Dog days of summer notwithstanding, rumblings of the fall season are upon us, what with three new shows on Broadway, numerous regional venues finalizing their season schedules, and even an awards ceremony being readied. The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia has announced that the seventh annual Barrymore Awards ceremony for Excellence in Theatre will be held Oct. 22. Nominees in more than 20 categories will be announced at a press conference held Aug. 22, according to Alliance executive director Melissa Y. Shaner.
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The sixth annual Barrymore Awards ceremony was held Oct. 16, 2000 at the Irvine Auditorium of the University of Pennsylvania. The Wilma Theatre’s mounting of Tom Stoppard’s The Invention of Love, which led the field with eight nominations, scored biggest, nabbing awards for Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, Director (Blanka Zizka), Leading Actor (Martin Rayner) and Lighting Designer (Russell H. Champa). On the musical side, Dinah Was was singing anything but the blues, as it captured Overall Production of a Musical and Musical Leading Actress (E. Faye Butler) and Supporting Actress (Carla J. Hargrove) trophies.
The 2000 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre offered more than 20 categories, plus three special awards: a Lifetime Achievement honor to Adele Magner, of the Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival; the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, won by John Lumia; and The Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News Award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, which was given to the InterAct Theatre Company’s InterAction program.
Philadelphia Theatre Company had led the nominations with 16, followed closely behind by Walnut Street Theater (15) and the Arden Theatre Company (14). These were the 2000 Barrymore Award winners:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
THE INVENTION OF LOVE by Tom Stoppard (Wilma Theatre)
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
DINAH WAS: The Dinah Washington Musical, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Direction Of A Play
BLANKA ZIZKA, The Invention Of Love, The Wilma Theatre
Harold Prince Award For Outstanding Direction Of A Musical
BEN LEVITT, The Hidden Sky, Prince Music Theatre
Outstanding Leading Actor In A Play
MARTIN RAYNER, The Invention of Love, Wilma Theatre
Charlotte Cushman Award For Outstanding Leading Actress In A Play
RANDY DANSON, Wit, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Leading Actor In A Musical
CHRISTOPHER SUTTON, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, Walnut Street Theatre
Outstanding Leading Actress In A Musical
E. FAYE BUTLER, Dinah Was: The Dinah Washington Musical, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Play
IAN MERRILL PEAKES, Side Man, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Play
E.ASHLEY IZARD, Beyond Therapy, Lantern Theater Company
Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Musical
JOEL BLUM, The Tin Pan Alley Rag, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Musical
CARLA J. HARGROVE, Dinah Was: The Dinah Washington Musical, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Set Design
MICHAEL McGARTY, The Invention Of Love, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Lighting Design
RUSSELL H. CHAMPA, The Invention Of Love, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Costume Design
THEONI V. ALDREDGE and COLLEEN McMILLAN, La Cage Aux Folles, Walnut Street Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
WHIT MacLAUGHLIN, Drink Me, Interact Theatre Company
Outstanding Choreography
RICHARD STAFFORD, La Cage Aux Folles, Walnut Street Theatre
Outstanding Original Music
MICHAEL “HAWKEYE” HERMAN, El Paso Blue, Venture Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble
SIDE MAN, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding New Play
RED HERRING, Michael Hollinger, Arden Theatre Company
F. Otto Haas Award For Emerging Theatre Artist
JOHN LUMIA
Philadelphia Inquirer & Daily News Education And Community Service Award
INTERACT THEATER COMPANY, InterAction
Lifetime Achievement Award
ADELE MAGNER, Philadelphia Young Playwrights Festival
— By David Lefkowitz
and Ernio Hernandez