Serenbe's 'Saigon,' Alliance top 2016 Suzi nominations

THE ALLIANCE THEATRE, the Southeast’s largest company, once again tops the annual Suzi Bass Award nominations with 40 (it had 51 nods last season), followed by Aurora Theatre (32), Serenbe Playhouse (22), and Horizon Theatre and Theatrical Outfit (each with 16).

In all, 15 professional companies and 44 productions are nominated for Suzis, professional Atlanta theater’s equivalent to Broadway’s Tony awards. The winners will be announced Nov. 7. Nominations were made public Monday.

Four musicals and one lonely play earned the most nominations: Serenbe’s recent Miss Saigon (13), Horizon’s The Toxic Avenger (12), the Aurora-Outfit co-production of In the Heights (11), the Alliance’s Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story (9) and the play — the Alliance’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (also 9).

Atlanta Lyric Theatre, which does musicals exclusively, does not take part in the Suzi process. Georgia Ensemble Theatre, which is Suzi-eligible, was shut out.

A few observations and surprises:

• 

  Take note of performer Danielle Deadwyler. She’s nominated twice for featured actress in a play (Smart People and Fetch Clay, Make Man, both at True Colors Theatre Company) and a third time with the ensemble of the world premiere Moxie. She returns to True Colors on Oct. 25 in the Pulitzer Prize-winning Proof, playing Catherine, an untrained math prodigy who may have inherited her father’s genius and/or his madness. Deadwyler, a previous Suzi winner, can be seen regularly on television and film (she’s LaQuita “Quita” Maxwell in the Oprah Winfrey Network’s “The Haves and the Have Nots,” for example).

• Moxie, written by Atlanta actor-playwrights Lane Carlock and Brian Kurlander, is the first play nurtured in the Alliance Theatre’s Reiser Atlanta Artists Lab to receive a fully staged production (at Theatrical Outfit) and earn Suzi attention.

• 

  Aurora and the Outfit seem to have found a winning combination with their co-productions. Last season’s Memphis won three acting awards (among 13 total nominations). This year’s In the Heights is up for 11 Suzis.

• Catalyst Arts Atlanta earned a nomination for its first-ever production. The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek was recognized for scenic designers Joel Coady and Barrett Doyle. The idea for Catalyst crystallized during a Sunday morning coffee conversation among eight young artists who want to push social and civic engagement through the art-making process. Its next project is in its earliest stages.

• 

  Pete Shinn, the longtime Alliance electrics manager, was nominated for his lighting design for the company’s The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. Shinn, who died of cancer in July, never worked for another company. He was 65.

• True Colors, it appears, received the biggest bang for its buck. The company co-founded by Kenny Leon produces only three shows per season and received a total of seven nominations — four for its recent Smart People and three for the Muhammad Ali-based drama Fetch Clay, Make Man.

• 

  Horizon’s comparatively tiny Toxic Avenger (cast of five, nine nominations) stood up well against such many-peopled musicals as Miss Saigon and In the Heights.

• Actor’s Express, which earned 21 nominations and six awards in 2015, was surprisingly shut out for its productions of Significant Other (opening in March on Broadway) and the Atlanta Child Murders-themed Serial Blackface. The West Midtown company, which has seven nominations, is putting together two of the best back-to-back seasons seen anywhere in a long time.

• Also surprising, the dearth of multiple nominations for 7 Stages’ The Revolutionists (particularly actors Parris Sarter and, as Marie Antoinette, Park Krausen). This cheeky revisionist history play by Decatur-born, San Francisco-based playwright Lauren Gunderson was nominated only for costume design.

Atlanta’s theater awards are named for longtime actor Suzi Bass, a force of nature who died of cancer in 2002 at age 56. She performed regularly and to acclaim with such companies as the Alliance, Theatre in the Square, ART Station and Theatrical Outfit, along with Flat Rock Playhouse and Blowing Rock Stage, both in North Carolina.

THE NOMINEES

Play

• The City of Conversation at Horizon Theatre
• Ethel at the Alliance Theatre
• Of Mice and Men at Serenbe Playhouse
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Wit at Aurora Theatre

 Direction / play

• Justin Anderson for The City of Conversation at Horizon Theatre
• Susan V. Booth for Disgraced at the Alliance Theatre
• Susan V. Booth for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• David de Vries* for I’m Not Rappaport at Aurora Theatre
• Jenny Lord for Of Mice and Men at Serenbe Playhouse

 Lead actress  / play

• Terry Burrell for Ethel at the Alliance Theatre
• Carolyn Cook for Blackberry Winter at Actor’s Express
• Devon Hales for I And You at Aurora Theatre
• Tess Malis Kincaid for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Mary Lynn Owen for Wit at Aurora Theatre

 Lead actor / play

• Rob Cleveland for I’m Not Rappaport at Aurora Theatre
• Rob Demery for Fetch Clay, Make Man at True Colors Theatre
• Neal Ghant for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Kenny Raskin for I’m Not Rappaport at Aurora Theatre
• Brad Raymond for Fetch Clay, Make Man at True Colors Theatre

 Featured actress / play

• Julee Cerda for Smart People at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre
• Carolyn Cook for The City of Conversation at Horizon Theatre
• Danielle Deadwyler for Smart People at True Colors Theatre
• Danielle Deadwyler for Fetch Clay, Make Man at True Colors Theatre
• Rachel Frawley for The Crucible at Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse

Featured actor / play

• Andrew Benator for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Louis Gregory for Sotto Voce at Aurora Theatre
• Joe Knezevich for Smart People at True Colors Theatre
• Eric Mendenhall for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Ali Sohaili for Disgraced at the Alliance Theatre

Outstanding ensemble cast / play

• Equivocation at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse (Jeff Watkins, Elizabeth Diane Wells, Clark Taylor, Robin Bloodworth, Matt Felton, Nicholas Faircloth)

• Let Nothing You Dismay at Stage Door Players (Bryan Brendle, Amanda Cucher, Mark Grey, Shelly McCook, Doyle Reynolds, Gina Rickicki, Emily Sams, Ben Silver)

• Moxie at Theatrical Outfit (Joy Bhowmick, Chiara Bulkin, Carolyn Cook, Danielle Deadwyler, David de Vries, Rial Ellsworth, Laura Fong, Bobby Labartino, Tony Larkin, Royce Mann, Jaden Robinson, Maria Rodriguez-Sager)

• Of Mice and Men at Serenbe Playhouse (Erik Poger Abrahamsen, Bryan Brendle, Brad Brinkley, Blake Burgess, Jonathan Horne, Daniel Parvis, Michael Rudko, Daviorr Snipes)

• Stupid F**king Bird at Actor’s Express (Lane Carlock, Evan Cleaver, Matt Felton, Stephanie Friedman, Theo Harness, Robert Lee Hindsman, Rhyn Saver)

Costume design / play

• Jim Alford for Let Nothing You Dismay at Stage Door Players
• Jordan Jaked Carrier for The City of Conversation at Horizon Theatre
• DeeDee Chmielewski for The Revolutionists at 7 Stages
• Suzanne Holtkamp for Moonlight and Magnolias at the Gypsy Theatre
• Linda Roethke for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre

 Lighting design / play

• Kevin Frazier for Wit at Aurora Theatre
• Joe Futral for Smart People at True Colors Theatre
• Michael Gend for A Steady Rain at the Alliance Theatre
• Joseph P. Monaghan III for Of Mice and Men at Serenbe Playhouse
• Ken Yunker for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre

 Scenic design / play

• Joel Coady & Barrett Doyle for The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek at Catalyst Arts Atlanta
• Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for I’m Not Rappaport at Aurora Theatre
• Lee Maples for I and You at Aurora Theatre
• Todd Rosenthal for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Alliance Theatre
• Gary Varner for Freud’s Last Session at the Legacy Theatre 

Sound design / play

• Rial Ellsworth for Let Nothing You Dismay at Stage Door Players
• Elisheba Ittoop for Ethel at the Alliance Theatre
• Haddon Kime for The Thrush and the Woodpecker at Actor’s Express
• Haddon Kime for Blackberry Winter at Actor’s Express
• John Zalewski for A Steady Rain at the Alliance Theatre

Production / musical

• Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at the Alliance Theatre
• In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• The Light in the Piazza at Theatrical Outfit
• Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre

Direction / musical

• Justin Anderson for In the Heights, an Aurora Theatre-Theatrical Outfit co-production
• Justin Anderson for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre
• Brian Clowdus for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Richard Garner for The Light in the Piazza at Theatrical Outfit
• Heidi Cline McKerley for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre

 Musical direction

• S. Renee Clark for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Chris Brent Davis for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Steven Jamail for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Alliance Theatre
• Ann-Carol Pence for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Ann-Carol Pence for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre

Choreography

• Ricardo Aponte for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Bubba Carr for Carousel at Serenbe Playhouse
• Bubba Carr for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Bethany Smith for Mary Poppins at the Legacy Theatre

Lead actress / musical

• Niki Badua for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Deborah Bowman for Sweeney Todd at Actor’s Express
• Diany Rodriguez for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Julissa Sabino for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Savannah Sprinkle for Mary Poppins at the Legacy Theatre

Lead actor / musical

• Nick Arapoglou for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Eymard Cabling for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Kevin Harry for Sweeney Todd at Actor’s Express
• Diego Klock-Perez for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Tim Quartier for The Light in the Piazza at Theatrical Outfit 

Featured actress / musical

• Leslie Belair for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Courtney Chapelle for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Jessica De Maria for Kiss Me, Kate at Stage Door Players
• Kiandra Richardson for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at the Alliance Theatre
• Diany Rodriguez for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre
• Kirsten Wyatt for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at the Alliance 

 Featured actor / musical

• Chase Peacock for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Brad Raymond for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at the Alliance Theatre
• Chris Sizemore for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Michael Stiggers for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Austin Tijerina for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre 

Costume design / musical

• Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Courtney Flores for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• William Ivey Long for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Alliance Theatre
• Elizabeth Rasmusson for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre
• Alan Yeong for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse

 Lighting design / musical

• Maria Cristina Fusté for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Adam Howarth for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Mary Parker for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Mary Parker for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre
• Dianne Ferry Williams for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Alliance Theatre 

Scenic design / musical

• Isabel Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Adam Koch for Carousel at Serenbe Playhouse
• Adam Koch for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Shannon Robert for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit
• Jason Sherwood for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre

Sound design / musical

• Rob Brooksher for The Toxic Avenger at Horizon Theatre
• Adam Howarth for Miss Saigon at Serenbe Playhouse
• Daniel Pope for Into the Woods at Aurora Theatre
• Jesse Stevens for Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Alliance Theatre
• Daniel Terry for In the Heights at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit

World premiere

• Let Nothing You Dismay at Stage Door Players (by Topher Payne)
• Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story at Alliance Theatre
• Blackberry Winter at Actor’s Express (by Steve Yockey)
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The Troy Davis Project at Synchronicity Theatre (by Lee Nowell)
• Moxie at Theatrical Outfit (by Lane Carlock and Brian Kurlander)

Original production / Theatre for Young Audiences 

• Beauty and the Beast at the Center for Puppetry Arts
• A Bucket of Blessings at the Alliance Theatre
• Pancakes, Pancakes! at the Alliance Theatre
• Tell Me My Dream at the Alliance Theatre
• The Tortoise, the Hare & Other Aesop’s Fables at the Center for Puppetry Arts

Outstanding production / Theatre for Young Audiences

• A Bucket of Blessings at the Alliance Theatre
• Goldilocks & the Three Bears at Aurora Theatre
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Alliance Theatre
• Pancakes, Pancakes! at the Alliance Theatre
• Tell Me My Dream at the Alliance Theatre

Direction / Theatre for Young Audiences

• Rosemary Newcott for A Bucket of Blessings at Alliance Theatre

• Ryan Oliveti (director), Chris Brent Davis (music director), Bubba Carr (movement) for Charlotte’s Web at Serenbe Playhouse

• Justin Anderson (director), Ann-Carol Pence (music director),  Jen MacQueen (choreographer) for Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Aurora Theatre

• Rosemary Newcott (director), Jen MacQueen (movement choreographer) for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Alliance Theatre

•  David De Vries* for Pancakes, Pancakes! at the Alliance Theatre

 Design / Theatre for Young Audiences

• Jamie Bullins (costumes), Stephanie Polhemus (props) for Charlotte’s Web at Serenbe Playhouse

• Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay (set and costumes), Thom Jenkins (sound), Kevin Frazier (lighting), Peter Smeal (props) for Goldilocks and the Three Bears at Aurora Theatre

• Kat Conley (set), Sydney Roberts (costumes), Pete Shinn (lighting), Clay Benning (sound) for The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at Alliance Theatre

• Jason Hines (puppets & shadow film), Rochelle Barker (set), Gregory Montague and Mimi Epstein (sound), Liz Lee (lights) for The Little Pirate Mermaid at Center for Puppetry Arts

• Kat Conley (set), Jeff Cone (costumes), Ken Yunker (lights), Clay Benning (sound), Mike Tutaj (projections) for Pancakes, Pancakes! at the Alliance Theatre

• Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay, Mary Parker (lighting), Thom Jenkins (sound), Ryan Bradburn (props) for Tim Tesla and the Terrific Time Machine at Aurora Theatre

Ensemble performance / Theatre for Young Audiences

• Charlotte’s Web at Serenbe Playhouse, with Erik Poger Abrahamsen, Bretteney Beverly, Nicole Carpenter, Hao Feng, Mister Fitzgerald, Andy Terwilliger

• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe at the Alliance Theatre, with Jeremy Aggers, Lauren Boyd, Ashley Chasteen, Alexandra Ficken, Jelani Jones, Enoch King, Tess Malis Kincaid, Patrick Wade, Markell Williams

• Pancakes, Pancakes! at the Alliance Theatre, with Matt Alea, Molly Coyne, Rob Lawhon, Adam Washington

• Tell Me My Dream at the Alliance Theatre, with Isake Akanke, Jeremiah Parker Hobbs, Stephen Ruffin, Avery Sharpe, Daviorr Snipes,*Vallea E. Woodbury

• The Tortoise, the Hare & Other Aesop’s Fables at the Center for Puppetry Arts, with Jake Krokovsky, Kristin Storla

NOMINATIONS BY THEATRE

• Alliance Theatre — 40
• Aurora Theatre — 32
• Serenbe Playhouse — 22
• Horizon Theatre — 16
• Theatrical Outfit — 16
• Actor’s Express — 7
• True Colors Theatre — 7
• Stage Door Players — 5
• Center for Puppetry Arts — 4
• Legacy Theatre — 3
• Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse — 2
• Catalyst Arts Atlanta — 1
• Gypsy Theatre Company — 1
• Synchronicity Theatre — 1
• 7 Stages — 1

NOMINATIONS BY SHOW

• Miss Saigon — 13
• The Toxic Avenger — 12
• In the Heights — 11
• Born for This: The BeBe Winans Story — 9
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest— 9
• Into the Woods — 7
• Pancakes, Pancakes! — 5
• The City of Conversation — 4
• I’m Not Rappaport — 4
• Let Nothing You Dismay — 4
• The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe — 4
• Of Mice and Men — 4
• Smart People — 4
• Blackberry Winter — 3
• A Bucket of Blessings — 3
• Charlotte’s Web — 3
• Ethel — 3
• Fetch Clay, Make Man — 3
• Goldilocks & the Three Bears — 3
• The Light in the Piazza — 3
• Tell Me My Dream — 3
• Wit — 3
• Carousel — 2
• Disgraced — 2
• I and You — 2
• Mary Poppins — 2
• Moxie — 2
• A Steady Rain — 2
• Sweeney Todd — 2
• The Tortoise, the Hare & Other Aesop’s Fables — 2
• Beauty and the Beast — 1
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt: The Troy Davis Project — 1
• The Crucible — 1
• Equivocation — 1
• Freud’s Last Session — 1
• Kiss Me, Kate — 1
• The Little Pirate Mermaid — 1
• Moonlight and Magnolias — 1
• The Revolutionists — 1
• Sotto Voce — 1
• Stupid F**king Bird — 1
• The Thrush and the Woodpecker — 1
• Tim Tesla and the Terrific Time Machine — 1
• The Trestle at Pope Lick Creek — 1

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