Aurora, Alliance win big at raucous 2012 Suzi awards

Aurora Theatre in Lawrenceville, and Atlanta’s big dog, the Alliance Theatre, stole the show this week as Atlanta’s professional  theater community honored its own at the eighth annual Suzi Bass Awards. The high-spirited evening was hosted by actor-comedian Rob Cleveland in a stylin’ tux accessorized in red, and the women of  the new (ish) Twisted Sisters Theatre Project — Kelly Criss, Veronika Duerr, Jaclyn Hofmann and Megan Rose Houchins. It featured numbers from the outstanding musical nominees, plenty of comedy and more than one heartfelt speech.

An “in memoriam” section remembered Jane Bishop, a longtime administrator at the Alliance Theatre and True Colors Theatre Company;  actor and clown Vincenzo Tortorici; and Susan Weiner, the first female mayor in Savannah and former executive director of the Georgia Council for the Arts, all of whom died this year.

For the first time the Suzis ceremony was livestreamed; it is still available but, because of Actors’ Equity and SAG-AFTRA rules, the livestream does not include the musical numbers. A total of 21 metro theaters are Suzi eligible.

Aurora Theatre, run by Anthony Rodriguez and Ann-Carol Pence, won six 2012 Suzis for its world premiere musical Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale — outstanding director/musical (New Yorker Lonny Price), featured actress (Karen Howell as town ringleader Martha), featured actor (Bryant Smith as Buck Barrow), music direction (Pence) and sound design (Bobby Johnston). It also won the Audience Choice Award, voted on by the public through donations to the Suzis, which are named after popular performer Suzi Bass, who touched and tickled many before passing away in 2002. At $1 per vote, the Audience Choice Award raised $4,000 for the Suzis.

Actor’s Express took home the trophy for outstanding musical for Spring Awakening, about teenage angst in 19th-century Germany.

The Alliance also won seven Suzis, including Tess Malis Kincaid’s third straight award for lead actress in a play (Broke by Atlanta playwright Janece Shaffer). Kincaid won last year for the Alliance’s August: Osage County and in 2010 for Good Boys and True at Actor’s Express. Husband Mark Kincaid made it a family affair, winning the award for outstanding actor/play for his work in Serenbe Playhouse’s Shipwrecked: An Entertainment.

The Alliance’s other Suzis: outstanding ensemble/play for The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls; costumes/musical for Lex Liang and Into the Woods; lights/musical for Robert Wierzel and Adam Larsen in Ghost Brothers of Darkland County; scenic design/musical for Todd Rosenthal and Ghost Brothers; costume design/play for Ivan Ingermann and Fairytale Lives; and sound design/play for Kendall Simpson and Adair Mallory with I Just Stopped By to See the Man.

Theatrical Outfit’s Red, a piece about artist Mark Rothko, was named outstanding play and its Jimi Kocina, as Rothko’s young assistant, was named outstanding featured actor/play.

Several special Suzis were awarded. Janece Shaffer won the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwrighting Award for Broke, her almost-too-close-for-comfort story about what happens when the indispensable in corporate America become dispensable. The award is named for one of the founders of the Suzis. (Shaffer also won the award in 2oo9 and 2010 for Brownie Points and Managing Maxine, respectively.) A lifetime achievement went to New American Shakespeare Tavern resident costume designer Anne Carole Butler; volunteer of the year to the Tavern’s Sandra Meierhofer; and the Spirit of Suzi to co-founder Palmer Wells on behalf of Marietta’s Theatre in the Square, which finished a 30-year run last season.

A complete list of winners follows, along with nominees in each category, so you can look for your favorites and see how your own votes would have stacked up. Winners names are in bold.

Outstanding musical

• Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding director — musical

• Alexander Greenfield, Sweeney Todd at Fabrefaction Theatre
• Dustin Lewis, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Freddie Ashley, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Lonny Price, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Ricardo Aponte, Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding lead actress — musical

• Claci Miller-Juday, Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Courtney Patterson, Illyria: A Twelfth Night Musical at Georgia Shakespeare
• Ingrid Cole, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Kylie Brown, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Laura Floyd, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre

Outstanding lead actor — musical

• Clint Thornton, Sweeney Todd at Fabrefaction Theatre
• J.C. Long, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Jordan Craig, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Michael Stiggers, Pippin at Legacy Theatre
• Stephen Mitchell Brown, Jane Eyre: The Musical at Legacy Theatre

Outstanding featured actress — musical

• Anna Kimmell, Illyria: A Twelfth Night Musical at Georgia Shakespeare
• Caitlin Smith, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Jill Ginsberg, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Karen Howell, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale
• Marcie Millard,Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre

Outstanding featured actor — musical

• Alan Kilpatrick, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Bart Hansard, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Bryant Smith, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale
• Greg Bosworth, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Travis Smith, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at the Alliance Theatre

Outstanding ensemble — musical

• Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Atlanta Lyric Theatre: Kayce Grogan-Wallace, Kenya Hamilton, Eric Moore, Jevares C. Myrick and D. Woods
• Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Legacy Theatre: Amy Alford, Mac Clark, Eean Cochran, Clint Diaz, Dave Dorrell, Patrick Dyer, Michael Ferraro, Alejandro Gutierrez, Dylan Hauek, Jeremiah Hobbs, Taylor Hunt, Danielle Johnson, Nathan Lubeck, Mandy Mitchell, Victoria Norman, Allysa O’Donnell, Rachel Shaw, Mark Smith, Justin Thompson, Kyle Whitaker, Kyle Williams
• Motherhood the Musical at GFour Productions: Ingrid Cole, Mary Kathryn Kaye, Jewel Lucien, and Lisa Manuli

Outstanding costume design — musical

• Erik Teague, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Joanna Schmink, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Lex Liang, Into the Woods at the Alliance Theatre
• Lindsey G. Paris, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Patricia M. Wesp, Illyria: A Twelfth Night Musical at Georgia Shakespeare

Outstanding lighting design — musical

• Bradley Bergeron, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Jeff Martin, Sweeney Todd at Fabrefaction Theatre
• Joseph P. Monaghan III, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Ken Yunker, Into the Woods at the Alliance Theatre
• Robert Wierzel and Adam Larsen, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at the Alliance

Outstanding scenic design — musical

• J. David Blatt, Illyria: A Twelfth Night Musical at Georgia Shakespeare
• Phillip Male, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Seamus M. Bourne, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express
• Todd Rosenthal, Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at the Alliance Theatre
• Todd Rosenthal, Into the Woods at the Alliance Theatre

Outstanding sound design — musical

• Bobby Johnston for Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Bobby Johnston for Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Bobby Johnston for Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Clay Benning for Ghost Brothers of Darkland County at the Alliance Theatre
• Clay Benning for Into the Woods at Alliance Theatre

Outstanding music direction — musical

• Ann-Carol Pence, A Chorus Line at Aurora Theatre
• Ann-Carol Pence, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Brandt Blocker, Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Michael Fauss, Gypsy at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Seth Davis, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express

Outstanding choreography — musical

• Bethany Hayes-Smith, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at Legacy Theatre
• Josh Rhodes, Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Karen Hebert, Thoroughly Modern Millie at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Ricardo Aponte, Ain’t Misbehavin’ at Atlanta Lyric Theatre
• Sarah Turner, Spring Awakening at Actor’s Express

Outstanding play

• Broke at the Alliance Theatre
• I Just Stopped By to See the Man at the Alliance Theatre
• Red at Theatrical Outfit
• Shipwrecked: An Entertainment at Serenbe Playhouse
• Tree at Horizon Theatre

Outstanding director — play

• Brian Clowdus, Shipwrecked: An Entertainment at Serenbe Playhouse
• David de Vries, Red at Theatrical Outfit
• Jason Loewith, Broke at the Alliance Theatre
• Lisa Adler, Tree at Horizon Theatre
• Richard Garne, Much Ado About Nothing at Georgia Shakespeare

Outstanding lead actress — play

• Donna Biscoe, Tree at Horizon Theatre
• Elisa Carlson, Ghost-Writer at Theatre in the Square
• Mary Lynn Owen,The Glass Menagerie at Georgia Shakespeare
• Tess Malis Kincaid, Broke at the Alliance Theatre
• Wendy Melkonian, Becky’s New Car at Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Outstanding lead actor — play

• David de Vries, Freud’s Last Session at Theatrical Outfit
• Mark Kincaid, Shipwrecked: An Entertainment at Serenbe Playhouse
• Mississippi Charles Bevel, I Just Stopped By to See the Man at the Alliance Theatre
• Steve Coulter, Underneath the Lintel at Aurora Theatre
• Tom Key, Red at Theatrical Outfit

Outstanding featured actress — play

• Andrea Frye, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? at True Colors Theatre Company
• Bethany Anne Lind, Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? 
• Bethany Anne Lind, The Glass Menagerie at Georgia Shakespeare
• Elisabeth Omilami, Broke at the Alliance Theatre
• Minka Wiltz, Shipwrecked: An Entertainment at Serenbe Playhouse

Outstanding featured actor — play

• Barry Stewart Mann, The Green Book at Theatrical Outfit
• Dieterich Gray, I Just Stopped By to See the Man at the Alliance Theatre
• Jimi Kocina, Red at Theatrical Outfit
• Luis R. Hernandez,The Motherfucker With the Hat at Actor’s Express
• Theo Harness, Faith Healer at JibJam Productions

• A Wrinkle in Time at Theatrical Outfit: Lowrey Brown, Mark Cabus, Andrew Crigler, Kate Donadio, Marianne Fraulo and Emma Jackson
• Fox on the Fairway at Aurora Theatre: Robin Bloodworth, Suehyla El-Attar, Jenny Holden, Courtney Patterson, Dan Triandiflou and Jacob York
• Lend Me a Tenor at Stage Door Players: Charlie Bradshaw, Mark Gray, Megan Hayes, Eliana Marianes, John Markowski, Larry Ruth, Kelly Chapin Schmidt and Karen Whitaker
• The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at the Alliance Theatre: Kate Goehring, Alexandra Henrikson, Judy Leavell, Diany Rodriguez, Bree Dawn Shannon and Sarah Elizabeth Wallis
• The Foreigner at Georgia Ensemble Theatre: Hugh Adams, Nita Hardy, Jonathan MacQueen, Bryan Mercer, Tracy Vaden Moore, John Stephens and Scott Warren

Outstanding costume design — play

• Christine Turbitt, The Importance of Being Earnest at Georgia Shakespeare
• Isabel A. Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay, The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered & Scattered at Horizon Theatre
• Ivan Ingermann, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at the Alliance Theatre
• Jim Alford, Lend Me a Tenor at Stage Door Players
• Jonida Beqo, In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play at Synchronicity Theatre

Outstanding lighting design — play

• Andrew Carson, Shipwrecked: An Entertainment at Serenbe Playhouse
• Chris Whittle, A Wrinkle in Time at Theatrical Outfit
• Howell Binkley, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at the Alliance Theatre
• Joseph A. Futral, Red at Theatrical Outfit
• Mike Post, The Glass Menagerie at Georgia Shakespeare

Outstanding scenic design — play

• Collette Pollard, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at the Alliance Theatre
• Isabel A. Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay, The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered & Scattered at Horizon Theatre
• Isabel A. Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay, Tree at Horizon Theatre
• Kat Conley, The Glass Menagerie at Georgia Shakespeare
• Lee Maples, Red at Theatrical Outfit

Outstanding sound design — play

• Clay Benning, The Fairytale Lives of Russian Girls at the Alliance Theatre
• Kendall Simpson, Red at Theatrical Outfit
• Kendall Simpson and Adair Mallory, I Just Stopped By to See the Man at the Alliance Theatre
• Thom Jenkins, Sheddin’ at Horizon Theatre
• Thom Jenkins, Tree at Horizon Theatre

Outstanding world premiere 

• Broke at the Alliance Theatre
• Clyde ‘n Bonnie: A Folktale at Aurora Theatre
• Sheddin’ at Horizon Theatre
• The Green Book at Theatrical Outfit
• The Waffle Palace: Smothered, Covered & Scattered at Horizon Theatre