According to a press release, the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle has announced the nominees for this year’s Artsies, the community’s recognition of excellence in Richmond-area theatre.
This year’s event will take place at 7pm on Sunday, Oct. 7 at Virginia Rep’s November Theatre. Tickets go on sale Sept. 1 and can be purchased by calling the Virginia Rep box office: 804.282.2620, according to the release.
Among this year’s top nominees were Firehouse Theatre’s “Preludes” (12 nominations) and Virginia Rep’s “West Side Story” (11 nominations). Richmond Triangle Players has an impressive three plays ( “Cloud 9,” “Corpus Christi” and “The Normal Heart” ) in competition for Best Play of the Year.
Here is your full list of nominees:
Best Musical
“Alice, A New Musical” – Firehouse/TheatreLAB
“Fun Home” – Cadence Theatre in partnership with Virginia Rep
“The Last Five Years – TheatreLAB/Yes, And! Entertainment
“Preludes” – Firehouse
“West Side Story” – Virginia Rep
Best Direction (Musical)
Adam Ferguson, “Alice”
Chase Kniffen, “Fun Home”
Billy-Christopher Maupin, “Preludes”
Nathaniel Shaw, “West Side Story”
Kerrigan Sullivan, “Wings”
Best Actor (Musical)
PJ Freebourn, “Preludes”
Duke Lafoon, “Fun Home”
Justin Luciano, “West Side Story”
Dale Sampson, “The View Upstairs,” Richmond Triangle Players
Alexander Sapp, “The Last Five Years”
Best Actress (Musical)
Bianca Bryan, “Wings”
Alexa Cepeda, “A Chorus Line,” Richmond Triangle Players
Christie Jackson, “The Last Five Years”
Brittany Santos, “West Side Story”
Debra Wagoner, “Tomfoolery,” Swift Creek Mill
Best Supporting Actor (Musical)
Levi Meerovich, “Preludes”
Steven Rada, “A Chorus Line”
Morgan Reynolds, “Mary Poppins” Virginia Rep
Alexander Sapp, “A Chorus Line”
Travis West, “Preludes”
Best Supporting Actress (Musical)
Maggie Bavolack, “Alice”
Daria DeGaetano, “A Chorus Line”
Maria Cristina Slye, “West Side Story”
Debra Wagoner, “Mary Poppins”
Elizabeth Wyld, “Fun Home”
Best Musical Direction
Susan Randolph Braden, “Preludes”
Paul Deiss, “Tomfoolery”
Leilani Fenick/Michael Knowles, “To Damascus,” Firehouse
Kim Fox, “Wings”
Anthony Smith, “West Side Story”
Best Choreography
Kikau Alvaro, “Fun Home”
Justin Amellio, “A Chorus Line”
Emily Dandridge, “Preludes”
Alissa Pagnotti, “Dames at Sea”
Lisa Rumbauskas, “Mary Poppins”
Special Achievement in Dance
Matthew Couvillon for recreating Jerome Robbins’ choreography for Virginia Rep’s “West Side Story.”
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design (Musical)
Leslie Cook-Day, “Preludes”
Sarah Grady, “West Side Story”
Sue Griffin and Jeanne Nugent, “Mary Poppins”
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design (Musical)
Christian DeAngelis, “Preludes”
Joe Doran, “Fun Home”
Michael Jarett, “The Last Five Years”
Bill Miller, “Wings”
BJ Wilkinson, “West Side Story”
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design (Musical)
Scott Bradley, “West Side Story”
Tennessee Dixon, “Preludes”
Adam Ferguson, “Alice”
Vinnie Gonzalez, “Wings”
David Melton, “The View Upstairs”
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (Musical)
Derek Dumais, “Fun Home”
Derek Dumais, “Mary Poppins”
Derek Dumais, “West Side Story”
Ryan Dygert, “Preludes”
Jason Blue Herbert, “Wings”
Best Play
“Appropriate,” Cadence Theatre in partnership with Virginia Rep
“Cloud 9,” Richmond Triangle Players
“Corpus Christi,” Richmond Triangle Players
“Hand to God,” 5th Wall/TheatreLAB
“The Normal Heart,” Richmond Triangle Players
“Top Dog/Underdog,” TheatreLAB
Best Direction (Play)
Josh Chenard, “Desire under the Elms,” Firehouse
Gary C. Hopper, “Hand to God”
Anna Senechal Johnson, “Appropriate”
Katrinah Carol Lewis, “Top Dog/Underdog”
James Ricks, “Lysistrata,” Quill
Best Actor (Play)
Matt Bloch, “Cloud 9”
Bostin Christopher, “The Christians,” Cadence Theatre in partnership with Virginia Rep
Jim Morgan, “The Normal Heart”
Jeremy V. Morris, “Top Dog/Underdog”
Adam Turck, “Hand to God”
Best Actress (Play)
Trazana Beverley, “A Raisin in the Sun”
Kimberly Jones Clark, “Hand to God”
Maggie Roop, “Crimes of the Heart,” Virginia Rep (Hanover Tavern)
Susan Sanford, “Appropriate”
Laine Satterfield, “Cloud 9”
Catherine Shaffner, Erma Bombeck: “At Wit’s End,” Virginia Rep (Hanover Tavern)
Best Supporting Actor (Play)
Chandler Hubbard, “Corpus Christi”
Happy Mahaney, “Appropriate”
John Mincks, “Miracle on South Division Street,” Virginia Rep (Hanover Tavern)
Matt Shofner, “Romeo & Juliet” (VMFA), Quill
Adam Valentine, “Hand to God”
Best Supporting Actress (Play)
Maggie Bavolack, “Lysistrata”
Jasmine Coles, “A Raisin in the Sun”
Donna Marie Miller, “Food, Clothing, and Shelter,” Firehouse
Melissa Johnston Price, “Romeo & Juliet”
Jill Bari Steinberg, “Appropriate”
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design (Play)
Cora Delbridge, “As You Like It,” Quill
Cora Delbridge, “Romeo & Juliet”
Aaron Mastin, “Shakespeare in Love,” Virginia Rep
Sheila Russ, “The Normal Heart”
Emily Tappan, “A Raisin in the Sun”
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design (Play)
Andrew Bonniwell, “I Am My Own Wife,” Richmond Triangle Players/5th Wall
Michael Jarett, “Moth,” TheatreLAB
Bill Miller, “Desire under the Elms”
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design (Play)
Katherine Field, “A Raisin in the Sun”
Rich Mason, “Appropriate”
Rich Mason, “The Christians”
Terrie Powers, “Crimes of the Heart”
Chris Raintree, “Desire under the Elms”
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (Play)
Paul Deiss, “The Woman in Black,” Swift Creek Mill
Derek Dumais, “A Raisin in the Sun”
Robbie Kinter, “An Oak Tree,” Firehouse
Ernie McClintock Best Ensemble Acting
“Alice,” TheatreLAB
“Cloud 9,” Richmond Triangle Players
“Corpus Christi,” Richmond Triangle Players
“Miracle on South Division Street,” Virginia Rep
“Preludes,” Firehouse
Promising Newcomer
Mara Barrett, “Free Man of Color,” Heritage Ensemble Theatre Company
Stone Casey, “The Diviners,” Chamberlayne Actors Theatre
Violet Craghead-Way, “Fun Home”
Jordan Pearson,”Akeelah and the Bee,” Virginia Rep Children’s Theatre
Keisha Wallace, “Food, Clothing, and Shelter”
Best Original Work
“The Dream Seller and the Forest Dwellers” by Jerry Maple Jr., Heritage
“Food, Clothing, and Shelter” by Bo Wilson, Firehouse
“River Ditty” by Matthew Mooney Keuter, Virginia Rep
“To Damascus” by Walter Braxton, Firehouse
