BWW 2014 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (Jay's Picks)

Oh my! It's been a hell of a year for the Seattle Theatre scene and I can say we've been quite fortunate to see the incredible shows we have. So many amazing shows in fact that picking just a few stand outs (let alone a "best") is a near impossibility. But I have searched the deep dark recesses of my memory to find the shows and performances that really stood out and stuck with me beyond the evening and throughout the year. And so, without further ado, I'm thrilled to present the BWW 2014 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (or Jay's Picks). Let the awesomeness flow!

Best Choreography (Local)
Warren Carlyle and Mara Newbery - "A Christmas Story, The Musical" from The 5th Avenue Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Kathryn Van Meter - "Jerry Springer: The Opera" from Balagan Theatre
Kristin Holland - "Funny Girl" from Village Theatre
Tori Spero - "Urinetown" from Balagan Theatre/Seattle Musical Theatre

Best Costume Design (Local)
Catherine Hunt - "James and the Giant Peach" from Seattle Children's Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Chelsea Cook - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre
Karen Ann Ledger - "Funny Girl" from Village Theatre

Best Direction of Musical (Local)
Lisa Peterson - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Brandon Ivie - "A Christmas Story, The Musical" from The 5th Avenue Theatre
Lindsey Larson - "Floyd Collins" from STAGEright Theatre

Best Direction of Play (Local)
John Langs - "Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company

Honorable Mentions
Allen Nause - "The Invisible Hand" from ACT Theatre
Bill Rauch - "All The Way/The Great Society" from Seattle Repertory Theatre
Braden Abraham - "A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre
Jon Kretzu - "Twelfth Night" from Seattle Shakespeare Company

Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Local)
Jeff Orton - "Urinetown" from Balagan Theatre and Seattle Musical Theatre

Honorable Mentions
John David Scott - "Funny Girl" from Village Theatre
Nik Hagen - "25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" from Seattle Musical Theatre

Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Touring)
Matt DeAngelis - "Once" at The Paramount

Best Featured Actor in a Play (Local)
Mike Dooly - "Twelfth Night" from Seattle Shakespeare Company

Honorable Mentions
Chris Ensweiler - "Waiting for Godot" from Seattle Shakespeare Company
Michael Patten - "Black Comedy" from Strawberry Theatre Workshop
William Ontiveros - "The Invisible Hand" from ACT

Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Local) - TIE
Jayne Muirhead and Julie Briskman - "James and the Giant Peach" from Seattle Children's Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Bobbi Kotula - "Funny Girl" from Village Theatre
Tori Spero - "Urinetown" from Balagan Theatre and Seattle Musical Theatre

Best Featured Actress in a Musical (Touring)
Lindsay Nicole Chambers - "Kinky Boots" at The 5th Avenue Theatre

Best Featured Actress in a Play (Local)
Amy Love - "Royal Blood" from Onward Ho! Productions

Honorable Mentions
Cynthia Jones - "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" from ACT
Mari Nelson - "A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Local)
Wade McCollum - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Dane Stokinger - "A Christmas Story, The Musical" from The 5th Avenue Theatre
Joshua Carter - "Little Shop of Horrors" from ACT/5th Avenue Theatre

Best Leading Actor in a Musical (Touring)
Kyle Taylor Parker - "Kinky Boots" at The 5th Avenue Theatre

Best Leading Actor in a Play (Local) - TIE
Elijah Alexander - "The Invisible Hand" from ACT
and
Jack Willis - "All The Way/The Great Society" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Conner Neddersen - "Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company
Connor Toms - "The Invisible Hand" from ACT
Matthew Gilbert - "The Elephant Man" from STAGEright
Michael Winters - "A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Local)
Valerie Vigoda - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Jessica Skerritt - "A Christmas Story, The Musical" from The 5th Avenue Theatre
Megan Chenovick - "Jerry Springer: The Opera" from Balagan Theatre
Sarah Rose Davis - "Funny Girl" from Village Theatre

Best Leading Actress in a Musical (Touring)
Dani de Waal - "Once" at The Paramount

Best Leading Actress in a Play (Local)
Maya Sugarman - "Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company

Honorable Mentions
Elinor Gunn - "Twelfth Night" from Seattle Shakespeare Company
Marianne Owen - "Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike" from ACT
Pamela Reed - "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Lighting Design (Local)
Brian Sidney Bembridge - "Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company

Honorable Mentions
Alexander V Nichols and Ahren Buhmann - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre
Kent Cubbage - "Twelfth Night" from Seattle Shakespeare Company

Best Musical (Local)
"Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
"A Christmas Story, The Musical" from The 5th Avenue Theatre
"Funny Girl" from Village Theatre

Best Musical (Touring)
"Kinky Boots" at The 5th Avenue Theatre

Best NEW/ORIGINAL/ADAPTATION play/musical (Local)
Joe DiPietro, Brendan Milburn and Valerie Vigoda - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Benj Pasek & Justin Paul/Tim McDonald - "James & the Giant Peach" from Seattle Children's Theatre
Samuel D. Hunter - "A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Play (Local)
"The Invisible Hand" from ACT

Honorable Mentions
"A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre
"All The Way/The Great Society" from Seattle Repertory Theatre
"Black Comedy" from Strawberry Theatre Workshop
"Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company
"Twelfth Night" from Seattle Shakespeare Company

Best Scenic Design (Local)
Alexander V Nichols and Ahren Buhmann - "Ernest Shackleton Loves Me" from Balagan Theatre

Honorable Mentions
Brian Sidney Bembridge - "Mary's Wedding" from New Century Theatre Company
Scott Bradley - "A Great Wilderness" from Seattle Repertory Theatre

Best Sound Design (Local)
Kai Harada - "Spamalot" from The 5th Avenue Theatre

Honorable Mention
The Squolf - "Kiss of the Spider Woman" from SecondStory Rep

Best Special Theatre Event (Local)
"Village Originals Festival of New Musicals" at Village Theatre

Honorable Mentions
"Hands Solo: Pianoman" at ACT
"Mainstreet Festival of New Musicals" at West of Lenin

Person to Watch (Local)
Conner Neddersen

Honorable Mentions
Sarah Rose Davis
Shermona Mitchell
Zenobia Taylor

Theatre of the Year (Local)
ACT