Hands Up! What Will I Do?

Brandon Simmons reading a selection from Hands Up (photo by Malika Oyetimein)

On last Monday and this coming Monday, Valerie Curtis-Newton through her Hansberry Project is presenting HANDS UP: 6 Playwrights/6Testaments. She is a University of Washington theater faculty member (heading the graduate level program) and through their auspices is doing the reading at the Floyd and Delores Jones Playhouse (41st and University). 

I have not "done" anything specific in response to the murders of black men and boys recently, except to mourn inside myself, feel deeply despairing and completely unsure about what kind of personal connection I can make to these acts and the situation. I have felt uncertain about how much I know and really understand. I did not go to any marches. So far, I have sat on the sidelines.

I did do, Monday, what I could do as a theater lover: I could go to a reading. I could listen. I could absorb the understandings and emotions of the six pieces of writing that were provoked by the Michael Brown and Eric Garner murders. I could learn, I could absorb. 

And the Winners are…. Seattle Theater Writers Announce the 2014 Winners of the Fourth Annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards

Joshua Carter, currently working the national musical tour of Once, wins Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Male) for his work in Little Shop of Horrors, along with his co-lead, Jessica Skerritt. Bill Berry wins as well as director of the co-production of ACT Theatre and The 5th Avenue Theater (housed at ACT). 

ACT Theatre continues a year of great performances with a win for Excellence in Production of a Play for their presentation of Ayad Akhtar's play, The Invisible Hand. This puts them atop the leaderboard for companies with five wins (three shared with The 5th Avenue)!

Seattle Theater Writers critics’ circle is pleased to present the rest of winners’ slate of the 2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Awards, theater awards devoted to recognizing excellence across the economic spectrum of professional Seattle theaters.

A previously announced Special Award of Recognition for Excellence in Playwriting was given to Robert Schenkkan for his two LBJ histories.

The 2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Award Winners are:

Excellence in Production of a Play

(Larger Theater): The Invisible Hand - ACT Theatre

(Smaller Theater): A Small Fire - Sound Theatre Company

Excellence in Production of a Musical

In the Heights - Village Theatre

Excellence in Direction of a Play

(Larger Theater): Myra Platt - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Julie Beckman - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical

Bill Berry - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actor in a Play (Male)

(Larger Theater): Greg Lyle-Newton - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Smaller Theater): Reginald Andre Jackson - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actor in a Musical (Male)

Joshua Carter - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actor in a Play (Female)

(Larger Theater): Tracy Michelle Hughes - Pretty Fire (Taproot Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Teri Lazzara - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Excellence in Performance as a Lead Actor in a Musical (Female) 

Jessica Skerritt - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Excellence in Performance as a Supporting Actor in a Play (Male) - any non-lead

(Larger Theater): Timothy McCuen Piggee - Angels in America (Intiman Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Ray Tagavilla - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Excellence in Performance of a Supporting Actor in a Musical (Male) - any non-lead 

Dane Stokinger - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as a Supporting Actor in a Play (Female) - any non-lead

(Larger Theater): Betsy Schwartz - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

(Smaller Theater): Evelyn DeHais - Chaos Theory (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as a Supporting Actor in a Musical (Female) - any non-lead

Taryn Darr - A Chorus Line (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble

(Larger Theater): Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company: Sylvie Davidson, Brenda Joyner, Hannah Mootz, Betsy Schwartz, Paul Morgan Stetler) 

(Smaller Theater): Gidion's Knot (Seattle Public Theater: Heather Hawkins, Rebecca Olson)

Excellence in Set Design

(Larger Theater): Carey Wong - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Childrens' Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Robin Macartney - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Excellence in Costume Design

(Larger Theater): Christine Meyers - Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

(Smaller Theater): Cami Funk - Balconies (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Lighting Design

(Larger Theater): Andrew D. Smith - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Childrens' Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Marnie Cummings - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

Excellence in Sound Design

(Larger Theater): Brendan Patrick Hogan - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

(Smaller Theater): Josh Blaisdel - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Excellence in Musical Direction

RJ Tancioco - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Choreography or Movement

Daniel Cruz - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting

Stephanie Timm - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Excellence in Local Composing

Mark Siano and Opal Peachey - Seattle Vice (Marxiano Productions)

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/SeattleTheaterWriters. The Notes section shows the evolution of the awards.

And the 2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Award nominees are...

Naomi Morgan, Iris Elton (Gypsy nominee), Jennifer Paz, Tanesha Ross (seated) 
in In the Heights at Village Theatre (photography by Mark Kitaoka)

The theater critics circle in Seattle, the Seattle Theater Writers, has gotten together for the fourth year to present a slate of nominees for the annual Gypsy Rose Lee Awards. The 2014 calendar year is the basis for eligibility and was a busy, productive year of theater.

Named after the iconic stage star, Gypsy Rose Lee, who was born in Seattle, the award categories are divided into Large Budget and Small Budget and some individual categories where such a divide isn’t productive. There are 32 categories total.

Our nominations include 57 productions from 32 different producing companies. That’s an enormous acknowledgement of the vibrancy of our theatrical community. Winners will be announced January 15, 2015.

In addition to the 32 categories named below, a Special Award of Recognition to Mr. Robert Schenkkan for Excellence in Playwriting will be given,  named for his exceptional history of Lyndon Baines Johnson in his two plays, All the Way and The Great Society, presented at Seattle Repertory Theatre.

The 2014 Gypsy Rose Lee Award Nominations are (in alpha order):

Excellence in Production of a Play

(Large Budget): Tails of Wasps - New Century Theatre Company

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay - Book-It Repertory Theatre

The Boy at the Edge of Everything - Seattle Children's Theatre

The Invisible Hand - ACT Theatre

The Normal Heart - Strawberry Theatre Workshop

(Small Budget): A Small Fire - Sound Theatre Company

Blood Countess - Annex Theatre

Gidion's Knot - Seattle Public Theater

Seascape - Theater Schmeater

The Lisbon Traviata - Theatre22

Excellence in Production of a Musical

A Little Night Music - SecondStory Repertory

In the Heights - Village Theatre

Little Shop of Horrors - The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production

Mary Poppins - Village Theatre

Monty Python's Spamalot - The 5th Avenue Theatre

Excellence in Direction of a Play

(Large Budget): Sheila Daniels - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Darragh Kennan - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

John Langs - Bethany (ACT Theatre)

Allen Nause - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Myra Platt - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Julie Beckman - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Shana Bestock - Gidion's Knot (Seattle Public Theater)

Valerie Curtis-Newton - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Alicia Mendez - The Pillowman (SecondStory Repertory)

Bobbin Ramsey - Attempts on Her Life (The Horse in Motion)

Excellence in Direction of a Musical

Eric Ankrim - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Bill Berry - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Brandon Ivie - A Christmas Story (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Josh Rhodes - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Steve Tomkins - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Male)

(Large Budget): Elijah Alexander - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Frank Boyd - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

William Hall Jr. - A Lesson From Aloes (Thalia's Umbrella)

Greg Lyle-Newton - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Connor Toms - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

(Small Budget): Gordon Carpenter - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Daniel Christensen - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Matthew Gilbert - The Elephant Man (STAGEright Theatre)

Reginald Andre Jackson - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Will Rose - Don Quixote and Sancho Panza: Homeless in Seattle (ese Teatro)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Male)

Greg McCormick Allen - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

LeRoy Bell - Passing Strange (Sidecountry Theatre)

Joshua Carter - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Ryan McCabe -La Cage aux Folles (SecondStory Repertory)

Wade McCollum - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Play as a Lead Actor (Female) 

(Large Budget): Emily Chisholm - Bethany (ACT Theatre)

Helen Harvester - Diana of Dobsons (Taproot Theatre)

Tracy Michelle Hughes - Pretty Fire (Taproot Theatre)

Pamela Reed - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Gillian Williams - Venus in Fur (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Mary Ewald - Hamlet (New City Theater)

Peggy Gannon - Blood Relations (Sound Theatre Company)

brianne a. hill - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Teri Lazzara - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Terri Weagant - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Performance in a Musical as a Lead Actor (Female)

 Sarah Rose Davis - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Cayman Ilika - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

Jennifer Littlefield - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Jessica Skerritt - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Valerie Vigoda - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Male) - any non-lead 

(Large Budget): Peter Crook - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

Quinn Franzen - The Importance of Being Earnest (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Todd Jefferson Moore - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Timothy McCuen Piggee - Angels in America (Intiman Theatre)

Michael Winters - All the Way/The Great Society (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

(Small Budget): Andrew Lee Creech - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Eric Mulholland - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Carter Rodriquez - Uncle Vanya (Akropolis Performance Lab)

Ray Tagavilla - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

James Weidman - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Male)

Matt Giles - A New Brain (STAGEright Theatre)

Justin Huertas - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

David Anthony Lewis - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

John Scott - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Dane Stokinger - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Play as a Supporting Actor (Female)

(Large Budget): Sylvie Davidson - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Amy Hill - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Amy Love - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Betsy Schwartz - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Amy Thone - The Normal Heart (Strawberry Theatre Workshop)

(Small Budget): Lisa Branham - Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Alyson Scadron Branner - Arcadia (Seattle Public Theatre)

Evelyn Dehais - Chaos Theory (Annex Theatre)

Caitlin Frances - Blood Relations (Sound Theatre Company)

Tracy Leigh - American Wee-Pie (Seattle Public Theatre)

Excellence in Performance of a Musical as a Supporting Actor (Female) 

- any non-lead

Taryn Darr - A Chorus Line (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Iris Elton - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Laura Griffith - Monty Python's Spamalot (The 5th Avenue Theatre)

Megan Chenovick - Jerry Springer the Opera (Balagan Theatre)

Shermona Mitchell - A New Brain (STAGEright Theatre)

Excellence in Performance as an Ensemble

(Large Budget): A Lesson From Aloes - Thalia's Umbrella (William Hall, Jr., Terry Edward Moore, Pam Nolte)

Art Dog - Seattle Children's Theatre (Allen Galli, Auston James, Khanh Doan, Kate Jaeger)

Tails of Wasps - New Century Theatre Company (Sylvie Davidson, Brenda Joyner, Hannah Mootz, Betsy Schwartz, Paul Morgan Stetler)

The Invisible Hand - ACT Theatre (Elijah Alexander, Erwin Galan, William Ontiveros, Connor Toms)

The Normal Heart - Strawberry Theatre Workshop (Stephen Black, Rob Burgess, Peter Crook, Brian Culbertson, Joseph Cummings, Simon Hamlin, Greg Lyle-Newton, Andrew Russell, Amy Thone)

(Small Budget): A Small Fire - Sound Theatre Company (Gordon Carpenter, Sara Coates, Teri Lazzara, Ray Tagavilla)

Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! - Theater Schmeater (Ashley Bagwell, Alyssa Bostwick, Lisa Branham, Nik Doner, Alyssa Keene, J.D. Lloyd, Corey McDaniel, Tim Moore, Allie Pratt, Lisa Viertel, Lantz Wagner)

Gidion's Knot - Seattle Public Theater (Heather Hawkins, Rebecca Olson)

Horse Girls - Annex Theatre (Erin Bednarz, Rachel Brow, Elizabeth Grant, Kasey Harrison, Anastasia Higham, Pilar O'Connell, Sascha Streckel)

Seascape - Theater Schmeater (Paul Custodio, Lori Lee Haener, Josh Ryder, Katherine Woolverton)

Excellence in Set Design

(Large Budget): Scott Bradley - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Andrea Bryn Bush - Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Matthew Smucker - Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Carey Wong - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Children's Theatre)

Jennifer Zeyl - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

(Small Budget): Robin Macartney - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Robin Macartney - Balconies (Annex Theatre)

Cate McCrea - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

Montana Tippett - A Small Fire (Sound Theatre Company)

Burton Yuen - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Excellence in Costume Design

(Large Budget): Anastasia Armes - Royal Blood (Onward Ho Productions)

Sarah Burch Gordon - Diana of Dobsons (Taproot Theatre)

Christine Meyers - Twelfth Night (Seattle Shakespeare Company)

Pete Rush - Truth Like the Sun (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Cynthia Savage - Mary Poppins (Village Theatre)

(Small Budget): Julia Evanovich - Attack of the Killer Murder...Of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Candace Frank - American Wee-Pie (Seattle Public Theater)

Cami Funk - Balconies (Annex Theatre)

Desiree Jones - The Hunchback of Seville (Washington Ensemble Theatre)

Scarlett O'Hairdye - Girl You Know It's True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Excellence in Lighting Design

(Large Budget): Brian Bembridge - Mary's Wedding (New Century Theatre Company)

Kristeen Willis Crosser - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

L.B. Morse - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Alexander V. Nichols - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

Andrew D. Smith - The Boy at the Edge of Everything (Seattle Children's Theatre)

(Small Budget): Mark Chenovick and Jen Klos - The Pillowman (SecondStory Repertory)

Marnie Cummings - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

Dani Norberg - The Mountaintop (ArtsWest)

Gwyn Skone - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Sara Torres - Marisol (The Collision Project)

Excellence in Sound Design

(Large Budget): Obadiah Eaves - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Brendan Patrick Hogan - The Invisible Hand (ACT Theatre)

Matt Starritt - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Nathan Wade - Frankenstein; Or, The Modern Prometheus (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Robertson Witmer and Kevin Heard - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

(Small Budget): Al Angel - Attack of the Killer Murder… of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Josh Blaisdel - The Lisbon Traviata (Theatre22)

Mark Chenovick and Jen Klos - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Evan Mosher - Returning to Albert Joseph (Satori Group)

James Schreck - Attempts on Her Life (The Horse in Motion)

Excellence in Musical Direction

Paul Linnes - A Little Night Music (SecondStory Repertory)

Ryan O'Connell - Ernest Shackleton Loves Me (Balagan Theatre)

RJ Tancioco - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

RJ Tancioco - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Tim Symons and Bruce Monroe - Funny Girl (Village Theatre) 

Excellence in Choreography or Movement

Bill Berry - Little Shop of Horrors (The 5th Avenue Theatre/ACT Theatre co-production)

Kristin Holland Bohr - Funny Girl (Village Theatre)

Diana Cardiff - Girl You Know Its True (The Stay Up Late Show/Theatre Off Jackson co-production)

Daniel Cruz - In the Heights (Village Theatre)

Excellence in Local Playwriting

Kelleen Conway Blanchard - Blood Countess (Annex Theatre)

Samuel D. Hunter - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Wayne Rawley - Attack of the Killer Murder … of Death! (Theater Schmeater)

Jeff Schwager - The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay (Book-It Repertory Theatre)

Stephanie Timm - Tails of Wasps (New Century Theatre Company)

Excellence in Local Composing

Obadiah Eaves - A Great Wilderness (Seattle Repertory Theatre)

Zhenya Lavy - Uncle Vanya (Akropolis Performance Lab)

Mark Siano and Opal Peachey - Seattle Vice (Marxiano Productions)

The theater writers participating in this year’s award process were Jose Amador (www.seattlestar.net), Candace Brown (goodlifenw.blogspot.com), (me) Miryam Gordon (Seattle Gay News and miryamstheatermusings.blogspot.com), David-Edward Hughes (www.talkinbroadway.com/regional/seattle), Rosemary Jones (www.examiner.com/theater-in-seattle/rosemary-jones), Alice Kaderlan (blog.seattlepi.com/feetfirst), Dusty Somers (blogcritics.org/author/Dusty-Somers), and Michael Strangeways (www.seattlegayscene.com/).

For more information, go to www.facebook.com/SeattleTheaterWriters. The Notes section shows the evolution of the awards.

2015 Theater Starts Now

(published in Seattle Gay News)

2015 is here and the theater scene is heating back up after the normal segue into Christmas programming that often helps their bottom lines. You may not have heard of some of these companies, but if you’re intrigued, maybe you’ll taste a new theater in your resolution to try new things this year. Here are productions in the month of January in opening date order!

A new company, Civic Rep, is presenting a new interpretation of Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, January 2-25, 2015 at New City Theater. The production aims to emphasize the alcoholism and women’s issues that may not have informed other productions. Information at: civicrep.brownpapertickets.com.

Best Theater of 2014

Evelyn DeHais in Chaos Theory at Annex Theatre (Dangerpants Photography)

(as published in the December 26th issue of Seattle Gay News)

Here we are, again, at year’s end and I’m about to recap some of the highlights of the Theater Year. The year was more eclectic, I think, than some, and includes exciting developments, particularly in local writing. Of course, it is just not in me to call out only five or ten productions…

But before I plunge in too deeply, I want to acknowledge the tremendous writing of Robert Schenkkan and effort that is Seattle Repertory Theatre’s All the Way and The Great Society in performance. You can still see these performances through January 4^th, though tickets are getting scarce. Since it is almost an import, it’s hard to claim it as completely “our own,” but it is important work and a chance to see work that has already received national acclaim. Jack Willis needs to be acknowledged as the hardest working actor on stage this year!

This might be called The Year of Local Playwriting! More world premiere plays were performed and, in my opinion, at a higher level of sophistication and polish than I think I’ve ever seen.

Off-beat and Off-the-beaten-path Christmas shows

Cast members of Judy's Scary Little Christmas (Michael Brunk)

There is still time (barely) to see a couple of Christmas-themed shows that end tonight or tomorrow: 

Tiny Tim is Dead is a very different kind of play about homeless street people on Christmas eve. It's being put on by Play Factory (recently known as Playwrights' Theatre) and is being performed at Hugo House. A strong cast, including several actors new to Seattle stages from elsewhere, reflect the mental illness, drug abuse, and poor veterans that are often to be found on the streets. The script by Barbara Lebow is uneven, but partly reflects the difficult and uneven lives she is portraying on stage. The message is strong: every night people are freezing outside could be Christmas Eve for them...and they need us.