The 3rd Annual Gypsy Awards For Theater Excellence Announce Nominations; “The Wild Party” Grabs 11 Noms

Sound Theatre Company’s superb production of Andrew Lippa’s THE WILD PARTY earned 11 Gypsy Rose Lee Award nominations honoring excellence in Seattle theater for the 2013 season.

One of my favorite parts of Seattle Gay Scene is covering theater and the opportunity to help create the Seattle Theater Writer’s group and the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards which honor excellence in Seattle area theater. The Seattle Theater Writer’s group got together last weekend to vote on our nominations for the 3rd annual Gypsy Awards…we’ve been releasing the nominations all week long and today we wrap it up by releasing the last 7 noms for Excellence in Play Production, Musical and the Leading Actor categories both male and female.

The big winner nomination wise, was the outstanding production of THE WILD PARTY produced by Sound Theatre Company which grabbed eleven nominations including Musical, Director of a Musical (Corey D. McDaniel), Actor (Troy Wageman), Actress (Tori Spero), Supporting Actress (Allison Standley), and nods for Sets, Lighting, Sound, Costumes, Choreography, and Musical Direction.

The play with the most nominations was New Century Theatre Company’s adaptation of Kafka’s THE TRIAL, with 6 nominations including Play, Supporting Actress (Amy Thone), Sets, Lights, Sound and Costume Design. The theater company also grabbed four nominations for their fall production of Enda Walsh’s THE WALWORTH FARCE with director John Kazanjian, lead actor Peter Crook and Set Designer Nina Moser all earning individual kudos in their respective categories plus the entire cast earning recognition with a Best Ensemble nomination acknowledging the work of Crook, and co-stars Darragh Kennan, Peter Dylan O’Connor and Allison Strickland.

Village Theatre’s production of LES MISERABLES snagged 7 nods including Musical, Director of a Musical (Steve Tomkins), Actor (Greg Stone), Supporting Actor (Eric Polani Jensen), Musical Direction, Sets, and Lighting. This production of Les Mis and Seattle Children’s Theater’s current production of JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH which picked up two nominations for Costumes and Supporting Actress Jayne Muirhead, are the only two nominated shows to still currently be in production. Les Miserables opens the Everett leg of their production this weekend and James and the Giant Peach will wrap up their run on Sunday.

Other shows with multiple nominations include Washington Theatre Ensemble’s praised Seattle premiere of BENGAL TIGER IN THE BAGHDAD ZOO with six; Balagan Theatre’s highly praised production of the Pulitzer Prize winning play AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY snagged 5 noms including one for lead actress Shellie Shulkin; and Annex Theatre’s premiere of local playwright Holly Arsenault’s UNDO also receiving 5 nods including Play and Best Locally Written Play.

Azeotrope also had a field day earning nominations for all three plays it produced in 2013. GRUESOME PLAYGROUND INJURIES earned 5 nominations including recognition of Azeotrope co-founders Richard Nguyen Sloniker who earned a Best Actor nod and Desdemona Chiang picking up her 2nd Gypsy nomination for direction. Both Sloniker and Chiang won Gypsies last year for their work in JESUS HOPPED THE A TRAIN. The young company also earned two nominations a piece for their fall productions of RED LIGHT WINTER and 25 SAINTS.

Seattle Public Theater also had two winning plays. EDITH CAN SHOOT THINGS AND HIT THEM grabbed 6 nominations including nods for all three members of its cast and SPT’s THE UNDERSTUDY picked up five,  including one for Lead Actor Mike Dooly.

Individual nominations to note include one for JERICK HOFFER aka RuPaul Drag Race Season 5 winner “JINKX MONSOON” who earned a Best Actor nomination for his work as Hedwig in Balagan’s successful production of HEDWIG & THE ANGRY INCH. And, she’s not just your Cruise Director Julie McCoy….former television actress and star of “The Love Boat”, CYNTHIA LAUREN TEWES earned a Supporting Actress nomination for her work in Seattle Rep’s production of GOOD PEOPLE. The actress was virtually unrecognizable as a motormouth, elderly, South Boston landlady and her performance was superb.

Here’s the complete list of nominations in all 29 categories. The winners will be announced Wednesday, January 22, 2014. Congrats to all of them!

Excellence in Production of a Play (Large)

• August: Osage County   Produced by Balagan Theatre
• She’s Come Undone   Produced by Book-It Repertory Theatre
• The Taming of the Shrew   Produced by Seattle Shakespeare Company
• The Trial   Produced by New Century Theatre Company
• The Whipping Man   Produced by Taproot Theatre
• Trouble in Mind   Produced by Intiman Festival

Excellence in Production of a Play (Small)

• Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo    Produced by Washington Ensemble Theatre
• Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them    Produced by Seattle Public Theatre
• Gruesome Playground Injuries    Produced by Azeotrope
• The Gingerbread House    Produced by Theater Schmeater
• Undo    Produced by Annex Theater

Excellence in Production of a Musical (Large or Small Company)

• Altar Boyz   Produced by Seattle Musical Theater
• Hedwig & The Angry Inch   Produced by Balagan Theatre
• Les Miserables   Produced by Village Theatre
• The Music Man   Produced by The 5th Avenue Theatre
• The Wild Party   Produced by Sound Theatre Company

Excellence in Direction of a Play (Large)

• Shawn Belyea…..August: Osage County (Balagan)
• Valerie Curtis-Newton…..Trouble in Mind (Intiman Festival)
• John Kazanjian….The Walworth Farce (New Century Theatre Company)
• Scott Nolte…..The Whipping Man (Taproot Theatre)
• M. Burke Walker…..”Master Harold”…And The Boys (AJ Epstein/West of Lenin)

Excellence in Direction of a Play (Small)

• Desdemona Chiang….Gruesome Playground Injuries (Azeotrope)
• David Gassner…..Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Seattle Public Theater)
• Erin Kraft…..Undo (Annex Theater)
• Kelly Kitchens…..The Understudy (Seattle Public Theater)
• Michael Place…..Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical (Large or Small Company)

• Bill Berry…..The Music Man (The 5th Avenue Theatre)
• Corey D. McDaniel…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Steve Tomkins…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role (Large)

• Peter Crook….The Walworth Farce (New Century Theatre Company)
• Sean G. Griffin…..Sugar Daddies (A Contemporary Theatre)
• William Hall, Jr……The Whipping Man (Taproot Theatre)
• Jerick Hoffer…..Hedwig & The Angry Inch (Balagan Theatre)
• Greg Stone…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)
• G. Valmont Thomas…..”Master Harold”…and the Boys (AJ Epstein/West of Lenin)

Excellence in Performance By An Actor In A Leading Role (Small)

• Jose Aboag…..Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Mike Dooley…..The Understudy (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Mark Fullerton…..Soft Click of a Switch (MAP Theatre)
• Richard Nguyen Sloniker…..Gruesome Playground Injuries (Azeotrope)
• Troy Wageman…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)

Excellence in Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role (Large)

• Emily Chisholm…..Sugar Daddies (A Contemporary Theatre)
• Tracy Michelle Hughes…..Trouble in Mind (Intiman Festival)
• Jocelyn Maher…..She’s Come Undone (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Hannah Mootz…..Bo-Nita (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Shellie Shulkin…..August: Osage County (Balagan Theatre)

Excellence in Performance By An Actress In A Leading Role (Small)

• Sydney Andrews…..Undo (Annex Theatre)
• Sarah Coates…..The Gingerbread House (Theater Schmeater)
• Mary Ewald…..Homebody (New City Theatre)
• Sara L. Porkalob…..Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Mariel Neto…..Red Light Winter (Azeotrope)
• Tori Spero…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company

Excellence in Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role (Large)

• Trick Dannecker…..The Financial Lives of Poets (Book-It Repertory Company)
• Eric Polani Jensen…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)
• John Q. Smith…..August: Osage County (Balagan Theatre)
• Adam Standley…..We Won’t Pay! We Won’t Pay! (Intiman Festival)
• G. Valmont Thomas…..Trouble in Mind (Intiman Festival)

Excellence in Performance By An Actor In A Supporting Role (Small)

• Erwin Galan…..Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Tim Gouran…..Red Light Winter (Azeotrope)
• Brandon Ryan….A Behanding in Spokane (Theater Schmeater)
• Tim Smith Stewart…..Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Ben Wynant…..Floyd Collins (STAGEright Theatre)

Excellence in Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role (Large)

• Suzy Hunt…..Grey Gardens (A Contemporary Theatre/5th Avenue Theatre)
• Priscilla Lauris…..Rapture, Blister, Burn  (A Contemporary Theatre)
• Jayne Muirhead…..James and the Giant Peach (Seattle Children’s Theatre)
• Cynthia Lauren Tewes…..Good People (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Amy Thone…..The Trial (New Century Theatre Company)

Excellence in Performance By An Actress In A Supporting Role (Small)

• Libby Barnard…..25 Saints (Azeotrope)
• Elinor Gunn…..Holiday of Errors (Sound Theatre Company)
• Chelsea LeValley…..Floyd Collins (STAGEright Theatre)
• Allison Standley…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Lori Stein…..Beating Up  Bachman (BASH Theatre/Radial Theater Project)

Excellence in Performance By An Ensemble (Large)

• August: Osage County…..Balagan
• “Master Harold”…and the Boys…..AJ Epstein/West of Lenin
• Middletown…..A Contemporary Theatre
• The Walworth Farce…..New Century Theatre Company
• The Whipping Man…..Taproot Theatre

Excellence in Performance By An Ensemble (Small)

• Altar Boyz…..Seattle Musical Theatre
• Edith Can Shoot Things and Hit Them…..Seattle Public Theatre
• Floyd Collins…..STAGEright Theatre
• Holiday of Errors…..Sound Theatre Company
• The Understudy…..Seattle Public Theatre

Excellence in Set Design (Large)

• Andrea Bryn Bush…..Love’s Labour’s Lost (Seattle Shakespeare Company)
• Scott Fyfe…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)
• Nina Moser…..The Walwoth Farce (New Century Theatre Company)
• L.B. Morse…..The Hound of the Baskervilles (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Carey Wong…..Boeing Boeing (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Jennifer Zeyl…..The Trial (New Century Theatre Company)

Excellence in Set Design (Small)

• Tommer Peterson…..Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Richard Schaefer…..The Understudy (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Richard Schaefer…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Clare Strasser & Montana Tippett.….reWILDING (The Satori Group)
• Deanna Zibello…..Gruesome Playground Injuries (Azeotrope)

Excellence in Costume Design (Large)

• Catherine Hunt….James and the Giant Peach (Seattle Children’s Theatre)
• Frances Kenny…..Boeing Boeing (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Karen Ann Ledger…..Chicago (Village Theatre)
• Kimberley Newton…..The Trial (New Century Theater Company)
• Pete Rush…..Rapture, Blister, Burn (A Contemporary Theatre)

Excellence in Costume Design (Small)

• Candace Frank…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Doreen Sayegh…..Undo (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Lighting Design (Large)

• Alex Berry…..Other Desert Cities (A Contemporary Theatre)
• Geoff Korf…..The Trial (New Century Theatre Company)
• L.B. Morse…..The Hound of the Baskervilles (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• L.B. Morse…..Boeing, Boeing (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Tom Sturge…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Lighting Design (Small)

• Chris Frickland…..Altar Boyz (Seattle Musical Theatre)
• Richard Schaefer…..The Understudy (Seattle Public Theatre)
• Richard Schaefer…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Andrew D. Smith…..25 Saints (Azeotrope)
• Jessica Trundy…..Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Excellence in Sound Design (Large)

• Paul James Prendergast…..The Hound of the Baskervilles (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Matt Starritt…..The Financial Lives of Poets (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Robertson Witmer…..The Trial (New Century Theater Company)

Excellence in Sound Design (Small)

• Josh Blaisdell…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• Evan Mosher…..Gruesome Playground Injuries (Azeotrope)
• Robertson Witmer…..Bengal Tiger in the Baghdad Zoo (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Excellence in Choreography/Movement (Large)

• Bob Richard…..The Music Man (The 5th Avenue Theatre)
• James Rocco…..The Pirates of Penzance (The 5th Avenue Theatre)
• Kathryn Van Meter…..Xanadu (Village Theater)

Excellence in Choreography/Movement (Small)

• Jessica Low…..The Wild Party (Sound Theater Company)
• Troy Wageman…..Altar Boyz (Seattle Musical Theatre)

Excellence in Musical Direction (Large or Small Company)

• Joel Fram…..The Music Man (The 5th Avenue Theatre)
• Carl Petrillo…..The Wild Party (Sound Theatre Company)
• RJ Tancioco…..Les Miserables (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting Original or Adapted From Another Medium (Large or Small Company)

• Holly Arsenault…..Undo (Annex Theatre)
• Elizabeth Heffron…..Bo-Nita (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Kelly Kitchens……She’s Come Undone, adapted from the novel by Wally Lamb (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Frank Lawler & Daniel Flint…..Holiday of Errors (Sound Theatre Company)
• David Pichette & R. Hamilton Wright…..The Hound of the Baskervilles, adapted from the novel by A. Conan Doyle (Seattle Repertory Theatre) 

Excellence in Local Composing (Large or Small Company)

• Gretta Harley & Sarah Rudinoff…..These Streets (Harley Rudinoff Productions)
• Jesse McNeese…..The Gingerbread House (Theater Schmeater)
• Anastasia Workman…..Smoked (Café Nordo)