2013/14 Critics’ Awards: The best in Philadelphia theater

The Barrymores are back, and so are Phindie‘s critics’ awards. For the second year, Phindie asked local theater writers to vote on the best theatrical work produced in or near the city in the 2013/14 theater season. The winners are…

BEST OVERALL PRODUCTION

PAC’s MARY STUART, winner in four categoties: Best Overall Production, Best Actor (Charlotte Northeast), Best Supporting Actor (Krista Apple-Hodge), and Best Costume Design (Katherine Fritz).

Mary Stuart (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)

[runners up]
Three Sisters (Arden Theatre Company)
Midsummer (Inis Nua Theatre Company)

[honorable mention]
The Convert (Wilma Theater)
Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence Theatre Group)
The Pillowman (Luna Theater Company)
Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light and Theatre Company)

BEST NEW PLAY

Jacqueline Goldfinger, Skin and Bone, (Azuka Theatre)

[runners up]
John Rosenberg, Hannah (Hella Fresh Theater)
Ginger Dayle, Hinckley (New City Stage Company)
Paula Vogel, Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq (Wilma)
Nicholas Wardigo, Snowglobe (MacKnight Foundation)

[honorable mention]
Harry Stack, Gender Comedy (Curio Theatre Company)
Mary Tuomanen & Aaron Cromie, Saint Joan Betrayed (Fringe Festival)
Jessie Bear, Makeshift (Murmuration Theatre)

BEST DIRECTOR

Terrence J. Nolen, Three Sisters (Arden Theatre Company)

[runners up]
Dan Hodge, Mary Stuart (PAC)
Kate Galvin, Midsummer (Inis Nua)
Gregory Scott Campbell, The Pillowman (Luna)

[honorable mention]
James Ijames, The Brothers Size (Simpatico Theatre Project)
Samantha Bellomo, Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light)
Michael John Garces, The Convert (Wilma Theater)
Alexander Burns, Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence Theatre Group)1
Mathew Decker, Circle Mirror Transformation (Theatre Horizon)

BEST ACTOR (MALE)

Charlie DelMarcelle. Photo by matthewjphoto.com
Charlie DelMarcelle in a commanding one-man performance of I AM MY OWN WIFE. Photo by matthewjphoto.com.

Charlie DelMarcelle, I Am My Own Wife (Theatre Horizon)

[runners up]
Keith Conallen, Don Juan Comes Home from Iraq (Wilma)
Dan Olmstead, Frost/Nixon (New City Stage Co.)

[honorable mention]
Pearce Bunting, Annapurna (Theatre Exile)
Ian Merrill Peakes, Three Sisters (Arden)
Ben Dibble, Herringbone (Flashpoint Theatre Company)
Charlie DelMarcelle, Midsummer (Inis Nua)

BEST ACTOR (FEMALE)

Charlotte Northeast, Mary Stuart (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)

[runner up]
Liz Filios, Midsummer (Inis Nua)

[honorable mention]
Maureen Torsney-Weir, Skin and Bone (Azuka)
Beth Dixon, 4000 Miles (Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Katharine Powell, Sarah Sanford, Mary Tuomanen, Three Sisters (Arden)
Mary Tuomanen, Saint Joan Betrayed (Fringe Festival/ Mary Tuomanen & Aaron Cromie)
Nancy Morrisette, The Convert (Wilma)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (MALE)

Jered McLenigan, Julius Caesar (Lantern Theater Company)

[runner up]
John Zak, The Pillowman (Luna)2
Scott Greer, Three Sisters (Arden)
Nathan Foley, Mary Stuart (PAC)

[honorable mention]
Brian Anthony Wilson, Water by the Spoonful (Arden)
Christopher Patrick Mullen, Cinderella: A Musical Panto (People’s Light)
David Bardeen, Circle Mirror Transformation (Theatre Horizon)
Derrick Cobey, Parade (Arden)
Adam Rzepka, Trousers (Inis Nua)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR (FEMALE)

Krista Hodge-Apple, Mary Stuart (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)3

[runners up]
Karen Peakes, The Real Thing (Wilma)
Rebecca Gibel, Three Sisters (Arden)
Marcia Saunders, Incorruptible (Arden)

[honorable mention]
Jennifer Summerfield, Dancing at Lughnasa (Curio)
Emilie Krause, Circle Mirror Transformation (Theatre Horizon)
Marcia Saunders, Pride and Prejudice (People’s Light)
Deirdre Madigan, Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike (PTC)
Starla Bensford, The Convert (Wilma)
Zainab Jah, The Convert (Wilma)

BEST ENSEMBLE

The award-winning ensemble for the Arden's THREE SISTERS, which won in three categories: Best Director (Terrence Nolen), Ensemble, and
The award-winning ensemble for the Arden’s THREE SISTERS, which won in three categories: Best Director (Terrence Nolen), Ensemble, and Best Set Design (Eugene Lee).

Three Sisters (Arden Theatre Company)

[runner up]
Mary Stuart (PAC)

[honorable mention]
Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light)
Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence)
The Talkback (Berserker Residents)
The Brothers Size (Simpatico)
The Sea Plays (PAC)

BEST SET DESIGN

Eugene Lee, Three Sisters (Arden Theatre Company)

[runner up]
David Gordon, Sideways Stories from the Wayside School (Arden)
Thom Weaver, Annapurna (Theatre Exile)4

[honorable mention]
Yoshinori Tanokura, Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light)
Alexander Burns, Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence)
Dirk Durossette, Skin and Bone (Azuka)
Paul Kuhn, Dancing at Lughnasa (Curio)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

Thom Weaver, 4000 Miles (Philadelphia Theatre Company)5

[runners up]
Andrew Cowles, The Brothers Size (Simpatico)5
Colin K. Bills , The Convert (Wilma)

[honorable mention]
James Leitner, The Woman in Black (Act II Playhouse)
John Burkhardt, Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence)
Shelley Hicklin, Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light)
Matt Sharp, Ondine (Idiopathic Ridiculopathy Consortium)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

Katherine Fritz, Mary Stuart (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)6

[runners up]
Marla Jurglanis, Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light)

[honorable mention]
Jillian Keys, Ondine (IRC)
Helen Huang, The Convert (Wilma)
Alisa Sickora Klecker, Man of La Mancha (Act II)
Jane Casanave, Mourning Becomes Electra (Quintessence)

BEST SOUND DESIGN\

Broken Chord, Pride & Prejudice (People’s Light and Theatre Company)

[runners up]
Jorge Cousineau, Sideways Stories from the Wayside School (Arden)7
Christopher Collucci, The Big Time (1812 Productions)7

[honorable mention]
Cory Neale, Midsummer (Inis Nua)
Christopher Colucci, The Woman in Black (Act II)7
David Cimetta, Gint (EgoPo Productions)
Adriano Shaplin, Ondine (IRC)
Robert Kaplowitz, Herringbone (Flashpoint)


Each theater writer was asked to submit up to five ranked choices in twelve different categories. Votes were ranked using a points system and tabulated to give winners, runners up, and honorable mentions in each category.

Notes:
1Alexander Burns also received a vote for directing Hamlet (Quintessence).
2John Zak also received votes for this role in the category BEST ACTOR.
3Krista Apple-Hodge also received votes for this role in the category BEST ACTOR.
4Thom Weaver also received a vote for The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington (Flashpoint).
5Thom Weaver also received votes for Annapurna (Theatre Exile), Don Juan Goes to Iraq (Wilma), and True West (Theatre Exile); Andrew Cowles also received a vote for The Pillowman (Luna).
6Katherine Fritz also received a vote for The Sea Plays (PAC).
7Jorge Cousineau also received votes for This is the Week that Was (1812 Productions) and Three Sisters (Arden); Christopher Colucci also received a vote for True West (Theatre Exile).

Judges: Mark Cofta, City Paper; Julius Ferraro, Phindie; Jessica Foley, Foley Got Comped and Phindie; David Anthony Fox, Philadelphia Weekly; Deb Miller, Phindie; Christopher Munden, Phindie;  Neal Zoren, Neal’s Paper and Phindie; one vetted Philadelphia theater critics who wished to remain anonymous.

3 Replies to “2013/14 Critics’ Awards: The best in Philadelphia theater”
  1. Did anyone who voted for a Phindie see “Tribes” by Nina Raines at the Philadelphia Theatre Company? It’s unbelievable that this magical evening in the theatre was completely overlooked. Tells me something about these awards.

    1. Yes, the awards are naturally idiosyncratic because not every reviewer sees every show, and some shows get seen by lots of reviewers. The awards are more representative than definitive and I’m sure some great productions and performances were overlooked.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.