Payne Pleasures 2004

Unemployed coal miners and family members struggling with sexual abuse may have been unlikely protagonists for musicals, but the shows that starred them turned out to be the most favored productions in this year's nominations for the B. Iden Payne Awards. The Austin Circle of Theatres' annual honors for excellence in local stage work are a deeply ingrained part of the local arts calendar, and with this, their 30th go-round (recognizing work mounted from August 2003 through July 2004), they're giving their loudest endorsement to a pair of homegrown musicals. Love Jerry, Megan Gogerty's difficult yet compassionate tale of a man who abuses his best friend's child and the repercussions of his act, and The Road to Wigan Pier, George Orwell's account of the living and working conditions of English miners reconceived by Chronicle Dance-Classical listings Editor Robi Polgar as a music hall entertainment, were both created in Austin and scored seven nominations each, including Outstanding Music Theatre Production, Original Script, and Original Score.

The full list of nominees, covering 64 productions by 35 different companies and organizations, was announced by ACoT on Monday, Aug. 16. Garnering six nods apiece were the world premiere production of Orange from the Refraction Arts Project (nominated for the script by Ron Berry and his writers' collective, Adam Sultan's score, Elizabeth Gaines' lighting design, and the performances of Ken Bradley, Josh Meyer, and Catherine Berry) and the State Theater Company production of The Woman in Black (nominated for Outstanding Drama, with nominations for its two actors, Corey Gagne and Paul Norton, and the spooky atmospherics provided by set designer Christopher McCollum, lighting designer Richard Winkler, and sound designers the Gunn Brothers). Among the rest of the most-nominated shows: Hyde Park Theatre's The Drawer Boy, Tongue and Groove Theatre's The Comedy of Errors, and Zachary Scott Theatre Center's Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues. Companies leading in honors were Zach with 15 nominations and the State Theater and Second Youth Family Theatre, with 11 nominations each. For a full list of nominees, see below. Nominations will be voted on by ACoT members and tabulated by the accounting firm of KPMG LLP, which keeps results secret until the night of the awards, which this year will be Monday, Sept. 27, 7:30pm, at Esther's Pool, 525 E. Sixth. For information, call 454-TIXS.

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Nominations for the 2003-2004 B. Iden Payne Awards

The Austin Circle of Theatres has announced the nominations for this year's B. Iden Payne Awards, the 30th time these annual honors for excellence in local stage work have been presented. The nominations recognize work mounted from August 2003 through July 2004. ACoT members vote on the nominations, and their ballots are tabulated by the accounting firm of KPMG LLP, which keeps results secret until the night of the awards, which this year will be Monday, Sept. 27. For information, call 454-TIXS.

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PLAYS FOR YOUTH

Outstanding Production of a Play for Youth

The Arkansaw Bear, Second Youth Family Theatre

Beauty and the Beast, Second Youth Family Theatre

The Honorable Urashima Taro, UT Department of Theatre & Dance

The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, Second Youth Family Theatre

Tangled Tricksters, Pollyanna Theatre Company

Outstanding Director of a Play for Youth

G'ann Boyd, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Richard M. Isackes, The Honorable Urashima Taro

J. Richard Smith, Beauty and the Beast

Outstanding Actor in a Play for Youth

Freddy Carnes, The Shoemaker and the Elves

Alex Garza, Tangled Tricksters

Bobby Malone, The Arkansaw Bear

Bobby Malone, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

Danny Servetnick, Beauty and the Beast

Outstanding Actress in a Play for Youth

Leslie Hollingsworth, The Toys Take Over Christmas

Bridget Lee, Beauty and the Beast

Betsy McCann, Tangled Tricksters

Bernadette Nason, Tangled Tricksters

Brie Walker, The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe

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MUSIC THEATRE

Outstanding Production of Music Theatre

Forever Plaid, Sam Bass Community Theatre

Love Jerry, UT Department of Theatre & Dance

Pythia Dust, ethos

The Road to Wigan Pier, Seventh Street Working Men's Club

The Wizard of Oz, Broadway Texas and Charles H. Duggan Presents

Outstanding Director of Music Theatre

Alexis Chamow, Love Jerry

Bonnie Cullum, Pythia Dust

Stuart Moulton, Pageant

Robi Polgar, The Road to Wigan Pier

Dave Steakley, Always ... Patsy Cline

Dennis Whitehead, Forever Plaid

Outstanding Lead Actor in Music Theatre

J.T. Arbogast, Love Jerry

Timothy Curry I, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues

Paul Norton, The Road to Wigan Pier

Roderick Sanford, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues

Tommy Schoffler, Love Jerry

Outstanding Lead Actress in Music Theatre

Lee Eddy, The Cry Pitch Carrolls

Jo Beth Henderson, Elytra

Janis Stinson, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues

Latifah Taormina, Always ... Patsy Cline

Robin Grace Thompson, The House

Outstanding Featured Actor in Music Theatre

Brian Jenson, Pageant

Michael Stuart, Kiss Me Kate

Zach Thompson, Pageant

Clay Towery, Dracula: A Musical Nightmare

Hans Venable, Kiss Me Kate

Outstanding Featured Actress in Music Theatre

Jill Blackwood, Cabaret [Zachary Scott Theatre Center]

Karen Kuykendall, Cabaret [Zachary Scott Theatre Center]

Betsy McCann, Cabaret [Theater at the J]

Elizabeth Wakehouse, The House

Larissa Wolcott, The Secret Garden

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COMEDY

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Austin Shakespeare Festival

The Emperor of the Moon, Bedlam Faction

A Flea in Her Ear, Mary Moody Northen Theatre at St. Edward's University

Sonny's Last Shot, Megathump Productions with Trubedour Entertainment

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

Norman Blumensaadt, An Ideal Husband

Scott Kanoff, I'm Not Lying

Ev Lunning Jr., A Flea in Her Ear

Karen Sneed, Crimes of the Heart

David Yeakle, The Comedy of Errors

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy

Frank Benge, An Ideal Husband

David Stahl, Travesties

David Stahl, The Winter's Tale

David Stokey, A Flea in Her Ear

Jaston Williams, I'm Not Lying

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy

Monica Asencio, The Comedy of Errors

Babs George, Private Lives

Rebecca Robinson, Crimes of the Heart

Rebecca Robinson, An Ideal Husband

Marsha Sray, Arcadia

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Comedy

Andy Bond, The Emperor of the Moon

Aaron M. Clay, A Flea in Her Ear

Robert Matney, The Emperor of the Moon

Ted Meredith, Word and Thought

David Stokey, Private Lives

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Comedy

Janelle Buchanan, Sonny's Last Shot

Karen Jambon, An Ideal Husband

Bernadette Nason, The Underpants

Marsha Sray, Don't Dress for Dinner

Patricia Wappner, The Comedy of Errors

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DRAMA

Outstanding Production of a Drama

The Drawer Boy, Hyde Park Theatre

How Late It Was, How Late, Rude Mechanicals

Romeo and Juliet, Austin Shakespeare Festival

Topdog/Underdog, ProArts Collective

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

The Woman in Black, State Theater Company

Outstanding Director of a Drama

Ann Ciccolella, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Scott Kanoff, Be Aggressive

Sarah Richardson, How Late It Was, How Late

Guy Roberts, Romeo and Juliet

Boyd Vance, Topdog/Underdog

Ken Webster, The Drawer Boy

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama

Mick D'Arcy, Ghost From a Perfect Place

Travis Dean, The Middle of the Night

Corey Gagne, The Woman in Black

Philip Goodwin, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Paul Norton, The Woman in Black

Dikran Utidjian, How Late It Was, How Late

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama

Franchelle Stewart Dorn, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Joy Farmer-Clary, Romeo and Juliet

Peyton Hayslip, Molly Sweeney

Kelsey Kling, Blue Surge

Lana Lesley, How Late It Was, How Late

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Drama

Ken Bradley, Orange

Josh Meyer, Orange

Jason Newman, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Michael David Walton, Titus Andronicus

Ben Wolfe, Romeo and Juliet

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Drama

Kristen Bennett, A Raisin in the Sun

Catherine Berry, Orange

Mónica Caivano, A ver, un aplauso!

Shannon Grounds, Titus Andronicus

Helen Merino, Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

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CAST

Outstanding Cast Performance

The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged), Austin Shakespeare Festival

The Drawer Boy, Hyde Park Theatre

Forever Plaid, Sam Bass Community Theatre

Topdog/Underdog, ProArts Collective

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YOUTH

Outstanding Youth Performer

Travis Brendle, Guys and Dolls

Kathleen Fletcher, The Good Woman of Setzuan

Brandon Harris, Hotel for Hollywood Has-Beens

Taylor McPhail, Be Aggressive

Chase Renouf, Pageant

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TECHNICAL CATEGORIES

Outstanding Set Design

Kevin Collins, The North Project

Paul Davis, The Drawer Boy

Ann Marie Gordon, Ghost From a Perfect Place

Christopher McCollum, The Woman in Black

Chase Staggs, Know Dog

Outstanding Lighting Design

Jason Amato, Ghost From a Perfect Place

Elizabeth Gaines, Orange

Light Bastard Amber, The North Project

Robert T. Whyburn, The Secret Garden

Richard Winkler, The Woman in Black

Outstanding Sound Design

Robert S. Fisher, Perdita

Hans Frank, The Drawer Boy

The Gunn Brothers, The Woman in Black

Content Love Knowles, Dark Goddess 2004

Outstanding Costume Design

Susan Branch, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues

Guicha Gutiérrez and Luis Ordaz, A ver, un aplauso!

Jessica Jay Lonsdale, The Honorable Urashima Taro

Buffy Manners, The Road to Wigan Pier

Theresa May, The Comedy of Errors

Outstanding Music Director

Fred Barton, The Wizard of Oz

Michael McKelvey, Kiss Me Kate

Allen Robertson, It Ain't Nothin' but the Blues

Allen Robertson, Rockin' Christmas Party

Dennis Whitehead, Forever Plaid

Outstanding Choreographer

Jillian Ardoin, The Road to Wigan Pier

Jo Beth Henderson and Bonnie Cullum, Pythia Dust

Jacob Ortuno, Everyman/Tibetan Book of the Dead

Lindsey Priour and Robin Grace Thompson, The House

Olivia Whitmer, Love Jerry

Outstanding Original Script

Ron Berry and the Orange Writers Collective, Orange

Megan Gogerty, Love Jerry

Chris Kelley, Fuckjoy (or Necro Stix)

Robi Polgar, The Road to Wigan Pier

Jaston Williams, I'm Not Lying

Outstanding Original Score

Megan Gogerty, Love Jerry

Ernesto Marquez, Jonathan Hoyle, and Chris La Cava, The Comedy of Errors

Robi Polgar, The Road to Wigan Pier

Chad Salvata, Pythia Dust

Adam Sultan, Orange