Bill Irwin, Marga Gomez, et al. Win 2011 SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards

On April 4, 2011, the SF Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle Awards presented their 35th Annual Awards Ceremony, celebrating outstanding achievement in Bay Area theatre during 2010, at the Palace of Fine Arts Theatre Lobby. 

Representing the print and electronic media, 28 members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle announced the winners of 36 Drama awards and 38 Musical awards from 400+ nominated actors, designers, productions, and more reviewed in 2010. Over 400 productions were seen in 2010 by Circle critics reviewing theatre from San Jose to Santa Rosa, San Francisco to Concord.

Actors' Equity Association was the proud sponsor of the SFBATCC Awards again this year. Actors' Equity, which represents over 1000 professional stage actors and stage managers in the Bay Area, shares with the Critics Circle a common goal to support professional Equity theatres in order to improve the livelihood of the artists who work in those theatres.

The Critics Circle uses a three-part separation of award categories between Theatres with (1) 99 Seats or Less; (2) 100-300 Seats; and (3) Over 300 Seats. As such, theatre companies of similar sizes compete and receive recognition for their outstanding work. An award is also presented for an outstanding Touring show.

Touring Productions -- West Side Story, produced by SHN's Best of Broadway, won the critics' nod among 5 nominations.

99 Seats or Less -- In Drama, The Cutting Ball Theater led with 3 awards for ...and Jesus Moonwalks the Mississippi, including Ensemble and Entire Production. Becoming Julia Morgan, produced by The Julia Morgan Project shared the Ensemble award. In the Musicals category, Ray of Light Theatre's Baby: A Musicalwon 6 awards, including Ensemble and Entire Production. And Carl Jordan won the Specialties Award for his choreography in Pirates of Penzance, produced by Novato Theater Company.

Between 100-300 Seats -- In Drama, Aurora Theatre Company received 7 awards for its production of Trouble in Mind, including Ensemble and Entire Production, as well as 1 award each for Palomino(David Cale for Solo Performer) and The First Grade(Joel Drake Johnson for Original Script). Marin Theatre Company and New Conservatory Theatre Center each won 2 awards. In the Musicals category, 11 awards went to Center Repertory Company with 7 for She Loves Me(including Entire Production), 3 awards for A Marvelous Party(including Ensemble) and 1 for Becoming Britney. And 42nd Street Moon won 2 musical awards.

Over 300 Seats -- In Drama, TheatreWorks' Opusreceived 4 awards, including Entire Production. San Jose Repertory Theatre also won 4 awards, with Black Pearl Sings!taking 3, and The Secret Order(Ensemble). Berkeley Repertory Theatre collected a total of 4 awards, 2 each for Compulsionand Lemony Snicket's The Composer Is Dead. In the Musicals category, American Conservatory Theater led with 4 awards for The Tosca Project, including Ensemble (tied with Berkeley Repertory Theatre's Girlfriend) and Entire Production. Contra Costa Musical Theatre took 3 awards for A Chorus Lineand 1 for Oklahoma. And TheatreWorks received 3 awards for The Light in the Piazzaand 1 for A Christmas Memory.

For a full list of winners, click here.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/WM Photos