Best of Baltimore Theatre 2007: College Theatre

In 2007, I had the privilege to review productions of the theatre departments at CCBC-Catonsville, Howard Community College, Johns Hopkins University, Morgan University, and Towson University.  (UMBC and McDaniel College remain on our list, though I was unable to review any of their productions this year.)  In 2008, I hope to add to this already fine list with other colleges.  These schools are training our next generation of actors, directors, writers and technicians.  If this small sample is any indication, the future looks very bright.  And how lucky we are to have such talent in our own city!  The productions under consideration were, alphabetically: Plays:  Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Angels in America: Perestroika, The Crucible, The Diary of Anne Frank, Mr. Marmalade, Six Degrees of Separation, and The Trial of the Catonsville 9; Musicals: AIDA and The Who's Tommy         

So, how did I get my picks?  Throughout the year, as I reviewed each show, I divided the outstanding elements of each show into the appropriate categories, and "graded" them from 0 to 100.  I kept nothing that received a score of less than 80.  The top scores in each category, except Outstanding Production, were chosen as my "Best of 2007".  Outstanding Production was based on the top averages of each show (scores in all other categories were added up and divided by the number of entries per show).  The "winners" are arranged alphabetically, not necessarily from top best to lowest best.  I selected between 1 and 3 winners/honorable mentions per category, depending on the scores, and numbers of possible winners.  For example, there were more possible winners for Outstanding Supporting Actors, so I picked three, while there were many fewer lighting design possibilities, so I picked fewer.   

Again, these are my personal picks for the best of the past year, and are not related to the Readers' Choice Awards.   

2007 College Production Awards

Winners are in BOLD; the rest are Honorable Mention.  Congratulations to everyone involved on an excellent year of theatre. (No awards were given for Supporting Actor in a Musical or Set Design of a Musical.)

Outstanding Production of a Play, Comedy or Drama

• Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Six Degrees of Separation  JHU Barnstormers

Outstanding Musical Production

•  AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

• Jason Roth (Roy Cohn)  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Steve Polites (Joe Pitt)  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Graham Smyth (Daniel Berrigan)  The Trial of the Catonsville 9  CCBC - Catonsville

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

• Michael Robinson (Radames) AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan
• Ryan Haase (Tommy)  The Who's Tommy  TU Theatre Summer Season

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

• Kelly Lyons (Lucy)  Mr. Marmalade  TU Theatre Summer Season
• Erica Bauman (Ouisa)  Six Degress of Separation  JHU Barnstormers

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

• Ashley Parker (Aida)  AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

• Charlie Long (Belize)  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• James Johnson (Peter Van Daan)  The Diary of Anne Frank  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Adam Reiffen (Rick)  Six Degrees of Separation  JHU Barnstormers

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

• Haily Wineland (Hannah Pitt)  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Evelyn Clark (Elizabeth)  Six Degrees of Separation  JHU Barnstormers
• Lindsey M. Nixon (Mrs. VanDaan)  The Diary of Anne Frank  Towson University Dept. of Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

• Mary Searcy (Amneris) AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Outstanding Ensemble Acting

• The Cast of The Trial of the Catonsville 9  CCBC - Catonsville

Outstanding Direction of a Play

• Laura Graham  Six Degrees of Separation  JHU Barnstormers
• Steven J. Satta  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

• Kevin S. McAllister  AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Outstanding Choreography

• Anwar Thomas  AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play

• Daniel Ettinger  Angels in America: Millennium Approaches and Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Wm. M. Yarbrough III  The Crucible  Student- Alumni Arts at Howard Community College

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play

• Jay Herzog  Angels in America: Perestroika  Towson University Dept. of Theatre
• Andrew Haag & Nate Pesce  The Crucible  Student- Alumni Arts at Howard Community College

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical

• Lynn Joslin  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan
• Justin Van Hassell  TU The Who's Tommy  Theatre Summer Season

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play

• Marianne Strazza  Six Degrees of Separation  JHU Barnstormers
• Michael Zablocki  Mr. Marmalade  TU Theatre Summer Season

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical

• Kevin S. McAllister AIDA  ArtsCentric/Theatre Morgan

Comments?  Email me at jameshoward@broadwayworld.com.

PHOTOS: Courtesy of each production.  TOP to BOTTOM: Best Play: Angels in America, Six Degress of Separation; Best Musical: AIDA; Honorable Mention Best Actor in a Musical: Ryan Haase in The Who's Tommy; Best Actress in a Play: Kelly Lyons (left) in Mr. Marmalade; Honorable Mention, Best Actress in a Play: Erica Bauman (left) in Six Degrees of Separation; Best Actor and Actress in a Musical: Michael Robinson and Ashley Parker in AIDA; Honorable Mention, Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Play: Evelyn Clark and Adam Reiffen in Six Degrees of Separation; Best Supporting Actress in a Musical: Mary Searcy in AIDA; Best Ensemble Acting, The Cast of The Trial of the Catonsville 9; Best Direction of a Musical and Best Costume Design of a Musical: Kevin A. McAllister, Best Choreography: Anwar Thomas, all for AIDA.