ABOVE: Synchronicity Theatre’s “Eclipsed” received seven nominations, including best ensemble of a play. The cast included Charity Purvis Jordan (left) and Asha Duniani plus Isake Akanke, Shayla Love and Parris Sarter. Photo by Jerry Siegel.
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2017 SUZI NOMINATIONS HONOR
13 METRO COMPANIES AND
43 SHOWS. HOW MANY DID YOU SEE?
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THE ALLIANCE THEATRE producing on two stages, leads 2017 Suzi Bass Award hopefuls with 42 nominations, followed by Aurora Theatre (24), Actor’s Express (19), Horizon Theatre (14) and Synchronicity Theatre (11). The Alliance is the largest theater in the Southeast.
In all, 13 professional theater companies were recognized with nominations for Atlanta’s version of Broadway’s Tony awards.
Production-wise, the nominees are led by The Bridges of Madison County at Aurora and The Prom at the Alliance (both with 12); The Crucible at Actor’s Express (11); Nobody Loves You at Horizon (10); and Troubadour at the Alliance (9).
The 13th annual Suzi Bass Awards happen Nov. 6 at the Conant Performing Arts Center at Oglethorpe University. The evening includes awards, performances and a reception with nibbles and a cash bar. Tickets to the general public will be on sale soon. The awards were founded in 2003 to celebrate outstanding work in live theater and the artists who produce it.
THE NOMINEES
Outstanding world premiere
- The Prom at the Alliance Theatre
- Singles in Agriculture at Aurora Theatre
- Strait of Gibraltar at Synchronicity Theatre
- Too Heavy for Your Pocket at the Alliance
- Troubadour at the Alliance
Play
- The Crucible at Actor’s Express
- Eclipsed at Synchronicity
- King Henry VI Parts 1, 2, & 3 at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
- Singles in Agriculture at Aurora
- Ugly Lies the Bone at the Alliance
Direction/play
- Justin Anderson for Singles in Agriculture at Aurora
- Freddie Ashley for The Crucible at Actor’s Express
- Jessica Holt for Ugly Lies the Bone at the Alliance
- Tinashe Kajese-Bolden for Eclipsed at Synchronicity
- Jeff Watkins for King Henry VI Parts 1, 2, & 3 at the Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
Female lead actor/play
- Cynthia D. Barker for The Mountaintop (Aurora)
- Lauren Lane for Singles in Agriculture (Aurora)
- Julie Jesneck for Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance)
- Christina Leidel for The Miracle Worker (Gypsy Theatre Company)
- Brooke Owens for Anne Boleyn (Synchronicity)
- Courtney Patterson for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
Male lead actor/play
- Jeremy Aggers for Singles in Agriculture (Aurora)
- Neal Ghant for The Mountaintop (Aurora)
- Jonathan Horne for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Brian Kurlander for How to Use a Knife (Horizon)
- Geoffrey D. Williams for Thurgood (Theatrical Outfit)
Female featured actor/play
- Shelli Delgado for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Ellen McQueen for The Tragedy of King Richard III (Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse)
- Wendy Melkonian for Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance)
- Falashay Pearson for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Vallea E. Woodbury for Singles in Agriculture (Aurora)
Male featured actor/play
- Adeoye for Moby Dick (Alliance)
- Bryan Davis for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Jeff McKerley for The Legend of Georgia McBride (Actor’s Express)
- Lee Osorio for Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance)
- Tamil Periasamy for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Drew Reeves for King Henry VI Parts 1, 2 & 3 (Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse)
Ensemble/play
- The Canterbury Tales at Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse (Laura Cole, Nicholas Faircloth, Rivka Levin, Drew Reeves, Adam King, Enoch King, Amanda Lindsey, Kirstin Calvert)
- The Comedy of Errors at Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse (Chris Hecke, Steve Hudson, Gina Rickicki, Andrew Houchins, J.L. Reed, Enoch King, Matt Felten, Jennifer Lamort, India S. Tyree, Matt Nitchie, Amanda Lindsey, Dani Herd)
- Eclipsed at Synchronicity (Asha Duniani, Charity Purvis Jordan, Shayla Love, Parris Sarter, Isake Akanke)
- Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3) at Actor’s Express (Seun Soyemi, Damian Lockhart, Meagan Dilworth, Jason-Jamal Ligon, Rob Cleveland, Evan Cleaver, Brittany Inge, Marcus Hopkins-Turner, Richard McDonald, Bryan Davis)
- Too Heavy for Your Pocket at the Alliance (Rob Demery, Eboni Flowers, Markita Prescott, Stephen Ruffin)
Costume design/play
- Deyah Brenner for The Legend of Georgia McBride (Actor’s Express)
- Anné Carole Butler for King Henry VI Parts 1, 2, & 3 (Shakespeare Tavern)
- Nyrobi Moss for Eclipsed (Synchronicity)
- Abby Parker for Anne Boleyn (Synchronicity)
- Erik Teague for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
Lighting design/play
- William C. Kirkham for Moby Dick (Alliance)
- Liz Lee for Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance)
- Joseph P. Monaghan III for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
- Mary Parker for Constellations at (Horizon)
- Kathy A. Perkins for Eclipsed (Synchronicity)
Scenic design/play
- Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for Appropriate (Actor’s Express)
- Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for Eclipsed (Synchronicity)
- Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for Freed Spirits (Horizon)
- Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for How to Use a Knife (Horizon)
- Leslie Taylor for The Legend of Georgia McBride (Actor’s Express)
Sound design/play
- Preston Goodson for The Legend of Georgia McBride (Actor’s Express)
- Chika Kaba Ma’atunde for Simply Simone (Theatrical Outfit)
- Kate Marvin for Ugly Lies the Bone (Alliance)
- Kay Richardson for Eclipsed (Synchronicity)
- Ed Thrower for The Crucible (Actor’s Express)
Musical
- Big Fish at Theatrical Outfit
- The Bridges of Madison County at Aurora
- Nobody Loves You at Horizon Theatre
- The Prom at the Alliance
- Troubadour at the Alliance
Direction of a musical
- Justin Anderson for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Susan V. Booth for Troubadour (Alliance)
- Brian Clowdus for Grease (Serenbe Playhouse)
- Heidi McKerley for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Casey Nicholaw for The Prom (Alliance)
Musical direction
- Brandon Bush for Troubadour (Alliance)
- Mary-Mitchell Campbell for The Prom (Alliance)
- Alli Lingenfelter for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Chika Kaba Ma’atunde for Simply Simone (Theatrical Outfit)
- Ann-Carol Pence for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
Choreography
- Ricardo Aponte for The Legend of Georgia McBride (Actor’s Express)
- Bubba Carr for Grease (Serenbe)
- Heidi Cline McKerley & Jeff McKerley for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Casey Nicholaw for The Prom (Alliance)
- Melissa Zaremba for Smokey Joe’s Cafe (Legacy Theatre)
Musical lead actor/female
- Kylie Brown for Ghost the Musical (Georgia Ensemble Theatre)
- Randi Garza for Grease (Serenbe)
- Caitlin Kinnunen for The Prom (Alliance)
- Beth Leavel for The Prom (Alliance)
- Kristin Markiton for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
Musical lead actor/male
- Brooks Ashmanskas for The Prom (Alliance)
- Andrew Benator for Troubadour (Alliance)
- Chase Peacock for Ghost the Musical (Georgia Ensemble)
- Travis Smith for Big Fish (Theatrical Outfit)
- Travis Smith for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
Musical featured actor/female
- Jennifer Alice Acker for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Kandice Arrington for Ghost the Musical (Georgia Ensemble)
- Wendy Melkonian for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Valarie Payton for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Julissa Sabino for Grease (Serenbe)
Musical featured actor/male
- Rob Cleveland for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Don Finney for The Threepenny Opera (7 Stages)
- Matt Lewis for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Brad Raymond for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Austin Tijerina for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
Ensemble/musical
- Church Basement Ladies at the Legacy Theatre (Amanda Lyn Hornberger, Autumn O’Ryan, Katie Patterson, Nikki Savitt, Jeremy Skidmore)
- Company at Actor’s Express (Lowrey Brown, Rhyn Saver, Daniel Burns, Jimmica Collins, Laura Floyd, Dan Ford, Jill Hames, Steve Hudson, Phillip Lynch, Kelly Chapin Martin, Jessica Miesel, Emily Stembridge, Craig Waldrip, Libby Whittemore
- Million Dollar Quartet, a Georgia Ensemble & Atlanta Lyric Theatre co-production (Chase Peacock, Allison Wilhoit, Chris Damiano, Christopher Kent, Justin D. Thompson, Ethan Ray Parker, Andrew Patton, Kroy Presley)
- Smokey Joe’s Cafe at the Legacy (Nick Abbott, Amanda Bridgette, Brian L. Boyd, Meg Dickens, Jordan Ellis, Rakeem Lawrence, Allie Richardson, Hillary Scales-Lewis, Christopher “CJ” Williams)
Costume design/musical
- DeeDee Chmielewski for The Threepenny Opera (7 Stages)
- Lex Liang for Troubadour (Alliance)
- Brandon McWilliams for Grease (Serenbe)
- Linda Patterson for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Ann Roth & Matthew Pachtman for The Prom (Alliance)
Lighting design/musical
- Bradley Bergeron for Grease (Serenbe)
- Kevin Frazier for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Kenneth Posner for The Prom (Alliance)
- Bryan Rosengrant for Ghost the Musical (Georgia Ensemble)
- Ken Yunker for Troubadour (Alliance)
Scenic design/musical
- Kat Conley for Courtenay’s Cabaret: Home for the Holidays (Alliance)
- Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Scott Pask for The Prom at the (Alliance)
- Julie Allardice Ray for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
- Todd Rosenthal for Troubadour (Alliance)
Sound design/musical
- Clay Benning for Troubadour (Alliance)
- Rob Brooksher for Nobody Loves You (Horizon)
- Preston Goodson for Ghost the Musical (Georgia Ensemble)
- Peter Hylenski for The Prom at the (Alliance)
- John McKenzie for Million Dollar Quartet (Georgia Ensemble & Atlanta Lyric)
- Daniel Pope for The Bridges of Madison County (Aurora)
Outstanding production/Theater for Young Audiences
- Cinderella and Fella at the Alliance
- From Head to Toe at the Alliance
- Old MacDonald’s Farm at the Center for Puppetry Arts
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff at Aurora
New work/TYA
- Cinderella and Fella at the Alliance
- The Dancing Granny at the Alliance
- The Dancing Handkerchief at Theatrical Outfit
- From Head to Toe at the Alliance
Direction/TYA
- Cinderella and Fella at the Alliance (director Rosemary Newcott, music director S. Renee Clark)
- From Head to Toe at the Alliance (director Rosemary Newcott)
- Old MacDonald’s Farm at the Center for Puppetry Arts (director Amy Sweeney)
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff at Aurora Theatre (director Justin Anderson, musical director Ann-Carol Pence)
Ensemble/TYA
- Cinderella and Fella at the Alliance (Terry Burrell, S. Renee Clark, Courtenay Collins, Molly Coyne, Scott E. DePoy, Jeremiah Parker Hobbs, India S. Tyree, Brian Walker)
- Old MacDonald’s Farm at the Center for Puppetry Arts (Seth Langer, Amy Sweeney)
- The One and Only Ivan at Synchronicity (Chris Hecke, Renita James, Benjamin DeWitt Sims, Jeffrey Sneed, Precious West)
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff at Aurora (Jenise Cook, Elliott Felds, Juan Carlos Unzueta, Amber Hamilton, Candice Mclellan, Bryan Montemayor)
Design/TYA
- Cinderella and Fella at the Alliance Theatre (scenic designer Kat Conley; costume designer Sydney Roberts; lighting designer Jake DeGroot; sound designer Clay Benning)
- Cinderella Della Circus at the Center for Puppetry Arts (puppet designer Jason Hines; scenic designer Rochelle Barker Shinn; lighting designer Liz Lee; sound designers Mimi Epstein & Gregory Montague)
- Old MacDonald’s Farm at the Center for Puppetry Arts (puppet designer Jason Hines; scenic designer Ryan Sbaratta; costume designer Carole D’Agostino; lighting designer Gregory Montague; sound designer Dolph Amick)
- Robin Hood at Serenbe (scenic designer Scott Sargent; costume designer DeeDee Chmielewski; properties designer Stephanie Polhemus)
- The Three Billy Goats Gruff at Aurora (scenic & costume designers Isabel Curley-Clay & Moriah Curley-Clay; lighting designer Andre C. Allen; sound designer Thom Jenkins)
NOMINATIONS BY PRODUCTION
12: The Bridges of Madison County & The Prom
11: The Crucible
10: Nobody Loves You
9: Troubadour
7: Eclipsed & Ugly Lies the Bone
6: Grease & Singles in Agriculture
5: Cinderella and Fella, Ghost the Musical & The Legend of Georgia McBride
4: King Henry VI Parts 1, 2, & 3, Old MacDonald’s Farm & Three Billy Goats Gruff
3: From Head to Toe
2: Anne Boleyn; Big Fish; How to Use a Knife; Million Dollar Quartet; The Mountaintop; Simply Simone; Smokey Joe’s Café; The Threepenny Opera; & Too Heavy for Your Pocket
1: Appropriate; Canterbury Tales; Church Basement Ladies; Cinderella Della Circus; The Comedy of Errors; Company; Constellations; Courtenay’s Cabaret: Home for the Holidays; The Dancing Granny; The Dancing Handkerchief; Father Comes Home from the Wars (Parts 1, 2 & 3); Freed Spirits; The Miracle Worker; The One and Only Ivan; Robin Hood; Strait of Gibraltar; Thurgood; The Tragedy of King Richard III
NOMINATIONS BY COMPANY
42: Alliance Theatre
24: Aurora Theatre
19: Actor’s Express
14: Horizon Theatre
11: Synchronicity Theatre
7: Georgia Ensemble Theatre; Serenbe Playhouse; & Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
6: Theatrical Outfit
5: Center for Puppetry Arts
3: Legacy Theatre
2: 7 Stages
1: Gypsy Theatre Company
