Honoring excellence in Philly area professional theatre (which includes Delware, suburban Philadelphia and parts of New Jersey), the 17th annual Barrymore Awards will be given out Oct. 3 at the Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. The awards represent work in the 2010-11 season.

The 2011 Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Harry Dietzler, executive and artistic director of Upper Darby Summer Stage. Golden Age, Master Class and Some Men playwright Terrence McNally will receive the Distinguished Artist Award, a new honor "recognizing theatre artists of national and international renown who choose to bring their talents to Philadelphia."

One performer will be competing against herself in a category: In Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play, Opal Alladin is nominated for work in In the Next Room, or the vibrator play (The Wilma Theater) and My Wonderful Day (The Wilma Theater). Likewise, set designer Brian Sidney Bembridge is twice-nominated (for Around the World in 80 Days by Delaware Theatre Company, and The Lieutenant of Inishmore by Theatre Exile).

When regional awards ceremonies include a category recognizing new works, it generally indicates the health of a theatre community. Five new scripts were nominated for the Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play: Jacqueline Goldfinger's the terrible girls by Azuka Theatre; D.W. Gregory's Molumby's Million by The Centre Theater; Michael Hollinger's Ghost-Writer by Arden Theatre Company; David Ingram, Anthony Lawton, Jennifer Childs, & Dave Jadico's Our Show of Shows by 1812 Productions; and Tarell Alvin McCraney's Run, Mourner, Run by Flashpoint Theatre Company."

The Brown Martin Philadelphia Award, established in 2007 "to honor those plays that best lead audiences to a better understanding of the unique experiences that make up our diverse global community," comes with a monetary prize "to support a continued focus on producing plays that help us better appreciate unique points of view, and heal the divisiveness that springs from intolerance and fear." This year's nominees are Love and Communication by Passage Theatre, Lydia at Amaryllis Theatre Company, Race by the Philadelphia Theatre Company, Superior Donuts by the Arden Theatre Company, Young Voices and Monologues at Philadelphia Young Playwrights. Nominees for The F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, which includes a $10,000 cash prize, are Charlotte Ford, James Ijames, Rob McClure, Steve Pacek and Thom Weaver.

Nominees for the 2011 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre

OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company
My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater
The Lieutenant of Inishmore — Theatre Exile

OUTSTANDING OVERALL PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
The Great American Trailer Park Musical — 11th Hour Theatre Company & Montgomery Theater
The Threepenny Opera — Arden Theatre Company

INDEPENDENCE FOUNDATION AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Jacqueline Goldfinger — the terrible girls — Azuka Theatre
D. W. Gregory — Molumby's Million —The Centre Theater
Michael Hollinger — Ghost-Writer — Arden Theatre Company
David Ingram, Anthony Lawton, Jennifer Childs, & Dave Jadico — Our Show of Shows — 1812 Productions
Tarell Alvin McCraney — Run, Mourner, Run — Flashpoint Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Leonard Foglia — Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company
Richard Hamburger — My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater
Matt Pfeiffer — The Lieutenant of Inishmore — Theatre Exile
Aaron Posner — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Blanka Zizka — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Matthew Decker — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Anne Kauffman — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Bruce Lumpkin — Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
Terrence J. Nolen — The Threepenny Opera — Arden Theatre Company
Megan Nicole O'Brien — The Great American Trailer Park Musical — 11th Hour Theatre Company & Montgomery Theater

OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Charlie DelMarcelle — Dublin by Lamplight — Inis Nua Theatre Company
Dan Hodge — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
James Ijames — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Jeremiah Wiggins — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Greg Wood — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company

THE CHARLOTTE CUSHMAN AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Farah Bala — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Grace Gonglewski — A Moon for the Misbegotten — Arden Theatre Company
Kate Eastwood Norris — Lucy — Delaware Theatre Company
Lavita Shaurice — My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater
Catharine Slusar — Iron — Theatre Exile
Anna Deavere Smith — Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company

GARFIELD REFINING COMPANY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Scott Greer — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Damon Kirsche — A Passing Wind — Kimmel Center
Mel Sagrado Maghuyop — Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
Rob McClure — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Stephen Schellhardt — Little Women — Bristol Riverside Theatre

GARFIELD REFINING COMPANY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Melinda Chua — Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
Jennie Eisenhower — Little Women — Bristol Riverside Theatre
Mary Martello — The Threepenny Opera — Arden Theatre Company
Ali Stroker — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Philadelphia Theatre Company
Leah Walton — The Great American Trailer Park Musical — 11th Hour Theatre Company & Montgomery Theater

EARL GIRLS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Brian Sidney Bembridge — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Brian Sidney Bembridge — The Lieutenant of Inishmore — Theatre Exile
Alexis Distler — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Riccardo Hernandez — Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company
Louisa Thompson — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company

PECO AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Paul Black — The 39 Steps — Walnut Street Theatre
Jerold R. Forsyth — Ghost-Writer — Arden Theatre Company
John Hoey — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Dan Ozminkowski — Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company
Thom Weaver — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Oana Botez-Ban — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Olivera Gajic — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Rachel Healy — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Marla Jurglanis — Legacy of Light — People's Light & Theatre
Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind — Ghost-Writer — Arden Theatre Company

CLEAR SOUND AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN AND ORIGINAL MUSIC
Christopher Colucci — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
John Lionarons — Dublin by Lamplight — Inis Nua Theatre Company
Chas Marsh — Between Trains — Gas & Electric Arts
Andre Pluess — Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Ryan Rumery — Let Me Down Easy — Philadelphia Theatre Company
Mat Wright — Marat/Sade — EgoPo Classic Theater

OUTSTANDING MUSIC DIRECTION
Alex Bechtel — My Way: A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra — Walnut Street Theatre
Dan Kazemi — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Douglass G. Lutz — Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
Ryan Touhey — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Mat Wright — Marat/Sade — EgoPo Classic Theater

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT
John V. Bellomo — Superior Donuts — Arden Theatre Company
Samantha Bellomo — The Adventures of Tom Sawyer — People's Light & Theatre
Jenny Jacobs & John V. Bellomo — The Beaux' Stratagem — Villanova Theatre
Jenn Rose — The Great American Trailer Park Musical — 11th Hour Theatre Company & Montgomery Theater
Waldo Warshaw & Aaron Cromie — The Lieutenant of Inishmore — Theatre Exile

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Pearce Bunting — The Lieutenant of Inishmore — Theatre Exile
Dan Hodge — The 39 Steps — Walnut Street Theatre
James Ijames — Superior Donuts — Arden Theatre Company
Anthony Lawton — Our Show of Shows — 1812 Productions
Luigi Sottile — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Opal Alladin — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Opal Alladin — My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater
Krista Apple — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Kate Czajkowski — In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
Kelly O'Sullivan — My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Carl Clemons-Hopkins — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Aaron Cromie — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Michael Doherty — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Steve Pacek — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Kim Sullivan — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Rachel Camp — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Kim Carson — Little Women — Bristol Riverside Theatre
Jennie Eisenhower — The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
Alex Keiper — The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
Elisa Matthews — Little Women — Bristol Riverside Theatre

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
Around the World in 80 Days — Delaware Theatre Company
Art — Act II Playhouse
Dublin by Lamplight — Inis Nua Theatre Company
In the Next Room, or the vibrator play — The Wilma Theater
My Wonderful Day — The Wilma Theater

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
Little Women — Bristol Riverside Theatre
Miss Saigon — Walnut Street Theatre
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee — Theatre Horizon
The Flea and the Professor — Arden Theatre Company
The Great American Trailer Park Musical — 11th Hour Theatre Company & Montgomery Theater

F. OTTO HAAS AWARD FOR AN EMERGING PHILADELPHIA THEATRE ARTIST
Charlotte Ford
James Ijames
Rob McClure
Steve Pacek
Thom Weaver

BROWN MARTIN PHILADELPHIA AWARD
Amaryllis Theatre Company — Lydia
Arden Theatre Company — Superior Donuts
Passage Theatre — Love and Communication
Philadelphia Theatre Company — Race
Philadelphia Young Playwrights — Young Voices and Monologues

TED AND STEVIE WOLF AWARD FOR NEW APPROACHES TO COLLABORATIONS
Robert Smythe and the Chamber Orchestra of Philadelphia — Stravinsky's l'Histoire du Soldat — Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts

EXCELLENCE IN THEATRE EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD
Otis Hackney — Principal, South Philadelphia High School — The Wilma Theater/1812 Productions/Philadelphia Young Playwrights

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Harry Dietzler ― Executive and Artistic Director, Upper Darby Summer Stage

BARRYMORE TRIBUTE FOR A DISTINGUISHED ARTIST IN THE THEATRE
Terrence McNally ― Playwright