Ceremony to Be Held Monday, March 30 at Loretto-Hilton Center, Webster University Campus

ST. LOUIS, February 7, 2019  — New Jewish Theatre’s production of Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoirs, The Muny’s first presentation of the Broadway hit Kinky Boots and Stages St. Louis’ stirring reprise of the venerable musical Man of La Mancha lead the way with nine nominations apiece for the eighth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards.

Twelve other locally produced shows garnered at least five nominations each for this year’s awards, making it perhaps the most competitive field in the eight years the annual awards have been bestowed by the St. Louis Theater Circle.

Winners in 31 different categories covering comedies, dramas and musicals will be announced at the awards ceremony on Monday, March 30 at the Loretto-Hilton Center on the campus of Webster University, home of The Rep.  In addition, nominations also have been announced for two categories in opera.

In addition, Ken and Nancy Kranzberg will be honored with a special award for their tireless efforts in making the area in and around Grand Center St. Louis’ geographic center for theater.

Tickets once again will be $15 apiece and can be obtained through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com until March 15, 2020. After that, tickets may be purchased for $20 through Brown Paper Tickets or at the Loretto-Hilton Center box office (plus ticket fees) on the night of the event. Llywelyn’s Catering will once offer a selection of snack boxes, desserts and drinks available on a pay-as-you-go basis at the event.

The Muny, now in its second century of performances at its outdoor amphitheater in Forest Park, leads the way with a total of 25 nominations, followed by 24 for The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis (The Rep) and 21 for New Jewish Theatre.  Stages St. Louis follows with 13 nominations, West End Players Guild with 10 and Stray Dog Theatre with a total of eight nominees.

In all, 25 local professional companies received nominations for 51 different shows.  Lighting designer Sean M. Savoie leads all nominees with three different nominations out of a total of 125 nominated artists, including six who received two nominations apiece. The awards honor outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theater for the calendar year 2019.

The mission of the St. Louis Theater Circle is simple: To honor outstanding achievement in St. Louis professional theater. Other cities around the country, such as Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, San Francisco and Washington D.C., pay tribute to their own local theatrical productions with similar awards programs.

Nominations for the St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are divided into categories for musicals, dramas, comedies and opera.  More than 120 locally produced professional theatrical productions were presented in the St. Louis area in 2019.

The nominees for the eighth annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards are:

Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy

Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

It’s a Wonderful Life, Metro Theater Company

A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy

Ka-Ling Cheung, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Michelle Hand, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Julie Layton, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Laurie McConnell, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Kelley Weber, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy

Patrick Blindauer, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Chuck Brinkley, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Aaron Dodd, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Michael James Reed, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Shane Signorino, Popcorn Falls, The Midnight Company

Outstanding Actress in a Comedy

Katie Kleiger, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Sofia Lidia, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Jane Paradise, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Rachel Tibbetts, Never Let Go, Equally Represented Arts

Maggie Wininger, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Actor in a Comedy

Will Bonfiglio, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Jacob Flekier, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Adam Flores, The Motherf**ker with the Hat, R-S Theatrics

Michael Cassidy Flynn, Classic Mystery Game, SATE

Steve Isom, Wittenberg, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Director of a Comedy

Melissa Rain Anderson, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Kari Ely, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Alan Knoll, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Tom Ridgely, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Ellie Schwetye, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Comedy

Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama

Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama

Sophia Brown, Fefu and Her Friends, Theatre Nuevo

Michelle Dillard, Milk Like Sugar, The Black Rep

Alicen Moser, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Carly Uding, Translations, Black Mirror Theatre

Donna Weinsting, Nonsense and Beauty, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama

Eric Conners, Canfield Drive, The Black Rep

J. Samuel Davis, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Reginald Pierre, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

David Ryan Smith, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Drama

Nicole Angeli, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Zoe Farmingdale, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Rachel Hanks, A Model for Matisse, The Midnight Company

Jeanne Paulsen, Alabama Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Donna Weinsting, Salt, Root and Roe, Upstream Theater

Outstanding Actor in a Drama

Gary Wayne Barker, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

James Andrew Butz, The Night of the Iguana, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Roger Erb, Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Barrett Foa, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Spencer Sickmann, Farragut North, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Outstanding Director of a Drama

Joanne Gordon, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Pamela Reckamp, The Women of Lockerbie, SATE

Ellie Schwetye, Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Tony Speciale, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Jacqueline Thompson, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Drama

Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Equivocation, West End Players Guild

Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Photograph 51, West End Players Guild

Outstanding Set Design in a Play

David Blake, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Dunsi Dai, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Tim Mackabee, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Margery and Peter Spack, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Margery and Peter Spack, The Play That Goes Wrong, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play

Felia Davenport, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Dorothy Marshall Englis, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Laura Hanson, Wittenberg, Upstream Theater

Michele Friedman Siler, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre

Melissa Trn, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play

Patrick Huber, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

Jason Lynch, Feeding Beatrice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Bess Moynihan, The Women of Lockerbie, SATE

Xavier Pierce, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Sean M. Savoie, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Broken Chord, Angels in America, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Kareem Deanes, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre

Kareem Deanes, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Phillip Evans, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions

David Kelepha Samba, Feeding Beatrice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical

Mary Engelbreit and Paige Hathaway, Matilda, The Muny

Paige Hathaway, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Muny

Michael Schweikardt, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Josh Smith, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

James Wolk, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical

Gregg Barnes and Lindsay McWilliams, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Leon Dobkowski and Mary Engelbreit, Matilda, The Muny

Eileen Engel, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Brad Musgrove, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Sarah Porter, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical

Rob Denton, Matilda, The Muny

Tyler Duenow, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Sean M. Savoie, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Sean M. Savoie, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Nathan W. Scheuer, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Outstanding Musical Director

Jennifer Buchheit, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Charles Creath, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Ryan Fielding Garrett, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Brad Haak, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Nicolas Valdez, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Outstanding Choreographer

Kirven Douthit-Boyd, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Jessica Hartman, Footloose, The Muny

Lorin Latarro and Patrick O’Neill, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Dexandro Montalvo, Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis et al

Rusty Mowery, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Kinky Boots, The Muny

Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Matilda, The Muny

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Eleanor Humphrey, Dreamgirls, Stray Dog Theatre

Laura Michelle Kelly, Matilda, The Muny

Taylor Louderman, Kinky Boots, The Muny

Corinne Melancon, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Michele Ragusa, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Tielere Cheatem, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

Kevin Corpuz, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Tristan Davis, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Eli Mayer, Footloose, The Muny

Patrick John Moran, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Actress in a Musical

Mattea Conforti, Matilda, The Muny

Ebony Easter, Dreamgirls, Stray Dog Theatre

Kendra Kassebaum, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Amanda Robles, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Daddy Long Legs, Insight Theatre Company

Outstanding Actor in a Musical

David Elder, The Boy from Oz, Stages St. Louis

Zachary Allen Farmer, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre

J. Harrison Ghee, Kinky Boots, The Muny

James Patterson, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Luke Steingruby, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Q Collective

Outstanding Director of a Musical

Justin Been, The Who’s Tommy, Stray Dog Theatre

Mike Dowdy-Windsor & Scott Miller, Be More Chill, New Line Theatre

Gordon Greenberg, Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Michael Hamilton, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

John Tartaglia, Matilda, The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep

Guys and Dolls, The Muny

Kinky Boots, The Muny

Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis

Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis et al

Outstanding New Play

Canfield Drive, by Kristen Adele Calhoun & Michael Thomas Walker, The Black Rep

Feeding Beatrice, by Kristen Greenidge, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

It’s a Wonderful Life, by John Wolbers, Metro Theater Company

A Model for Matisse, by Barbara F. Freed and Joe Hanrahan, The Midnight Company

Nonsense and Beauty, by Scott C. Sickles, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Terence Blanchard and Kasi Lemmons, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Mark Freiman, La Boheme, Union Avenue Opera

Christine Lyons, Norma, Winter Opera Saint Louis

Brooklyn Snow, Candide, Union Avenue Opera

Roland Wood, Rigoletto, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Outstanding Production of an Opera

La Boheme, Union Avenue Opera

Candide, Union Avenue Opera

The Coronation of Poppea, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

The Marriage of Figaro, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Special Award

Ken and Nancy Kranzberg

Members of the St. Louis Theater Circle include Steve Allen, stagedoorstl.com; Mark Bretz, Ladue News; Bob Cohn, St. Louis Jewish Light; Tina Farmer, KDHX; Michelle Kenyon, snoopstheatrethoughts.com; Gerry Kowarsky, Two on the Aisle (HEC-TV); Chuck Lavazzi, KDHX; Sarah Bryan Miller (opera only), St. Louis Post-Dispatch; Judith Newmark, judyacttwo.com; Ann Lemons Pollack, stlouiseats.typepad.com; Tanya Seale, Broadwayworld.com; Lynn Venhaus, St. Louis Limelight Magazine; Bob Wilcox, Two on the Aisle (HEC-TV); and Calvin Wilson, St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Eleanor Mullin, local actress and arts supporter, is group administrator. 

For more information, contact stltheatercircle@sbcglobal.net or ‘like’ The St. Louis Theater Circle on Facebook.

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