The musical Winesburg, Ohio, which, like Opus, was produced by Arden Theatre Company, won in several musical categories (Best Overall Production of a Musical, Outstanding Music Direction, Outstanding Original Music, Leading Actor in a Musical) in the annual awards that celebrate excellence in Philadelphia's professional theatre community.
Terrence J. Nolen, the artistic director of Arden, took home Barrymores for his direction of both Opus and Winesburg, Ohio, in separate direction categories (for play and musical, respectively).
Arden and Vertigo String Quartet won The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations for Opus, a taut drama about turmoil within a classical string quartet.
Christopher Durang and Peter Melnick's "Casablanca"-like musical, Adrift in Macao, produced by Philadelphia Theatre Company, snagged wins in the categories of Leading Actresss in a Musical (Rachel deBenedet), Supporting Actor in a Musical (Orville Mendoza) and Supporting Actress in a Musical (Michele Ragusa). The musical will surface at Primary Stages in Manhattan in early 2007.
Shakespeare's Richard III (by Lantern Theater Company) won the award for Best Overall Production of a Play, and Pete Pryor won the award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play in the royal title role. Jacqueline Antaramian won as Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play for Wilma Theater's Nine Parts of Desire.
Theatre Exile's production of Killer Joe took the award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Play, while Pig Iron Theatre Company won for Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical.
A Special Recognition Award went to ComedySportz Philadelphia. Ben Dibble won the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist. The Lifetime Achievement Award went to Robert Hedley, the 39-year chair of the theatre departments at Villanova University and Temple University. He was a founding artistic director of Philadelphia Theatre Company from 1975-1980 and has worked locally with InterAct Theatre Company, Philadelphia Theatre Company, the Annenberg Center, and Philadelphia Young Playwrights and elsewhere.
The popular Prince Music Theater production of Dreamgirls won in the category of Outstanding Choreography/Movement (Mercedes Ellington was the choreographer).
The award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service includes a $1,500 cash prize and "promotes the participation of theatres and theatre artists who provide innovative theatre and educational experiences as a vehicle for betterment within the community." The 2006 award went to InterAct Theatre Company's InterAction.
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The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia (which includes theatres in Delaware and New Jersey) administer the awards.
The awards ceremony was held at the Merriam Theater, 250 S. Broad Street. Vincent Marini, producing artistic director of Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center, directed. Actress Mary Martello was host.
For more information, visit www.theatrealliance.org.
Here are the 2006 nominees and winners of the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in the Theatre. Winners are marked with asterisk and boldface type.
OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Arden Theatre Company, Opus
Lantern Theater Company, The Foocy
*Lantern Theater Company, Richard III
The People's Light & Theatre Company, The Man from Nebraska
Theatre Exile, Killer Joe
OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Arden Theatre Company, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum
*Arden Theatre Company, Winesburg, Ohio
Delaware Theatre Company, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama
Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center, Waiting for the Moon
Prince Music Theater, Dreamgirls
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Joe Canuso, Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
Ken Marini, The Man from Nebraska, The People's Light & Theatre Company
Charles McMahon, Richard III, Lantern Theater Company
*Terrence J. Nolen, Opus, Arden Theatre Company
Matt Pfeiffer, The Foocy, Lantern Theater Company
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Urinetown, Villanova Theatre
Vincent Marini, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
*Terrence J. Nolen, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Richard M. Parison, Jr., Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
Aaron Posner, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
Jay Ansill, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
Charles Gilbert, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Arden Theatre Company
*Thomas Murray, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Jim Ryan, Urinetown, Villanova Theatre
Jesse Vargas, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Daniel Beaty, Emergence-See!, New Freedom Theatre
Peter DeLaurier, The Man from Nebraska, The People's Light & Theatre Company
Floyd King, I Am My Own Wife, The Wilma Theater
*Pete Pryor, Richard III,t Lantern Theater Company
Kraig Swartz, Cloud 9, The Wilma Theater
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
*Jacqueline Antaramian, Nine Parts of Desire, The Wilma Theater
Erica Bradshaw, The Syringa Tree, Delaware Theatre Company
Rosalyn Coleman, Intimate Apparel, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Mary Martello, The Boys, Azuka Theatre
Marcia Saunders, The Man from Nebraska, The People's Light & Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Tony Braithwaite, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Arden Theatre Company
Jarrod Emick, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
Eugene Fleming, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
*Brian Hissong, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Michael Philip O'Brien, tick, tick...BOOM!, 11th Hour Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
*Rachel deBenedet, Adrift in Macao, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Lauren Kennedy, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
Nova Y. Payton, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
Chauntee Schuler, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
Erin Weaver, Jack & the Beanstalk, The People's Light & Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Kevin Bergen, The Man from Nebraska, The People's Light & Theatre Company
Pearce Bunting, Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
John Glover, Some Men, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Matt Saunders, Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
*John Zak, The Tempest, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Hazel Bowers, Agnes of God, Luna Theater Company
Erika Cuenca, Opus Arden Theatre Company
Kate Hurster, Richard III, Lantern Theater Company
Miriam Hyman, The Man from Nebraska, The People's Light & Theatre Company
*Amanda Schoonover, Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Jeffrey Coon, …Forum, Arden Theatre Company
Ben Dibble, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Scott Greer, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
*Orville Mendoza, Adrift in Macao, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Richard Ruiz, …Forum, Arden Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Lesley Bevan, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Tonilyn Longo, Urinetown, Villanova Theatre
Meghan McGeary, Aspects of Love, The Media Theatre
*Michele Ragusa, Adrift in Macao, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Erin Weaver, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Tony Cisek, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama at Delaware Theatre Company
*Bradley Helm, Daughters of Genius, 1812 Productions
Dave Jadico, The Foocy, Lantern Theater Company
Daniel Ostling, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Anne Patterson, Nine Parts of Desire, The Wilma Theater
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Howell Binkley, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
*John Stephen Hoey, Nine Parts of Desire, The Wilma Theater
James Leitner, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
Mark O'Maley, Planetary Enzyme Blues, New Paradise Laboratories
Dennis Parichy, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Mark Mariani, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
Janine McCabe, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
Richard St. Clair, The Dinosaur Musical, Arden Theatre Company
*Janus Stefanowicz, Intimate Apparel, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Willa Kim, Adrift in Macao, Philadelphia Theatre Company.
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
Jorge Cousineau, Opus, Arden Theatre Company
*Nick Kourtides, Mission to Mercury, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Bill Moriarty, Syncopation, Act II Playhouse
Fabian Obispo, The Tempest, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival
Mark Valenzuela, tick, tick...BOOM!, 11th Hour Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC
Peter Melnick, Adrift in Macao, Philadelphia Theatre Company
*Andre Pluess & Ben Sussman, Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
Rob Reale, The Dinosaur Musical, Arden Theatre Company
James Sugg, A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
Frank Wildhorn, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT
John V. Bellomo, Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
Samantha Bellomo, Syncopation, Act II Playhouse
Andy Blankenbuehler, Waiting for the Moon, Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center
*Mercedes Ellington, Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
Barby Hobyak Roche, Urinetown, Villanova Theatre
OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Pay Up by Robert Quillen Camp & the Pig Iron Ensemble, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Adrift in Macao, book and lyrics by Christopher Durang, music by Peter Melnick, Philadelphia Theatre Company
*Opus by Michael Hollinger, Arden Theatre Company
The Foocy by Anthony Lawton, Lantern Theater Company
A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, book and lyrics by Aaron Posner, music by James Sugg, Delaware Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
Opus, Arden Theatre Company
The Foocy, Lantern Theater Company
Richard III, at Lantern Theater Company
Pay Up, Pig Iron Theatre Company
*Killer Joe, Theatre Exile
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
Winesburg, Ohio, Arden Theatre Company
A Murder, A Mystery, & A Marriage: A Mark Twain Musical Melodrama, Delaware Theatre Company
The Wizard of Oz, Mum Puppettheatre
*Mission to Mercury, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Dreamgirls, Prince Music Theater
