The 6th Annual Suzi Bass Awards Presented Nov. 8th

The Suzi Bass Awards, Inc. announced nominations for the 2009-2010 Atlanta professional theatrical season this evening to an enthusiastic crowd of patrons and theatre industry artists. Guest announcers LaLa Cochran, Bart Hansard, and Anthony Rodriquez joined Suzi Awards Executive Director Deadra Moore in sharing the list of Nominees while playfully riffing on the 2009/2010 Atlanta theatre season.

Nationally-recognized artists working in Atlanta were among this year's nominees: David Catlin and Lookingglass Theatre's production of Lookingglass Alice pulled in seven (7) nominations for the ALLIANCE THEATRE, including Production-Play. Come Fly With Me, the Atlanta incarnation of Twyla Tharpe's homage to the music of Frank Sinatra garnered nominations in eight (8) more categories, including Production-Musical. Nominations for Twyla Tharpe in both Choreography and Director-Musical categories recognized her work on the production prior to its move to Broadway.

Jasmine Guy was nominated for a second year in the Director-Play category for her work on the world premiere of Douglas Tappin's I Dream. Nominated in the new World Premiere category in addition to Production-Musical, writer/composer Douglas Tappin and producers Musical-Dramatic Arts, Inc. and Associate Producers Sola Mahoney, Tammy McCrary & Chaka Khan have a received a warm Suzi welcome for their first production. Atlanta resident artists fared well in all categories, but especially in acting category nominations: Nita Hardy, James Donadio, Kate Donadio, and Glenn Rainey all received two nominations for their work in different shows last season.

Final Ballot voting for the Suzi Awards begins this week and culminates in the presentation of Suzi star statues at the 6th Annual Suzi Awards Ceremony on Monday, November 8, 2010 at the Conant Center of Oglethorpe University. For the first time this year, 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. In addition to the Suzi Performance Awards, the organization presents the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award to an Atlanta playwright, the Spirit of Suzi Award, the Volunteer of the Year Award, and the publicly-voted Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Season.

For further information on the awards process, becoming a Member of the Suzi Bass Awards, or taking business or congratulation ads in the Awards Event Program, please go to www.SuziAwards.org  
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2009 - 2010 Suzi Awards Nominees
Production - Play
Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit
Jitney - Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre
King Lear - Georgia Shakespeare
Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre

Production - Musical
A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.

World Premiere (Play or Musical)
Brownie Points by Janece Shaffer - Theatrical Outfit
Come Fly With Me by Twyla Tharpe & Frank Sinatra Enterprises - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Fair Use by Sarah Gubbins - Actor's Express
I Dream by Douglas Tappin with Cedric Perrier - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Tennis in Nablus by Ismail Khalidi - ALLIANCE THEATRE

Director - Play
David Catlin for Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
James Donadio for Ethan Frome - Theatre in the Square
Jessica Phelps West for The Sunset Limited - Theatrical Outfit
Sabin Epstein for King Lear - Georgia Shakespeare
Thomas W. Jones II for Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre

Director - Musical
Brandt Blocker for Hairspray Atlanta - Lyric Theatre
Freddie Ashley for A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
Freddie Ashley for Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Jasmine Guy for I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Twyla Tharp for Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE

Music Direction
Ann-Carol Pence for A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
BJ Brown for Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Darryl JoVan Williams for Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Keith Williams for I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Sam Lutfiyya for Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE

Choreography
Cindy Mora for Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Cindy Mora for The Will Rogers Follies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Danny Pelzig for Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Jen MacQueen for Shrew: The Musical - Georgia Shakespeare
Twyla Tharp for Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE

Lead Actress - Play
Bethany Anne Lind, The Storytelling Ability of a Boy - Aurora Theatre
Kate Donadio, Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit
Minka Wiltz, Black Pearl Sings - Horizon Theatre
Naima Carter Russell, Tranced - Aurora Theatre
Tess Malis Kincaid, Good Boys and True - Actor's Express

Lead Actress - Musical
Bernardine Mitchell, His Eye is on the Sparrow - Theatre in the Square
Caitlin Smith, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Ingrid Cole, A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
Jill Hames, Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Park Krausen, Shrew: The Musical - Georgia Shakespeare

Lead Actor - Play
E. Roger Mitchell, The Sunset Limited - Theatrical Outfit
Nick Arapoglou, The Storytelling Ability of a Boy - Aurora Theatre
Robin Bloodworth, Ethan Frome - Theatre in the Square
Steve Coulter, The Men of Mah Jongg - Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Tim McDonough, King Lear - Georgia Shakespeare

Lead Actor - Musical
Alan Kilpatrick, The Will Roger's Follies - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Daniel Thomas May, Cotton Patch Gospel - Theatrical Outfit & Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Glenn Rainey, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Joe Knezevich, Shrew: The Musical - Georgia Shakespeare
Quentin Earl Darrington, I Dream - Musical Dramatic Arts Inc.

Featured Actress - Play
Ellen McQueen, Ethan Frome - Theatre in the Square
Naomi Lavette, Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre
Nita Hardy, Boeing, Boeing - Aurora Theatre
Stacey Melich, Good Boys and True - Actor's Express
Tonia Jackson, Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre

Featured Actress - Musical
Ann Marie Gideon, Shrew: The Musical - Georgia Shakespeare
Christy Baggett, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Courtney Godwin, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Kathleen McManus, Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Kayce Grogan Wallace, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Featured Actor - Play
Andrew Benator, Tennis in Nablus - ALLIANCE THEATRE
James Donadio, Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit
Jimi Kocina, True Love Lies - Horizon Theatre
Kevin Dougherty, The Men of Mah Jongg - Georgia Ensemble Theatre
William S. Murphey, Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit

Featured Actor - Musical
Ben Polite, I Dream - Musical Dramatic Arts Inc.
Chase Todd, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Chase Todd, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Glenn Rainey, A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
Jevares C. Myrick, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Ensemble - Play
It's A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play - ART Station
Brik Berkes, Kate Donadio, Barry Stoltze, Bryan Brendle, Bethany Irby
Jitney - Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre
Tracey Bonner, Eric Moore, Geoffrey D. Williams, Anthony Chisholm, Yaegel Welch,
CedRic Young, E. Roger Mitchell, Ellis Eugene Williams, LaParee Young

Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Molly Brennan, Anthony Fleming III, Lindsey Noel Whiting, Kevin Douglas, Doug Hara

Shooting Star - Horizon Theatre
Leigh Campbell-Taylor, Jim Hammond

The Savannah Disputation - Theatre in the Square
Nita Hardy, Judy Leavell, Mary Kathryn Kaye, Peter Thomasson

Ensemble - Musical
Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Rebecca Blouin, Steve French, Neda Spears, Lawrence Clayton, J.D. Goldblatt,
J.D. Webster, Jeremy Cohen, Nick Spangler

Children's Letters to God - The Legacy Theatre
Brent Davis, Paige McCauley, Benjamin Peacock, Maddie Mateer, Austin Monk

Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Kristine Bendul, Heather Hamilton, Karine Plantadit, Alexander Brady,
Laura Mead, Joel Prouty, Todd Burnsed, Jodi Melnick, Matt Rivera, Dee Daniels,
Charlie Neshyba-Hodges, Keith Roberts, Matthew Dibble, Rika Okamoto,
John Selya, Carolyn Doherty, Eric Otto, John Sorensen-Jolink,
Holley Farmer, Justin Peck, Ashley Tuttle

Hair - 7 Stages
Dorothy Victoria Bell, Doug Graham, Jenna Tamisiea, Franceca Byrd,
Naomi Lavender, Warren E. Ullom IV, Thoedus X. Crane II, Chris Love,
Christine Verderese, Christie Lee Fisher, Jason Royal, Jacob Wood

Costume Design - Play
Christine Turbitt, King Lear - Georgia Shakespeare
Jonida Beqo, Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit
Linda Patterson, Boeing, Boeing - Aurora Theatre
Mara Blumenfeld, Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Nyrobi Moss, Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre

Costume Design - Musical
Douglas J. Koertge, Shrew: The Musical - Georgia Shakespeare
Katherine Roth, Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Mariann Verheyen, Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Shilla Benning, I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Sydney Roberts, Grey Gardens - Actor's Express

Lighting Design - Play
Christine Binder Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Jessica Coale Around the World in 80 Days - Theatrical Outfit
Mike Post Ethan Frome - Theatre in the Square
Rob Dillard Brownie Points - Theatrical Outfit
Rob Dillard The Woman in Black - Theatre in the Square

Lighting Design - Musical
Ken Yunker, Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Donald Holder, Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Joseph Futral, I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Joseph P. Monaghan III, Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Bradley Bergeron, Hairspray - Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Scenic Design - Play
Clint Ramos, A Life in the Theatre - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Daniel Ostling, Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Isabel A. Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay, The Sunset Limited - Theatrical Outfit
Isabel A. Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay, Shooting Star - Horizon Theatre
Kat Conley, Ethan Frome - Theatre in the Square

Scenic Design - Musical
Kat Conley, I Dream - Musical-Dramatic Arts Inc.
Lee Shiver, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum - Atlanta Lyric Theatre
Philip Male, A Catered Affair - Aurora Theatre
Philip Male, Grey Gardens - Actor's Express
Todd Rosenthal, Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE

Sound Design - Play
Christopher Bartelski, The Woman in Black - Theatre in the Square
Clay Benning, Tennis in Nablus - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Jonathan Summers, The Sunset Limited - Theatrical Outfit
Ray Nardelli, Lookingglass Alice - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Thom Jenkins, Shakin' the Mess Outta Misery - Horizon Theatre

Sound Design - Musical
Bobby Johnston, I Dream - Musical -Arts Inc.
BrIan Patterson, His Eye is on the Sparrow - Theatre in the Square
Clay Benning, Avenue X - ALLIANCE THEATRE
Jonathan Summers, Cotton Patch Gospel - Theatrical Outfit & Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Peter McBoyle, Come Fly With Me - ALLIANCE THEATRE