Actor’s Express theatre company and Horizon Theatre’s production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 earned the most nominations in their respective categories for the 2024 Suzi Bass Awards, which honor the best in Atlanta-area theatre during the 2023-24 season.
The awards themselves will be given at a November ceremony, date to be announced.
Among the Atlanta-based theatre companies, Actor’s Express received 27 nominations, Theatrical Outfit received 25, Aurora Theatre received 24, and Alliance Theatre received 23.
Among the productions with the most nominations, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 (Horizon Theatre): 15 nominations. Passing Strange (Theatrical Outfit): 11 nominations. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aurora Theatre): 10 nominations. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe University): 10 nominations. Sister Act (Aurora Theatre): 10 nominations.
Here is full list of categories and corresponding nominees, as provided by the Suzi Bass Awards”
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTIONS
Outstanding Production of a Musical:
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Outstanding Production of a Play:
cullud wattah, Actor’s Express
Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
Mercury, Actor’s Express
Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, Theatrical Outfit
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit
Outstanding World Premiere Production:
Paris Crayton III, Class Dismissed, Out of Hand Theater
A.K. Payne, Furlough’s Paradise, Alliance Theatre
Claire F. Martin, Sense and Sensibility, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Belle Esprit
Brendan Pelsue, A Tale of Two Cities, Alliance Theatre
Kelundra Smith, The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre
Outstanding Social Justice Production:
Class Dismissed, Out of Hand Theater
cullud wattah, Actor’s Express
English, Alliance Theatre
The House That Will Not Stand, Horizon Theatre
The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre
Outstanding Production of Theatre for Young Audiences:
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre
The Little Prince, Synchronicity Theatre
Three Little Pigs, Aurora Theatre
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Synchronicity Theatre
OTHER AWARDS TO MUSICALS
Choreography:
Thomas W. Jones II, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Heidi McKerley & Jeff McKerley, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Pytron Parker, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
David Rossel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Precious West, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Costume Design:
April Carswell, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
April Carswell, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Actor’s Express
Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Alice Neff, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Alan Yeong, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Direction:
Justin Anderson, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Freddie Ashley, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Thomas W. Jones II, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Heidi McKerley, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 Horizon Theatre
David Rossel, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Ensemble:
The Shining, Alliance Theatre with The Atlanta Opera
Aubrey Allicock, John Arnold, Gabrielle Benneh, Kearson Piper Brown, Phoebe Rose Claeys, Kevin Deas, Andrew Gilstrap, Thomas Glass, William Green, Craig Irvin, Kelly Kaduce, Tabitha Lawing, Kameron Lopreore, Eva Lukkonen, Malcolm Mackenzie, Adrienne Ocfemia, Victor Ryan Robertson, Max Walls
Featured Performer:
Janine Ayn as Helene, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Chloe Cordle as Cynthia Weil, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Shelli Delgado as Ray, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Isa Martinez as Sister Mary Robert, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Shelly McCook as Mother Superior, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Jeff McKerley as The Prince/Ensemble, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Candy McLellan as Ensemble, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Trevor Rashay Perry as Ensemble, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Terrence Smith as Dolokhov, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 Horizon Theatre
Ben Thorpe as Hugo/Loco Chanelle, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Lighting Design:
Kevin Frazier, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Kevin Frazier, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
D. Connor McVey, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Mary Parker, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Ben Rawson, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Music Direction:
S. Renee Clark, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Holt McCarley, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Timothy Myers, The Shining, Alliance Theatre
Ann-Carol Pence, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Ann-Carol Pence, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Principal Performer:
Daniel Burns as Pierre, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Niko Carleo as Hedwig, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Actor’s Express
Anna Dvorak as Sonya, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Jill Hames as Margaret New, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Bethany Irby as Carole King, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Alexandria Joy as Natasha, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Christian Magby as Youth, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Jordan Patrick as Anatole, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Brad Raymond as Narrator, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Noah Vega as Jamie New, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Projection Design:
Isaac Burrier, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Scenic Design:
Stephanie Busing, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Actor’s Express
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Jon Nooner, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre
Julie Ray, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
Sound Design:
Amari Hicks, Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit
Daniel Pope, Sister Act, Aurora Theatre
Tyehimba Shabazz, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre
Jon Summers, The Shining, Alliance Theatre with The Atlanta Opera
Daniel Terry, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre
OTHER AWARDS TO PLAYS
Costume Design:
Fabian Fidel Aguilar, A Tale of Two Cities, Alliance Theatre
April Carswell, Home, I’m Darling, Synchronicity Theatre
Ricky Greenwell, Blues for an Alabama Sky, Actor’s Express
Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss, The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre
Cole Spivia, Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
Direction:
Melissa Foulger, Mercury, Actor’s Express
Derek Goldman, Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, Theatrical Outfit
January Lavoy, Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit
Mah Torney, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit
Amanda Washington, cullud wattah, Actor’s Express
Ensemble:
Blues for an Alabama Sky, Actor’s Express, Christopher Hampton, Tiffany Denise Hobbs, Jontavious Johnson, Kenisha Johnson, Damian Lockhartcullud wattah, Actor’s Express, Morgan Crumbly, Asha Basha Duniani, Terry Henry, Marita McKee, Parris Sarter
Mercury, Actor’s Express, Mahhew Busch, Carolyn Cook, Kate Donadio MacQueen, Tyshawn Gooden, Louis Kyper, Donna Lobello, Suehyla E. Young
A Tale of Two Cities, Alliance Theatre, Grant Chapman, Tiffany Denise Hobbs, Tess Malis Kincaid, Joe Knezevich, Louis Reyes McWilliams, Lee Osorio, Brad Raymond, Stephen Ruffin
The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre, Kenedi Deal, Tanya Freeman, Nevaina, Makallen Kelley, Charis Sellick, Jamila Turner
Featured Performer:
Jon Meyer as Arthur, Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
LaTarsha Rose as La Veuve/Marie Josephine, The House That Will Not Stand, Horizon Theatre
Lighting Design:
Rachael N. Blackwell, Wait Until Dark, Georgia Ensemble Theatre
Jiyoun Chang, A Tale of Two Cities, Alliance Theatre
Rob Dillard, Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit
Greg Hanthorn, Jr., Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
David Reingold, Mercury, Actor’s Express
Principal Performer:
Andrew Benator as Jan, Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, Theatrical Outfit
Burke Brown as Jason, Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit
Steve Coulter as George, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit
Dionna D. Davis as Multiple, Class Dismissed, Out of Hand Theater
Tonia Jackson as Clyde, Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit
Tess Malis Kincaid as Martha, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit
Bethany Anne Lind as Judy, Home, I’m Darling, Synchronicity Theatre
Marshall W Mabry IV as Juicy, Fat Ham, Alliance Theatre
Mary Ruth Ralston as Van Helsing, Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
Alia Shakira as Makeda, The House That Will Not Stand, Horizon Theatre
Projection Design:
Kimberly Binns, The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre
Milton Cordero, Furlough’s Paradise, Alliance Theatre
Scenic Design:
Kat Conley, Mercury, Actor’s Express
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, Rooted, Horizon Theatre
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit
Bailey McClure-Frank, cullud wattah, Actor’s Express
Sound Design:
Dan Bauman, Mercury, Actor’s Express
Amy Duffy, It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Stage Door Theatre
Mikaela Frasier, cullud wattah, Actor’s Express
Omari Joseph and Jake Guinn, Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement
Roc Lee, Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, Theatrical Outfit
OTHER AWARDS TO THEATRE FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES
Outstanding Design:
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre: Annie Cady (costumes), Wu Chen Khoo (lighting), Jorge Cousineau (projection), Katharine Horowitz (sound), Michael Sommers (scenic)
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre: Raymond Carr (shadow puppets, filmography), Kat Conley (scenic), Garry Lennon (costumes), Hidenori Nakajo (sound), Karin Olson (lighting)
The Little Prince, Synchronicity Theatre: Ryan Bradburn (scenic and properties), Savannah Cobb (costumes), Elisabeth Cooper (lighting), Gamble (sound), Courtney Loner (properties)
Three Little Pigs, Aurora Theatre: Thom Jenkins (sound), Jon Sandmire (scenic), Mack Scales (lighting), Sydni Stephenson (costumes)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Synchronicity Theatre: Jonida Beqo Vogli (costumes), Elisabeth Cooper (lighting and shadow puppets), Sophie Hansuh Im (scenic), Kate Hoáng (sound), Naomi B. Smith (properties)
Outstanding Direction:
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre: Sarah Agnew (director)
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre: Mark Valdez (director), Imani Quiñones (music director), Rachel Van Buskirk (choreographer)
The Mad Hatterpillar and Her Many Heads, Stage Door Theatre: Rachel Frawley (director), Sarah Beth “SB” Hester (music director)
Three Little Pigs, Aurora Theatre: Greg Hunter (director), Ann-Carol Pence (music director), Jahi Bogard (choreographer)
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Synchronicity Theatre: Justin Anderson (director)
Outstanding New Work:
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre: Autumn Ness
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre: Mark Valdez (book), Christian Albright & Christian Magby, Brandon Bush, Annmarie Milazzo, Divinity Roxx, Jacob Ryan Smith, Eugene Russell IV (original songs), Imani Quiñones (orchestrations)
The Mad Hatterpillar and Her Many Heads, Stage Door Theatre: Rachel Frawley (book and lyrics), Sarah Beth Hester (music)
Outstanding Performance:
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre: Autumn Ness
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre: Shelli Delgado, Pamela Gold, Jontavious Johnson, Kylie Gray Mask, Wesley Tunison, Juan Carlos Unzueta
The Little Prince, Synchronicity Theatre: Ash Anderson, Mah Baum, Tyshawn Gooden, Bridget McCarthy, Alejandra Ruiz, Anna Snider
The Mad Hatterpillar and Her Many Heads, Stage Door Theatre: Dakota “Cody” Benfield, Niko Carleo, Shelby Folks, Imani Joseph, Daniela SanPago, Charis Sellick, Brie Wolfe
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Synchronicity Theatre: Willie Frierson, Jr., Chris Hecke, Charlene Hong White, Kristina Jin, Crystal Lo, Kevin Qian, Toru Shimoji
NOMINATIONS BY THEATRE
Actor’s Express, 27
Theatrical Outfit, 25
Aurora Theatre, 24
Alliance Theatre, 23
Horizon Theatre , 20
Synchronicity Theatre, 15
Oglethorpe Theatre (co-producer), 10
Atlanta Shakespeare Company, 9
Havoc Movement (co-producer), 7
Impact Theatre (co-producer), 5
Stage Door Theatre, 4
Out of Hand Theater, 3
Georgia Ensemble Theatre, 2
The Atlanta Opera (co-producer), 2
Belle Esprit (co-producer), 1
NOMINATIONS BY PRODUCTION
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812, Horizon Theatre, 15
Passing Strange, Theatrical Outfit, 11
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aurora Theatre, 10
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Actor’s Express with Oglethorpe Theatre, 10
Sister Act, Aurora Theatre, 10
Dracula: The Failings of Men, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Havoc Movement , 7
cullud wattah, Actor’s Express, 6
Mercury, Actor’s Express, 6
Babble Lab, Alliance Theatre, 5
Clyde’s, Theatrical Outfit, 5
Into the Burrow: A Peter Rabbit™ Tale, Alliance Theatre, 5
The Wash, Synchronicity Theatre & Impact Theatre, 5
Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Theatrical Outfit, 5
A Tale of Two Cities, Alliance Theatre, 4
Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski, Theatrical Outfit, 4
The House That Will Not Stand, Horizon Theatre , 4
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, Synchronicity Theatre, 4
Class Dismissed, Out of Hand Theater, 3
Fat Ham, Alliance Theatre, 3
Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Actor’s Express, 3
Home, I’m Darling, Synchronicity Theatre, 3
The Little Prince, Synchronicity Theatre, 3
The Mad Hatterpillar and Her Many Heads, Stage Door Theatre, 3
The Shining, Alliance Theatre with The Atlanta Opera, 3
Three Little Pigs, Aurora Theatre 3
Blues for an Alabama Sky, Actor’s Express, 2
Furlough’s Paradise, Alliance Theatre, 2
Wait Until Dark, Georgia Ensemble Theatre, 2
English, Alliance Theatre, 1
Greener Pastures, Aurora Theatre, 1
It’s a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play, Stage Door Theatre, 1
Rooted, Horizon Theatre, 1
Sense and Sensibility, Atlanta Shakespeare Company & Belle Esprit, 1
The Merchant of Venice, Atlanta Shakespeare Company, 1
INDIVIDUALS WITH MULTIPLE NOMINATIONS
Isabel & Moriah Curley-Clay, 5
Ann-Carol Pence, 3
April Carswell, 3
Imani Quiñones, 2
Autumn Ness, 2
Brad Raymond, 2
Christian Magby, 2
David Rossel, 2
Dr. L. Nyrobi Moss, 2
Elisabeth Cooper, 2
Heidi McKerley, 2
Jeff McKerley, 2
Jontavious Johnson, 2
Justin Anderson, 2
Kat Conley, 2
Kenedi Deal, 2
Kevin Frazier, 2
Mark Valdez, 2
Niko Carleo, 2
Rachel Frawley, 2
Sarah Beth Hester, 2
Shelli Delgado, 2
Shelly McCook, 2
Tess Malis Kincaid, 2
Thomas W. Jones II, 2
Tiffany Denise Hobbs, 2
Tonia Jackson, 2
Tyshawn Gooden, 2
Nominations for five Special Awards are now open via the Suzi website www.thesuzis.org. These awards are: The Spirit of Suzi Awards, Volunteer of the Year, The Callboard Award, Lifetime Achievement and the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwrighting Award.
The Suzi Bass Awards were founded in 2003 by Gene-Gabriel Moore and a small group of industry professionals to celebrate outstanding work in live theatre and the artists who produce it. This season, The Suzi Bass Awards volunteer judges chose nominees and recipients in thirty-two performance categories. In addition, the annual Spirit of Suzi Award honors a person or organization for their long-time dedication to Atlanta theatre; the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award recognizes Atlanta’s talented local playwrights through special notice of a recently produced play; the Audience Choice Award recognizes one theatre’s entire season through voting by the general public; and the Volunteer of the Year Award recognizes an individual or group with long-time volunteer contributions to a particular theatre.
Top Photo: Horizon Theatre’s production of Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 earned the most Suzi Bass Award nominations of any Atlanta production. Photo courtesy of Horizon Theatre Company
