kristeen Willis Crosser - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

L.B. Morse - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Alexander V. Nichols - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

Andrew D. Smith - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Children's Theatre)

(Small Budget): Mark Chenovick and Jen Klos - The Pillowman (SecondStory Repertory)

Marnie Cummings - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

Dani Norberg - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Gwyn Skone - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Sara Torres - Marisol (The Collision Project)

Excellence in Sound Design

(Large Budget): Obadiah Eaves - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Brendan Patrick Hogan - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Matt Starritt - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Nathan Wade - Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Robertson Witmer and Kevin Heard - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

(Small Budget): Al Angel - Attack of the Killer Murder… of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Josh Blaisdel - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Mark Chenovick and Jen Klos - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Evan Mosher - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

James Schreck - Attempts on Her Life (The Horse in Motion)

Excellence in Musical Direction

Paul Linnes - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Ryan O'Connell - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

RJ Tancioco - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

RJ Tancioco - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Tim Symons and Bruce Monroe - Funny Girl (Village Theatre) 

Excellence in Choreography or Movement

Bill Berry - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Kristin Holland Bohr - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Diana Cardiff - Girl You Know Its True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Daniel Cruz - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting

Kelleen Conway Blanchard - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Samuel D. Hunter - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Wayne Rawley - Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Jeff Schwager - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Stephanie Timm - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Excellence in Local Composing

Obadiah Eaves - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Zhenya Lavy - Uncle Vanya (Akropolis Performance Lab)

Mark Siano and Opal Peachey - Seattle Vice (Marxiano Productions)

About Seattle Theater Writers:

Founded in 2011 by Miryam Gordon and comprised of local writers and reviewers, Seattle Theater Writers is a group dedicated to raising public awareness of theater practitioners and the work produced by professional theater organizations. Seattle Theater Writers’ hope is that awareness can encourage attendance and enjoyment of our rich cultural offerings.  Born from this mission are the annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, recognizing excellence in Seattle theater across 32 categories.

The participants in this year’s award process were Jose Amador (www.seattlestar.net), Candace Brown (goodlifenw.blogspot.com), Miryam Gordon (Seattle Gay News and miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com), David-Edward Hughes (www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/seattle), Rosemary Jones (www.examiner.com/theater-in-seattle/rosemary-jones), Alice Kaderlan (blog.seattlepi.com/feetfirst), Dusty Somers (blogcritics.org/author/Dusty-Somers), and Michael Strangeways (www.seattlegayscene.com/). 

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/SeattleTheaterWriters. The Notes section shows the evolution of the awards.

Please visit Good Life Northwest on Facebook.