Founded four years ago by director-playwright-actor Gene-Gabriel Moore, an Atlanta native, the awards were named for the late Suzi Bass, a respected stage and screen actor from Atlanta. The awards, according to a press statement, were created to not only recognize but "foster professional theatrical excellence in the Atlanta area, to honor the late and beloved actress Suzi Bass, and to provide a valuable regional and national marketing tool for individual theatres and for the Atlanta professional theatre community as a whole."
This year's Spirit of Suzi Bass Award will be given to Jerry's Habima Theatre, a Georgia-based theatrical company directed and produced by actors with developmental disabilities. The Spirit of Suzi Bass Award is given annually to "a person or organization that demonstrates the long-term and consistent contribution to professionalism in Atlanta theatre that embodies the spirit of Suzi Bass, who was vivacious, enthusiastic, committed to Atlanta theatre, dedicated to excellence and inspired those qualities in others."
The Suzi Bass Awards ceremony will be held Nov. 5 at 8 PM in the Egyptian ballroom at the Fabulous Fox Theatre. Tickets are $25 and are available by visiting www.suziawards.org.
The 2006-2007 Suzi Bass Awards nominees follow.
Production – Play
9 Parts of Desire, Horizon Theatre
I Am My Own Wife, Actor's Express
I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda, Theatre in the Square
The Pillowman, Actor's Express
Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square Production - Musical
A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Director - Play
B.J. Jones, Glengarry Glen Ross, Alliance Theatre
Fred Chappell, Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square
Jasson Minadakis, The Pillowman, Actor's Express
Kenny Leon, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, True Colors
Lisa Adler, 9 Parts of Desire, Horizon Theatre
Director - Musical
Clint Thornton, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Dex Edwards, Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Freddie Ashley, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Heidi Cline, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Peter Schneider, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Lead Actress - Play
Agnes Harty, Educating Rita, Red Clay Theatre
Farida Kalala, I Have Before Me a Remarkable Document Given to Me by a Young Lady from Rwanda, Theatre in the Square
Linda Stephens, Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square
Mary Lynn Owen, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, Alliance Theatre
Park Krausen, Othello, Georgia Shakespeare
Veronika Duerr, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Tavern
Lead Actress - Musical
Agnes Harty, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Claci Miller, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Dawnn Lewis, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Sara Onsager, The Thing About Men, Horizon Theatre
Wendy Melkonian, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Lead Actor - Play
Daniel May, The Pillowman, Actor's Express
David Milford, All The King's Men, Theatre in the Square
Doyle Reynolds, I Am My Own Wife, Actor's Express
Eddie Levi Lee, Charm School, Horizon Theatre
Glynn Turman, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, True Colors
Lead Actor - Musical
Bryan Mercer, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
David Jennings, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Jeff McKerley, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Jeff McKerley, The Thing About Men, Horizon Theatre
Spencer G. Stephens, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Featured Actress - Play
Carol Mitchell-leon, The Bluest Eye, Horizon Theatre
Jackie Prucha, Waiting to be Invited, Theatrical Outfit
Jill Jane Clements, The Chase, Theatrical Outfit
Jill Jane Clements, Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square
Kate Donadio, All The King's Men, Theatre in the Square
Kathleen Wattis, Based on a Totally True Story, Actor's Express
Valerie Payton, Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare Tavern
Featured Actress - Musical
Amy K. Murray, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Ellen McQueen, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Jennifer Akin, Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Karen Howell, Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Libby Whittemore, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Featured Actor - Play
Andrew Benator, Brooklyn Boy, Jewish Theatre of the South
Chris Kayser, Glengarry Glen Ross, Alliance Theatre
Jason Dirden, Ceremonies in Dark Old Men, True Colors
John Benzinger, The Pillowman, Actor's Express
John G. Preston, Othello, Georgia Shakespeare
Neal A. Ghant, Glengarry Glen Ross, Alliance Theatre
Ric Reitz, Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square
Featured Actor - Musical
Alan Kilpatrick, Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Brandon O'Dell, The Thing About Men, Horizon Theatre
Craig A. Meyer, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Dolph Amick, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Jeff Watkins, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Ensemble - Play
9 Parts of Desire, Horizon Theatre
Glengarry Glen Ross, Alliance Theatre
The Bluest Eye, Horizon Theatre
The God Committee, Theatrical Outfit
The Pillowman, Actor's Express
Ensemble - Musical
A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Respect, Gfour Productions/Bob & Gudrun Cuillo
Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Music Direction
Bryan Mercer, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Dale Grogan, Respect, Gfour Productions/Bob & Gudrun Cuillo
Michael Kosarin/Brent-Alan Huffman, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Michael Monroe, Mount Pleasant Homecoming, Theatre in the Square
Renee Clark, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Choreography
Jeff McKerley, Cabaret, Shakespeare Tavern
Jen Macqueen, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Marguerite Derricks, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Costume Design
Douglas J. Koertge, The Servant of Two Masters, Georgia Shakespeare
English Benning, I Am My Own Wife, Actor's Express
Garry Lennon, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Joanna Schmink, The Violet Hour, 7 Stages
Katherine Aurora Callahan, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Sydney Roberts, Othello, Georgia Shakespeare
Sydney Roberts, Pericles, Georgia Shakespeare
Lighting Design
Donald Holder, Sister Act the musical, Alliance Theatre
Jessica Coale, Beckett's Memories, 7 Stages
Liz Lee, Cuttin' Up, Alliance Theatre
Liz Lee, Othello, Georgia Shakespeare
William H. Grant III, Elliot, A Soldier's Fugue, Alliance Theatre
Scenic Design
Derek Kinsler/Nick Collins, A Year with Frog and Toad, Synchronicity Performance Group
Jonathan Williamson, The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Actor's Express
Kat Conley, Othello, Georgia Shakespeare
Kat Conley, Pericles, Georgia Shakespeare
Lisa Johnson, Voices Underwater, Synchronicity Performance Group
Shaun L. Motley, Cuttin' Up, Alliance Theatre
Tamara McElhannon, 9 Parts of Desire, Horizon Theatre
Sound Design
Chris Bartelski, 9 Parts of Desire, Horizon Theatre
Clay Benning, Cuttin' Up, Alliance Theatre
Clay Benning, False Creeds, Alliance Theatre
Joseph P. Monaghan, III, Turned Funny, Theatre in the Square
Klimchak/Clay Benning, Pericles, Georgia Shakespeare
Mimi Epstein, Voices Underwater, Synchronicity Performance Group
