Alliance Theatre, Actor's Express, Serenbe's OKLAHOMA! and More Among 2013-14 Suzi Bass Award Nominees; Ceremony Set for 11/3

The Suzi Bass Awards, Inc. revealed nominations for the 2013-2014 Atlanta professional theatrical season this evening to theatre patrons and industry artists. The Suzi Nomination Party, which rotates venues, was hosted this year by Actor's Express in the King Plow Arts Center of Atlanta. Guest announcers included performers Christy Baggett, Laura Cole, Danielle Deadwyler, and Tess Malis Kincaid.

Suzi Judges recognized a wide variety of productions this year, and a record number of directors, performers and designers working in the Atlanta theatre industry. The Alliance Theatre, producing on two stages and in three genres, led the Suzi nomination tally with thirty-five (35). Actor's Express earned twenty-three (23) nominations in musicals and plays to take the second place spot. Strong musical productions helped Atlanta Lyric Theatre, Aurora Theatre and Serenbe Playhouse pull in more than ten (10) nominations each. Serenbe Playhouse's production of Oklahoma! took the most nominations of any production, with eleven (11) in nine categories. Other musicals Mary Poppins at Aurora Theatre (10 nominations), The Rocky Horror Show at Actor's Express (10 nominations) and Harmony at the Alliance Theatre (9 nominations) followed closely. Even with large groups of nominations going to the above, a wide distribution of Atlanta area theatres were recognized, with multiple nominations also going to 7 Stages, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, Center for Puppetry Arts, Fabrefaction Theatre Company, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, Georgia Shakespeare, Horizon Theatre, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre, The Legacy Theatre, Stage Door Players, and Theatrical Outfit,

Design category nominees are a strong mix of resident, national and international artists. Scenic designer Chien-Yu Peng (The Tall Girls), based in Taiwan and New York, joins several nationally known designers with nominations for their work on Alliance Theatre productions. Lighting designers Peter Kaczorowski (Choir Boy), and Jeff Croiter and Darrell Maloney (Harmony) are all previous Tony Award winners for their work on The Producers, Peter and the Starcatcher, and Spring Awakening, respectively. Sound designer John Shivers (Harmony) won a Tony just last year for his work on Broadway in Kinky Boots. Project Runway All-star ESOSA received a Suzi nomination for his Costume Design in By the Way, Meet Vera Stark, also at the Alliance Theatre.

Multiple nominations highlighted the talent of Atlanta-based professionals. Lighting Designer Kevin Frazier garnered a record four (4) Suzi Nominations in one season for work on Oklahoma! (Serenbe), Urinetown & Shakespeare's R&J (Fabrefaction) and Where the Mountain Meets the Moon (Synchronicity). Actors Bart Hansard, Jeremiah Parker Hobbs and Marci Millard joined six designers receiving an unusual three (3) nominations in one season.

One reason for the higher nomination numbers this year is the expansion to four categories in the Theatre for Young Audiences (TYA) genre of the Suzi Awards. Begun last year, the TYA Suzis recognize the outstanding productions professional theatres create for younger audiences and families. The 2014 TYA Suzis now recognize direction, design and performance in addition to the overall production. Atlanta's internationally acclaimed Center for Puppetry Arts received the most TYA nominations for their productions of 1001 Nights: A Love Story About Loving Stories, Weather Rocks, Charlotte's Web, and Stan the Lovesick Snowman. Georgia Ensemble Theatre captured multiple nominations for two TYA productions: And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank, and Ramona Quimby. Synchronicity's Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Shrek the Musical at the Alliance Theatre and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, produced by Serenbe Playhouse, also received nominations.

In addition to the Suzi Performance and TYA Awards, the organization presents the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Spirit of Suzi Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, and the publicly voted Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Season. The Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award goes to an Atlanta playwright produced in the past season, and is decided by a special committee of educators, playwrights and theatre professionals

Final Ballot voting for the Suzi Awards begins this week and culminates in the presentation of Suzi trophies at the 10th Annual Suzi Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 3, 2014 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in DeKalb County. Members of the Suzi Awards may also vote the final ballot, and the results of Member voting will be tallied in as a percentage of the panel judge votes. The Suzi Awards, Inc. is a member non-profit organization, and anyone may join by paying annual dues of $25.

For further information on the awards process, becoming a Member of the Suzi Bass Awards, or taking out business or congratulation ads in the Awards Event Program, go to www.SuziAwards.org or email info@suziawards.org.

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2013-2014 Suzi Bass Award Nominees:

Outstanding Production of a Play

Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

End of the Rainbow - Actor's Express

The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

One Man, Two Guvnors - Georgia Shakespeare

Race - True Colors Theatre Company

Venus in Fur - Actor's Express

Outstanding Director of a Play

David Crowe for Venus in Fur - Actor's Express

Freddie Ashley for End of the Rainbow - Actor's Express

John Dillon for Race - True Colors Theatre Company

Susan V. Booth for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

Trip Cullman for Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

Carolyn Cook for Lombardi - Aurora Theatre

Elisabeth Omilami for Best of Enemies - Theatrical Outfit

Mary Lynn Owen for Six Degrees of Separation - Actor's Express

Natasha Drena for End of the Rainbow - Actor's Express

Veronika Duerr for Venus in Fur - Actor's Express

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

Aaron Muñoz for One Man, Two Guvnors - Georgia Shakespeare

Andrew Benator for Race - True Colors Theatre Company

Bart Hansard for Lombardi - Aurora Theatre

Bruce Evers for Best of Enemies - Theatrical Outfit

Joe Knezevich for Hamlet - Georgia Shakespeare

Neal A. Ghant for Race - True Colors Theatre Company

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play

Courtenay Collins for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

Courtney Patterson for One Man, Two Guvnors - Georgia Shakespeare

Kate Donadio for The Only Light in Reno - Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Lala Cochran for Best of Enemies - Theatrical Outfit

Stephanie Friedman for Pluto - Actor's Express

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play

Allan Edwards for Hamlet - Georgia Shakespeare

Chris Moses for Lombardi - Aurora Theater

Enoch King for Best of Enemies - Theatrical Outfit

Richard Garner for One Man, Two Guvnors - Georgia Shakespeare

Tony Larkin for End of the Rainbow - Actor's Express

Outstanding Ensemble of a Play

Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre
with Nicholas L. Ashe, Joshua Boone, Caleb Eberhardt, Jeremy Pope, Scott Robertson, John Stewart, and Charles E Wallace

Dividing the Estate - Theatrical Outfit
with Elizabeth Diane Wells, S. Renee Clark, Rob Cleveland, Danielle Deadwyler, Caroline Freedlund, Marianne Hammock, Bart Hansard, Mark Kincaid, Tess Malis Kincaid, Jessica Miese Mary Lynn Owen, Maria Rodriguez-Sager, and Scott Warren

Miracle on South Division Street - Stage Door Players
with Kara Cantrell, Kelly Criss, Susan Shalhoub Larkin, and Tony Larkin

Shakespeare's R&J - Fabrefaction Theatre
with Chase Steven Anderson, Kyle Brumley, Brian Hatch, and Justin Walker

Third Country - Horizon Theatre
with Cynthia D. Barker, Sam Higgins-King, Tess Malis Kincaid, Eric J. Little, Marcie Millard, William S. Murphey, Thom Thon, Andra Ward

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Chicago - The Legacy Theatre

Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Brian Clowdus for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Freddie Ashley for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Heidi Cline McKerley for Urinetown - Fabrefaction Theatre

Justin Anderson for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Tony Speciale for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

Christy Baggett for Cowgirls - Horizon Theatre

Galen Crawley for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Mary Nye Bennett for Spamalot - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Randi Garza for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Sarah Charles Lewis for Annie - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

Alan Kilpatrick for The Producers - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Andy Meeks for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Bart Hansard for Spamalot - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Craig Waldrip for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Logan Denninghoff for Guys and Dolls - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Diany Rodriguez for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Jessica Miesel for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Lala Cochran for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Lisa Manuli for Guys and Dolls - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Marcie Millard for Annie - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

Austin Tijerina for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Austin Tijerina for Spamalot - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Bryant Smith for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Glenn Rainey for Guys and Dolls - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Jeremiah Parker Hobbs for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Outstanding Ensemble of a Musical

Godspell - Stage Door Players
with Daniel Burns, Laura Floyd, Dan Ford, Randi Garza, Courtney Godwin, Jeremiah Parker Hobbs, Robert Mitchel Owenby, Caitlin Smith, Daniel Pino, Tierra Porter

Harmony - Alliance Theatre
with Will Blum, Liberty Cogen, Hannah Corneau, Chris Dwan, Bryan Thomas Hunt, Greg Kamp, Shayne Kennon, Leigh Ann Larkin, Chad Lindsey, Lindsay Moore, Brandon O'Dell, Patrick O'Neill, Charles Osborne, Kim Sava, Dave Schoonover, Lauren Elaine Taylor, Will Taylor, Douglas Williams, and Tony Yazbeck

Sophisticated Ladies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
with Cassandra Alvarado, Reverie Berger, Aaron Carter, Priscilla Curtis, George Deavours, Fenner Eaddy, Zack Everhart, Kayce Grogan-Wallace, Bonnie Harris, Chauncey Jenkins, Jewel Lucien, Tre McClendon, Jevares Myrick, J. Koby Parker, Michael Persson, Becca Potter, Krystle Simmons, Carrie Strothers, and Laura Wright

The Unauthorized Biography of Samantha Brown - Aurora Theatre
with Kylie Brown, Chris Damiano, Stephanie Friedman, Jeremiah Parker Hobbs, and Wendy Melkonian

Outstanding Music Direction

Ann-Carol Pence for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Jason Michael Webb for Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

Nick Silvestri for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Patrick Vaccariello for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Robert Strickland for End of the Rainbow - Actor's Express

Outstanding Choreography

Bethany Hayes Smith for Chicago - The Legacy Theatre

Bubba Carr for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Jen MacQueen for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

JoAnn M. Hunter for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Karen Hebert for Sophisticated Ladies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play

Erik Teague for The Navigator - 7 Stages

ESOSA for By the Way, Meet Vera Stark - Alliance Theatre

Lex Liang for In Love and Warcraft - Alliance Theatre

Linda Roethke for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

Sydney Roberts for Maple and Vine - Actor's Express

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play

Ken Yunker for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

Kevin Frazier for Shakespeare's R&J - Fabrefaction Theatre

Mary Parker for Venus in Fur - Actor's Express

Mike Post for The Guys - Theatrical Outfit

Peter Kaczorowski for Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play

Chien-Yu Peng for The Tall Girls - Alliance Theatre

Collette Pollard for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

David Zinn for Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

Isabel A. & Moriah Curley-Clay for Elemeno Pea - Horizon Theatre

Mimi Lien for Warrior Class - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play

Clay Benning for The Geller Girls - Alliance Theatre

Clay Benning for The Tall Girls - Alliance Theatre

Fitz Patton for Choir Boy - Alliance Theatre

Kendall Simpson for In Love and Warcraft - Alliance Theatre

Klimchak for The Navigator - 7 Stages

Robert Johnston for Spunk - True Colors

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical

Bethany Hayes Smith and Jane Kroessig for Chicago - The Legacy Theatre

Erik Teague for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Jane Kroessig for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Lindsey Paris for Sophisticated Ladies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Sydney Roberts for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Tobin Ost for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical

Jeff Croiter and Darrell Maloney (projections) for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Joseph P. Monaghan, III for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical (cont'd)

Kevin Frazier for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Kevin Frazier for Urinetown - Fabrefaction Theatre

Mary Parker for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical

Isabel A. & Moriah Curley-Clay for Urinetown - Fabrefaction Theatre

Isabel A. & Moriah Curley-Clay for Cowgirls - Horizon Theatre

Phillip Male for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Shannon Robert for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

Tobin Ost for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical

Daniel Terry for Mary Poppins - Aurora Theatre

John Shivers & David Patridge for Harmony - Alliance Theatre

Jonathan Summers for The Rocky Horror Show - Actor's Express

Robert Johnston for Sophisticated Ladies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Robert Johnston for Oklahoma! - Serenbe Playhouse

Outstanding World Premiere Production

The Geller Girls by Janece Shaffer - Alliance Theatre

Pluto by Steve Yockey - Actor's Express

Ravens & Seagulls by Karla Jennings - Essential Theatre

The Tall Girls by Meg Miroshnik - Alliance Theatre

Third Country by Suehyla El-Attar - Horizon Theatre

Outstanding Production - Theatre for Young Audiences

1001 Nights: A Love Story about Loving Stories - Center for Puppetry Arts

And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank - Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Shrek the Musical - Alliance Theatre

Weather Rocks - Center for Puppetry Arts

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Serenbe Playhouse

Outstanding Direction or Direction Team - Theatre for Young Audiences

1001 Nights: A Love Story about Loving Stories - Center for Puppetry Arts
Director - Adam Koplan, Puppet Director - Jon Ludwig, Music Director - Robert Strickland and Choreographer - Ricardo Aponte

And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank - Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Director - Peter Hardy

Ramona Quimby - Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Director - Laurel Crowe

Shrek the Musical - Alliance Theatre
Director - Rosemary Newcott, Music Director - Christopher Cannon, and Choreographer - Henry Scott

Weather Rocks - Center for Puppetry Arts
Director - Spencer G. Stephens, Music Director - Eric Baumgartner, and Choreographer - Reay Kaplan

Outstanding Design or Design Team - Theatre for Young Audiences

1001 Nights: A Love Story about Loving Stories - Center for Puppetry Arts
Puppet Designer - Jason von Hinezmeyer, Scenic & Lighting Designer - James Aitken, Costume Designer - Erik R. Teague, and Sound Designer - Gregory Montague

Charlotte's Web - Center for Puppetry Arts
Scenic Designer - Kat Conley, Puppet Designer - Jason von Hinezmeyer, Lighting Designer - Liz Lee, and Sound Designers - Gregory Montague & Mimi Epstein

Shrek the Musical - Alliance Theatre
Scenic Designer - Kat Conley, Costume Designer - Sydney Roberts. Lighting Designer - Pete Shinn, and Sound Designer - Clay Benning

Stan the Lovesick Snowman - Center for Puppetry Arts
Puppet Designer - Chris Brown, Scenic Designer - Roy H. Howington, Lighting Designer - Gregory Montague, Sound Designers - Dolph Amick & Kristin von Hinezmeyer, and Costume Designer - Stephanie Kaskel Bogle

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon - Synchronicity Theatre
Scenic, Puppet & Mask Design - Mike Hickey, Lighting & Sound Design - Kevin Frazier, and Costume Design -- Jonida Beqo

Outstanding Performance or Performance Ensemble

1001 Nights: A Love Story about Loving Stories - Center for Puppetry Arts Ally Duncan, Terry Guest, Mary Nye Bennett, Googie Uterhardt, and John Wright

And Then They Came for Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank - Georgia Ensemble Theatre Chris Schulz, Erin Bushko, Mandi Lee, and Kyle Brumley

Shrek the Musical - Alliance Theatre
Caleb Clark, Galen Crawley, David de Vries, Danyé Evonne, Monté J. Howell, Jeff McKerley, Marcie Millard, Lyndsay Rickertson, and Jeremy Varner

Weather Rocks - Center for Puppetry Arts
Dolph Amick, Jared Brodie, Eliana Marianes, Mandy Mitchell, and Eric Baumgartner

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - Serenbe Playhouse
Skylar Nicholson, Lauren Chamblin, Brittany Ellis, Robert Lee Hindsman, Will Skelton, Allie Southwood, and Alex Towers

Nomination Breakdowns by Theatre, By Show and Multiple Nominees:

Ranked Breakdown by Theatre (Suzi and TYA Suzi combined)

Alliance Theatre - 35

Actor's Express - 23

Aurora Theatre - 14

Atlanta Lyric Theatre - 13

Serenbe Playhouse - 13

Center for Puppetry Arts - 9

Georgia Shakespeare - 6

Theatrical Outfit - 6

Fabrefaction Theatre - 5

Georgia Ensemble Theatre - 5

Horizon Theatre - 5

Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company - 5

The Legacy Theatre - 3 7 Stages - 2

Stage Door Players - 2

Essential Theatre - 1

Synchronicity - 1

Breakdown by Show - Regular Season productions:

(Shows with Multiple Nominations Only)

Oklahoma! - 11

Mary Poppins - 10

The Rocky Horror Show - 10

Harmony - 9

The Geller Girls - 8

Choir Boy - 7

End of the Rainbow - 5

Best of Enemies - 4

One Man, Two Guv'nors - 4

Race - 4

Sophisticated Ladies - 4

Venus in Fur - 4

Chicago - 3

Guys and Dolls - 3

Lombardi - 3

Spamalot - 3

The Tall Girls - 3

Urinetown - 3

Annie - 2

Cowgirls - 2

Hamlet - 2

In Love and Warcraft - 2

The Navigator - 2

Pluto - 2

Shakespeare's R&J - 2

Third Country - 2

Breakdown by Show - Theatre for Young Audiences:

(Shows with Multiple Nominations Only)

1001 Nights: A Love Story about Loving Stories - 4

Shrek the Musical - 4

And Then They Came For Me: Remembering the World of Anne Frank - 3

Weather Rocks - 3

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz - 2

Multiple Nominations by Artist:

Kevin Frazier - 4

Bart Hansard - 3

Clay Benning - 3

Erik Teague - 3

Gregory Montague - 3

Isabel A. Curley-Clay - 3

Jeremiah Parker Hobbs - 3

Marcie Millard - 3

Moriah Curley-Clay - 3

Robert Johnston - 3

Bethany Hayes Smith - 2

Austin Tijerina - 2

Dolph Amick - 2

Eric Baumgartner - 2

Freddie Ashley - 2

Galen Crawley - 2

Jane Kroessig - 2

Jason von Hinezmeyer - 2

Jessica Miesel - 2

Kat Conley - 2

Kyle Brumley - 2

Lala Cochran - 2

Mary Nye Bennett - 2

Mary Parker - 2

Mary Lynn Owen - 2

Randi Garza - 2

Robert Strickland - 2

Stephanie Friedman - 2

Sydney Roberts - 2

Tess Malis Kincaid - 2

Tobin Ost - 2

Tony Larkin - 2