7th Annual Gypsy Awards Nominations Announced Honoring Seattle Theater

The moving play, LYDIA, produced by Strawberry Theatre Workshop in June of 2017 earned 6 nominations in the 7th annual Gypsy Awards honoring excellence in Seattle theater.

We’re thrilled to announce the nominees for the 7th annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, presented by Seattle Theater Writers, which honor excellence in Seattle area theater for 2017. This year’s big nominees include BRING DOWN THE HOUSE, the unique adaptation of 3 of Shakespeare’s history plays into a two part all female cast extravaganza that earned 10 nominations for the show’s producers, Seattle Shakespeare Company and the all female led “upstart crow collective” (lower case deliberate). Following with 9 nominations a piece were three productions from smaller theater companies: HOODOO LOVE from Sound Theatre Company; SCARY MARY AND THE NIGHTMARES NINE from Annex; TEH INTERNET IS SERIOUS BUSINESS from Washington Ensemble Theatre. 

And, two musicals earned 8 nominations each: RAGTIME from the 5th Avenue Theatre and from Village Theatre based in Issaquah, DREAMGIRLS.

Also earning significant recognition: Strawberry Theatre Workshop’s LYDIA; Theatre 22’s DOWNSTAIRS; and,  Spectrum Dance Theatre earned 4 nominations for their dazzling and moving piece on gay oppression, (IM)PULSE.

Spanning dozens of theater companies and productions, from large and prominent to small and humble, the Gypsy Rose Lee Awards honor the excellence found in as much professional theater as we reviewers can attend in a year. Named in honor of the famed theater artist/entrepreneur and Seattle native, Gypsy Rose Lee, and in a nod to the vast numbers or theater practitioners forced to travel the country to earn their living, the Gypsy Awards seek to acknowledge the excellence of the Seattle theater community.

The winners will be announced January 26, 2018.

And without further ado, arranged in 33 categories in two divisions (Large Theaters and Small Theaters).

The 2017 Gypsy Rose Lee Award Nominees are (by category, in alpha order by name):

Excellence in Production of a Play:

(Large Theaters):

• Barbecue – Intiman Theatre
• Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 – Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective
• Blues for Mister Charlie – The Williams Project
• Lydia – Strawberry Theatre Workshop
• The Crucible – ACT Theatre

The mega Shakespeare production BRING DOWN THE HOUSE earned 10 Gypsy Award nominations.

(Small Theaters):

• Downstairs – Theatre22
• Greensward – MAP Theatre
• Hoodoo Love – Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project
• Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine – Annex Theatre
• Teh Internet Is Serious Business – Washington Ensemble Theatre

Excellence in Production of a Musical:

• Dreamgirls – Village Theatre
• Newsies – Village Theatre
• Persuasion – Taproot Theatre
• Ragtime – 5th Avenue Theatre
• The Pajama Game – 5th Avenue Theatre

Excellence in Direction of a Play:

(Large Theaters):

• Sheila Daniels – Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Rosa Joshi – Bring Down the House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• John Langs – The Crucible (ACT Theatre)
• Malika Oyetimein – Barbecue (Intiman Theatre)
• Ryan Purcell – Blues for Mr. Charlie (The Williams Project)

(Small Theaters):

• Julie Beckman – Downstairs (Theatre22)
• Eddie DeHais – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Malika Oyetimein – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)
• Bobbin Ramsey – Wellesley Girl (The Horse in Motion)
• Wayne Rawley – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Washington Ensemble Theatre’s TEH INTERNET IS SERIOUS BUSINESS earned 9 Gypsy Award nominations including Best Play, Best Ensemble and nods for its distinctive designs.

Excellence in Direction of a Musical:

• Bill Berry – The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Peter Rothstein – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Steve Tomkins – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Male):

(Large Theaters):

• Joshua Castille – Tribes (ACT Theatre)
• Craig MacArthur – (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)
• Timothy McCuen Piggee – The Legend of Georgia McBride (ACT Theatre)
• Brandon J. Simmons – The Cherry Orchard (The Seagull Project)
• Michael Winters – Evidence of Things Unseen (Taproot Theatre)

(Small Theaters):

• Peter Crook – Frozen (ArtsWest)
• Tim Gouran – Building the Wall (Azeotrope)
• Tim Gouran – Burn This (Theatre22)
• Richard Gray – The Nance (ArtsWest)
• Brandon Ryan – Downstairs (Theatre22)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Male):

• Joey Barriero – Newsies (Village Theatre)
• Joshua Carter – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)
• John Devereaux – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)
• Richard Gray – Murder for Two (5th AvenueTheatre/ACT Theatre)
• Douglas Lyons – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Female):

(Large Theaters):

• Lindsay W. Evans – Tribes (ACT Theatre)
• Anastasia Higham – Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Nike Imoru – Coriolanus: Fight Like a Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)
• Aishé Keita – I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Mari Nelson – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Sofía Raquel Sánchez – Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Theaters):

• Kiki Abba – No More Sad Things (Forward Flux Prods.)
• Christine Marie Brown – Downstairs (Theatre22)
• Demene E. Hall – Sycorax (Snowflake Avalanche)
• Jody Kuehner – Cherdonna’s Doll’s House (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Porscha Shaw – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Female):

• Kendra Kassebaum – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Corinna Lapid Munter – Sweeney Todd (ArtsWest)
• Mari Nelson – Into the Woods (Village Theatre)
• Sara Porkalob – Howl’s Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Sara Porkalob – Madame Dragon’s 60th Birthday (Cafe Nordo/Sara Porkalob)

Up and coming Seattle talent SARA PORKALOB earned 2 nominations for work in two different productions: one for her solo show MADAME DRAGON’S 60TH BIRTHDAY PARTY and for her starring role in the musical adaptation of Book-It Rep’s HOWL’S MOVING CASTLE

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Male):

(Large Theaters):

• Ronnie Hill – I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Charles Leggett – Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Christopher Morson –Room Service (Taproot Theatre)
• Brandon O’Neill – Pride and Prejudice (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Andrew Pryor-Ramírez – Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Theaters):

• André G. Brown – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)
• Daniel Christensen – The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)
• Drew Highlands – The Nance (ArtsWest)
• John Q. Smith – Downstairs (Theatre22)
• Corey Spruill – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Male):

• Greg McCormick Allen – The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Guthrie Bettinger – Newsies (Village Theatre)
• John Coons – Howl’s Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Michael Krenning – Newsies (Village Theatre)
• Nathaniel Tenenbaum – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Female):

(Large Theaters):

• Sunam Ellis – The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)
• Peggy Gannon – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Kamaria Harris – Barbecue (Intiman Theatre)
• Shaunyce Omar – I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Wendy Robie – Coriolanus: Fight Like A Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)

Sound Theatre Company’s HOODOO LOVE earned 9 Gypsy Award nominations.

(Small Theaters):

• Eva Abram – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)
• Megan Ahiers – Money, Take Run (Theater Schmeater)
• Nabilah Ahmed – No More Sad Things (Forward Flux Prods.)
• Rachel Guyer-Mafune – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Jay O’Leary – Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Female):

• Danyel Fulton – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Alexandria Henderson – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)
• Kate Jaeger – Howl’s Moving Castle (Book-It Repertory Theatre)
• Lorna Luft – Holiday Inn (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Arika Matoba – Into the Woods (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble:

(Large Theaters):

• Barbecue – Intiman Theatre (Angel Brice, Macall Gordon, Kamaria Harris, Eryn Joslyn, Lamar Legend, Charles Leggett, Shaunyce Omar, Rachel Pate, Carol Roscoe, Cynthia Lauren Tewes)
• Blues for Mister Charlie – The Williams Project (Grant Chapman, Ryan Williams French, Alexis Green, Rafael Jordan, Brenda Joyner, Leicester Landon, Elise LeBreton, Nancy Moricette, Max Rosenak, Reggie D. White)
• I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings – Book-It Repertory Theatre (Ronnie Hill, Aishé Keita, Lamar Legend, Shaunyce Omar, Chip Sherman, Anthony Lee Simmons, Lindsay Zae Summers, Brennie Tellu, Dedra D. Woods)
• Lydia – Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Yadira Duarte, Ray González, Pablo López, Rafael Molina, Carolyn Marie Monroe, Andrew Pryor-Ramírez, Sofía Raquel Sánchez)
• The Legend of Georgia McBride – ACT Theatre (Adam Standley, Nastacia Guimont, Timothy McCuen Piggee, Jeff Steitzer, Charles Smith)

(Small Theaters):

• Downstairs – Theatre22 (Christine Marie Brown, Brandon Ryan, John Q. Smith)
• Hoodoo Love – Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project (Eva Abram, André G. Brown, Porscha Shaw, Corey Spruill)
• Milk Like Sugar – ArtsWest (Allyson Lee Brown, Andre G. Brown, Marlette Buchannan, Nastacia Guimont, Jay O’Leary, Lindsay Zae Summers, Dimitri Woods)
• Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine – Annex Theatre (Kiki Abba, Kai Curtis, Kelly Johnson, Corinne Magin, Jordan Moeller, Emily Pike, Carter Rodriquez, Jenn Ruzumna, Cody Smith, Raymond Williams, Sarah Winsor)
• Teh Internet Is Serious Business – Washington Ensemble Theatre (Megan Ahiers, Jeffrey Azevedo, Ian Bond, Stanley Dang, Samie Spring Detzer, Nick Edwards, Rachel Guyer-Mafune, Kevin Kelly, Arjun Pande, Ryan Sanders, Zenaida Smith, Jessie Underhill, Lisa Viertel, Jordan-Michael Whidbey)

Excellence in Scenic Design:

(Large Theaters):

• Andrea Bryn Bush – The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)
• Shawn Ketchum Johnson – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Matthew Smucker – Dry Powder (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Julia Welch – Coriolanus: Fight Like A Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)
• Carey Wong – Murder for Two (5th Ave Theatre/ACT Theatre)

(Small Theaters):

• Eddie DeHais – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Brandon Estrella – Greensward (MAP Theatre)
• Robin Macartney – Downstairs (Theatre22)
• Tristan Roberson – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Margaret Toomey – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)

Costume designer PETE RUSH earned 2 separate nominations in his category for work on the draggy THE LEGEND OF GEORGIA MCBRIDE at ACT and THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR at Seattle Shakespeare Company

Excellence in Costume Design:

(Large Theaters):

• Karen Ann Ledger – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)
• Rose Pederson – The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Pete Rush – The Government Inspector (Seattle Shakespeare Company)
• Pete Rush – The Legend of Georgia McBride (ACT Theatre)
• Christine Tschirgi – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)

(Small Theaters):

• Jordan Emery Fell – Hoodoo Love (Sound Theatre Company/The Hansberry Project)
• Michael Notestine & Danial Hellman – Cherdonna’s Doll’s House (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Jennifer Oaster – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Fantasia Oslund & Sydney Tucker – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Kelsey Rogers – Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Lighting Design:

(Large Theaters):

• Evan Christian Anderson – The Realistic Joneses (New Century Theatre Company)
• Jack Mehler – (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)
• Reed Nakayama – Lydia (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Duane Schuler – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Tom Sturge – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)

(Small Theaters):

• Ahren Buhmann – Burn This (Theatre22)
• Emily Leong – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Tess Malone – Greensward (MAP Theatre)
• Alyssa Millione – Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)
• Tristan Roberson – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

The hybrid dance/theater piece (IM)PULSE from Spectrum Dance Theatre was a moving portrayal of queer subject matter that included the tragedy of the Pulse Orlando Massacre

Excellence in Sound Design:

(Large Theaters):

• Matt Jorgensen – Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Sharath Patel & Josh Schmidt – Coriolanus: Fight Like a Bitch (Rebel Kat Prods.)
• Matt Starritt – Pride and Prejudice (Seattle Repertory Theatre)
• Robertson Witmer – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Robertson Witmer – (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)

(Small Theaters):

• D. R. Amromin – Into the Deeps (Dangerswitch)
• Erin Bednarz & D.R. Amromin – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Mariah Brougher – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• GOODSTEPH – Milk Like Sugar (ArtsWest)
• Stefanie Senior – The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)

The 5th Avenue’s RAGTIME was a gorgeous adaptation of the book by E.L. Doctorow

Excellence in Musical Direction:

• Joel Fram – The Pajama Game (5th Avenue Theatre)
• Michael Nutting – Persuasion (Taproot Theatre)
• R.J. Tancioco – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)
• R.J. Tancioco – Newsies (Village Theatre)
• Ben Whiteley – Ragtime (5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Choreography or Movement:

• Daniel Cruz – Dreamgirls (Village Theatre)
• Alyza DelPan-Monley – Teh Internet Is Serious Business (Washington Ensemble Theatre)
• Alice Gosti (Movement) & Peter Dylan O’Connor (Fight Choreography) – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Ryan Higgins (Fight Choreography) – Money & Run Trilogy (Theater Schmeater)
• Katy Tabb – Newsies (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting:

• Amy Escobar – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Katie Forgette – Evidence of Things Unseen (Taproot Theatre)
• Rosa Joshi & Kate Wisniewski – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 – Adapting Shakespeare’s Henry VI Part I, II, III (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Darian Lindle – The Secret & Impossible League of the Noösphere in the Baltimore Plot (Live Girls! Theater)
• Y York – Sycorax (Snowflake Avalanche)

Excellence in Local Composing:

• William Satake Blauvelt – Bring Down The House Parts 1 & 2 (Seattle Shakespeare Company/upstart crow collective)
• Amy Escobar – Scary Mary and the Nightmare Nine (Annex Theatre)
• Chris Jeffries – Persuasion (Taproot Theatre)

Excellence in Video Design:

• Reed Nakayama – Proof (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)
• Travis Mouffe – (IM)Pulse (Spectrum Dance Theater)
• Charlie Spears – Much Better (Really-Really Theatre Group)

About Seattle Theater Writers:

Founded in 2010 by Miryam Gordon and comprised of local writers and reviewers, Seattle Theater Writers is a group of critic/reviewers dedicated to raising public awareness of theater practitioners and the work produced by professional theater organizations. Seattle Theater Writers’ hope is that these awards might encourage theater attendance and enjoyment of our rich cultural offerings. Born from this mission are the annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, recognizing excellence in Seattle theater across 33 categories.

The participants in this year’s award process were Candace Brown (goodlifenw.blogspot.com), Miryam Gordon (Seattle Gay News and miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com), Rosemary Jones (www.seattletheateranddance.com/), Dusty Somers (guest writer for Seattle Times), and Michael Strangeways (www.seattlegayscene.com/).

A growing (years long) reality regarding reviewing and reviewers has reduced the number of reliable and credible critics writing today. Fewer and fewer reviewers are paid anything for their work, and fewer reviews are being published in every kind of publication. It is harder than ever to establish oneself as a critic, since companies are reducing the numbers of seats they can or will provide for that kind of effort.

To support the reviewers’ nominations, STW has established an Auxiliary of theater-going members, some of whom are also theater practitioners and all of whom are ardent fans of theater. All members go to multiple dozens of productions per year, many over 100. The Auxiliary supports our Round Two in the selection process where points are given to the dozens of nominees and individuals select their top five in each category. The Auxiliary points are used to support STW members’ choices as we pick our nominees and winners.