B. Iden Payne Award Nominations, 1999-2000
By Robert Faires, Fri., Aug. 18, 2000
On Monday, August 14, the Austin Circle of Theatres released its nominations for the 1999-2000 B. Iden Payne Awards, the annual theatre honors named for Shakespearean scholar and director B. Iden Payne, who spent his later years in Austin at the University of Texas. This year, 59 productions by 30 different companies were honored with nominations, the most favored shows being the Austin Musical Theatre production of The Music Man (10 nominations) and the VORTEX Repertory Company production of Despair's Book of Dreams and the Sometimes Radio (eight nominations). It was a good year for designer Michael Raiford, who received four nominations, and for Peyton Hayslip, Lana Lesley, Sarah Richardson, Kirk Smith, Scott Thompson, and Joe York, all of whom received three nominations each. In fact, it was a good year for multiple nominees in general; almost one-fourth of all the individuals on this year's list received more than one nomination.
This year's list reflects a few changes made by the 15-member Awards Nominations Committee. After several years in which nonmusical productions were grouped together under the heading Plays, the committee has returned to a system in which nonmusicals are divided into Dramas and Comedies. This year, the committee considered lead and featured performances together in all but one category, Dramas, but it also created a new category: Outstanding Cast Performance, citing the ensemble work in the productions of Abundance, Bleacher Bums, The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Love's Fire, and Shakespeare's R&J.
Ballots containing the nominations are mailed to Austin Circle of Theatres members, who vote for the winners. The ballots will be tabulated and the awards presented at a ceremony to be held Monday, September 18, 7pm, at the Scottish Rite Theatre. Call 454-9700 for information.
Plays for Youth
Outstanding ProductionDegas' Little Dancer, ZSTC Project InterAct
The Frogs, VORTEX Repertory Company
Pigman in the Old West, Freddy Carnes Productions
Roxaboxen, Magik Children's Theatre of San Antonio
Señora Tortuga, Teatro Humanidad
Time Again in Oz, UT Dept of Theatre & Dance
The Wonder Hat, Second Youth Repertory
Family Theatre
You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Austin Musical Theatre
Outstanding Director
Kevin Archambault, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
G'ann Boyd, The Mischief Makers
G'ann Boyd, The Wonder Hat
Rod Caspers, Time Again in Oz
Brian Gaston, Liu, the Dragon King
Judy Matetzschk, Degas' Little Dancer
Clay Towery, The Frogs
Outstanding Actor
Jesse Galvan, Time Again in Oz
Clint Gilfillan, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Craig Kanne, Pigman in the Old West
David Nancarrow, Time Again in Oz
Maurice Ripke, The Mischief Makers
David Saldaña, The Frogs
Nick Walker, The Wonder Hat
Outstanding Actress
Ann Armstrong, A Place of Peace
Irene Gonzales, Señora Tortuga
Peyton Hayslip, Degas' Little Dancer
Beth Leckbee, Liu, the Dragon King
Tiffany Nicely-Williams, The Frogs
Bobbie Owens, Inside's Out
Musicals
Outstanding ProductionThe Butcher's Daughter, Refraction Arts
The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Despair's Book of Dreams and the Sometimes Radio,
VORTEX Repertory Company
The Music Man, Austin Musical Theatre
The Rocky Horror Show, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Outstanding Director
Bonnie Cullum, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Jason Neulander, The Cry Pitch Carrolls
Deanna Shoemaker, The Butcher's Daughter
Scott Thompson, The Music Man
Outstanding Actor
Ron Berry, The Butcher's Daughter
Tom Byrne, The Music Man
Greg Holt, Jesus Christ Superstar
LeRoy Nienow, Children of Eden
Jim Raposa, The Music Man
Alex Rollins, The Music Man
Kirk Smith, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Joe York, The Rocky Horror Show
Outstanding Actress
Susanne Abbott, Tapestry: The Music of Carole King
Brooks Almy, The Music Man
LuAnn Aronson, The Music Man
Laura Kenney, The Music Man
Ellie McBride, The Butcher's Daughter
Richele A. Pitalo, The Butcher's Daughter
Janis Stinson, Children of Eden
Stephanie Swenson, The Butcher's Daughter
Comedies
Outstanding ProductionAbundance, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
& Athena Dramatics
Blithe Spirit, ONSTAGE Theatre Company
Closer, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Curb Appeal, Frontera @ Hyde Park Theatre
Lipstick Traces, Rude Mechanicals
The Mystery of Irma Vep, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Senioritis, VORTEX Repertory Company
Outstanding Director
Ann Ciccolella, Closer
Robert Faires, Abundance
J. Damian Gillen, Blithe Spirit
Christina J. Moore, Curb Appeal
Shawn Sides, Lipstick Traces
Outstanding Actor
Martin Burke, The Mystery of Irma Vep
Dan Dietz, Terminal Hip
Michael Miller, Closer
Rob Nash, Senioritis
Paul Norton, Closer
Steven Tomlinson, Curb Appeal
Wade Williams, For the Love of Linko
Joe York, The Mystery of Irma Vep
Outstanding Actress
Kara Bliss, Closer
Babs George, Barefoot in the Park
Peyton Hayslip, Blithe Spirit
Lana Lesley, In the House of the Moles
Helen Merino, Crimes of the Heart
Bernadette Nason, Blithe Spirit
Andrea Osborn, Closer
Brooke Parker, Barefoot in the Park
Dramas
Outstanding ProductionAshes to Ashes, Public Domain Theatre Company
desire, Laura Somers
Polaroid Stories, Frontera @ Hyde Park Theatre
Pride's Crossing, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Shakespeare's R & J, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Taking Sides, Actors Theatre of Austin
Under a Western Sky, Teatro Humanidad
War, Rude Mechanicals
Outstanding Director
Kirk Lynn, War
Jason Neulander, Venus
Jerry Pilato, Taking Sides
Robi Polgar, Ashes to Ashes
Sarah Richardson, Pride's Crossing
Sarah Richardson, Shakespeare's R & J
Laura Somers, desire
Outstanding Lead Actor
Brad Armstrong, Bucky: The Life and Work of
Buckminster Fuller
Joey Hood, The Collection
Forrest McClendon, The America Play
Jeffery Mills, Equus
Art Peden, Taking Sides
David Stahl, Ashes to Ashes
David Stahl, The Collection
Dirk van Allen, The Weir
Outstanding Lead Actress
Katherine Catmull, Ashes to Ashes
Katherine Catmull, A Kind of Alaska
Francelle Stewart Dorn, E Pluribus Unum: Barbara Jordan -- One Voice
Christa Kimlicko Jones, desire
Joni L. Jones, Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling
April Matthis, Venus
Meredith Robertson, Pride's Crossing
Jill K. Swanson, Othello
Outstanding Featured Actor
Joel Crabtree, Taking Sides
Richard Craig, Fruits and Vegetables
Cory Cruser, Polaroid Stories
Travis Dean, The Possibilities
Judson L. Jones, desire
Daniel Lam, Polaroid Stories
Stewart MacGregor, Fruits and Vegetables
Outstanding Featured Actress
Janelle Buchanan, Spring Storm
Dana Eskelson, Spring Storm
Peyton Hayslip, Fruits and Vegetables
Lana Lesley, War
Helen Merino, Pride's Crossing
Sarah Richardson, War
Stacey Robinson, The America Play
General Categories
Outstanding Cast PerformanceAbundance, Janelle Buchanan/Barbara Chisholm/
Scotty Roberts/Rich Upton/Jon Watson/Joe York
Bleacher Bums, Travis Dean/Lana Dieterich/
Robert S. Fischer/Jeff Gondek/Joey Hood/
Christa Kimlicko Jones/David Jones/
Judson L. Jones/Eric Peterson
The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Lana Lesley/April Matthis/
Joseph Meissner/Shawn Sides/Becky Stark
Love's Fire, Tara Battani/Stuart Bone/Bradley Carlin/
Cory Cruser/Lee Eddy/Jason Garrett Hays/
Nick Kougias/Jenny Larson/Shannon Riley/
Elizabeth Wakehouse
Shakespeare's R & J, Martin Burke/Chris Hatcher/
Aaron Johnson/Jon Watson
Outstanding Set Design
Ann Marie Gordon, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Michael Massey, The Good Woman of Setzuan
Christopher McCollum, Fruits and Vegetables
Christopher McCollum, Polaroid Stories
Marco Noyola, Ashes to Ashes
Michael Raiford, The America Play
Michael Raiford, Pride's Crossing
Outstanding Lighting Design
Jason Amato, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Jason Amato, The Rocky Horror Show
Tina Berrigan, Polaroid Stories
Stephen Pruitt, Invisible Moments
Zach Murphy, Ashes to Ashes
Zach Murphy, War
Outstanding Sound Design
Emily Fordyce, Polaroid Stories
Dutch Rail & Dave Steakley, The America Play
Allen Robertson, Closer
Allen Robertson, The Mystery of Irma Vep
Scott Schroeder, Fruits and Vegetables
Kirk Smith & Ken Burchenal, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Outstanding Costume Design
Leslie Bonnell, The Rocky Horror Show
Pam Fletcher, Pigman in the Old West
Theresa May, Goldie: A Fish Story
Michael Raiford, The Mystery of Irma Vep
Michael Raiford, Pride's Crossing
Susan Tsu, Time Again in Oz
Outstanding Music Director
Fred Barton, The Music Man
Ken Burchenal, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
John Howrey, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Graham Reynolds, The Cry Pitch Carrolls
Allen Robertson, Tapestry: The Music of Carole King
Outstanding Choreographer
Aimee McCormick, Polaroid Stories
Kevin Archambault, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Margery Segal, Love's Fire
Scott Thompson, The Music Man
Scott Thompson, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas
Outstanding Original Script
Ann Ciccolella, Fruits and Vegetables
Dan Dietz, Blind Horses
Jennifer Haley, The Butcher's Daughter
Kirk Lynn, War
Kirk Smith, Despair's Book of Dreams
and the Sometimes Radio
Steven Tomlinson, Curb Appeal
Alice Wilson, Bucky: The Life and Work of
Buckminster Fuller
