2012/13 Critics’ Awards

Phindie asked every theater writer in Philadelphia to send a list of top five choices in twelve categories for work produced in or near the city in the 2012/13 theatrical season. Votes from those who responded were ranked using a points system and tabulated to give winners, runners up, and honorable mentions in each category. (See this article for more details.) And the winners are…

* * *

BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION

North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)

[Runners up]

A Little Night Music (Arden Theatre Company)
Assistance (Wilma Theater)

[Honorable mention]

The North Plan (Theatre Exile)
Red Eye to Havre de Grace (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental)
The Drowsy Chaperone (Villanova Theatre)
Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka Theatre)
Venus in Fur (Philadelphia Theatre Company)
A Raisin in the Sun (Arden)

* * *

BEST NEW PLAY

North of the Boulevard, Bruce Graham (Theatre Exile)

[Runners up:]

Dave and Aaron Go To Work, self-conceived by Dave Jadico, & Aaron Cromie (1812 Productions)
Barcelona, Bess Wohl (People’s Light & Theatre Company)
 Madville, Paul Kuhn (Curio Theatre Company)
Alp d’Huez, John Rosenberg (Hella Fresh Theater)
Assassin, David Robson (InterAct Theatre Company/Act II Playhouse)

[Honorable mention:]

Bang, Charlotte Ford, Sarah Sanford, and Lee Ann Etzold (Charlotte Ford)
Red Eye to Havre de Grace, Thaddeus Phillips & Company (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental)
The Hand of Gaul, Jared Michael Delaney (Inis Nua Theatre Company)

* * *

BEST DIRECTOR

Matt Pfeiffer, North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)

[Runner up:]

Terrence J. Nolen, A Little Night Music (Arden)

[Honorable mention:]

Joe Canuso, The North Plan (Theatre Exile)
Blanka Zizka, Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika (Wilma)
Thaddeus Phillips, Red Eye to Havre de Grace (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental)
Liz Carlson, Equus (Curio)
Domenick Scudera, Much Ado About Nothing (Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre)

* * *

BEST ACTOR: MALE

Scott Greer, North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)

[Runners up:]

Scott Greer, Endgame (Arden)
Brian Anthony Wilson, Assassin (InterAct/Act II)
Forrest McClendon, Othello (Philly Shakes)

[Honorable mention:]

Russ Widdall, RFK (New City Stage Company)
Keith J. Conallen¹, Under the Whaleback (Wilma)
Ean Sheeny, Red Eye to Havre de Grace (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental)
Ahren Potratz, The Drowsy Chaperone, (Villanova Theatre)
Allen Radway, American Sligo (New City)
Robert Montano, Barcelona (People’s Light)
Russ Widdall, Hurlyburly (New City)

* * *

BEST ACTOR: FEMALE

Jenni Putney, Venus in Fur (Philadelphia Theatre Company)

[Runners up:]

Mary Tuomanen, Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka)
Jennifer Summerfield², Alp D’ Huez (Hella Fresh)
Janice Rowland, The Amish Project (Simpatico Theatre Project/Renegade Company)

[Honorable mention:]

Madi Distefano, The North Plan (Theatre Exile)
Charlotte Ford, Bang (Charlotte Ford)
Julianna Zinkel, Barcelona (People’s Light)

* * *

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: MALE

J Hernandez³, Othello (The Philadelphia Shakespeare Theatre)

[Runners up]

Mal Whyte⁴, Henry V (Lantern Theater Company)
Michael Doherty, Next to Normal (Arden)

[Honorable mention]

Keith Conallen¹, Under the Whaleback (Wilma)
Luigi Sottile, An Ideal Husband (Walnut Street Theatre)
David Ingram, Noises Off (People’s Light)
Brian McCann⁵, North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)

* * *

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR: FEMALE

Karen Peakes, A Little Night Music (Arden Theatre Company)

[Runners up]

Mary Martello⁶, The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Lantern)
Krista Apple-Hodge, Henry V (Lantern)

[Honorable mention]

Bi Jean Ngo, Some Other Kind of Person (InterAct)
Liz Filios, Noises Off (People’s Light)

* * *

BEST ENSEMBLE

Noises Off (People’s Light & Theatre)

[Runners up]

Red-eye to Havre de Grace (Lucidity Suitcase Intercontinental)
Heroes (Lantern)
American Sligo (New City)
Much Ado about Nothing (Philly Shakes)

[Honorable mention]

A Raisin in the Sun (Arden)
Return of the Confessions of a Plate and a Shoe (SmokeyScout Productions)
Bang (Charlotte Ford)
North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)
Failure, A Love Story (Azuka)

* * *

BEST SET DESIGN

Matt Saunders, North of the Boulevard (Theatre Exile)

[Runners up]

Matt Saunders, Under the Whaleback (Wilma)
Matt Saunders, Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika (Wilma)
Paul Kuhn, Equus (Curio)

[Honorable mention]

Parris Bradley, Salome (Villanova)
Doug Greene, The Assassination of Jesse James (EgoPo Classic Theatre)
Dave Jadico, Dave and Aaron Go to Work (1812 Productions)
David P. Gordon, Freud’s Last Session (Arden)

* * *

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Thom Weaver⁷, A Little Night Music (Arden Theatre Company)

[Runners up]

Allen Hahn, Under the Whaleback (Wilma)
Thom Weaver, Assistance (Wilma)

[Honorable mention]
Shaun Causer, Beauty Queen of Leenane (Lantern)
Russell H. Champa, Angels in America, Part Two: Perestroika (Wilma)
Thom Weaver, Vincent in Brixton, (Walnut Street)
Tim Martin, Madville (Curio)
Matt Sharp, Hurlyburly (New City)
Jerrold R. Forsyth, Salome (Villanova)

* * *

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Janus Stefanowicz, Salome (Villanova Theatre)

[Runners up]

Rosemarie E. McKelvey, A Little Night Music (Arden)
Maggie Baker⁸, Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka)

[Honorable mention]

Erica Hoelscher, Ivona, Princess of Burgundia (Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium)
Mary Folino, Henry V (Lantern)
Katherine Fritz, Freud’s Last Session (Arden)
Marie Anne Chiment, Much Ado About Nothing (Mauckingbird Theatre Company)

* * *

BEST SOUND DESIGN

Daniel Perelstein⁹, Under the Whaleback (The Wilma Theater)

[Runners up]

Christopher Colucci [also music composition], Angels in America, Part II: Perestroika (Wilma)
Patrick Lamborn, Equus (Curio)

[Honorable mention]

Nick Kourides, Assistance (Wilma)
Jorge Cousineau¹⁰

* * *

Notes:

1. Keith J. Conallen received votes in both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories for his role in Under the Whaleback.
2. Jennifer Summerfield also received a Best Actor vote for her role in Madville (Curio), and a vote for Best Supporting Actor in The Real Inspector Hound (Curio).
3. J Hernandez also received a vote for Best Actor for his role as Iago in Othello.
4. Mal Whyte also received a vote in this category for his role in Heroes (Lantern).
5. Brian McCann also received a vote in this category for his role in Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka).
6. Mary Martello received votes in both Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor categories for her role in The Beauty Queen of Leenane.
7. In addition to those productions listed, Thom Weaver also received votes for his work on Venus in Fur (PTC).
8. Maggie Baker also received votes for her work on The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Lantern) and The Liar (Lantern).
9. Daniel Perelstein also also received votes in this category for three other productions: The Beauty Queen of Leenane (Lantern), Next to Normal (Arden), and Pookie Goes Grenading (Azuka).
10. Jorge Cousineau received single votes in this category for several different plays.