A musical about the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's infant son, a two-actor play about racism within the black community and a revival of a Peter Shaffer classic were big winners Oct. 7 at the 2002 Barrymore Awards, celebrating the best of the Philadelphia theatre season.
The awards — including multiple nods to Baby Case, Yellowman and Equus, respectively — were handed out Oct. 7 at the Zellerbach Theatre in the City of Brotherly Love.
The Wilma Theater staging of Dael Orlandersmith's Pulitzer Prize finalist, Yellowman, which is currently playing at Manhattan Theatre Club following a post-Philly tour of regional houses, won Barrymores for actress-playwright Orlandersmith, in the categories of Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play and Outstanding New Play.
The Mum Puppettheatre staging of Equus, Shaffer's dark investigation of a young man's psyche, won Barrymores in the categories of Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, Outstanding Direction of a Play, Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play (Tobias Segal as Alan Strang), Outstanding Choreography/Movement (Robert Smythe, besting competitors that were musical projects), Outstanding Ensemble in a Play.
The Arden Theatre Company's staging of Baby Case a musical fantasia about the media hype and public interest in the murder of Charles Lindbergh Jr., won for Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical (Scott Greer, who also nabbed the F. Otto Haas Award for an emerging Philly artist), Outstanding Original Music (by Philly native composer-lyricist-librettist Michael Ogborn) and Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical. The respected North American actor Douglas Campbell won the Barrymore for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play, for acting the imperious and broken "Sir" in Bristol Riverside Theatre's the Dresser.
Local actor Tony Braithwaite hosted the awards, which are now in their eighth year. The awards are administered by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia.
The 2002 Barrymore Award nominees and winners (indicated in bold-face type) are:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
The Dresser, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
The Play About the Baby, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Flop, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Yellowman, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Myths and Hymns, Prince Music Theater
Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Forever Plaid, Walnut Street Theatre Studio 3
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Edward Keith Baker, The Dresser, Bristol Riverside Theatre
James J. Christy, The Merchant of Venice, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
Dan Rothenberg, Flop, Pig Iron Theatre Company
William Roudebush, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Blanka Zizka, Yellowman, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Terrence J. Nolen, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Dale Sandish, Forever Plaid, Walnut Street Theatre – Studio 3
Ted Sperling, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Eric Rosen, Myths and Hymns, Prince Music Theater
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play
Douglas Campbell, The Dresser, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Lenny Haas, The Dresser, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Paul Meshejian, The Merchant of Venice, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
Howard Overshown, Yellowman, The Wilma Theater
Greg Wood, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play
Janis Dardaris, Playhouse Creatures, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
Dael Orlandersmith, Yellowman, The Wilma Theater
Karen Vicks, Pretty Fire, Act II Playhouse
Grace Zandarski, Indian Ink, The Wilma Theater
Zuhairah, Sojourner, Hedgerow Theatre/First World Theatre Ensemble
Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical
Jeffrey Coon, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Scott Greer, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Darren Lenz, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Jamie Torcellini, Damn Yankees, Walnut Street Theatre
Greg Wood, James Joyce’s The Dead, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical
Charlotte Cloe Fox, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Jackeé Harry, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill, Delaware Theatre Company
Cherry Jones, Lysistrata, Prince Music Theater
Andrea Marcovicci, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Elizabeth Sastre, Camila, Walnut Street Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Paul Nolan, The Birthday Party, Lantern Theater Company
John Peakes, King Lear, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival
Peter Pryor, The Lonesome West, Act II Playhouse
Tobias Segal, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Geoff Sobelle, As You Like It, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Hazel Bowers, The Birthday Party, Lantern Theater Company
Mollie Hall, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival
Mary Martello, A Suite in Two Keys, Walnut Street Theatre Studio 3
Amanda Schoonover, The Loyalist, Fictitious Theatre Company
Dana Tretta, Tartuffe, Villanova Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Mike Dees, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Ben Dibble, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Marshall Drew, Forever Plaid, Walnut Street Theatre Studio 3
Richard Ruiz, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Richard White, A Little Night Music, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Alma Cuervo, Damn Yankees, Walnut Street Theatre
Kristine Fraelich, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Tracie Higgins, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
Cheryl Mazzarini, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Maureen Mueller, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Outstanding Set Design
Nels Anderson, The Dresser, Bristol Riverside Theatre
David P. Gordon, Indian Ink, The Wilma Theater
James F. Pyne, Jr., The Merchant of Venice, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
James Shuette, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Tony Straiges, The Play About the Baby, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Lighting Design
Russell H. Champa, Patience, The Wilma Theater
Chris Ellis, Great Expectations, Walnut Street Theatre
James Ingalls, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Jerold Forsyth, Indian Ink, The Wilma Theater
Troy Martin O’Shia, Myths and Hymns, Prince Music Theater
Outstanding Costume Design
David Belugou, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Marla Jurglanis, Playhouse Creatures, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
Susan Smythe, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Janus Stefanowicz, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Niki Turner, Great Expectations, Walnut Street Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
Aaron Cromie, William Roudebush, Robert Smythe, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Whit MacLaughlin, This Mansion is a Hole, New Paradise Laboratories
John Mock, The Dresser – Bristol Riverside Theatre
James Sugg, As You Like It, Arden Theatre Company
James Sugg, Flop, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Outstanding Original Music
Obadiah Eaves, King Lear, Philadelphia Shakespeare Festival
Adam Guettel, Myths and Hymns, Prince Music Theater
Robert Maggio, The Merchant of Venice, The People’s Light & Theatre Company
Michael Ogborn, Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
James Sugg, As You Like It, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Choreography/Movement
Myra Bazell, Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Nichole Canuso, Emmanuelle Delpeche, Lee Ann Etzold, Dan Rothenberg, Flop, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Joseph Chaikin/Pig Iron Theatre Company, Shut Eye, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Patricia Scott Hobbs, Black Nativity, Freedom Repertory Theatre
Robert La Fosse, Lady in the Dark, Prince Music Theater
Robert Smythe, Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Outstanding New Play Baby Case, Book, music and lyrics by Michael Ogborn, Arden Theatre Company
Missing Link, By Seth Rozin, InterAct Theatre Company
Flop, conceived and created by Pig Iron Theatre Company
Camila, book, music and lyrics by Lori McKelvey, Walnut Street Theatre
Yellowman by Dael Orlandersmith, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
Over the River and Through the Woods, Act II Playhouse
Through the Looking Glass, Lantern Theater Company
Equus, Mum Puppettheatre
Flop, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Shut Eye, Pig Iron Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Act II Playhouse
Baby Case, Arden Theatre Company
James Joyce’s The Dead, Arden Theatre Company
Chicago, Villanova Theatre
Forever Plaid, Walnut Street Theatre Studio 3
Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service:
InterAction – InterAct Theatre Company
1812 Outreach – 1812 Productions
Performing Arts Training Program – Freedom Theatre, Inc.
2nd Stage Program – Theater Catalyst, Inc.
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist:
Jorge Cousineau
Nick Embree
Scott Greer
Ian Merrill Peakes
Elizabeth Webster
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Marcia Salvatore
For more information about the Barrymores, visit www.theatrealliance.org.
