Theatre Philadelphia presented the recipients of the 2015 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theater, the premiere awards for the region’s professional theater, at an award ceremony this evening. Thirty-four companies entered 105 shows to be judged, and eleven companies received an award.
Theatre Exile was the big winner, with five wins, including four of what Oscar-watchers consider the “big five”, with three of those (overall production, director, and best actor) coming for The Whale and one (best actress) for Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf. InterAct won in the remaining major category (outstanding new play) with Christopher Chen’s Caught. Norristown’s Theatre Horizon was the big winner in musicals, with four awards for Into the Woods.
See the full list below. And if you’re interested in less scientific lists of the best in Philadelphia theater, check out the Phindie Critics’ Awards for 2014/15.
Winners in each category in BOLD.
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
Caught (InterAct Theatre Company)
The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane (InterAct Theatre Company)
In the Blood (Theatre Horizon)
Rapture, Blister, Burn (The Wilma Theater)
To The Moon (1812 Productions)
THE WHALE (Theatre Exile): Phindie review
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Theatre Exile)
Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play
CAUGHT by Christopher Chen (InterAct Theatre Company): Phindie review
The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane by Jen Silverman (InterAct Theatre Company)
Hands Up: 6 Playwrights, 6 Testaments by The New Black Fest (Flashpoint Theatre Company)
To The Moon by Jennifer Childs (1812 Productions)
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Joe Canuso (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatre Exile)
Matt Pfeiffer (To The Moon, 1812 Productions)
MATT PFEIFFER (The Whale, Theatre Exile): Phindie review
Joanna Settle (Rapture, Blister, Burn, The Wilma Theater)
Rick Shiomi (Caught, InterAct Theatre Company)
Pirronne Yousefzadeh (The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane, InterAct Theatre Company)
Pirronne Yousefzadeh (In the Blood, Theatre Horizon)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play
Pearce Bunting (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatre Exile)
Peter DeLaurier (QED, Lantern Theater Company)
Charlie DelMarcelle (The Glass Menagerie, Act II Playhouse)
Michael Genet (Fences, People’s Light)
Scott Greer (To The Moon, 1812 Productions)
SCOTT GREER (The Whale, Theatre Exile): Phindie review
Jered McLenigan (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play
Carla Belver (The Glass Menagerie, Act II Playhouse)
Kim Carson (Nora, Delaware Theatre Company)
Melanye Finister (Fences, People’s Light)
Eleanor Handley (Lost in Yonkers, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Aimé Donna Kelly (The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane, InterAct Theatre Company)
Mary McDonnell (The Cherry Orchard, People’s Light)
CATHARINE SLUSAR (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatre Exile): Phindie review
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Akeem Davis (In the Blood, Theatre Horizon)
Charlie DelMarcelle (The Jungle Book, Arden Theatre Company)
DAN HODGE (The Fair Maid of the West, Philadelphia Artists’ Collective): Phindie review
Dave Johnson (The Taming of the Shrew, Lantern Theater Company)
Anthony Lawton (To The Moon, 1812 Productions)
Graham Smith (The Cherry Orchard, People’s Light)
Ed Swidey (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
K.O. DelMarcelle (Detroit, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
K.O. DelMarcelle (The Taming of the Shrew, Lantern Theater Company)
Lynette Freeman (The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane, InterAct Theatre Company)
Emilie Krause (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatre Exile)
CAMPBELL O’HARE (Rapture, Blister, Burn, The Wilma Theater)
Campbell O’Hare (The Whale, Theatre Exile)
Susan Riley Stevens (Nora, Delaware Theatre Company)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
Bach at Leipzig (People’s Light): Phindie review
The Fair Maid of the West (Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)
The Hound of Baskervilles (Lantern Theater Company)
In the Blood (Theatre Horizon)
The Jungle Book (Arden Theatre Company)
LITTLE ROCK (Passage Theatre Company): Phindie review
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (Theatre Exile)
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
Field Hockey Hot (11th Hour Theatre Company)
Herringbone (Flashpoint Theatre Company)
INTO THE WOODS (Theatre Horizon): Phindie review
Ragtime (Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Keith Baker (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
MATTHEW DECKER (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon): Phindie review
Bill Fennelly (Herringbone, Flashpoint Theatre Company)
Megan Nicole O’Brien (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical
Derrick Cobey (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
BEN DIBBLE (Herringbone, Flashpoint Theatre Company): Phindie review
Michael Thomas Holmes (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Steve Pacek (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical
Rachel Camp (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Kim Carson (Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon, People’s Light)
LIZ FILIOS (Passion, Arden Theatre Company): Phindie review
April Woodall (Souvenir, Montgomery Theater)
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Alex Bechtel (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Charlie DelMarcelle (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Michael Doherty (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
MICHAEL PHILLIP O’BRIEN (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company): Phindie review
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Liz Filios (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Leigha Kato (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Ciji Prosser (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
LEAH WALTON (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company): Phindie review
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon (People’s Light)
Field Hockey Hot (11th Hour Theatre Company)
INTO THE WOODS (Theatre Horizon): Phindie review
Ragtime (Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Outstanding Scenic Design
Scott Bradley (brownsville song (b-side for tray), Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Brian Dudkiewicz (In the Blood, Theatre Horizon)
Melpomene Katakalos (Caught, InterAct Theatre Company)
Lance Kniskern (The Taming of the Shrew, Lantern Theater Company)
KRISTEN ROBINSON (Rapture, Blister, Burn, The Wilma Theater): Phindie review
Jason Simms (Lost in Yonkers, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Jason Simms (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Outstanding Costume Design
Esther Arroyo (Nora, Delaware Theatre Company)
Maggie Baker (Penelope, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Marie Anne Chiment (Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon, People’s Light)
MARLA JURGLANIS (Bach at Leipzig, People’s Light): Phindie review
Marla Jurglanis (The Cherry Orchard, People’s Light)
Rosemarie McKelvey (La Bête, Arden Theatre Company)
Lauren Perigard (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon)
Outstanding Lighting Design
RUSSELL H. CHAMPA (brownsville song (b-side for tray), Philadelphia Theatre Company): Phindie review
Cecilia Durbin (In the Blood, Theatre Horizon)
Dennis Parichy (The Cherry Orchard, People’s Light)
Thom Weaver (Passion, Arden Theatre Company)
Thom Weaver (Rapture, Bister, Burn, The Wilma Theater)
Thom Weaver (The Whale, Theatre Exile)
Yi Zhao (Hamlet, The Wilma Theater)
Clear Sound Award for Outstanding Sound Design
Christopher Colucci (The Hound of Baskervilles, Lantern Theater Company)
Christopher Colucci (Uncanny Valley, InterAct Theatre Company)
CHRISTOPHER COLUCCI (The Whale, Theatre Exile): Phindie review
Jorge Cousineau (Bach at Leipzig, People’s Light)
Daniel Perelstein (The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane, InterAct Theatre Company)
Daniel Perelstein (Passion, Arden Theatre Company)
Ryan Rumery (brownsville song (b-side for tray), Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Outstanding Original Music
Alex Bechtel (To The Moon, 1812 Productions)
Christopher Colucci (The Whale, Theatre Exile)
ILL DOOTS (Hands Up: 6 Playwrights, 6 Testaments, Flashpoint Theatre Company): Phindie review
Michael Ogborn (Arthur and the Tale of the Red Dragon, People’s Light)
Michael Ogborn (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Daniel Perelstein (The Dangerous House of Pretty Mbane, InterAct Theatre Company)
Stew (Rapture, Blister, Burn, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Choreography/Movement
SAMANTHA READING (Bach at Leipzig, People’s Light): Phindie review
Stephen Casey (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Michael Cosenza (The Fair Maid of the West, Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)
Dann Dunn (Catch Me If You Can, The Eagle Theatre)
Ellie Mooney (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Ian Rose (As You Like It, Quintessence Theatre Group)
Ian Rose (The Three Musketeers, Quintessence Theatre Group)
Outstanding Music Direction
Dan Kazemi (Field Hockey Hot, 11th Hour Theatre Company)
Dan Kazemi (Herringbone, Flashpoint Theatre Company)
AMANDA MORTON (Into the Woods, Theatre Horizon): Phindie review
Ryan Touhey (Ragtime, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist
Alex Bechtel
Benjamin Camp
AKEEM DAVIS: Phindie archive
Katherine Fritz
Bi Jean Ngo
Virginia Brown Martin Philadelphia Award (plays that best lead audiences to a better understanding of the unique experience of particular segments of our global community)
THE DANGEROUS HOUSE OF PRETTY MBANE (InterAct Theatre Company): Phindie review
The Gun Show (Passage Theatre Company)
In the Blood (Theatre Horizon)
Speech and Debate (Azuka Theatre)
The Whale (Theatre Exile)
June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company
The Berserker Residents
EgoPo Classic Theater
Flashpoint Theatre Company
PHILADELPHIA ARTISTS’ COLLECTIVE: Phindie archive
Quintessence Theatre Group
Simpatico Theatre Project
Lifetime Achievement Award
JOHNNIE HOBBS, JR.: Phindie archive