Winners of Final Barrymore Awards Under Philly Alliance Announced; Scottsboro Boys, Body Awareness Embraced

By Kenneth Jones
September 25, 2012

Winners of the 2012 Barrymore Awards, celebrating excellence in Philadelphia-area theatre, were announced Sept. 25. Productions of The Scottsboro Boys, Twelfth Night and Body Awareness are among winners in what is the final edition of the annual awards administered by the Theater Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.

"While the Theatre Alliance is in the final stages of operations and unable to produce a ceremony to celebrate this year's Barrymore winners, the board of the Alliance is still thrilled to recognize the outstanding theatre work that took place in our region over the last year," said consultant Martin Cohen of the Cultural Planning Group, who was brought in to facilitate the closure of the Alliance.

The nominees were selected by an independent committee of 62 voters who each saw 8 of the 141 shows nominated this year.

A limited reception will be held Oct. 22 in the Perelman Theater at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, where the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented posthumously to Jiri Zizka, co-founder of The Wilma Theatre; and the winners of The Brown Martin Philadelphia Award and F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist will be announced.

According to a statement, "The Theatre Alliance Board announced on April 11, 2012, that it has accomplished its mission and determined that the important work of the Alliance — to engage new theatre audiences and provide support for the extraordinary work of the community — could be accomplished more efficiently and more effectively by other organizations in the community. Consistent with this resolution, the Alliance has been engaged in an effort to work with other area organizations to ensure that the programs valued by the industry continue and grow. It is anticipated that the Theatre Alliance will fully cease operations no later than the end of the calendar year."

This is the only comprehensive awards program in the region, recognizing artistic excellence in theatre. Since 1995, the Barrymore Awards have recognized 65 organizations, 633 productions, and 867artists for the excellence they have brought to the theatre of Greater Philadelphia.

2012 BARRYMORE AWARDS WINNERS

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play: Body Awareness - The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: The Scottsboro Boys - Philadelphia Theatre Company

Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play: Jacqueline Goldfinger - Slip/Shot - Flashpoint Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction of a Play: Anne Kauffman - Body Awareness - The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Director of a Musical: Joe Calarco - Ordinary Days - 11th Hour Theatre Company

Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play: Richard Poe - The Outgoing Tide - Philadelphia Theatre Company

The Charlotte Cushman Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play: Mary Martello - Body Awareness - The Wilma Theater

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical: Rodney Hicks - The Scottsboro Boys - Philadelphia Theatre Company

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical: Barbara D. Mills - Crowns - Delaware Theatre Company

Earl Girls Award for Outstanding Set Design: David Gordon - The Outgoing Tide - Philadelphia Theatre Company

PECO Award for Outstanding Lighting Design: Thom Weaver - Knives in Hens - Theatre Exile

Outstanding Costume Design: Olivera Gajic - Twelfth Night - Pig Iron Theatre Company

Clear Sound Award for Outstanding Sound Design: Christopher Colucci & Daniel Perelstein - Knives in Hens - Theatre Exile

Outstanding Original Music: Rosie Langabeer - Twelfth Night - Pig Iron Theatre Company

Outstanding Music Direction: Rosie Langabeer - Twelfth Night - Pig Iron Theatre Company

Outstanding Choreography/Movement: Brett Cassidy - Twelfth Night - Pig Iron Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play: James Ijames - Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches - The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play: Genevieve Perrier - Reasons to be Pretty - Philadelphia Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical: Forrest McClendon - The Scottsboro Boys - Philadelphia Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical: Manna Nichols - The King and I - Walnut Street Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play: Body Awareness – The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical: The Scottsboro Boys – Philadelphia Theatre Company