With 13 nominations and seven wins, the stage-to-film-to-stage “Dreamgirls” dominated Richmond’s version of the Tony Awards tonight. Virginia Reportory Theatre’s splashy summer show won Best Musical and Best Direction of a Musical along with accolades for technical achievement.
Fitting that Desiree Roots, who played Effie, served as host of the Artsies awards show, held earlier tonight at Virginia Rep’s November Theatre.
Awards were chosen by a group of local reviewers who are members of the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle, in conjunction with the Richmond Theatre Alliance.
It was clear early on that the crowd-pleasing “Dreamgirls” was going to be a big source of entertainment.
“The music soars, the performances are spot-on, and the dazzling technical elements create beautiful stage pictures that will stick in your memory long after you leave the theater,” Style theater critic Dave Timberline wrote of the production.
Timberline also called out D. Jerome Wells — who won for Best Supporting Actor in a Musical — as the cast’s “most delightful surprise.”
TheatreLab’s “Venus in Fur,” co-produced with Yes, And Entertainment, won Best Play, with Maggie Roop’s performance in the show winning her a Best Actress award. The show was the directoral debut of Richmond actor Matt Shofner.
Style theater critic Rich Griset called “The Boy From Oz” a “rollicking good time,” and it netted two Artsies for Richmond Triangle Players — Best Actor in a Musical to Chris Hester, who spent a year preparing for the role of Peter Allen, and Best Supporting Actress in a Musical to Grey Garrett. It was her second time inhabiting the character of Judy Garland for a Richmond production, an experience she shared with Style.
Laine Satterfield won Best Direction of a Play for Virginia Rep’s “The Mountaintop,” which also received “Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design” for Jesse Senechel’s work.
“Bad Jews,” produced by TheatreLab, won the Ernie McClintock Award for Best Ensemble Acting. In his review, Griset wrote that the play “hits all the right comedic beats and manages a surprisingly touching close.”
Kate Belleman won Best Choreography for “Green Day’s American Idiot” at the Firehouse Theatre, and Debra Clinton and Jason Marks’ “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical” won Outstanding Original Work. Here’s how that show came together.
Dancer Frances Wessells and actress Marie Goodman Hunter, both Richmond educators, received the Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Theatre.
The complete list of nominees and winners is:
Best Musical
Winner: “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
“The Boy From Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
“Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
“Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
“Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Best Direction / Musical
Winner: Chase Kniffen, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Debra Clinton, “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Adam Ferguson, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Deejay Gray, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” produced by TheatreLab
Tom Width, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Best Actor / Musical
Winner: Chris Hester, “The Boy From Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Other nominees:
Denver Crawford, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Ian Page, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Alexander Sapp, “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Jerold Solomon, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Actress / Musical
Winner: Katrinah Carol Lewis, “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill,” produced by TheatreLab
Other nominees:
Audra Honaker, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Jenna Kraynak, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” produced by Nu Puppis
Robyn O’Neill, “Gypsy,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Desiree Roots, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Supporting Actor / Musical
Winner: D. Jerome Wells, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Billy Dye, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Adam Mincks, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Mahlan Raoufi, “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers,” produced by Nu Puppis
Durron Tyre, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Supporting Actress / Musical
Winner: Grey Garrett, “The Boy From Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Other nominees:
Felicia Curry, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Kathy Halenda, “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Anna Hogan, The Boy From Oz, produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Jeannie Rule, The Boy From Oz, produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Best Choreography
Winner: Kate Belleman, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Other nominees:
Justin Amellio, “The Boy from Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Debra Clinton, “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Leslie Owens-Harrington, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Scott Putman, “Equus,” produced by Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Rep
Best Musical Direction
Winner: John Winn, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Kim Fox, “The Boy From Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Matt Koon, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Jose Simbulan, “Gypsy,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Travis West, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Best Play
Winner: “Venus in Fur,” produced by TheatreLab
Other nominees:
“4000 Miles,” produced by Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Rep
“American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
“The Mountaintop,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
“Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
“Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Best Direction / Play
Winner: Laine Satterfield, “The Mountaintop,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Anna Johnson, “Equus,” produced by Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Rep
Jon Kretzu, “Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Daniel Moore, “American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
Nathaniel Shaw, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Matt Shofner, “Venus in Fur,” produced by TheatreLab
Best Actor / Play
Winner: Matthew Radford Davies, “The Merchant of Venice,” produced by Quill Theatre
Other nominees:
Joe Inscoe, “King Lear,” produced by Quill Theatre
Alan Sader, “American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
Alexander Sapp, “Summer and Smoke,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Jerold Solomon, “The Mountaintop,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Scott Wichmann, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Actress / Play
Winner: Maggie Roop, “Venus in Fur,” produced by TheatreLab
Other nominees:
Kimberly Jones Clark, “Christmas on the Rocks,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Kelsey Cordrey, “Bad Jews,” produced by TheatreLab
Katrinah Carol Lewis, “The Mountaintop,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Irene Ziegler, “4000 Miles,” produced by Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Rep
Best Supporting Actor / Play
Winner: Alan Sader, “The Lazarus Syndrome,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Other nominees:
Jeff Clevenger, “Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Larry Cook, “Equus,” produced by Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Rep
Trevor Craft, “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Robert Throckmorton, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Best Supporting Actress / Play
Winner: Jessi Johnson, “Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play,” produced by TheatreLab
Other nominees:
Megan Graves, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Audra Honaker, “Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Margarette Joyner, “for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf,” produced by Heritage Ensemble Theatre
Catherine Carol Walker, “Bad Jews,” produced by TheatreLab
Ernie McClintock Award for Best Ensemble Acting
Winner: “Bad Jews,” produced by TheatreLab
Other nominees:
“American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
“Brighton Beach Memoirs,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
“Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
“Mr. Burns: A Post-Electric Play,” produced by TheatreLab
“Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Most Promising Newcomer
Winner: Tyler Stevens, “Brighton Beach Memoirs,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Emma Grace Bailey, “Creating Claire,” produced by HATTheatre
Adam Valentine, “Maple and Vine,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Killian Winn, “King Lear,” produced by Quill Theatre
Ben Wilson, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Outstanding Original Work
Winner: “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” created by Debra Clinton and Jason Marks, produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
“The Little Lion,” written by Irene Zeigler and produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
“Sweet Chocolate and the Seven Christians,” written by Margarette Joyner, produced by Heritage Ensemble Theatre
“Sadie’s Last Painting,” written by Alex Mayberry, produced by Free Jambalaya
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Winner: Sarah Grady, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Sue Griffin, “Gypsy,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Jeanne Nugent, “Croaker: The Frog Prince Musical,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Jeanne Nugent, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Mark Souza, The Boy from Oz, produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Winner: Joe Doran, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Joe Doran, “The Little Lion,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Joe Doran, “Little Shop of Horrors,” produced by Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Michael Jarrett, “The Boy from Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
BJ Wilkinson, “Summer and Smoke,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design
Winner: Ron Keller, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Tennessee Dixon, “Stupid Fucking Bird,” produced by Quill Theatre
Vinnie Gonzalez, “American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
Rich Mason, “Summer and Smoke,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Craig Napoliello, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Winner: Jesse Senechel, “The Mountaintop,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Other nominees:
Tadd Burrell, “Green Day’s American Idiot,” produced by Firehouse Theatre
Kelsey Cordrey, “American Buffalo,” produced by Quill Theatre
Derek Dumais, “Dreamgirls,” produced by Virginia Repertory Theatre
Joey Luck, “The Boy from Oz,” produced by Richmond Triangle Players
Liz Marks Memorial Award for Ongoing Contribution to Richmond Theatre
Marie Goodman Hunter, Frances Wessells
