Theatre Philadelphia Announces 2017 Barrymore Award Nominees

Theatre Philadelphia, the region's marketing and leadership organization for theatre, has announced the 2017 nominees for the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre. Celebrating the rich, diverse professional theatre scene in the Greater Philadelphia region, the Barrymores will be awarded on Monday, October 30 at 7pm at the Merriam Theatre on the Avenue of the Arts. Guests will continue the festivities with an after-party Celebration at the University of the Arts' Dorrance Hamilton Hall. Tickets for the Ceremony and Celebration will go on sale Monday, August 28 at noon via theatrephiladelphia.org.

In addition to awarding in performance, design, and direction from the past theatre season, the Barrymore Awards also re-grants $75,500 to artists and organizations through the generous support of local philanthropists CHG Charitable Trust, the June and Steve Wolfson Family Foundation, the Virginia Brown Martin Fund, and the Victory Foundation. The long-standing tradition of bestowing the Lifetime Achievement Award will continue with 2017 honoree Penelope Reed, Director Emeritus of Hedgerow Theatre Company, in recognition of her significant contributions to the theatre community.

The 2017 nominees for Outstanding Overall Production of a Play are Hand to God at Philadelphia Theatre Company, How to Use a Knife at InterAct Theatre Company, The Legend of Georgia McBride at Arden Theatre Company, The Mountaintop at People's Light and Theatre Company, The Seagull at EgoPo Classic Theater, Stupid F***ing Bird at Arden Theatre Company, and When the Rain Stops Falling at The Wilma Theater. The Nominees for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical are A Year with Frog & Toad Arden Theatre Company, Godspell at Eagle Theatre, Gypsy at Arden Theatre Company, The Light Princess at Arden Theatre Company, Lizzie at 11th Hour Theatre Company, and Monty Python's Spamalot and Resident Theatre Company. Nominees for the Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical are Anna by Brenna Geffers and the Ensemble at EgoPo Classic Theatre, How to Use a Knife by Will Snider at InterAct Theatre Company, The Light Princess by Anthony Lawton and Alex Bechtel at Arden Theatre Company, Marcus/Emma by Mary Tuomanen at InterAct Theatre Company, Peaceable Kingdom by Mary Tuomanen at Orbiter 3, and WHITE by James Ijames at Theatre Horizon. Scroll down to see a complete list of nominees.

The 2016-17 Barrymore Awards season ran from July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017 and included 39 companies presenting a total of 107 productions. 60 nominators and 12 judges, all theatre professionals, adjudicated the work to determine the nominees. 23 separate companies received nominations with Arden Theatre Company receiving 39 nominations, The Wilma Theatre receiving 16 nominations, People's Light and InterAct Theatre Companies each receiving 13 nominations, and EgoPo Classic Theatre receiving 11.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play

Hand to God (Philadelphia Theatre Company)

How to Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)

The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)

The Mountaintop (People's Light )

The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theater)

Stupid f-ing Bird (Arden Theatre Company)

When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical

A Year with Frog and Toad (Arden Theatre Company)

Godspell (Eagle Theatre) Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)

The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)

Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)

Monty Python's Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Steve H. Broadnax III ( The Mountaintop , People's Light )

Emmanuelle Delpech ( The Legend of Georgia McBride , Arden Theatre Company)

Brenna Geffers ( Anna , EgoPo Classic Theater)

Claire Moyer ( Radiant Vermin , Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Aaron Posner ( Stupid f-ing Bird , Arden Theatre Company)

Lane Savadove ( The Seagull , EgoPo Classic Theater) Blanka Zizka (When the Rain Stops Falling , The Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Kate Galvin ( Lizzie , 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Kristin McLaughlin Mitchell ( Monty Python's Spamalot , Resident Theatre Company)

Terrence J. Nolen ( Gypsy , Arden Theatre Company)

Steve Pacek ( The Light Princess , Arden Theatre Company)

Ted Wioncek III ( John and Jen , Eagle Theatre)

Charlotte Cushman Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play

Jaylene Clark Owens (Vanessa, WHITE , Theatre Horizon)

Sarah Gliko (Marianne , Constellations , The Wilma Theater)

Eleanor Handley (Romaine Helger, Witness for the Prosecution , Bristol Riverside Theatre)

Patrese D. McLain (Camae, The Mountaintop , People's Light )

Kittson O'Neill (The Pilot, Grounded , InterAct Theatre Company)

Susan Riley Stevens (Emma Goldman, Marcus/Emma , InterAct Theatre Company)

Samantha Rosenstrater (Shelly, Grand Concourse , Theatre Horizon)

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play

Akeem Davis (Jackson, Buzzer , Theatre Exile)

Akeem Davis (Marcus Garvey, Marcus/Emma , InterAct Theatre Company)

Scott Greer (George, How to Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)

Jered McLenigen (Roland, Constellations , The Wilma Theater)

Aubie Merrylees (Tyrone, Jason, Hand to God , Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Matteo Scammell (Casey, The Legend of Georgia McBride , Arden Theatre Company)

Lindsay Smiling (Steve, How to Use a Knife , InterAct Theatre Company)

Bowman Wright (DR. Martin Luther King, Jr, The Mountaintop , People's Light )

Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical

Kim Carson (Chanteuse, Sleeping Beauty , People's Light )

Alex Keiper (Lizzie Borden, Lizzie , 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Mary Martello (Rose, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Nicole Stacie ( Don't Bother Me, I Can't Cope , New Freedom Theatre)

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical

Alex Bechtel (Prince/Witch, The Light Princess , Arden Theatre Company)

Ben Dibble (Toad, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)

Steve Pacek (Gordon Michael Schwinn, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)

Tim Rinehart (Black Stache, Peter and the Starcatcher, Eagle Theatre)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

Carla Belver (Genevieve, John , Arden Theatre Company)

Nancy Boykin (Older Elizabeth Law, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Taysha Canales (Younger Gabrielle York , When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Eleni Delopoulos ( Radiant Vermin , Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Melanye Finister (Older Gabrielle York, When the Rain Stops Falling , The Wilma Theater)

Hillary Parker (Liz, You for Me for You, InterAct Theatre Company)

Stephanie N. Walters (Lamb 1, Peaceable Kingdom , Orbiter 3)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

David Bardeen (Frog, Grand Concourse , Theatre Horizon)

J Hernandez (Carlos, How To Use a Knife, InterAct Theatre Company)

Dan Hodge (Dev, Stupid f-ing Bird , Arden Theatre Company)

Mikeah Ernest Jennings (Rexy & Jason, The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)

Stephen Rishard (Joe Ryan, When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Ed Swidey (Trigorin, The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)

Greg Wood (Dr. Sorn, Stupid f-ing Bird , Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Rachel Brennan (Bridget Sullivan, Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Rachel Camp (June, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Caroline Dooner (Louise, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Leigha Kato (Mouse, Bird, Mole, Squirrel, Young Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Malik Akil (Tulsa, Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Doug Hara (Mr. Bungee, A New Brain, Theatre Horizon)

Steve Pacek (Bird, Lizard, Snail, Mole, Father Frog, A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)

Josh Totora (Sam Slug, Sleeping Beauty, People's Light )

Outstanding Scenic Design

Tony Cisek ( The Mountaintop, People's Light )

Paul Kuhn ( The Birds, Curio Theatre Company)

Tim Mackabee ( John , Arden Theatre Company)

Sara Outing ( How We Got On, Azuka Theatre)

Matt Saunders ( When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Thom Weaver ( The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theatre)

Outstanding Costume Design

Oana Botez ( Adapt! The Wilma Theater)

Richard St. Clair ( A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)

Nikki Delhomme ( Sleeping Beauty , People's Light )

Olivera Gajic ( The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden)

Rebecca Kanach ( Peaceable Kingdom , Orbiter 3)

Jill Keys ( The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)

Kayla Speedy ( Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Outstanding Lighting Design

Joshua Schulman ( The Mountaintop , People's Light )

Maria Shaplin ( The Legend of Georgia McBride, Arden Theatre Company)

Masha Tsimring ( Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)

Thom Weaver ( Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Thom Weaver ( Lizzie, 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Thom Weaver (The Seagull, EgoPo Classic Theater)

Yi Zhao ( When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Sound Design

Christopher Colucci ( When the Rain Stops Falling , The Wilma Theater)

Lucas Fendley ( How We Got On , Azuka Theatre)

Damien Figeuras ( Antihero, Tribe of Fools)

Rob Kaplowitz ( Grounded, InterAct Theatre Company)

Daniel Perelstein ( Adapt! The Wilma Theater)

Toby Pettit ( Lizzie , 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Chris Sannino ( The Birds , Curio Theatre Company)

Outstanding Original Music

Alex Bechtel ( The Light Princess , Arden Theatre Company)

Alex Bechtel ( Sleeping Beauty, People's Light )

Christopher Colucci ( When the Rain Stops Falling, The Wilma Theater)

Michael Hahn and Liz Filios ( An Iliad, Lantern Theater Company)

Andrew Nelson ( The Arsonists, Azuka Theatre)

Marina Sadovksa ( Adapt! The Wilma Theater)

Daniel Perelstein ( Stupid f-ing Bird , Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Choreography / Movement

Terry Brennan ( School Play, Tribe of Fools)

Michael Consenza ( Anthihero, Tribe of Fools)

Melanie Cotton ( The Legend of Georgia McBride , Arden Theatre Company)

Brenna Geffers and K.O. Delmarcelle ( Anna , EgoPo Classic Theatre)

Jenn Rose (Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Samantha Reading ( Mauritius , Act II)

Derek Roland ( Monty Python's Spamalot, Resident Theatre Company)

Outstanding Music Direction

Alex Bechtel ( The Light Princess, Arden Theatre Company)

Dan Kazemi ( Lizzie , 11th Hour Theatre Company)

Amanda Morton ( A Year with Frog and Toad, Arden Theatre Company)

Jason Neri ( Godspell, Eagle Theatre)

Ryan Touhey ( Gypsy, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

Anna (EgoPo Classic Theatre)

How To Use a Knife (InterAct Theatre Company)

The Legend of Georgia McBride (Arden Theatre Company)

The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane (People's Light )

Peaceable Kingdom (Orbiter 3)

The Seagull (EgoPo Classic Theatre)

When the Rain Stops Falling (The Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Gypsy (Arden Theatre Company)

The Light Princess (Arden Theatre Company)

Lizzie (11th Hour Theatre Company)

Monty Python's Spamalot (Resident Theatre Company)

Sleeping Beauty (People's Light )

Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical

Anna by Brenna Geffers and the Ensemble (EgoPo Classic Theatre)

How to Use a Knife by Will Snider (InterAct Theatre Company)

The Light Princess by Anthony Lawton and Alex Bechtel (Arden Theatre Company)

Marcus/Emma by Mary Tuomanen (InterAct Theatre Company)

Peaceable Kingdom by Mary Tuomanen (Orbiter 3)

WHITE by James Ijames (Theatre Horizon)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Penelope Reed

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist

Rachel Camp

Jaylene Clark Owens

Katherine Fritz

Allison Heishman

Mary Tuomanen

Rebecca Wright

Virginia Brown Martin Philadelphia Award

Buzzer (Theatre Exile)

The Mountaintop (People's Light)

Peaceable Kingdom (Orbiter 3 )

WHITE (Theatre Horizon)

June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company

The Bearded Ladies Cabaret

Curio Theatre Company

EgoPo Classic Theatre

Quintessence Theatre Group

Simpatico Theatre

Tribe of Fools

Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program

Curio Theatre Company

Lantern Theater Company

Theatre Exile

Theatre Horizon