BWW 2017 Seattle Critic's Choice Awards (Jay's Picks)

Dear Readers, it's been quite a year and, hopefully, we've come through it unscathed. God knows we've needed some shows to help us escape and others to make us think. But through it all we've had several shows that have proven to shine as some of the best of the year. Out of all the shows I was fortunate enough to see this year, I've selected a few that stood out. Here are those stand outs, a few honorable mentions and a few special mentions about which I just couldn't help myself but to mention in their own special way.

Best Choreography in a local production
WINNER:
Katy Tabb - "Newsies" - Village Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Bob Richard - "The Pajama Game" - 5th Avenue Theatre
Daniel Cruz - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre

SPECIAL MENTION:
Best use of choreography for making the scene changes entertaining and magical
Crystal Dawn Munkers - "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company

Best Costume Design in a local production
WINNER:
Karen Ann Ledger - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Pete Rush - "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company
Trevor Bowen - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

SPECIAL MENTION:
Best Drag Quick change costumes EVER!
Pete Rush and Dennis Milam Bensie - "The Legend of Georgia McBride" - ACT

Best Lighting Design in a local production
WINNER:
Duane Schuler - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Andrew D. Smith - "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company
Ryan Dunn - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
Tristan Roberson - "The Nance" - ArtsWest

Best Scenic Design in a local production
WINNER:
David Korins - "Here Lies Love" - Seattle Rep

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Christopher Mumaw - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
Matthew Smucker - "The Crucible" - ACT

Best Sound Design in a local production
WINNER:
Robertson Witmer and Noah Duffy - "The Cherry Orchard" - The Seagull Project

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Evan Mosher and Robertson Witmer - "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company
Kyle Thompson - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest

Best Music Direction in a local production
WINNER:
Ben Whiteley - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Joel Fram - "The Pajama Game" - 5th Avenue Theatre
R.J. Tancioco - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre
R.J. Tancioco - "Newsies" - Village Theatre
Richard Gray - "The Legend of Georgia McBride" - ACT

Best Featured Actor in a local musical
WINNER:
Matthew Kacergis - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Greg McCormick Allen - "The Pajama Game" - 5th Avenue Theatre
Nathaniel Tenenbaum - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre

Best Featured Actor in a local play
WINNER:
John Q Smith - "Downstairs" - Theatre22

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Jason Sanford - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
Timothy McCuen Piggee - "The Legend of Georgia McBride" - ACT

Best Featured Actress in a local musical
WINNER:
Danyel Fulton - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Kate Jaeger - "Howl's Moving Castle" - Book-It Repertory Theatre
Taryn Darr - "The Pajama Game" - 5th Avenue Theatre

Best Featured Actress in a local play
WINNER:
Shaunyce Omar - "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" - Book-It Repertory Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Peggy Gannon - "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow
Sarah Harlett - "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow
Shermona Mitchell - "The Crucible" - ACT

Best Featured Actor in a touring production
WINNER:
Patrick Vaill - "Cabaret" - Paramount

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Anthony Murphy - "Aladdin" - Paramount
Blake Hammond - "Something Rotten" - 5th Avenue Theatre

Best Featured Actress in a touring production
WINNER:
Felicity Jones - "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" - Paramount

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Alison Ewing - "Cabaret" - Paramount
Autumn Hurlbert - "Something Rotten" - 5th Avenue Theatre
Joan Almedilla - "The King and I" - Paramount

Best Lead Actor in a local musical - IT'S A TIE!!! (I just couldn't decide)
WINNERS:
Conrad Ricamora - "Here Lies Love" - Seattle Rep
and
Joshua Carter - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Douglas Lyons - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre
Chris DiStefano - "Murder for Two" - ACT/5th Avenue Theatre
Richard Gray - "Murder for Two" - ACT/5th Avenue Theatre

Best Lead Actor in a local play
WINNER:
Tim Gouran for both
"Building the Wall" - Azeotrope & "Every Five Minutes" - Washington Ensemble Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Arjun Pande - "Guards at the Taj" - ACT
Brandon Ryan - "Downstairs" - Theatre22
Evan Whitfield - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
Moises Castro - "Guards at the Taj" - ACT

Best Lead Actress in a local musical
WINNER:
Kendra Kassebaum - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Angela Birchett - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre
Jaygee Macapugay - "Here Lies Love" - Seattle Rep

Best Lead Actress in a local play
WINNER:
Suzy Hunt - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Faith Bennett Russell - "Grand Concourse" - Seattle Public Theater
Mari Nelson - "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow
Nike Imoru - "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow

Best Lead Actor in a touring production
WINNER:
Euan Morton - "Hedwig and the Angry Inch" - Paramount

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Adam Langdon - "Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" - Paramount
Robert Petkoff - "Fun Home" - 5th Avenue Theatre

Best Lead Actress in a touring production
WINNER:
Kate Shindle - "Fun Home" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Isabelle McCalla - "Aladdin" - Paramount
Leigh Ann Larkin - "Cabaret" - Paramount

Best Ensemble Cast in a play or musical of a local production
WINNER:
The cast of "Pride and Prejudice" - Seattle Rep

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
The cast of "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow
The cast of "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company
The cast of "Newsies" - Village Theatre

Best Direction of a musical
WINNER:
Alex Timbers - "Here Lies Love" - Seattle Rep

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Peter Rothstein - "Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre
Steve Tomkins - "Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre

Best Direction of a play
WINNER:
Rosa Joshi - "Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Allison Narver - "The Government Inspector" - Seattle Shakespeare Company
Desdemona Chiang - "Building the Wall" - Azeotrope
Julie Beckman - "Downstairs" - Theatre22
Makaela Pollock - "Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
Samip Raval - "Guards at the Taj" - ACT

Best NEW/ORIGINAL/ADAPTATION of a play or musical in a local production
WINNER:
Adaptation by Myra Platt, Music and Lyrics by Jusin Huertas - "Howl's Moving Castle" - Book-It Repertory Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Harold Taw and Chris Jeffries - "Persuasion" - Taproot Theatre
R. Hamilton Wright - "Greensward" - MAP Theatre

Best Special Theatrical Event of the Year
WINNER:
"The Odyssey" - Public Works Seattle/Seattle Rep

Best Touring Production
WINNER:
"Fun Home" - 5th Avenue Theatre

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime" - Paramount
"Hedwig and the Angry Inch" - Paramount
"Let the Right One In" - Moore Theatre

Best local production of a Musical - IT'S A TIE!!! (Two amazing shows each with its own power)
WINNER:
"Here Lies Love" - Seattle Rep, for its "in your face", rockin' power
and
"Ragtime" - 5th Avenue Theatre, for its emotional and resonant power

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Dreamgirls" - Village Theatre
"Newsies" - Village Theatre

Best local production of a Play
WINNER:
"Building the Wall" - Azeotrope

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
"Bring Down the House" - Seattle Shakespeare Company/Upstart Crow
"Mothers and Sons" - ArtsWest
"Pride and Prejudice" - Seattle Rep

SPECIAL MENTIONS:
The "Why Didn't More People See These F***ing AMAZING Shows?" Award
"Downstairs" - Theatre22
and
"Guards at the Taj" - ACT

Theater of the Year
WINNER:
ACT

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