Connecticut Critics Circle Names WATER BY THE SPOONFUL Best Play; Ceremony Today, 6/24

As reported by The Hartford Courant, the Connecticut Critics Circle has named Quiara Alegaria Hudes' WATER BY THE SPOONFUL, an imaginative play about the search for meaning by a returning Iraq war veteran working in a sandwich shop in his hometown of Philadelphia, as the best play of the 2011-2012 season.

The Pulitzer Prize winning production was developed by Hartford Stage, where WATER BY THE SPOONFUL had its world premiere. Davis McCallum, the director, as well as the show's ensemble received awards from the CCC also.

As announced last month on BroadwayWorld, WATER BY THE SPOONFUL is set to make its New York Premiere as part of Second Stage's 2012-2013 season. Previews will begin in mid-December and the production will officially open in early January 2013.

Two musicals were recognized for best-of-season awards: Westport Country Playhouse’s production of INTO THE WOODS and Goodspeed Opera House’s SHOW BOAT.

Additional directing honors were awarded to Rob Ruggiero (SHOW BOAT), Mark Lamos (INTO THE WOODS), Sam Gold (Yale Repertory Theatre’s THE REALISTIC JONESES) and Christopher Bayes (Yale Rep’s A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF). Noah Racey was also recognized for his choreography for SHOW BOAT.

Individual actors recognized were Steven Epp (A DOCTOR IN SPITE OF HIMSELF), Brenda Thomas (STY OF THE BLIND PIG at Hartford’s TheaterWorks); Annalee Jefferies (SUDDENLY LAST SUMMER) at The Westport Country Playhouse);Erick Lochtefeld (FEBRUARY HOUSE at Long Wharf Theatre); Jacqueline Petroccia (ALWAYS PATSY KLINE at the Ivoryton Playhouse); Sarah Uriarte Berry (SHOW BOAT); Stanley Bahorek and Ken Barnett (FEBRUARY HOUSE), Dana Steingold (INTO THE WOODS); Sam Tsoutsouvas (THE CRUCIBLE; John Horton, (THE CIRCLE at Westport Country Playhouse); Kirsten Wyatt (MAME at Goodspeed Opera House); and Claire Brownell (BOEING BOEING at Hartford Stage).

Receiving awards for their debut are Ben Cole of THE TEMPEST at Hartford Stage and Carey Cannata for OVER THE TAVERN at Seven Angels Theatre.

A special honor for excellence has been awarded to the world premiere of Mike Reiss’s I'M CONNECTICUT, which played at the Connecticut Repertory Theatre. Finally, Jacquieline Hubbard, executive director of the Ivoryton Playhouse, received the Tom Killen Award.

The CCC awards ceremony is scheduled to be held today, June 24 at 2PM at the Mark Twain House & Museum, and is open to the public.