ST. LOUIS, January 25, 2019
— The musical Evita, which opened the 51st season of
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis last September, and the Tennessee Williams
Festival’s production of A Streetcar Named Desire each has garnered 11
nominations to lead the list of contenders for the seventh annual St. Louis
Theater Circle Awards.
Winners in more than 30 different categories covering comedies,
dramas and musicals will be announced at the awards ceremony on Monday, March
25 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.
Tickets once again will be $15 apiece and can be obtained
through Brown Paper Tickets at www.brownpapertickets.com
or at the Loretto-Hilton Center box office on the night of the event.
Llywelyn’s Catering will offer a selection of snack boxes, desserts and drinks
available on a pay-as-you-go basis at the event.
The Rep leads the way with a total of 21 nominations,
followed by 18 for The Muny and Stray Dog Theatre’s 15 nominees. Some 23 local professional companies received
nominations for 54 different shows. A
total of 120 artists have been nominated, including 10 who received two
nominations apiece. The awards honor outstanding achievement in locally
produced professional theater for the calendar year 2018.
In addition, three special awards have been announced: To The Muny for a century of performances
celebrated during its centennial season of 2018; to Kathleen Sitzer, founder
and long-time artistic director of the New Jewish Theatre, for lifetime
achievement; and to Steven Woolf, Augustin artistic director of The Rep for
more than 30 years, also for lifetime achievement.
Sitzer retired following the conclusion of her company’s
2017-18 season, while Woolf will be retiring at the conclusion of The Rep’s
2018-19 season this spring.
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. Nearly 130 locally produced professional
theatrical productions were presented in the St. Louis area in 2018.
The nominees for the seventh annual St. Louis Theater Circle
Awards are:
Outstanding
Ensemble in a Comedy
Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Stray Dog Theatre
The Realistic Joneses, Rebel and Misfits Productions
Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Kari Ely, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival
St. Louis
Carmen Garcia, Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with
Theatre Nuevo
Jennelle Gilreath, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told,
Stray Dog Theatre
Katy Keating, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Shannon Nara, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding
Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Gary Wayne Barker, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare
Festival St. Louis
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,
St. Louis Shakespeare
Brad Fraizer, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of
St. Louis
Stephen Henley, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog
Theatre
Carl Overly Jr., Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre
with Theatre Nuevo
Outstanding
Actress in a Comedy
Sarajane Alverson, Raging Skillet, New Jewish Theatre
Michelle Hand, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival
St. Louis
Nancy Nigh, Every Brilliant Thing, R-S Theatrics
Ruth Pferdehirt, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of
St. Louis
Heather Sartin, The Great Seduction, West End Players
Guild
Outstanding Actor
in a Comedy
Will Bonfiglio, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog
Theatre
Alan Knoll, An Act of God, New Jewish Theatre
Luke Steingruby, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told,
Stray Dog Theatre
Robert Thibaut, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,
St. Louis Shakespeare
Pete Winfrey, The Importance of Being Earnest,
Insight Theatre Company
Outstanding
Director of a Comedy
Gary F. Bell, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Nancy Bell, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival
St. Louis
Edward Coffield, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Pamela Hunt, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis
Anna Skidis Vargas, Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre
with Theatre Nuevo
Outstanding
Production of a Comedy
Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with Theatre Nuevo
Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding
Ensemble in a Drama
As It Is in Heaven, Mustard Seed Theatre
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Mustard Seed Theatre
The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Macbeth: Come Like Shadows, Rebel and Misfits
Productions
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival
St. Louis
Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Drama
Nicole Angeli, Doctor Faustus, or the Modern Prometheus,
SATE
Lana Dvorak, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee
Williams Festival St. Louis
Laurie McConnell, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’
Studio
Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre
Company
Brandi Threatt, Torn Asunder, The Black Rep
Outstanding
Supporting Actor in a Drama
Chuck Brinkley, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’
Studio
Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Tribes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Thom Niemann, Admissions, Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis
Spencer Sickmann, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee
Williams Festival St. Louis
Eric Dean White, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot,
Mustard Seed Theatre
Outstanding
Actress in a Drama
Elizabeth Birkenmeier, Blackbird, St.
Louis Actors’ Studio
Sophia Brown, A Streetcar Named Desire,
Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Kari Ely, The Little Foxes, St. Louis
Actors’ Studio
LaShunda Gardner, Torn Asunder, The
Black Rep
Angela Ingersoll, End of the Rainbow,
Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Actor
in a Drama
Ron Himes, Fences, The Black Rep
Nick Narcisi, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee
Williams Festival St. Louis
John Pierson, Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Rob Riordan, New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
David Wassilak, The Dresser, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Outstanding
Director of a Drama
Lorna Littleway, Fences, The Black Rep
Bobby Miller, The Dresser, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Tim Ocel, New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
Tim Ocel, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee
Williams Festival St. Louis
Annamaria Pileggi, Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’
Studio
Outstanding
Production of a Drama
Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
End of the Rainbow, Max & Louie Productions
Fences, The Black Rep
New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival
St. Louis
Outstanding Set
Design in a Play
Dunsi
Dai, End of the Rainbow, Max & Louie Productions
Gianni
Downs, The Humans, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Peter
and Margery Spack, Blow, Winds, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Peter
and Margery Spack, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
James
Wolk, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding
Costume Design in a Play
Lou Bird, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Megan Harshaw, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Amy Hopkins, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Michele Friedman Siler, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival
St. Louis
Michele Friedman Siler, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee
Williams Festival
Outstanding
Lighting Design in a Play
Rob
Lippert, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre Company
Jon
Ontiveros, Macbeth: Come Like Shadows, Rebel and Misfit Productions
Peter
E. Sargent, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean
M. Savoie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St.
Louis
Nathan
Schroeder, Silent Sky, West End Players Guild
Outstanding Sound
Design in a Play
James
Blanton, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre Company
Rusty
Wandall, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rusty
Wandall, The Humans, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Amanda
Werre, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Amanda
Werre, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Set
Design in a Musical
Luke
Cantarella, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Dunsi
Dai, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Paul
Tate dePoo III, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Michael
Schweikardt, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Muny
James
Wolk, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding
Costume Design in a Musical
Leon
Dobkowski, The Wiz, The Muny
Colene
Fornachon, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Daryl
Harris, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Robin
L. McGee, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Muny
Alejo
Vietti, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding
Lighting Design in a Musical
Rob
Denton, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Rob
Denton, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Muny
Tyler
Duenow, Jesus Christ Superstar, Stray Dog Theatre
John
Lasiter, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean
M. Savoie, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding
Musical Director
Charlie Alterman, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis
Rick Bertone, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Jennifer Buchheit, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog
Theatre
Charles Creath, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black
Rep
Nicolas Valdez, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Outstanding
Choreographer
Camille A. Brown, The Wiz, The Muny
Tony Gonzalez, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Dana Lewis, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Rommy Sandhu, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Gustavo Zajac and Mariana Parma, Evita, Repertory
Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding
Ensemble in a Musical
Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Muny
The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
The Zombies of Penzance, New Line Theatre
Outstanding
Supporting Actress in a Musical
Joy Boland, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Variety
Theatre
E. Faye Butler, The Wiz, The Muny
Julia Knitel, Gypsy, The Muny
Macia Noorman, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Megan Sikora, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Outstanding
Supporting Actor in a Musical
Kent Coffel, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Matthew Curiano, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Zachary Allen Farmer, The Zombies of Penzance, New
Line Theatre
Nathan Lee Graham, The Wiz, The Muny
Sean MacLaughlin, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis
Outstanding
Actress in a Musical
Michele Aravena, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St.
Louis
Sarah Ellis, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Beth Leavel, Gypsy, The Muny
Kay Love, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Sarah Porter, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Actor
in a Musical
Corbin Bleu, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Tielere Cheatem, The Light in the Piazza, R-S
Theatrics
Phil Leveling, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog
Theatre
Pepe Nufrio, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Blake Price, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding
Director of a Musical
Justin Been, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
Linda Kennedy, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black
Rep
Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor, Anything Goes,
New Line Theatre
Josh Rhodes, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Rob Ruggiero, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding
Production of a Musical
Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Crowns: A Gospel
Musical, The Black Rep
Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jersey Boys, The Muny
The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Outstanding New
Play
Stacie Lents, Run-On Sentence, SATE
Scott Miller, The Zombies of Penzance, New Line
Theatre
Nikkole Salter, Torn Asunder, The Black Rep
John Wolbers, Doctor Faustus, or the Modern Prometheus,
SATE
Vladimir Zelevinsky, The Great Seduction, West End
Players Guild
Outstanding
Achievement in Opera
Susan Graham, Regina, Opera Theatre of
Saint Louis
Kenneth Overton, Lost in the Stars,
Union Avenue Opera
Susanna Phillips, Regina, Opera
Theatre of Saint Louis
Patricia Racette, La Traviata, Opera
Theatre of Saint Louis
Shaun Patrick Tubbs, Lost in the Stars,
Union Avenue Opera
Outstanding
Production of an Opera
An American Soldier, Opera Theatre of
Saint Louis
L’elisir d’amore, Winter Opera Saint
Louis
La Traviata, Opera Theatre of Saint
Louis
Lost in the Stars, Union Avenue Opera
Regina, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
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; Chris Gibson, Broadwayworld.com; 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;
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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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.