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Best of 2016 BWW Rhode Island – Critics' Picks: As Selected by Your Local Reviewers

by Robert Barossi, Veronica Bruscini, Larry O'Brien and Andria Tieman

2016 was a year for imagination and innovation on Rhode Island stages. Here's a look back on some of the productions that stole the spotlight in the Ocean State this season.

Best Play

Black Coffee - The Granite Theatre

A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Dracula - OUT LOUD Theatre

Stupid F#%*ing Bird - The Wilbury Group

To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Best Musical

Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Best Director - Play

Kevin Broccoli - Harold & Maude - 2nd Story Theatre

John Cillino - Black Coffee - The Granite Theatre

Kira Hawkridge - Dracula - OUT LOUD Theatre

Brian McEleney - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

James Dean Palmer - A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Josh Short - Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

Fred Sullivan, Jr. - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Best Director - Musical

Richard Jenkins and Sharon Jenkins - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Wendy Overly - Murder Ballad - Wilbury Theatre Group

Jason Parrish - Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Ashley Teague - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Best Actor, Leading Role - Play

Tony Estrella - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Michael Jepson - Black Coffee - The Granite Theatre

Padriag Mahoney - The Hound of the Baskervilles - Rhode Island Stage Ensemble

Brian McEleney - A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

David Tessier - Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

Stephen Thorne - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Best Actor, Leading Role - Musical

Tommy Labanaris - Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Jake Loewenthal - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Nate Suggs - Anything Goes - Ocean State Theatre Company

Charlie Thurston - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Brad Wilson - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Joe Wilson, Jr. - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Best Actress, Leading Role - Play

Angela Brazil - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Karen Carpenter - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Jeanine Kane - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Sarah Leach - Dracula - OUT LOUD Theatre

Hannah Lum - Total Strangers - Epic Theatre Company

Brittany Rolfs - The Miracle Worker - Ocean State Theatre Company

Best Actress, Leading Role - Musical

Jeannette Bayardelle - Sister Act - Theatre by the Sea

Rachel Clausen - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Laura Lyman Payne - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Rachael Warren - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Rochelle Weinrauch - Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Best Actor, Supporting Role - Play

Richard Donelly - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Vince Petronio - Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

Best Actor, Supporting Role - Musical

Greg LoBuono - Billy Elliot - Ocean State Theatre Company

Mark S. Cartier - 1776 - Ocean State Theatre Company

Jared Dixon - Sister Act - Theatre by the Sea

Matt Ketai - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Christopher Swan - 1776 - Ocean State Theatre Company

Stephen Thorne - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Best Actress, Supporting Role - Play

Ottavia De Luca - Dracula - OUT LOUD Theatre

Rachel Dulude - Stupid F#%*ing Bird - The Wilbury Group

Rachel Dulude - Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

Meg Taylor-Roth - The Final Voyage of X Minus One - Counter-Productions Theatre Company

Rachael Warren - A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Best Actress, Supporting Role - Musical

Elise Arsenault - Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Rebecca Gibel - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Katie Howe - Anything Goes - Ocean State Theatre Company

Marina Morrissey - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Best Ensemble Cast - Play

Black Coffee - The Granite Theatre

A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Stupid F#%*ing Bird - The Wilbury Group

To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Best Ensemble Cast - Musical

Avenue Q - Ocean State Theatre Company

Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Best Choreography

Richard Jenkins and Sharon Jenkins - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Ashley Teague - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Best Costumes

Montana Blanco - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Jessie Darrell Jarbadan - The Winter's Tale - The Gamm

Emily Taradash - Anything Goes - Ocean State Theatre Company

Emily Taradash - White Christmas - Ocean State Theatre Company

Best Scenic Design

Anshuman Bhatia - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

David Jepson - Black Coffee - The Granite Theatre

Eugene Lee - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Ken Martin - The Miracle Worker - Ocean State Theatre Company

Michael McGarty - Beowulf: A Thousand Years of Baggage - Trinity Repertory Company

Michael McGarty - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Bert Scott - Anything Goes - Ocean State Theatre Company

Cindy Strobel - The Hound of the Baskervilles - Rhode Island Stage Ensemble

Best Lighting Design

Anshuman Bhatia - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Eugene Lee - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Max Ponticelli - Harold & Maude - 2nd Story Theatre

Seth Reiser - A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Byron Winn - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Best Sound Design

Janie Bullard - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Peter Sasha Hurowitz - To Kill a Mockingbird - Trinity Repertory Company

Miles Polaski - A Christmas Carol - Trinity Repertory Company

Andy Russ - Ui [oo-ey] - The Wilbury Group

Best Musical Direction

Yan Li - Side Show - Brown/Trinity Rep

Michael Rice - Oklahoma! - Trinity Repertory Company

Special Mentions

Best Concert/Musical Performance

Chicago and Earth, Wind & Fire (Heart and Soul Tour 3.0) - Dunkin' Donuts Center

The Happy Together Tour 2016 - Park Theatre

The Piano Guys - Providence Performing Arts Center

Richard Nader's Doo Wop and Rock & Roll All Stars - The Vets

Rosanne Cash - The Vets

Best Dance/Special Performance

Festival Ballet Providence - Swan Lake

Festival Ballet Providence - Up Close on Hope: Spring Program

Karen Sklaire - Ripple of Hope: One Teacher's Journey to Make an Impact - Community College of Rhode Island

Best Touring Production

A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder - Providence Performing Arts Center

The King & I - Providence Performing Arts Center

Pippin - Providence Performing Arts Center

Ragtime - Providence Performing Arts Center

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Pictured: Brown/Trinity Rep's Side Show - Laura Lyman Payne as Daisy Hilton and Rachel Clausen as Violet Hilton

PHOTO CREDIT: Mark Turek



Managing Director Amy Gravell  Will Depart the Gamm Photo
The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre announced that Amy Gravell will be leaving the organization after almost 4 years and three seasons effective this June. Gravell will continue to lead the theater’s operations until that time, after which she will assume her new role as president of St. Mary Academy – Bay View in Riverside, R.I. Gravell is a proud alumna of the all-female, independent Catholic school serving pre-school through grade 12.

THE CHILDREN Closes Gamm Season in April Photo
The Sandra Feinstein-Gamm Theatre (The Gamm) closes its 2022-23 season with The Children, British playwright Lucy Kirkwood’s award-winning and Tony nominated play. A riveting eco-drama infused with dark humor, The Children runs from April 27 to May 14.

Review: WITCH provokes at Burbage Theater Co Photo
What did our critic think of WITCH at Burbage Theater Co? In the world of WITCH - written by rising playwright Jen Silverman - demons are self-proclaimed 'merchants of hope' for people whose desires and fears have been forged by capitalism and patriarchy. Scratch (Zach Gibb) - a 'junior salesman' who believes earnestly in the merit of his profession - has been roaming the dark corners of an historically indeterminate Edmonton, where he's been collecting souls in exchange for wishes. It's easy work until he meets Elizabeth (MJ Daly), the town outcast who leads him to reconsider the value of the souls he takes and the deals he makes in exchange for them. After all, what's a wish worth in a system that confines our imaginations within its walls? And wouldn't a soul outside these walls be more valuable - and dangerous - than anything we could conceive from within them?

Photos: Go Inside Rehearsals For INDECENT At Wilbury Theatre Group Photo
See rehearsal photos of Indecent at Wilbury Theatre Group!


From This Author - Veronica Bruscini