Theatre Philadelphia Announces Nominees For The 2019 BARRYMORE AWARDS

Theatre Philadelphia, the non-profit organization that promotes and celebrates theatre across the Philadelphia region, has announced this year's nominees for the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre.

The Barrymore Awards began in 1995 and recognize excellence in professional theatre in Philadelphia and re-grant over $92,000 in cash awards to Philadelphia-based theatre artists. This season, 118 productions across 41 professional companies were eligible for award adjudication in the 2018-19 Season. The 2019 Barrymore Nominations reflect 48 productions from 29 professional companies within a 35-mile radius of Center City, Philadelphia.

Included in this special announcement was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award, Ed Shockley, local playwright, professor, and founding member of the Philadelphia Dramatists Center.

The announcement also included details about the 2019 Barrymore Ceremony and Celebration which will return to South Philadelphia's Bok building, with a Ceremony in the auditorium and an after-party on the roof at Bok Bar. "We're looking forward to this year's event which will honor the 25the anniversary of the Barrymore Awards' founding alongside the storied history of our theatre community," says Leigh Goldenberg, Executive Director of Theatre Philadelphia. "The Barrymores are a truly singular event where artists and supporters from around the region come together in a reflection of our collaborative theatre community."

Tickets to the Barrymore Awards on October 14 are now on sale at www.theatrephiladelphia.org. General Admission tickets are $80 and include access to the Ceremony and post-show Celebration. Honorary Committee tickets are $150 and include an exclusive pre-show party. Discounted tickets are available for artists for $50, which also include access to the post-show event.

Leading up to the Ceremony, Theatre Philadelphia will host two "Toast to the Barrymores" series to highlight nominated artists and the history of the awards program's impact on our local theatre community. These events will be held in partnership with PlayPenn and Director's Gathering. Dates and details to be announced.

Theatre Philadelphia's flagship programs include the Barrymore Awards, Philly Theatre Week, and a Marketing and Speaker Series program, providing local theatres with tools and education on building audiences. The organization partners with Art-Reach on ACCESS Philadelphia, offering $2 tickets to 13 unique theatrical companies to Pennsylvania ACCESS Card holders and their families, as well as with ThINKing Dance to curate and disseminate thoughtful, long-form critical responses to theatrical work. Additionally, Theatre Philadelphia's website, e-newsletter, and active social media presence connect audiences to what's on stage across the Greater Philadelphia region.

To learn more about Theatre Philadelphia and to purchase tickets to the 2019 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre, visit www.theatrephiladelphia.org.

2019 NOMINEES BY CATEGORY

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play

Boycott Esther (Azuka Theatre)

Indecent (Arden Theatre Company)
Gem of the Ocean (Arden Theatre Company)

Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)

Morir Sonyando (Passage Theatre Company)

The Great Leap (InterAct Theatre Company)

xoxo moongirl (Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical

Once (Arden Theatre Company)

The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)

The Bridges of Madison County (Philadelphia Theatre Company)

The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)

Outstanding Direction of a Play

C. Ryanne Domingues (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)

Jerrell L. Henderson (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

James Ijames (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Maura Krause (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)

Kathryn MacMillan (The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, Tiny Dynamite)

Kittson O'Neill (Moby Dick, Hedgerow Theatre)

Rebecca Wright (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Claire Moyer (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Terrence J. Nolen (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Amina Robinson (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Eva Steinmetz (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

Zuhairah (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Brandi Burgess (Cry It Out, Simpatico Theatre)

Akeem Davis (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Keith Illidge (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Justin Jain (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)

McKenna Kerrigan (Hapgood, Lantern Theater Company)

Jennifer Kidwell (A Hard Time, Pig Iron Theatre Company)

Jered McLenigan (Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, The Wilma Theater)

Geneviève Perrier (Betrayal, Lantern Theater Company)

Brandon Pierce (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)

Chuja Seo (Salt Pepper Ketchup, InterAct Theatre Company & Passage Theatre Company)

Lindsay Smiling (How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Leah Walton (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)

Ruby Wolf (Box Clever, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

Katherine Fried (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Hanna Gaffney (Oliver!, Quintessence Theatre Group)

Sarah Gliko (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Tessa Grady (42nd Street, Bucks County Playhouse)

Jessica M. Johnson (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Claris Park (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Sav Souza (Basic Witches, Hager Productions)

Robert Zelaya (Evita, The Resident Theatre Company)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

Rachel Brodeur (Box Clever, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Walter DeShields (Sweat, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Alexandra Espinoza (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)

Adam Hammet (Measure for Measure, Lantern Theater Company)

Danielle Leneé (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Anthony Martinez-Briggs (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)

Susan McKey (The Christians, Bristol Riverside Theatre)

Claris Park (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)

Lawrence Pressman (Awake and Sing!, Quintessence Theatre Group)

Bianca Sanchez (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)

Jahzeer Terrell (Three Sisters, Two, EgoPo Classic Theater)

Johanna Tolentino (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)

Rob Tucker (This is the Week That Is, 1812 Productions)

Brian Anthony Wilson (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

Miche Braden (Nina Simone: Four Women, People's Light)

Newton Buchanan (Honk! The Musical, Delaware Theatre Company)

Rachel Camp (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Charlie DelMarcelle (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Eleni Delopoulos (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Ebony Pullum (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Brett Ashley Robinson (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)

Terran Scott (Minors, Lantern Theater Company)

Outstanding Choreography / Movement

Nicole Burgio and Ben Grinberg (xoxo moongirl, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)

Sanchel Brown (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Zachary Chiero (Fly Eagles Fly, Tribe of Fools)

Jeremy Dumont (42nd Street, Bucks County Playhouse)

Eli Lynn (Tis Pity She's A Whore, The Philadelphia Artists' Collective)

Steve Pacek (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Annie Wilson (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Scenic Design

D'Vaughn Agu (Nina Simone: Four Women, People's Light)

Melpomene Katakalos (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)

Paul E Kuhn (All My Sons, Curio Theatre Company)

Marie Laster (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Colin Mcllvaine (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)

Matt Saunders (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)

Thom Weaver (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Costume Design

Natalia de la Torre (Three Sisters Two, EgoPo Classic Theater)

Elizabeth Ennis (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Meghan E. Healey (Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, The Wilma Theater)

Jillian Keys (Treasure Island, Arden Theatre Company)

Levonne Lindsay (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Mark Mariani (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Rosemarie McKelvey (Cinderella: A Musical Panto, People's Light)

Outstanding Lighting Design

Isabella Byrd (Such Things As Vampires, People's Light)

Alyssandra Docherty (Completeness, Theatre Exile)

Alyssandra Docherty (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Oona Curley (Nina Simone: Four Women, People's Light)

Maria Shaplin (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)

Thom Weaver ( Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Thom Weaver (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Media Design

Christopher Ash (Sweat, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Jorge Cousineau (74 Seconds...To Judgment, Arden Theatre Company)

Jorge Cousineau (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)

Lyell Hints (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)

Sadah "Espii" Proctor, Carlos Del Castillo Aceves (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)

Outstanding Sound Design

Elizabeth Atkinson (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Christopher Colucci (The Heir Apparent, Lantern Theater Company)

Melissa Dunphy (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)

Justin Ellington (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)

Daniel Ison (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)

Daniel Ison (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Shannon Zura (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)

Outstanding Original Music

Alex Bechtel (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)

Zak Berkman & Jessie Fisher (Such Things As Vampires, People's Light)

Melissa Dunphy (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)

Larry Fowler (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)

Jamison Foreman (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Robi Hager (Basic Witches, Hager Productions)

Mel Hsu (xoxo moongirl, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)

Outstanding Music Direction

Jamison Foreman (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Amanda Morton (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Amanda Morton (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)

Jason Neri (Ragtime, Eagle Theatre)

Ryan Touhey (Once, Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

A Hard Time, (Pig Iron Theatre Company)

Awake and Sing! (Quintessence Theatre Group)

Box Clever (Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Gem of the Ocean (Arden Theatre Company)

Indecent (Arden Theatre Company)

Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)

Treasure Island (Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Once (Arden Theatre Company)

The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)

The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)

The Monster in the Hall (Inis Nua Theatre Company)

Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical

Kash Goins (74 Seconds...To Judgment, Arden Theatre Company)

Jess Conda, Jenn Kidwell, Mel Krodman (A Hard Time, Pig Iron Theatre Company)

Emily Acker (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)

Christina Anderson (How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Erlina Ortiz (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)

Josh Wilder (Salt Pepper Ketchup, InterAct Theatre Company & Passage Theatre Company)

Alice Yorke with Eva Steinmetz, Alex Bechtel, Scott R Sheppard, and the ensemble / Music and Lyrics - Alex Bechtel (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)

Outstanding Outdoor Theatre Production (1st Year)

Nominees TBA, October

Lifetime Achievement Award

Ed Shockley

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist

Jaylene Clark Owens

J Hernandez

Dan O'Neil

Gabriela Sanchez

Maria Shaplin

Brown Martin Philadelphia Award

Boycott Esther (Azuka Theatre)

Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)

Morir Sonyando (Passage Theatre Company)

The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)

The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)

June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company

Applied Mechanics

Curio Theatre Company

Lightning Rod Special

Simpatico Theatre

Tiny Dynamite

Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program

ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships

Lantern Theater Company

People's Light

Theatre Horizon

Yes! And...Collaborative Arts