Nominations for the 16th annual awards, celebrating excellence in Philly-area theatre, including Delaware, central Jersey and suburban Philadelphia, were revealed Aug. 2. The awards will be handed out Oct. 4.
A new production of the Broadway flop The Story of My Life was rediscovered by Act II Playhouse in Ambler, PA, and earned Barrymore noms for Best Musical Production, Best Ensemble of a Musical and Best Direction. Bud Martin, the ACT II artistic director who was also one of the producers of the Broadway run, directed.
A city's ability to support new plays generally speaks to the good health of its theatre community. In the category of Best New Play, the nominees are Any Given Monday by Bruce Graham (Act II Playhouse & Theatre Exile), Cabinet of Wonders, An Impossible History by Kira Obolensky (Gas & Electric Arts), Grace, or the Art of Climbing by Lauren Feldman (Nice People Theatre Company), Welcome to Yuba City by Pig Iron Theatre Company & Deborah Stein (Pig Iron Theatre Company) and When We Go Upon the Sea By Lee Blessing (InterAct Theatre Company). The Philly production of Blessing's play moved to a limited Off-Broadway engagement.
Among the nationally known artists nominated this year are actors Mark Jacoby, Hugh Panaro, Paul Schoeffler and director Joe Calarco. Local favorites (and previous nominees or winners) who were nommed this year include composer-lyricist Michael Ogborn, actress Mary Martello, actor Ben Dibble, actor Scott Greer, actor Pete Pryor, musical director Eric Ebbenga and sound designer/composer Christopher Colucci, among others.
The Barrymores are administered by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. Visit theatrealliance.org. 2010 Barrymore Award Nominees
Overall Production of a Play
Becky Shaw The Wilma Theater
The Breath of Life Lantern Theater Company
The History Boys Arden Theatre Company
If You Give a Mouse a Cookie Arden Theatre Company
Welcome to Yuba City Pig Iron Theatre Company
Direction of a Play
Gabriel Quinn Bauriedel Welcome to Yuba City/Pig Iron Theatre Company
James J. Christy Rabbit Hole/Arden Theatre Company
Walter Dallas Blue Door/Arden Theatre Company
Madi Distefano A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano/Brat Productions
Anne Kauffman Becky Shaw/Wilma Theater
Direction of a Musical
Joe Calarco The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Bruce Lumpkin Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Bud Martin The Story of My Life/Act II Playhouse
Kimberly Reilly & Matt Silva Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat/Devon Theater
Richard Stafford Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Walnut Street Theatre
Music Direction
Patrick Brady Closer Than Ever/Bristol Riverside Theatre
Eric Ebbenga The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Eric Ebbenga Sunday in the Park with George/Arden Theatre Company
Douglass G. Lutz Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Collin Maier Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat/Devon Theater
Leading Actor in a Play
Jeremy Bobb as Max Garrett Becky Shaw/Wilma Theater
Tony Braithwaite as Sam Fully Committed/Montgomery Theater
Keith J. Conallen as Stephen The Long Christmas Ride Home/Azuka Theatre
Scott Greer as John Shining City/Theatre Exile
Steve Pacek as Mouse If You Give a Mouse a Cookie/Arden Theatre Company
Leading Actress in a Play
Grace Gonglewski as Becca Rabbit Hole/Arden Theatre Company
Patrice Johnson as Veronica Coming Home/Wilma Theater
Ceal Phelan as Madeleine The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
Mary Elizabeth Scallen as Winnie Happy Days/Lantern Theater Company
Cheryl Williams as Frances The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
C. Kelly Wright as Pearl Johnson Black Pearl Sings!/InterAct Theatre Company
Leading Actor in a Musical
Ben Dibble as Freddy Benson Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Walnut Street Theatre
Mark Jacoby as Tevye Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Steve Pacek as Seymour Little Shop of Horrors/11th Hour Theatre Company & Theatre Horizon
Hugh Panaro as Fagin Oliver!/Walnut Street Theatre
Paul Schoeffler as Lawrence Jameson Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Walnut Street Theatre
Leading Actress in a Musical
Janine DiVita as Nancy Oliver!/Walnut Street Theatre
Sherri L. Edelen as Margaret Johnson The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Liz Filios as Narrator Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat/Devon Theater
Maggie Lakis as Audrey Little Shop of Horrors/11th Hour Theatre Company & Theatre Horizon
Mary Martello as Golde Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Supporting Actor in a Play
Peter DeLaurier as Kent King Lear/People's Light & Theatre Company
Andrew Kane as Hotspur, Ensemble Henry IV, Part I/Lantern Theater Company
Kes Khemnu as Simon, Rex, Jesse Blue Door/Arden Theatre Company
Stephen Novelli as Gloucester King Lear/People's Light & Theatre Company
Pete Pryor as Mickey Any Given Monday/Act II Playhouse & Theatre Exile
Supporting Actress in a Play
Brooke Bloom as Becky Shaw Becky Shaw/Wilma Theater
Kim Carson as Cordelia King Lear/People's Light & Theatre Company
Janis Dardaris as Susan Slater Becky Shaw/Wilma Theater
Charlotte Ford Welcome to Yuba City/Pig Iron Theatre Company
Sarah Sanford as Wendy Hunter Gatherers/Theatre Exile
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Nick Dalton as Perchik Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Charles Pistone as Signor Naccarelli, et al. The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Fran Prisco as André Thibault Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Walnut Street Theatre
Matthew Scott as Fabrizio Naccarelli The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Marcus Stevens as Motel Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Whitney Bashor as Clara Johnson The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Jennie Eisenhower as Julie Show Boat/Media Theatre
Rita Markova as Tzeitel Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Mary Martello as Muriel Dirty Rotten Scoundrels/Walnut Street Theatre
Gianna Yanelli as Hodel Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Set Design
Michael Fagin The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
David P. Gordon If You Give a Mouse a Cookie/Arden Theatre Company
Dave Jadico The Foocy/Delaware Theatre Company
Mimi Lien Becky Shaw/Wilma Theater
Mimi Lien Welcome to Yuba City/Pig Iron Theatre Company
Lighting Design
Jack Jacobs Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
R. Lee Kennedy The Light in the Piazza/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Thom Weaver Blue Door/Arden Theatre Company
Thom Weaver The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
Thom Weaver The Foocy/Delaware Theatre Company
Outstanding Costume Design
Colleen Grady Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Mark Mariani The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
Rosemarie E. McKelvey Snow White/People's Light & Theatre Company
Rosemarie E. McKelvey Sunday in the Park with George/Arden Theatre Company
Richard St. Clair Golden Age/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Sound Design
Christopher Colucci The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
Christopher Colucci The Long Christmas Ride Home/Azuka Theatre
Jorge Cousineau The History Boys/Arden Theatre Company
Mark Valenzuela The Story of My Life/Act II Playhouse
Ryan Rumery Golden Age/Philadelphia Theatre Company
Original Music
Christopher Colucci The Breath of Life/Lantern Theater Company
Christopher Colucci Rabbit Hole/Arden Theatre Company
Tim Harbeson Cabinet of Wonders, An Impossible History/Gas & Electric Arts
Robert Kaplowitz Blue Door/Arden Theatre Company
Michael Ogborn Snow White/People's Light & Theatre Company
Choreography/Movement
John Bellomo & Tony "Hitman" Stetson The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity/InterAct Theatre Company
John Bellomo Hunter Gatherers/Theatre Exile
J. Alex Cordaro Henry IV, Part I/Lantern Theater Company
Michelle Gaudette Fiddler on the Roof/Walnut Street Theatre
Angela Pomo Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat/Devon Theater
New Play
Any Given Monday By Bruce Graham/Act II Playhouse & Theatre Exile
Cabinet of Wonders, An Impossible History By Kira Obolensky/Gas & Electric Arts
Grace, or the Art of Climbing By Lauren Feldman/Nice People Theatre Company
Welcome to Yuba City By Pig Iron Theatre Company & Deborah Stein/Pig Iron Theatre Company
When We Go Upon the Sea By Lee Blessing/InterAct Theatre Company
Ensemble in a Play
A 24-Hour The Bald Soprano Brat Productions
Becky Shaw Wilma Theater
The Breath of Life Lantern Theater Company
The History Boys Arden Theatre Company
Welcome to Yuba City Pig Iron Theatre Company
Ensemble in a Musical
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee Montgomery Theater
Fiddler on the Roof Walnut Street Theatre
Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Devon Theater
The Light in the Piazza Philadelphia Theatre Company
The Story of My Life Act II Playhouse
The Brown Martin Philadelphia Award
Black Pearl Sings InterAct Theatre Company
Language Rooms Wilma Theater
Nathan the Wise People's Light & Theatre Company
The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations
Enchantment Theatre Company & The Philadelphia Orchestra The Firebird
InterAct Theatre Company & Mural Arts Program City of Numbers
Lantern Theater Company & DaVinci Art Alliance Henry IV, Part I
Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award
812 Productions – 1812 Outreach
B. Someday Productions – Of Mythic Proportions
Philadelphia Young Playwrights – Annual Playwriting Festival
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Theatre Artist
James Ijames
Steve Pacek
Sarah Sanford
Amanda Schoonover
Thom Weaver
Special Recognition Award
Pete Pryor/Lunt-Fontanne Fellowship recipient