Arden Sweeney Todd is the Big Winner of 2005 Barrymore Awards

The Arden Theatre Company's staging of Sweeney Todd swung four Barrymore Awards high, while a number of other productions such as the Philadelphia Theatre Company's staging of Elegies: A Song Cycle, also snagged more than one award.

Sweeney Todd received Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Lighting Design (John Stephen Hoey), Outstanding Direction of a Musical (Terrence J. Nolen), Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical and Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical (Mary Martello). Elegies picked up Oustanding Music Direction (Kimberly Grigsby) and Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical. The new musical Chasing Nicolette won Oustanding Supporting Actress in a Musical (Rebecca Bellingham) and Oustanding Original Music (David Friedman).

As for plays, the Philadelphia Theatre Company was awarded Outstanding Overall Production of a Play for Take Me Out, while the Hedgerow Theatre snagged Outstanding New Play for its The Lives of Bosie, John Wolfson's piece about Wilde's amour Lord Alfred Douglas.

The Barrymores, which are named after the legendary theatrical clan whose members included Ethel, Lionel and John, were held on October 10th at the Merriam Theatre. They were presented by The Theater Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, who select their nominees from among the 100 or so shows they see each season. As well as Philadelphia and its suburbs, theatres from New Jersey and Delaware are also represented in the Alliance.

Dr. James J. Christy, who has been the Professor of Theatre at Villanova University for almost 40 years and who is a leading local director, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Ben Dibble, Madi Distefano, Matt Saunders, Geoff Sobelle and James Sugg are the 2005 nominees for the F. Otto Haas Award for Emerging Theatre Artist, which grants the winner $10,000. InterAct Theatre Company's InterAction, Philadelphia Young Playwrights' Classic Program of Playwriting Workshops, Theater Catalyst's 2nd Stage Program, Walnut Street Theatre's Adopt-A-School, and The Wilma Theater's Wilmagination are nominated for The Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, which awards $1,500 and is sponsored by the Harvey & Virginia Kimmel Arts Education Fund; it "promotes the participation of theatres and theatre artists who provide innovative theatre and educational experiences as a vehicle for betterment within the community."

In addition, Theatre Exile and Reconstruction Pictures' the film cellar received the Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations. A movie that premiered during the 2005 Philadelphia Film Festival, its cast is comprised mostly of local theatre actors.

Visit www.theatrealliance.org or call the Theatre Alliance at (215) 413-7150 for more information.

The list of 2005 Barrymore Award winners follows (with the winner bolded).

OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY

The Philly Fan by Bruce Graham at Theatre Exile
Raw Boys by Dael Orlandersmith at The Wilma Theater
A Higher Place in Heaven by Pamela Parker at The People's Light & Theatre Company
Hell Meets Henry Halfway by Adriano Shaplin for Pig Iron Theatre Company
The Lives of Bosie by John Wolfson at Hedgerow Theatre

 

OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

1812 Productions' Recent Tragic Events
The People's Light & Theatre Company's String of Pearls
Philadelphia Theatre Company's Take Me Out
Philadelphia Theatre Company's Trumbo
The Wilma Theater's The Clean House

OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

Act II Playhouse's The Big Bang
Arden Theatre Company's Sweeney Todd
Arden Theatre Company's A Year with Frog and Toad
Philadelphia Theatre Company's Elegies: A Song Cycle
Prince Music Theater's Chasing Nicolette

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY

James J. Christy Take Me Out
Daniel Fish The Clean House
Maria Mileaf The Story
Pete Pryor Recent Tragic Events
Jiri Zizka Outrage

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL

Joe Calarco Elegies: A Song Cycle
Whit MacLaughlin A Year with Frog and Toad
Ethan McSweeny Chasing Nicolette
Terrence J. Nolen Sweeney Todd
Richard M. Parison, Jr. The Big Bang

OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION

Eric Ebbenga Sweeney Todd
Charles Gilbert A Year with Frog and Toad
Kimberly Grigsby Elegies: A Song Cycle
Robert K. Mikulski Chasing Nicolette
Jim Ryan The Big Bang

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY

Jamie Harris Raw Boys
Bill Irwin Trumbo
John Keating Raw Boys
Jered McLenigan The Elephant Man
Ernest Perry, Jr. Fences

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Stephanie Berry Fences
Madi Distefano Eden
Juliette Dunn Recent Tragic Events
Jilline Ringle Always a Lady: A celebration of funny women for the holidays
Catharine K. Slusar The Syringa Tree

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Richard Amelius Cabaret
Tony Braithwaite The Big Bang
Ben Dibble The Big Bang
Bronson Pinchot Chasing Nicolette
Thom Sesma Sweeney Todd

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Audri T. Dalio Miss Saigon
Sherri L. Edelen Elegies: A Song Cycle
Mary Martello Sweeney Todd
Donna Migliaccio Elegies: A Song Cycle
Jasika Nicole Pruitt Chasing Nicolette

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY

James Gale Raw Boys
Jeb Kreager Recent Tragic Events
Pete Pryor The Miser
Josh Shirley Take Me Out
Kraig Swartz Take Me Out
Ray Anthony Thomas Fences

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY

Jennifer Childs The Underpants
Alda Cortese The Miser
Emmanuelle Delpech-Ramey Hell Meets Henry Halfway
Jayne Houdyshell The Clean House
Karen Peakes Noises Off

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL

Todd Buonopane Gemini
Ben Dibble Sweeney Todd
Christopher Kale Jones Olympus on my Mind
Joshua Lamon Sweeney Todd
Joshua Lamon A Year with Frog and Toad

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Rebecca Bellingham Chasing Nicolette
Anne DeSalvo Gemini
Sarah Doherty Grease and Desist
SuEllen Estey Olympus on my Mind
Denise Whelan Sweeney Todd

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

David Gallo Fences
David P. Gordon Sweeney Todd
Andrew Lieberman The Clean House
Mimi Lien Outrage
Todd Rosenthal Take Me Out

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

Russell H. Champa Raw Boys
Jerold R. Forsyth Outrage
Ac Hickox The Syringa Tree
John Stephen Hoey Sweeney Todd
Chris Lee Elegies: A Song Cycle

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

Constance Hoffman Chasing Nicolette
Marla Jurglanis Sleeping Beauty: A Comic Panto in the British Style
Marla Jurglanis Sweeney Todd
Richard St. Clair A Year with Frog and Toad
Linda Bee Stockton Holiday

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN

Jorge Cousineau Sweeney Todd
Nick Kourtides Chasing Nicolette
John Mock Looking Over the President's Shoulder
Bill Moriarty, Adriano Shaplin, & James Sugg for Hell Meets Henry Halfway
James Sugg all wear bowlers

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC

Charles Gilbert Gemini
David Friedman Chasing Nicolette
Jim Ryan Grease and Desist
Adriano Shaplin & James Sugg Hell Meets Henry Halfway
Adam Wernick Outrage

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT

Richard Amelius Cabaret
Karen Getz The Big Bang
Trey Lyford & Geoffrey Sobelle all wear bowlers
Jewel Walker Tuesday
Dorothy Wilke Death and the King's Horseman

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY

Recent Tragic Events
Tuesday
Hell Meets Henry Halfway
Take Me Out
The Art of War

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL

Sweeney Todd
A Year with Frog and Toad
Forever Plaid
Elegies: A Song Cycle
Chasing Nicolette