Superlatives
The 2008-2009 Austin Critics Table Awards
By Robert Faires, Fri., June 5, 2009
In the awards themselves, this was not a year for sweeps. The most honored work was the Mary Moody Northen Theatre production of Cyrano de Bergerac, which won four awards. Twelve other productions or works received two awards each. Overall, 46 productions, exhibitions, or works were honored in 37 categories.
Critics participating in this year's awards, covering the period from May 1, 2008, to May 3, 2009, were the Austin American-Statesman's Michael Barnes (arts), Clare Croft (dance), Erin Keever (visual arts), David Mead (music), Joey Seiler (theatre), and Jeanne Claire van Ryzin (arts); ... might be good's Claire Ruud and Kate Watson (visual arts); and the Chronicle's Elizabeth Cobbe (theatre), Rachel Koper (visual arts), Jonelle Seitz (dance), Avimaan Syam (theatre), and Robert Faires (arts). Obligatory ethical note: Critics refrained from nominating themselves or members of their families for any awards and refrained from voting in any category in which the critic or a family member was nominated.
THEATRE
Production, Drama
Cyrano de Bergerac, Mary Moody Northen Theatre
Production, Comedy
Age of Arousal, Austin Playhouse
Production, Musical
The Last 5 Years, Penfold Theatre Company/
Austin Playhouse
Direction
Michelle Polgar, Cyrano de Bergerac
Dustin Wills, Ophelia
Acting in a Leading Role
Annika Johansson, The Last 5 Years
David Long, Cyrano de Bergerac
Tom Truss, The Idiot
Jennifer Underwood, The Casket of Passing Fancy/ The Beauty Queen of Leenane
Acting in a Supporting Role
Verity Branco, A Midsummer Night's Dream/
An Ideal Husband
Shavanna Calder, Caroline, or Change
Jenny Gravenstein, Age of Arousal
Marc Pouhé, The Three Sisters/ Cyrano de Bergerac/The Grapes of Wrath
Ensemble Performance
The Red Balloon, Tongue and Groove Theatre
David Mark Cohen New Play Award
Dug Up, Cyndi Williams
None of the Above
The Casket of Passing Fancy, Rubber Repertory
Music Direction
Jeff Helmer, Queenie Pie
Movement
Jennifer Sherburn and David Yeakle, The Red Balloon
Touring Show, Theatre
Elaine Stritch at Liberty, Austin Cabaret Theatre
Spectacular, Forced Entertainment, Fusebox Festival
DESIGN
Scenic Design
Kevin Beltz, Still Life With Iris
Costume Design
Michael Hite, Queenie Pie
Ariana Schwartz, Still Life With Iris
Lighting Design
Lih-Hwa Yu, The Shape of White
Sound Design
Buzz Moran, Hamilton Township
Video Design
Duncan Alexander, The Color of Dissonance
VISUAL ART
Museum Exhibition
"Reimagining Space: The Park Place Gallery Group
in 1960s New York," Blanton Museum of Art,
curator: Linda Dalrymple Henderson
Solo Gallery Exhibition
"Lee Baxter Davis," Texas Biennial at Pump Project
Group Gallery Exhibition
"Photography in the Abstract," Lora Reynolds
Gallery, curator: Maureen Mahony
Independent or Public Project
12:19 Library, Fusebox Festival
Work of Art
Let Me Entertain You, Jill Pangallo,
Texas Biennial 2009
Artist
Sterling Allen
Touring Show, Art
"Birth of the Cool," Blanton Museum of Art
DANCE
Dance Concert
Skate! A Night at the Rink, Forklift Danceworks
Short Work
"Crandall Canyon Mine," Big Range Austin dance festival
Choreographer
Sharon Marroquin, "Garden"/"Crandall Canyon
Mine"/"Desprendimiento"
Dancer
Paul Michael Bloodgood, "Episodes"/Hamlet
Ashley Lynn, "Episodes"/Hamlet/"Left Unsaid"
Touring Show, Dance
Grub, tEEth, Fusebox Festival
SPECIAL CITATIONS
John Bustin Award for Conspicuous Versatility
Michael McKelvey
W.H. "Deacon" Crain Award for Outstanding Student Work
Mark Scheibmeir, UT Department of Theatre & Dance
Old Wine in New Wineskins (or Margarita Glass) Award
Lyova Rosanoff, Steve Saugey, and Shaun Wainwright-Branigan for their Austintatious libretto to The Bat
New Kid on the Block Award
Co-Lab
Body of Work Award
Viola by Choice
"A Gore-us Line" Award
Henri Mazza and the Alamo Drafthouse, Shawn Sides and the Rude Mechanicals, Indiana Adams and Flash Mob Austin, for Thrill the World Austin
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Symphonic Performance
Beethoven: Symphony No. 9, UT Symphony
Orchestra with UT Chamber Singers, Concert
Chorale, Men's Chorus, Women's Chorus, and
Choral Arts Society
Welcher: Symphony No. 5, Austin Symphony
Chamber Performance
Golden Hornet Project Presents: Tosca String
Quartet, Tosca String Quartet
Choral Concert
Verdi: Messa da Requiem, Conspirare Symphonic
Choir, Texas State University Choirs,
Victoria Bach Festival Chorus
Opera
Dialogues of the Carmelites, Austin Lyric Opera
Original Composition/Score
Between Steel and Stardust (Songs of Texas
Women), Graham Reynolds and Carrie Fountain
Symphony No. 5, Dan Welcher
Singer
Elizabeth Pétillot, Viola by Choice
Emily Pulley, Dialogues of the Carmelites
Instrumentalist
Anton Nel, Anton Nel in Recital
Michelle Schumann, Gershwin: Rhapsody in Blue
Touring Classical
Onix Ensamble, UT Performing Arts Center
