Helen Edmundson's Irish historical drama, The Clearing, and the Goodspeed Opera House's revival of Betty Comden-Adolph Green-Cy Coleman's musical comedy, On the Twentieth Century, were the big winners at the Connecticut Critics Circle Awards, presented June 20 in New Haven.
The Clearing won four awards, including Outstanding Play, Outstanding Actress for Alyssa Bresnahan, and Outstanding Director Tracy Brigden (a tie with Doug Hughes for another Irish play, Playboy of the Western World). Twentieth Century took three awards, including Outstanding Production of Musical and an Outstanding Actor nod for Mark Jacoby.
Instituted in 1991, the Connecticut Critics Circle Awards voting body includes 18 members drawn from over 30 newspapers, radio stations and other media throughout the state. Theatres eligible for the awards are Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Downtown Cabaret Theatre, Goodspeed Opera House, Hartford Stage Company, Ivoryton Playhouse, Long Wharf Theatre, Seven Angels Theatre, Shakespeare on the Sound, Stamford Theatre Works, TheatreWorks (Hartford), Westport Country Playhouse and Yale Repertory Theatre plus the four tour houses, the Bushnell, Oakdale, Shubert and Stamford Center for the Performing Arts.
The 1999 winners of the Connecticut Critics Circle Awards are: Outstanding Production of a Play:
The Clearing, Hartford Stage
Outstanding Production of a Musical:
On the Twentieth Century, Goodspeed Opera House
Outstanding Actress in a Play
Alyssa Bresnahan, The Clearing
Outstanding Actor in a Play:
Edward Hibbert, The Importance of Being Earnest, Long Wharf
Outstanding Actress in a Musical:
Karen Kandel, Peter and Wendy, Yale Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Actors in a Musical: Mark Jacoby, On the Twentieth Century
Ron Wisniski, Damn Yankees, Downtown Cabaret Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble:
Todd Anthony-Jackson, David Barrus, Stan W. Bayley, Joe Beaudin, Heather Britton-Schroger, Beth Carusillo, Rob Gil, Stephen Graybill, Bobby Moynihan, Jr., The Boys Next Door, Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Directors of a Play:
Outstanding Director of a Musical:
Lee Breuer, Peter and Wendy
Outstanding Choreography:
Peggy Hickey, On the Twentieth Century
Outstanding Set Design:
Warren Karp, A Rosen by Any Other Name and The Grandmama Tree, Stamford Theatre Works
Outstanding Costume Design:
Jane Greenwood, Hay Fever, Yale Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design:
Howell Binkley, The Clearing
Outstanding Sound Design:
David Van Tieghem, The Grey Zone, Long Wharf Theatre
Outstanding Road Show:
Barrymore, Shubert Performing Arts Center
The Tom Killen Memorial Award:
Semina DeLaurentis, Artistic Director, Seven Angels Theatre
Lucille Lortel Debut Award:
Kelli O'Hara, Phantom, Downtown Cabaret Theatre
Lifetime Achievement Award:
Al Pia, Director, Drama Department, Staples High School, Westport, and founder, Sterling Barn Theatre, Stamford.
-- By Christine Ehren
