More than 350 revelers were in attendance at The Fox Theatre Nov. 5 to honor Atlanta theaters best and brightest at the third annual Suzi Bass Awards. The awards committee was formed three years ago to foster and recognize professional theatrical excellence in the Atlanta area while honoring the memory of late Atlanta actress Suzi Bass. The awards are the city’s only ones given for professional theater.
Theatre in the Square was the most awarded theater with eight Suzis: four for Turned Funny (Lead Actress Linda Stephens, Featured Actress Jill Jane Clements, Best Director Fred Chappell and Outstanding Production) and another four awards for Mount Pleasant Homecoming (Featured Actress Jennifer Akin, Featured Actor Alan Kilpatrick, Outstanding Ensemble-Musical and Outstanding Music Direction from Michael Monroe). Synchronicity Performance Group was another big winner with three Suzis for A Year With Frog and Toad (Outstanding Musical, Outstanding Director-Musical Clint Thornton and Outstanding Costume Design from Katherine Callahan) and an Outstanding Scenic Design Award for Lisa Johnson’s work on Voices Underwater .
The Alliance Theatre, recipient of this year’s Tony Award, received Suzis for lighting design (William H. Grant III for Elliot, A Soldier’s Fugue ), sound design (Clay Benning/Kendall Simpson for False Creeds ) and Outstanding Featured Actor (Neal A. Ghant in Glengarry Glen Ross ). The Spirit of Suzi Award went to Jerry’s Habima Theatre, which produces shows featuring disabled performers working alongside professional ones. The Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwrighting Award went to Eddie Levi Lee and Larry Larson for Charm School , produced by Horizon Theatre Company.
