2017 Payne Theatre Award Nominees

E.A. Poe may not have gotten much love in his lifetime, but he got a ton from the B. Iden Payne Awards Council Monday. When the theatre group announced the nominees for the 2016-17 season, Doctuh Mistuh Productions' staging of Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe received 11 nominations.

The musical was one of 77 productions of theatre and improv recognized by the nonprofit group's committee of volunteers who see and evaluate shows throughout the year. Five other stage works were honored with nine nominations each: the musicals Atlantis: A Puppet Opera (ethos and Vortex Repertory Company) and Monty Python's Spamalot (Summer Stock Austin); the Theatre for Youth production El Paraíso de los Maniquís (Proyecto Teatro); the comedy Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade (Sky Candy); and the theatrical event Requiem for Tesla (Rude Mechanicals). The most honored improv productions were the Eighties teen adventure movie-inspired How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation and the Tennessee Williams riff The Kindness of Strangers, both earning four nominations and both from the Hideout Theatre. The full list of nominees is below.

The 43rd Payne awards ceremony will take place Mon., Oct. 23, 7:30pm, at the Zach Topfer Theatre, 202 S. Lamar. For more information, visit the B. Iden Payne Awards Council website.

THEATRE FOR YOUTH

Production
All Aboard!, Pollyanna Theatre Company
A Shoe Story, Summer Stock Austin
Charlotte's Web, Zach Theatre
El Paraíso de los Maniquís, Proyecto Teatro
Rosita y Conchita, Scottish Rite Theatre

Director
Luis Armando Ordaz Gutiérrez, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Susan Gayle Todd, Rosita y Conchita
Judy Matetzschk-Campbell, All Aboard!
Nat Miller, Charlotte's Web
Allen Robertson, A Shoe Story

Actor
Chase Brewer, The Thing in Grandma's Closet
Brian Corkum, A Shoe Story
Nate Dunaway, Jungle Book
David Peña, Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play!
Jesus I. Valles, Rosita y Conchita

Actress
Martinique Duchene-Phillips, Whether the Weather
Stephanie Hernandez, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Megan Ortiz, Puff the Magic Dragon
Amber Quick, Charlotte's Web
Gricelda Silva, Rosita y Conchita

Young Actor
Tosh Ahora, Monty Python's Spamalot
Yashua Batista, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Matthew Kennedy, Monty Python's Spamalot
Ben Roberts, Monty Python's Spamalot
Diego Rodriguez, jj's arcade

Young Actress
Brianda Campos, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Mariela Denson, A Shoe Story
Lydia Kamm, Monty Python's Spamalot
Valeria Smeke, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Gaby Tamayo, Ella

---

IMPROV THEATRE

Production
Cowgirl Cabaret, Girls Girls Girls
How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation, The Hideout Theatre
The Kindness of Strangers, The Hideout Theatre
Latinauts: La Frontera Finál, ColdTowne Theater
Peter Pan and the Great Unknown, The Hideout Theatre

Direction
Ben Bazan, Latinauts: La Frontera Finál
Kaci Beeler & Rob Yoho, The Kindness of Strangers
Girls Girls Girls, Cowgirl Cabaret
Kenny Madison & Nicholas Weindel, It Came From Your Brain!
Jordan T. Maxwell & J.R. Zambrano, How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation

Design
Juese Cutler & Neil Dorsey, It Came From Your Brain!
Biz Gilmore, Jay Mahavier, Lindsey McGowen, & Cindy Page, How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation
Lindsey McGowen, The Kindness of Strangers
Lindsey McGowen, Kelly Campbell, & Carolyn Gjertsen, Peter Pan and the Great Unknown
Lindsey McGowen, Dylan Garsee, & Carolyn Gjertsen, I'll Take the Physical Challenge

Cast of an Improvised Show
How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation, The Hideout Theatre
The Kindness of Strangers, The Hideout Theatre
Latinauts: La Frontera Finál, ColdTowne Theater
Night Watch, ColdTowne Theater
Peter Pan and the Great Unknown, The Hideout Theatre

Rudy Kloptik Award for Outstanding Improvisational Troupe
Cascade
Everything All the Time
The Knuckleball Now
Loverboy
Parallelogramophonograph
Sugar, Water, Purple

Ethel Hinckley Award for Outstanding New Improv Troupe
Camp sLaughter
Everything All the Time
The Matriarchy
Migas
Sugar, Water, Purple

---

COMEDY

Production
Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade, Sky Candy
The Back Pack Presents: Throwing Shade, The Back Pack
Dead Man's Cell Phone, En Route Productions
The Revolutionists, Shrewd Productions
The Totalitarians, Theatre en Bloc

Direction
The Back Pack, The Back Pack Presents: Throwing Shade
Lindsey Doleshal, Dead Man's Cell Phone
Jenny Lavery, The Totalitarians
Rudy Ramirez, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Rudy Ramirez, The Revolutionists

Lead Actor
Heath Allyn, Death Race Inferno
Toby Minor, The Comedy of Errors
Marc Pouhé, Present Laughter
Jon Watson, The Merry Wives of Windsor
Dave Yakubik, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead

Lead Actress
Katherine Catmull, John
Barbara Chisholm, The Totalitarians
Sarah Marie Curry, The Revolutionists
Bridget Farr, Dead Man's Cell Phone
Jess Hughes, Sense and Sensibility

Featured Actor
Jay Byrd, Hir
Dan Dalbout, Dead Man's Cell Phone
Nate Dunaway, Death Race Inferno
Aaron Johnson, The Totalitarians
Meason Wiley, Dead Man's Cell Phone

Featured Actress
Anne Hulsman, Dead Man's Cell Phone
Katie Kohler, Sense and Sensibility
Eva McQuade, My Big Fat Bahookie
Julie Moore, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Gricelda Silva, The Revolutionists
Valoneecia Tolbert, The Revolutionists

---

DRAMA

Production
Ballot Eats the Bullet, Vortex Repertory Company
The Drowning Girls, Theatre en Bloc
The Island of Dr. Moreau: A Fever Dream Steeped in Blood, Paladin Theatre Company
Lungs, Hyde Park Theatre
Ocean, Vortex Repertory Company
A Perfect Robot, Vortex Repertory Company

Direction
Jenny Lavery, The Drowning Girls
Zell Miller, III, Ballot Eats the Bullet
Elizabeth V. Newman, Any Night
Charles P. Stites, The Island of Dr. Moreau
Lily Wolff, Lungs

Lead Actor
Jeffery Da’Shade Johnson, Underground
Michael Joplin, Lungs
Bill Karnovsky, Waiting for Godot
Charles P. Stites, The Island of Dr. Moreau
Patrick Terry, Houdini Speaks to the Living
Zac Thomas, Any Night

Lead Actress
Cami Alys, An Iliad
Liz Beckham, Lungs
Katherine Catmull, Song About Himself
Judith Laird, Three Tall Women
Emily Rankin, Wraith Radio
Ebony Stewart, Ocean
Amelia Turner, A Perfect Robot

Featured Actor
David Boss, Romeo and Juliet
Mackenzy Cade, The Normal Heart
Joey Hood, A Perfect Robot
Bob Jones, Romeo and Juliet
Kyle Lindsey, Waiting for Godot
Keith Machekanyanga, In the Red and Brown Water

Featured Actress
Janelle Buchanan, The Herd
Ellen Falterman, Wraith Radio
Amber Quick, The Great Society
Taji Senior, TWENTYEIGHT
Rama Tchuente, In the Red and Brown Water
Allison Wojtowecz, Dust

---

MUSIC THEATRE

Production
Atlantis: A Puppet Opera, ethos and Vortex Repertory Company
Dani Girl, Trinity Street Players
Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Zach Theatre
Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Doctuh Mistuh Productions and Austin Playhouse
Monty Python's Spamalot, Summer Stock Austin

Direction
Bonnie Cullum, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Jenny Larson, Dani Girl
Michael McKelvey Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Ginger Morris, Monty Python's Spamalot
Michael Rader, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

Lead Actor
Andrew Cannata, Dani Girl
Sam Johnson, The Pirates of Penzance
Justin LaVergne, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Joshua Meindertsma, Prohibition
Rodrigo M. Zaragoza, bare

Lead Actress
Chanel, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill
Jacqui Cross, For the Love of Mahalia
Michelle Haché, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Suzanne Lis, The Pirates of Penzance
Taylor Moessinger, Dani Girl

Featured Actor
Jacob Barber, bare
Arthur DiBianca, The Pirates of Penzance
Jonathan Itchon, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Kirk Kelso, The Wizard of Oz
Scott Shipman, Guys and Dolls

Featured Actress
Suzanne Balling, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Maddrey Blackwood, Little Women
Jess Hughes, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Theresa Medina, In the Heights
Sonia Moore, For the Love of Mahalia

---

DESIGN

Set Design
Chris Conard, The Drowning Girls
Ia Ensterä, Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Mark Pickell, John
Stephen Pruitt, Requiem for Tesla
Desiderio Roybal, The Herd

Lighting Design
Jason Amato, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Rachel Atkinson, An Iliad
Chris Conard, Any Night
Kate Ducey, The Drowning Girls
Zach Murphy, Requiem for Tesla

Sound Design
Charles O. Anderson and Benjamin Galvan, In the Red and Brown Water
Eliot Gray Fisher, Any Night
Robert S. Fisher, The Moors
Joel Mercado-See, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Buzz Moran, Requiem for Tesla

Costume Design
Leslie Bonnell and Aaron Flynn, Requiem for Tesla
Jennifer Rose Davis, The Revolutionists
Guicha Gutierrez, ¿Quíen Asusta Ahí?
E.L. Hohn, In the Red and Brown Water
Glenda Wolfe, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Media Design
Lowell Bartholomee, The Effect
The Back Pack, The Back Pack Presents: Throwing Shade
Lacey Erb, In the Red and Brown Water
Eliot Gray Fisher, A Perfect Robot
Hector Ordaz, Ella

Properties Design
Teresa Carson, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Taylor Harrison, Dead Man’s Cell Phone
Michael Krauss, jj’s arcade
Kate Meehan, Death Race Inferno
Brianna Smith, Requiem for Tesla

---

GENERAL CATEGORIES

Stage Management
Lowell Bartholomee, Requiem for Tesla
Angelica Chesney, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Tamara L. Farley, A Perfect Robot
Kaitlyn Kennedy, Elephant and Piggie: We Are in a Play!
Monica Kurtz, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Kenneth Williams, Houdini Speaks to the Living

Music Direction
Tosin Awofeso, Immigrants, the Musical! (Part 1)
Anderson Dear, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Jeffrey Jones-Ragona, The Pirates of Penzance
Lyn Koenning, Monty Python's Spamalot
Michael McKelvey, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Dance Choreography
Joanna Wright, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Melissa Villarreal, Charis Campbell, Inna Grudtcina, Sadé M. Jones, Kalani Hawks, and Aurelio Planes Rodriguez, Ella
Charles O. Anderson, In the Red and Brown Water
Jasmine de Leon, Leon Jones, Aurelio Planes, Lisa Vargas, Travis Herman, and Luis Ordaz Gutiérrez, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Ginger Morris, Monty Python's Spamalot

Fight Choreography
Toby Minor, Death Race Inferno
Luis Ordaz Gutiérrez, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Joanna Wright, Caroline Poe, and Andy Agne, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

Original Script
Ballot Eats the Bullet, Zell Miller, III with Kera Blay, M’Kenzie Flakes, Sadé M. Jones, Breaion Shanique King, Chelsea Manasseri, Valoneecia Tolbert, Ebony Stewart, Anne Marie Wynter and Lisa B. Thompson
The Island of Dr. Moreau: A Fever Dream Steeped in Blood, Charles P. Stites
Ocean, Ebony Stewart
A Perfect Robot, Sarah Saltwick
Rosita y Conchita, Megan Ortiz, Gricelda Silva, Susan Gayle Todd, and Jesus I. Valles

Original Score
Daniel Fernandez and Avery Rogers, A Bad Plan
Tyler Mabry, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Seth Osborn, An Iliad
Chad Salvata, Atlantis: A Puppet Opera
Trevor Welch, Hot Belly

Cast Performance
Ballot Eats the Bullet, Vortex Repertory Company
Charlotte’s Web, Zach Theatre
Dead Man’s Cell Phone, En Route Productions
The Drowning Girls, Theatre en Bloc
Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Doctuh Mistuh Productions and Austin Playhouse

Ensemble Performance
Gianina Casale, Anna Ingram, Kaitlyn Jones, D'Lonte K. Lawson, and Christian Leal, In the Red and Brown Water
Judd Farris (voice) and Laura Ray and Katy Taylor (Ahab), Moby Dick
Suzanne Balling, Joey Banks, Matt Connely, Jess Hughes, Stephen Mercantel, and Megan Rabuse, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe
Cristopher Jimenez and Gaby Tamayo, El Paraíso de los Maniquís
Lana Lesley and Hayley Armstrong, Requiem for Tesla

Puppetry
Atlantis: A Puppet Opera, ethos and Vortex Repertory Company
The Back Pack Presents: Throwing Shade, The Back Pack
Don Quixote de La Redo, Glass Half Full Theatre
Moby Dick, Trouble Puppet Theater Company

Theatrical Event
Ella, Proyecto Teatro and Lotus Contemporary Performing Arts
Moby Dick, Trouble Puppet Theater Company
Out of Ink 2017: Object Lessons, ScriptWorks
Requiem for Tesla, Rude Mechanicals

Featured Music Performance
Tosin Awofeso, Immigrants, the Musical! (Part 1)
Blair Bovbjerg and Graham Reynolds, Requiem for Tesla
Mercy Bovik, Amanda Clifton, Mariela Denson, Riley McCue, Amber Quick, Joseph Quintana, Allen Robertson, Diego Rodriguez, and Jerome Schoolar, Charlotte’s Web
Henna Chou, Steve Cruz, Ky Hote, Brittany Carson Koepp, and Seth Osborn, An Iliad
Justin Sherburn, Moby Dick

Featured Movement
Andy Agne, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade
Lilah Guaragna, A Shoe Story
Winnie Hsia, Charlotte’s Web
Sadé M. Jones, Ballot Eats the Bullet
Ginger Snaps, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

SPECIAL RECOGNITION CERTIFICATES
Zach Theatre for sensory-friendly performances: youth shows, Zach Theatre
Capital T Theatre for dramaturgy addressing mental-health resources: The Effect, Capital T Theatre
Jennifer Rose Davis and Blood and Glitter Makeup for wigs: The Revolutionists, Shrewd Productions