The St. Louis Theater Circle released its 2015 award nominees on Friday. The productions leading the nominations were Stages St. Louis’ production of “Anything Goes,” with nine nominations, and Stray Dog Theatre’s “The Mystery of Edwin Drood,” with seven nominations. The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis led all companies with 30 nominations.
In all, 21 companies were nominated in the fourth year of the awards, judged by 15 local theatre critics. All professional St. Louis productions are eligible; touring shows are not.
The awards will be announced at a gala ceremony on March 21 at the Skip Viragh Center for the Arts on the campus of Chaminade College Preparatory School. The awards will also be webcast online here.
On Friday, theater critics Judith Newmark, of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, and Lynn Venhaus, of the Belleville News-Democrat, announced a partial list of nominees on “St. Louis on the Air” on Friday at noon.
Here’s the full list:
Outstanding Ensemble of a Comedy
- Bad Jews, New Jewish Theatre
- Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, R-S Theatrics
- The 39 Steps, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Wild Oats, St. Louis Shakespeare
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy:
- Betsy Bowman, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Shinnerie Jackson, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Erin Kelley, The Killing of Sister George, Max & Louie Productions
- Shannon Nara, The Killing of Sister George, Max & Louie Productions
- Jeanitta Perkins, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, St. Louis Shakespeare
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy:
- John Bratkowski, The World Begun, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- Michael Brightman, Mr. Marmalade, West End Players Guild
- Jeffrey C. Hawkins, Peter and the Starcatcher, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Pete Winfrey, Bad Jews, New Jewish Theatre
- John Wolbers, Wild Oats, St. Louis Shakespeare
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
- Lavonne Byers, The Killing of Sister George, Max & Louie Productions
- Kari Ely, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Suzanne Grodner, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Linda Kennedy, The Gin Game, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Em Piro, Bad Jews, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy:
- John Feltch, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Peter Mayer, The Gin Game, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Antonio Rodriguez, Bad Jews, New Jewish Theatre
- William Roth, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Jeremy Webb, Buyer and Cellar, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Director of a Comedy:
- John Contini, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Michael Evan Haney, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, Repertory Theatre St. Louis
- Sydnie Grosberg Ronga, Bad Jews, New Jewish Theatre
- Jacqueline Thompson, The World Begun, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- Kirsten Wylder, The 39 Steps, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Outstanding Production of a Comedy
The Gin Game, St. Louis Actors’ Studio - The Killing of Sister George, Max & Louie Productions
- The 39 Steps, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Wild Oats, St. Louis Shakespeare
- Outstanding Ensemble of a Drama
- All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- One Flea Spare, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- The Winslow Boy, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
- Em Piro, Sight Unseen, New Jewish Theatre
- Kelly Taffe, Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Afflicted: Daughters of Salem, Metro Theater Company
- Cassia Thompson, Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Elizabeth Van Pelt, Rapture, Blister, Burn, West End Players Guild
- Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Will Cobbs, Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis - John Flack, Sublime Intimacy, Max & Louie Productions
- Andrew Kuhlman, One Flea Spare, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Michael James Reed, All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Chris Tipp, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
- Shirine Babb, Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- Emily Baker, Sight Unseen, New Jewish Theatre
- Danielle Carlacci, I and You, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Amy Loui, The Amish Project, Mustard Seed Theatre
- Lisa Tejero, The Kiss, Upstream Theatre
Outstanding Actor in a Drama
- J. Samuel Davis, BashirLazhar, Upstream Theater
- Brian Dykstra, All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Daniel Morgan Shelley, Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Jerry Vogel, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Upstream Theater
- Eric Dean White, The Kiss, Upstream Theater
Outstanding Director of a Drama
- Deanna Jent, The Amish Project, Mustard Seed Theatre
- Jane Page, I and You, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Ellie Schwetye, One Flea Spare, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Patrick Siler, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Upstream Theater
- Steven Woolf, All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Outstanding Production of a Drama
- All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- I and You, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- One Flea Spare, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Upstream Theater
- The Winslow Boy, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Set Design – Play
- Wilson Chin, Angel Street, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Scott C. Neale, Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- Paul Shortt, Vanya and Sonya and Masha and Spike, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Peter and Margery Spack, Safe House, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Mark Wilson, An Invitation Out, Mustard Seed Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design – Play
- Beth Ashby, An Invitation Out, Mustard Seed Theatre
- Dorothy Marshall Englis, The Winslow Boy, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- JC Krajicek, The Further Adventures of Hedda Gabler, St. Louis Shakespeare
- Cyndi Lohrmann, The Killing of Sister George, Max & Louie Productions
- David Toser, Angel Street, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Outstanding Lighting Design – Play
- Joseph Clapper, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Upstream Theater
- Patrick Huber, Sublime Intimacy, Max & Louie Productions
- Bess Moynihan, One Flea Spare, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
- Peter E. Sargent, Angel Street, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Nathan Schroeder, Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play, R-S Theatrics
- Outstanding Sound Design – Play
- Paige Brubeck and Evan Suit, The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Upstream Theater
- Fitz Patton, All the Way, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Greg Mackender and Rusty Wandall, Antony and Cleopatra, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
- Rusty Wandall, Angel Street, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Rusty Wandall, I and You, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
- Outstanding Set Design – Musical
Shoko Kambara, The Barber of Seville, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis - Rob Lippert, Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
- Rob Lippert, Heathers, New Line Theatre
- Rob Lippert, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- James Wolk, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Outstanding Costume Design – Musical
- Eileen Engel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- Andrea Lauer, Into the Woods, The Muny
- Brad Musgrove, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Sarah Porter, The Threepenny Opera, New Line Theatre
- Alejo Vietti, Holiday Inn, The Muny
Outstanding Lighting Design – Musical
- Christoper Akerlind, Emmeline, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
- Tyler Duenow, Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
- John Lasiter, Oklahoma!, The Muny
- Sean M. Savoie, Once on This Island, The Black Rep
- Sean M. Savoie, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Music Director
- Jeffrey Richard Carter, The Threepenny Opera, New Line Theatre
- Charles Creath, Once on This Island, The Black Rep
- Michael Horsley, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Muny
- George Manahan, Emmeline, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
- Chris Petersen, Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Choreographer
Stephen Bourneuf, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Denis Jones, Holiday Inn, The Muny
- Dan Knechtges and Jessica Hartman, Hairspray, The Muny
- Susan Stroman and Ginger Thatcher, Oklahoma!, The Muny
- Keith Tyrone Williams, Once on This Island, The Black Rep
- Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
- Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
- Into the Woods, The Muny
- Heathers, New Line Theatre
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stages St. Louis
- Outstanding Supporting Actress – Musical
- Eileen Engel, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- Heather Headley, Into the Woods, The Muny
- Sydney Mancasola, La rondine, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
- Sarah Porter, The Threepenny Opera, New Line Theatre
- Zoe Vonder Haar, The Full Monty, Stages St. Louis
- Outstanding Supporting Actor – Musical
- Dan Fenaughty, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Joneal Joplin, The Fantasticks, Insight Theatre Company
- Rob McClure, Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
- Milton Craig Nealy, The Full Monty, Stages St. Louis
- Sam Weber, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Muny
- Oustanding Actress in a Musical
- Julie Cardia, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Shannon Cothran, Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
- Erin Dilly, Into the Woods, The Muny
- Joyce El-Khoury, Emmeline, Opera Theatre of St. Louis
- Anna Skidis, Heathers, New Line Theatre
- Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Andy Christopher, Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story, The Muny - Ben Davis, Oklahoma!, The Muny
- Evan Fornachon, Heathers, New Line Theatre
- Gerry Love, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- Jordan Shanahan, Rigoletto, Union Avenue Opera
- Outstanding Director of a Musical
- Justin Been, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- Michael Hamilton, Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Scott Miller, The Threepenny Opera, New Line Theatre
- Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy, Heathers, New Line Theatre
- Rob Ruggiero, Oklahoma!, The Muny
- Outstanding Production of a Musical
- Anything Goes, Stages St. Louis
- Dogfight, Stray Dog Theatre
- Heathers, New Line Theatre
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Stray Dog Theatre
- The Threepenny Opera, New Line Theatre
- Outstanding New Play
Nancy Bell, The World Begun, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis - Shualee Cook, An Invitation Out, Mustard Seed Theatre
- Neil LaBute, Kandahar, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
- Ken Page, Sublime Intimacy, Max & Louie Productions
- Alec Wild, Off the Record, OnSite Theatre
What: St. Louis Theater Circle Awards
When: Monday, March 21, 2016
- Red carpet, 6:30 p.m.
- Gala, 7 p.m.
Where: Viragh Center for the Arts on the campus of Chaminade College Preparatory School, 425 South Lindbergh Blvd.
Lynn (Zipfel) Venhaus has had a continuous byline in St. Louis metro region publications since 1978. She writes features and news for Belleville News-Democrat and contributes to St. Louis magazine and other publications.
She is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved film critic, currently reviews films for Webster-Kirkwood Times and KTRS Radio, covers entertainment for PopLifeSTL.com and co-hosts podcast PopLifeSTL.com…Presents.
She is a member of Critics Choice Association, where she serves on the women’s and marketing committees; Alliance of Women Film Journalists; and on the board of the St. Louis Film Critics Association. She is a founding and board member of the St. Louis Theater Circle.
She is retired from teaching journalism/media as an adjunct college instructor.