2012 Innovative Theater Award Nominees Announced

On Monday, July 23, 2012, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2012 nominees at its annual sold-out event at the Carmine Street Recreation Center located at 25 Carmine Street. The announcement was made by the co-executive directors, Shay Gines and Nick Micozzi, plus members of the community including: Jolie Garrett, Cat Parker, David Pincus, Derek Shore, Tari Stratton and Kristen Vaughan.

Over the past eight years, the IT Awards has honored over 1,650 individual artists, over 450 productions, and 350 theatre companies; having collected over 35,000 ballots and disseminated more than 6,000 judges. The 2012 Nominees include 137 individual artists, 52 different
productions and 57 Off-Off-Broadway theatre companies.

In November of 2011 the IT Foundation held a virtual townhall meeting on their blog. Community members weighed in on a number of topics including the qualifications, requirements of the awards’ system as well as award categories. In direct response to that conversation, the IT Awards has split the “Outstanding Production of a Play” category into two categories “Outstanding Production of a Remounted Play” and “Outstanding Premiere Production of a Play”.

Loom Ensemble’s production of Erosion: a Fable examined corporate America and integrated several artistic disciplines including dance, theater and live music. The production required an urban and nontraditional composition to accompany the piece. Outstanding Original Music nominee, Sasha Bogdanowitsch found inspiration for his score at his local hardware store. “A lot of the instruments I wrote for this production were homemade, especially from plumbing material like ABS pipe and metal conduit pipe,” says Bogdanowitsch.

Each year Off-Off-Broadway companies find creative ways to weave new technologies into live performances. This year we are happy to recognize such innovators as Gyda Arber & AaRon Baker for Phone & Text Design for the production of Red Cloud Rising and Suchan Vodoor’s Interactive Technology Design in Collision Productions’ Endure: A Run Woman Show. The interactive elements “gave our team an opportunity to take audiences into a new territory,” said Jessica D. Baker, a producer for Collision Productions.

For the first time a production that was performed entirely by talented kids between the ages of 8 and 18 from the NY-metro area is nominated for Outstanding Production of a Musical. Up To You, produced by TADA! Youth Theater is an original musical that examines the troubling issues of bullying in a school setting.

2012 Nominees:

Outstanding Ensemble

The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill: Vol. 1,
Early/Lost Plays
Daniel Burnam, Brendan Donaldson, Cara Francis, Connor Kalista,
Jacquelyn Landgraf, Erica Livingston, Lauren Sharpe, New York
Neo-Futurists

Conni's Avant Garde Restaurant Returns in: The Mothership Landing
Justin Badger, David M. Barber, Melody Bates, Stephanie Dodd, Jeffrey
Fracé, Connie Hall, Kelly Hayes, Jerusha Klemperer, Peter Lettre,
Rachel Murdy, Melody Bates, Peter Richards, Conni’s Avant Garde
Restaurant in association with the Irondale Center

Eightythree Down
Melody Bates, Ian Holcomb, Bryan Kaplan, Brian Miskell, Hard Sparks in
association with Horse Trade Theatre Group

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Homicide When the Streets Were Too Much
Loren Amos, Duane Boutte, Alexis Francisco, Anthony Gaskins, Michael
Alexis Palmer, David Roberts, Robert G. Siverls, Zook, Modern-Day
Griot Theatre Company

Homunculus: Reloaded
Adriana Chavez, David DeSantis, Lauren Elder, Regina Gibson, Mel
House, Jennifer Luong, Eeva Semerdjiev, William Silva, Brett Teresa,
Homunculus Mask Theater

Urban Odyssey
Penelope Armstead-Williams, Rocky Bostick, Ching-I Chang, Maura
Donohue, Denise Greber, Alice Pasturel, Federico Restrepo, Gilbert
Reyes, Kiku Sakai, Kayla Schetter, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in
association with LOCO7

Outstanding Solo Performance
Bree Benton, Poor Baby Bree in I Am Going to Run Away, LaMaMa
Experimental Theater Club

Greg Oliver Bodine, Poe, Times Two, WorkShop Theater Company

Zac Jaffee, Heroes and Other Strangers, the cell theatre

Melanie Jones, Endure: A Run Woman Show, Collision Productions

Juan Francisco Villa, Empanada For A Dream, Ballybeg & terraNOVA Collective

Raïna von Waldenburg, Oysters org*sms Obituaries, LaMaMa Experimental
Theater Club in association with Center for Embodied Performance

Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role
Karl Gregory, Frogs, Fault Line Theatre

Ian Holcomb, Eightythree Down, Hard Sparks in association with Horse
Trade Theatre Group

Jason Howard, Advance Man, Gideon Productions

Bryan Kaplan, Eightythree Down, Hard Sparks in association with Horse
Trade Theatre Group

Curry Whitmire, Christopher Marlowe's Chloroform Dreams, Lunar Energy

Stephen Alan Wilson, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, T. Schreiber Studio

Outstanding Actress in a Featured Role
Celeste Arias, Demon Dreams (Oni No Yume), Magic Futurebox

Lauren Blumenfeld, Exit Carolyn, Sans A Productions

Teresa Kelsey, The House of Mirth, Metropolitan Playhouse

Marie Marshall, The House of Mirth, Metropolitan Playhouse

Ryan Templeton, A Hard Wall at High Speed, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Halley Wegryn Gross, Sex Good; Money Bad, Broken Watch Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role
Adam Barrie, Dust, Tenement Street Workshop in association with
Incubator Arts Project

Hunter Canning, Dust, Tenement Street Workshop in association with
Incubator Arts Project

Karl Gregory, From White Plains, Fault Line Theatre

Greg Horton, A Man of No Importance, The Gallery Players

Brian Miskell, Eightythree Down, Hard Sparks in association with Horse
Trade Theatre Group

Charlie Owens, A Man of No Importance, The Gallery Players

Aidan Redmond, The Real Thing, Boomerang Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role
Melody Bates, Eightythree Down, Hard Sparks in association with Horse
Trade Theatre Group

Renee Claire Bergeron, A Man of No Importance, The Gallery Players

Casandera M.J. Lollar, The Runner Stumbles, Retro Productions

Charlotte Pines, Callous Cad, Tom X. Chao in association with Kim Katzberg

Laura Ramadei, Exit Carolyn, Sans A Productions

Christina Shipp, Ajax in Iraq, Flux Theatre Ensemble

Outstanding Choreography/Movement
Jessica Isa Burns, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Homicide When
the Streets Were Too Much, Modern-Day Griot Theatre Company

Lee Sunday Evans, The Deepest Play Ever: The Catharsis of Pathos,
CollaborationTown

Christine O'Grady, A Man of No Importance, The Gallery Players

Joe Osheroff & Evan Zes, Homunculus: Reloaded, Homunculus Mask Theater

Lauren Sharpe, The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene
O'Neill: Vol. 1, Early/Lost Plays, New York Neo-Futurists

Turner Smith, Romeo and Juliet, Northwest Passage

Outstanding Director
Kevin Laibson, Demon Dreams (Oni No Yume), Magic Futurebox

Christopher Loar, The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of
Eugene O'Neill: Vol. 1, Early/Lost Plays, New York Neo-Futurists

Joe Osheroff, Homunculus: Reloaded, Homunculus Mask Theater

Alex Roe, The House of Mirth, Metropolitan Playhouse

Aaron Rossini, Frogs, Fault Line Theatre

August Schulenburg, Ajax in Iraq, Flux Theatre Ensemble

Outstanding Lighting Design
Nick Francone, Miranda, MirandaCo

Richard Kent Green, Poe, Times Two, WorkShop Theater Company

Ben Hagen & Joe Skowronski, LoveSick (or Things That Don't Happen),
Project Y Theatre Company

David A. Sexton, The Spring Fling: My Best/Worst Date Ever, F*It Club

Cat Tate Starmer, A Hard Wall at High Speed, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew, Conni's Avant Garde Restaurant Returns in: The
Mothership Landing, Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant in association with
the Irondale Center

Outstanding Costume Design
Sidney Fortner, The House of Mirth, Metropolitan Playhouse

Denise Greber, Urban Odyssey, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in
association with LOCO7

Kim Katzberg, Penetrating the Space, Kim Katzberg

Jessica Sofia Mitrani, Hypnotik: The Seer Will Doctor You Now, The New
Stage Theatre Comapny

Ayanna Siverls-Streater, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Homicide
When the Streets Were Too Much, Modern-Day Griot Theatre Company

David L. Zwiers, The Asphalt Christmas, Gracye Productions

Outstanding Set Design
Stephen K. Dobay, A Hard Wall at High Speed, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Kevin Judge, LoveSick (or Things That Don't Happen), Project Y Theatre Company

Sarah E. Martin & Sara Nelson, The Spring Fling: My Best/Worst Date
Ever, F*It Club

Steve O'Shea, Up To You, TADA! Youth Theater

Sean Ryan, Clowns Full-Tilt: A Musing on Aesthetics, Clowns Ex Machina/La MaMa

Andy Yanni, Felix and the Diligence, or a Play About Fishermen in the
1940's, Pipeline Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design
Martha Goode, Costa Rehab, Maieutic Theatre Works (MTWorks)

Christopher Loar, The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of
Eugene O'Neill: Vol. 1, Early/Lost Plays, New York Neo-Futurists

Mark Parenti, The Spring Fling: My Best/Worst Date Ever, F*It Club

Nathan A. Roberts, A Hard Wall at High Speed, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Tim Schellenbaum, Urban Odyssey, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in
association with LOCO7

Matt Schloss, Miranda, MirandaCo

Outstanding Innovative Design
Gyda Arber & AaRon Baker, Phone & Text Design, Red Cloud Rising, The
Fifth Wall in association with The Brick Theater

Maia Cruz Palileo, Animation and Sculpture, Penetrating the Space, Kim Katzberg

Elizabeth Barrett Groth & Amy Mathews, Puppet Design, We in Silence
Hear a Whisper, Red Fern Theatre Company

Joe Osheroff, Mask Design, Homunculus: Reloaded, Homunculus Mask Theater

Federico Restrepo & Angela Sierra, Video Editing & Design, Urban
Odyssey, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in association with LOCO7

Suchan Vodoor, Interactive Technology Design, Endure: A Run Woman
Show, Collision Productions

Outstanding Original Music
Karolyn Bethke, Kris Kukul, John Sully, Elizabeth Swados & Martin
Wallace, Urban Odyssey, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in
association with LOCO7

Sasha Bogdanowitsch, Erosion: a Fable, Loom Ensemble

Christine Owman, Endure: A Run Woman Show, Collision Productions

Jeff Raab, 12th Night, Libra Theater Company

Kamala Sankaram, Miranda, MirandaCo

Sxip Shirey, Prometheus Within, LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club in
association with Skysaver Productions

Outstanding Original Short Script
Lucy Boyle, Mort, The Spring Fling: My Best/Worst Date Ever, F*It Club

Chisa Hutchinson, This is Not the Play, Mad Dog Theatre Company

Dean Imperial, The Needle Through the Arm Trick, Too Much Too Soon,
Lesser America

Vincent Marano, Artistic License, What I Meant Was... The Odd,
Short-Ish Of Vinnie Marano, teatro oscuro

Joe Osheroff & Evan Zes, Homunculus: Reloaded, Homunculus Mask Theater

Anna Ziegler, A Map of Broken Glass, The Spring Fling: My Best/Worst
Date Ever, F*It Club

Outstanding Original Full-Length Script
Zac Jaffee, Heroes and Other Strangers, the cell theatre

Melanie Jones, Endure: A Run Woman Show, Collision Productions

Mariah MacCarthy, The Foreplay Play, Caps Lock Theatre

Michael Perlman, From White Plains, Fault Line Theatre

Mac Rogers, Advance Man, Gideon Productions

Juan Francisco Villa, Empanada For A Dream, Ballybeg & terraNOVA Collective

Outstanding Performance Art Piece
The Complete and Condensed Stage Directions of Eugene O'Neill: Vol. 1,
Early/Lost Plays, New York Neo-Futurists

Conni's Avant Garde Restaurant Returns in: The Mothership Landing,
Conni’s Avant Garde Restaurant in association with the Irondale Center

Empanada For A Dream, Ballybeg & terraNOVA Collective

Endure: A Run Woman Show, Collision Productions

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Homicide When the Streets Were Too
Much, Modern-Day Griot Theatre Company

Homunculus: Reloaded, Homunculus Mask Theater

Outstanding Production of a Musical
LoveSick (or Things That Don't Happen), Project Y Theatre Company

A Man of No Importance, The Gallery Players

Miranda, MirandaCo

The Secret Garden, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Unville Brazil, FullStop Collective

Up To You, TADA! Youth Theater

Outstanding Premiere Production of a Play
Advance Man, Gideon Productions

Demon Dreams (Oni No Yume), Magic Futurebox

Eightythree Down, Hard Sparks in association with Horse Trade Theatre Group

The Foreplay Play, Caps Lock Theatre

From White Plains, Fault Line Theatre

A Hard Wall at High Speed, Astoria Performing Arts Center

Outstanding Production of a Remounted Play
Ajax in Iraq, Flux Theatre Ensemble

Frogs, Fault Line Theatre

The House of Mirth, Metropolitan Playhouse

Poe, Times Two, WorkShop Theater Company

The Real Thing, Boomerang Theatre Company

The Violet Hour, The Active Theater in association with Goode Productions

The NEW YORK INNOVATIVE THEATRE AWARDS CEREMONY will be held September 24, 2012
HOSTED BY HARRISON GREENBAUM.

The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation is a not-for-profit organization recognizing the great work of New York City's Off-Off-Broadway, honoring its artistic heritage, and providing a meeting ground for this extensive and richly varied community. The organization advocates for Off-Off-Broadway and recognizes the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to American and global culture. They believe that publicly recognizing excellence in Off-Off-Broadway will expand audience awareness and foster greater.

appreciation of the New York theatre experience. www.nyitawards.com