Theatre Philadelphia Unveils First Full Slate Of Barrymore Nominees Since 2019

After a nearly three year hiatus, and only announcing one cash award last year, the Barrymore Awards, run by Theatre Philadelphia are back to honor the 2022-2023 theatre season, the first full season back for many theatres after the pandemic. The Barrymore Awards recognize professional theatre in the Greater Philadelphia region, honoring local artists and theatre companies while increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of our city's thriving theatre community. This year 66 productions were Barrymore recommended by 66 nominators and 30 judges. This year's nominations honor 43 productions.The ceremony is still being planned and a date and location will be announced soon. More information about the nominations and the history of the awards can be found at www.theatrephiladelphia.org.

"This year, we aim to continue to make the Barrymores a celebration of community with equity and inclusion in mind," said Theatre Philadelphia's new Executive Director Sabriaya Shipley.

"Encouraging the community to share their reflections and recognitions from the previous theatre season will support our hope in continuing to be a hub and overall archive to the continuous growth of theatre in Philadelphia."

This year People's Light leads the nominations with 24 nominations. The Wilma Theater follows with 17 nominations and Arden Theatre Company has 15 nominations. In the play category, Kiss from the Wilma garnered eight nominations. The Royale at Lantern Theater Company had seven nominations, along with Clyde's at Arden Theatre Company. In musicals, Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto at People's Light received 12 Barrymore nominations. Delaware Theatre Company followed with 11 nominations for its production of Man of La Mancha. New Light Theatre and Alterra Productions are first-time nominees this year.

Five people are nominated for the F. Otto Haas Award for Emerging Artist. The recipient will receive $15,000 and the finalists receive $2,000. Nominated are: Ang Bey, Anthony Martinez-Briggs, Newton Buchanan, Tanaquil Marquez, and Pax Ressler.

To participate in the Barrymore Awards a theatre needs to be a 501(c)(3) or fiscally-sponsored organization. Organizations have to have their organizational residency and performance venue within a 35-mile radius of City Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All productions for Barrymore consideration must be submitted at least eight weeks before the first performance. There is a fee of $130 per production that needs to be paid at least four weeks before the first performance. Theatres must provide at least one complimentary ticket (a 2nd ticket as a courtesy is encouraged) to each of eight randomly-selected Barrymore Nominators for initial Barrymore consideration. Theatres must provide at least one complimentary ticket to each of the Barrymore Judges for all productions elevated to Barrymore Recommended status.

Each production submitted for consideration must have a minimum of 12 performances, or must have at least four shows on at least three unique days that begin at least five days after the last Nominator performance, to be considered. Theatres need to meet or exceed the following minimum pay scale: $150 per week for all actors who appear on stage; $500 per production for all credited composers, choreographers, and scenic, costume, lighting, and sound designers; and $750 per production per director.

The adjudication system is tiered. Eight randomly assigned nominators are sent to each production. An online ballot is submitted by each of these voters where they indicate if the show should move to the second tier for any available category. If a show receives five "Yes" votes in any single category it moves to Tier 2. In the second tier, Judges are assigned based on which categories gained enough votes from the Nominators. This year, there were four panels of Judges based on these categories: Play + New Works, Musical, Design, and Outdoor.

Nominees and recipients are determined in a series of steps involving the pool of Judges. After the quarterly meetings throughout the season, the notes from the meetings are aggregated for discussion in a meeting to discuss each category and determine the list of nominees. The nominee list is finalized, and then a blind online vote is used to determine the recipients (this ballot contains a weighted scoring system). The Judges are then called for a final meeting to confirm the list of recipients, to be announced at the Barrymore Awards ceremony.

The Barrymore Oversight Committee handles decisions, rule adjustments, and feedback for the Barrymore Awards. This committee is a volunteer group made up of community artists, administrators, and educators from varied disciplines.

The 2022-2023 Barrymore Nominees are:

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play

The Royale - Lantern Theater Company
Clyde's - Arden Theatre Company

Kiss - Wilma Theater

A Shadow that Broke The Light - Simpatico Theatre

Thurgood - People's Light

Meet Murasaki Shikibu Followed by Book Signing, and Other Things - Tiny Dynamite

Abandon - Theatre Exile

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

Clyde's - Arden Theatre Company

Wolf Play - Theatre Exile

Abandon - Theatre Exile

The Play That Goes Wrong - 1812 Productions

Water by the Spoonful - Eagle Theatre

A View From The Bridge - New Light Theatre

Jane Eyre - The The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Zuhairah McGill - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

Malika Oyetimein - Clyde's, Arden Theatre Company

Abigail Adams - Lettie, People's Light

Megan Bellwoar - A View from the Bridge, New Light Theatre

Kathryn MacMillan - Jane Eyre, The The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Cat Ramirez - Meet Murasaki Shikibu Followed by Book Signing, and Other Things, Tiny Dynamite

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

Danielle Skraastad - Lettie, People's Light

Ciera Gardner - Wine in the Wilderness, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Brian Marable - Thurgood, People's Light

Amel Khalil - American Fast, InterAct Theatre Company

Charlie DelMarcelle - A Shadow That Broke the Light, Simpatico Theatre

Phillip Brown - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

Charlotte Northeast - Jane Eyre, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Frank X - The Chairs, Quintessence Theatre Group

John Jezior - A View from the Bridge, New Light Theatre

Anthony Martinez-Briggs - Kiss, Wilma Theater

Ang(ela) Bey - The Light, Theatre Exile

Peter DeLaurier - Grand Horizons, People's Light

Jessica Johnson - a hit dog will holler, Azuka Theatre

Melanye Finister - Abandon, Theatre Exile

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

Anthony Lawton -The Last Parade, InterAct Theatre Company

Justin Jain - The Play that Goes Wrong, 1812 Productions

Sarah Gliko - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

Brandon Pierce - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

David Ingram - Twelfth Night, Lantern Theater Company

Lindsay Smiling - Twelfth Night, Wilma Theater

Walter DeSheilds - Clyde's, Arden Theatre Company

Michael W. Gaines - Water by the Spoonful, Eagle Theatre

Cassandra Alexander - Jane Eyre, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Lois Abdelmalek - Kiss, Wilma Theater

Kishia Nixon - Clyde's, Arden Theatre Company

Karen Peakes - The Play That Goes Wrong, 1812 Productions

Taysha Marie Canales - All My Mothers Dream in Spanish, Azuka Theatre

Tiffany Barrett - Clyde's, Arden Theatre Company

Outstanding Original Production

All My Mothers Dream in Spanish, Azuka Theatre

School Pictures, Wilma Theater

American Fast, InterAct Theatre Company

Mushroom, People's Light

The Way of White Folks, EgoPo Classic Theater & Theatre in the X

Abandon, Theatre Exile

Jane Eyre, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Play

Zuhairah McGill - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

K. O'Rourke & Eli Lynn - Jane Eyre, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective

Adrienne Maitland - The Chairs, Quintessence Theatre Group

Eli Lynn & Colleen Hughes - The Play That Goes Wrong, 1812 Productions

Ilana Lo & Kaitlin Chin - Poison Garden, Alterra Productions

Terri J McIntyre - The Pillowman, Hedgerow Theatre Company

Ren Williams & Dani Cormier - Wolf Play, Theatre Exile

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Arden Theatre Company

Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto - People's Light

Man of La Mancha - Delaware Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto - People's Light

Man of La Mancha - Delaware Theatre Company

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee - Arden Theatre Company

Head Over Heels - Theatre Horizon

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Amina Robinson - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Arden Theatre Company

Matt Silva - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Bill Fennelly - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Rebecca Wright - Head Over Heels, Theatre Horizon

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

Hannah Gaffney - Mary Poppins, Quintessence Theatre Group

Newton Buchanan - RENT, New Light Theatre

Grace Ellis Soloman - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Scott Langdon - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Milo Cramer - School Pictures, Wilma Theatre

Bethany Thomas - Songs for Nobodies, People's Light

Victor Rodriguez - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Sydney Banks - Head Over Heels, Theatre Horizon

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

Justin Yoder - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Steve Pacek - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Arden Theatre Company

Ashley Pérez Flanagan - The Tattooed Lady, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Dave Johnson - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Arden Theatre Company

Trey Lyford - Head Over Heels, Theatre Horizon

Kim Blanck - The Tattooed Lady, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Jessica Money - The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Arden Theatre Company

Danny Wilfred - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Musical

Devon Sinclair - Tuck Everlasting, The Centre Theatre

Devon Sinclair - Mary Poppins, Quintessence Theatre Group

Melanie Cotton - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Mayte Natalio - The Tattooed Lady, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Outstanding Musical Direction

Ryan Touhey - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

David Barrus - Mary Poppins, Quintessence Theatre Group

Abdul Hamid Royal - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Outstanding Lighting Design

Cha See - Mushroom, People's Light

Mike Inwood - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Will Lowry - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

Reza Behjat - Kiss, Wilma Theatre

Alyssandra Docherty - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Thom Weaver - Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Thom Weaver - August Wilson's Radio Golf, Arden Theatre Company

Outstanding Scenic Design

Efren Delgadillo Jr. - Mushroom, People's Light

Stephen Wiseley - a hit dog will holler, Azuka Theatre

Chris Haig - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Will Lowry - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

Jian Jung - Kiss, Wilma Theatre

Chris Haig - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Kyu Shin - Clyde's, Arden Theatre Company

Outstanding Costume Design

Kelly Myers - The Chairs, Quintessence Theatre Group

Rebecca Kanach - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Ali Turns - The Royale, Lantern Theater Company

Rebecca Kanach - Head Over Heels, Theatre Horizon

LeVonne Lindsay - August Wilson's Radio Golf, Arden Theatre Company

Azalea Fairley - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

Constance Case - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Outstanding Sound Design

Larry Fowler & Adiah Hicks - a hit dog will holler, Azuka Theatre

Damien Figueras - Kiss, Wilma Theatre

Michael Kiley - Head Over Heels, Theatre Horizon

Ryk Lewis - Man of La Mancha, Delaware Theatre Company

Robert Kaplowitz - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Jordan McCree - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

Christopher Colucci - A Shadow That Broke the Light, Simpatico Theatre

Outstanding Media Design

Damien Figueras - a hit dog will holler, Azuka Theatre

Alan Price - Kiss, Wilma Theatre

Alan Price - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

Yee Eun Nam - Mushroom, People's Light

Jorge Cousineau - American Fast, InterAct Theatre Company

Michael Long - The Lifespan of a Fact, Lantern Theater Company

Patrick W. Lord - Thurgood, People's Light

Outstanding Original Music

Broken Chord - Grand Horizons, People's Light

Alex Bechtel - Alice in Wonderland: A Musical Panto, People's Light

Damien Figueras - Kiss, Wilma Theatre

Jordan McCree - Eternal Life Pt. 1, Wilma Theater

Larry Fowler & Adiah Hicks - a hit dog will holler, Azuka Theatre

Max Vernon - The Tattooed Lady, Philadelphia Theatre Company

Christopher Colucci - Twelfth Night, Lantern Theater Company

Outstanding Outdoor Production

Dreamgirls - Theatre in the X

The Taming! - Shakespeare in Clark Park

F. Otto Haas Award for Emerging Artist

Ang Bey

Anthony Martinez-Briggs

Newton Buchanan

Tanaquil Marquez

Pax Ressler

Victory Award for Theatre Education
1812 Productions
Lantern Theater Company
Philadelphia Young Playwrights
Theatre Exile
Yes!...And Collaborative Arts

For more about Theatre Philadelphia, please visit www.theatrephiladelphia.org and follow @theatrephiladelphia

ABOUT THEATRE PHILADELPHIA

Theatre Philadelphia is an organization dedicated to bringing together and celebrating Philadelphia's diverse and growing theater community. The organization is committed to leading efforts that grow audiences and promote the public's participation in this community's work. For more than 25 years, Theatre Philadelphia has been the administering organization of the Barrymore Awards, our region's most prestigious theatre awards. Over the past few years they have added a major regional theater event known as Philly Theatre Week, which has boosted community and audience interaction. With these initiatives, Theatre Philadelphia adds professional development and a hub for job listings, marketing efforts surrounding theater in Philly, and speaker series events to connect theatres with tools to reach new audiences. Theatre Philadelphia envisions a region that celebrates a growing theatre community - supporting local theatre artists, fostering the creation of extraordinary work, forging stronger connections between art and audiences - recognizing that a diverse, robust, and thriving theatre community plays a pivotal role in making Philadelphia a world-class city.

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