Sweeney Scores Most Nods in '05 Barrymore Nominations

Nominations have been announced for the 2005 Barrymore Awards, which honor the best in Philadelphia-area theatre. Tony Award-winner Bill Irwin (Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and Bronson Pinchot (Putting It Together) are among the nominees known to New York audiences, and one of its nominated musicals (Chasing Nicolette) is New York-bound.

The Barrymores, which are named after the legendary theatrical clan whose members included Ethel, Lionel and John, will be held on October 10th at the Merriam Theatre. They will be 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.

The Arden Theatre Company's production of Sweeney Todd was the most honored, and the company set a record for nominations held by one theatre company--25 with the Sondheim classic's 13 nods and 12 more for other shows. The Philadelphia Theatre Company's managers should also be smiling with 16 nominations (6 of them for their staging of Take Me Out, the most honored play), and the Wilma Theater garnered 14 of its own for its productions of The Clean House, Outrage and Raw Boys.

After Sweeney Todd, Chasing Nicolette earned the most nominations of any musical--10. Peter Kellogg's and David Friedman's musical will bow off-Broadway this fall at the Little Shubert Theatre. The nominated Pinchot starred in the piece, and Irwin was nominated for his performance in Trumbo. One of the nominated actresses, Jilline Ringle (for Always a Lady: a celebration of funny women for the holidays) sadly did not live to hear her name announced; she passed away from cancer on February 28th at the age of 40.
 
Awards will be presented for Emerging Theatre Artist, Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, and New Approaches to Collaborations in addition to the awards presented to the winners of the 22 theatrical categories. 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, has been selected to receive a Lifetime Achievement Award, and two scholarships for incoming students at the University of the Arts will also be handed out to deserving students.

In addition, a number of theatre programs have been 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." 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 the nominees.

The list of 2005 Barrymore nominees is as follows:

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 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