Arts & Events

Impact Theatre, Berkeley Rep, Aurora and African American Shakespeare garner Critics Circle Awards

By John A. McMullen II
Friday May 16, 2014 - 12:27:00 PM
Sherri Young and L. Peter Callender of African-American Shakespeare
David Allen Studios
Sherri Young and L. Peter Callender of African-American Shakespeare

On May 5, at the California Ballroom in Oakland CA, the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle held its 38th annual Awards Gala. 

Over 60 theatre artists--actors, directors, designers, choregraphers, specialists--received awards for outstanding work in 2013. Awards are given by size of house: under 100, 100 to 300, and over 300 seats. 

Three hundred artists packed the Ballroom to dine and Extreme pizza and wings, drink Trumer Pils and Pat Paulsen Wine, and have a helluva good time, unlike most stuffy and boring award ceremonies.  

Marty Nemko of KGO Radio's "Work Marty Nemko" displayed his piano talent show tunes during dinner then acCo.ing chanteuse Leanne Borghesi. 

There was a half hour intermission to greet old friends and dance to the Tal Ariel Rockin' Band. 

A link to the photos from the Critics Circle Awards Gala taken by David Allen Studios (www.studiodap.com) can be viewed at http://davidallen.zenfolio.com/p31246072 

LIST OF WINNERS AT BOTTOM OF ARTICLE 

Elly Lichenstein, artistic director of Cinnabar Theatre, received the Jerry Friedman Lifetime Achievement award which was presented by Linda Ayres-Frederick, vice president of the SFBATCC. 

Actors and former Critics Circle Award winners Johnny Moreno and Margo Hall awarded the Gene Price Award for passion and professionalism to Artistic Director Bill English and Managing Director Susi Damilano of SF Playhouse. 

Moreno and Hall entertained the 300 attendees their dead-pan introduction of "Batman and Robin, Bonnie and Clyde," and a list of other legendary duos like the husband and wife team of English and Damilano. 

The award by presented by Gala Coordinator John McMullen to Artistic Director L. Peter Carpenter and Executive Director Sherri Young; this was the presentation text: 

"The Paine Knickerbocker Award is presented to an organization that has made a continuing contribution to Bay Area theatre, and was bestowed on African-American Shakespeare Co..  

The Rhythm of the meter that pounds to the beat of our pulse. 

Colorful imagery that makes us see visions and dream dreams. 

A captivating turn of phrase that will stand generations of repetition out ever boring. 

Language that beguiles us so, that we adopt in it our everyday speech. 

I am speaking, of course, of the words and works of William Shakespeare, 

That description also fits the African-American Gift to the culture of this nation. 

It is a natural combination. 

Under the artistic direction of one of the Bay Area’s leading actors and directors, and under the management of a savvy and inventive Executive Director who also directs plays, the African-American Shakespeare Co. has beguiled and captivated audiences for twenty years. 

It is we in the Critics Circle and the Bay Area Audiences who have attended their productions who are honored to have the African-American Shakes as a part of our unique theatre culture. 

It is long overdue that we honor them for their singular and remarkable gift to us. 

So, to the Artistic Director. L. Peter Callender, to Executive Director Sherri Young, and to all the members of the Co. that brings those 400 year old words to life…We gratefully bestow the The Paine Knickerbocker Award for their continuing contribution to Bay Area theatre."  

Presenting the awards were Leanne Borghesi, Johnny Moreno, Margo Hall, Elly Lichenstein, L. Peter Callender, Sherri Young, Bill English, Susi Damilano, San Jose Rep's Rick Lombardo and Kirsten Brandt, actor Danny Scheie and John Fisher of Theatre Rhinoceros, Custom Made Theatre Co.'s Brian Katz, and Circle VP and Phoenix Theatre producer Linda Ayres. 

LIST OF AWARDEES: East Bay Theatres in BOLD 

Choreography in a house under 100 seats Anjee Norgaard Closer Than Ever Masquers Playhouse 

Choreography in a house 100 to 300 seats Lauren Rosi Into the Woods Ray of Light 

Choreography in a house over 300 seats Michella Snider Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Costume Design in a house in a house over 300 seats seats Mara Blumenfeld 1776 ACT 

Costume Design in a house 100 to 300 seats Sheri lee Miller La Cage Aux Folles Cinnabar Theater 

Costume Design in a house under 100 seats Laura Hazlett In Friendship Word for Word 

Ensemble in a house under 100 seats Red Red 6th Street Playhouse 

Ensemble in a house 100 to 300 seats The Whipping Man The Whipping Man Marin Theatre Co. 

Ensemble in a house over 300 seats Young Frankenstein Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Entire Production in a house under 100 seats In Friendship In Friendship Word for Word 

Entire Production in a house 100 to 300 seats The Whipping Man The Whipping Man Marin Theatre Co. 

Entire Production in a house over 300 seats Young Frankenstein Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Featured Actor in a Musical in a house over 300 seats Brian Herndon Being Earnest TheatreWorks 

Featured Actor in a Musical in a house under 100 seats Jordon Bridges Next to Normal Custom Made Theatre Co. 

Featured Actor in a Musical in a house 100 to 300 seats Wilson Jermaine Heredia Camelot SF Playhouse 

Featured Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house under 100 seats Alexander Lenarsky As You Like It Impact Theatre 

Featured Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house 100 to 300 seats Ron Gnapp The Beauty Queen of Leenane Marin Theatre Co. 

Featured Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house over 300 seats Tom Bloom Dead Metaphor ACT 

Featured Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house over 300 seats Caroline Kaplan Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Berkeley Rep 

Featured Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house under 100 seats Luisa Frasconi As You Like It Impact Theatre 

Featured Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house 100 to 300 seats Mary Ann Rodgers Pack of Lies Ross Valley Players 

Featured Actress in a Musical in a house under 100 seats Jennifer Stark Closer Than Ever Masquers Playhouse 

Featured Actress in a Musical in a house over 300 seats Mary Gannon Graham Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Featured Actress in a Musical in a house 100 to 300 seats Valentina Osinski La Cage Aux Folles Cinnabar Theater 

Lighting Design in a house under 100 seats Heather Basarab The Chairs Cutting Ball Theater 

Lighting Design in a house over 300 seats Lap Chi Chu Romeo and Juliet California Shakespeare Co. 

Lighting Design in a house under 100 seats Maxx Kurzunski Next to Normal Custom Made Theatre Co. 

Lighting Design in a house 100 to 300 seats Stephanie Buchner The Arsonists Aurora Theatre 

Music Direction in a house 100 to 300 seats David Moschler Into the Woods Ray of Light 

Music Direction in a house under 100 seats Pat King Closer Than Ever Masquers Playhouse 

Music Direction in a house over 300 seats Sandy and Richard Riccardi Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Original Musical in a house over 300 seats music by Byron Au Yong, libretto by Aaron Jafferis Stuck Elevator ACT 

Original Musical in a house 100 to 300 seats Tom Orr Dirty Little Showtunes New Conservatory Theatre Center 

Original Script in a house 100 to 300 seats John Fisher To Sleep and Dream Theatre Rhinoceros 

Original Script in a house under 100 seats Morgan Ludlow Gorgeous Hussy: An Interview Joan Crawford Wily West Productions 

Principal Actor in a Musical in a house over 300 seats Julius Ahn Stuck Elevator ACT 

Principal Actor in a Musical in a house under 100 seats Rob Broadhurst The Rocky Horror Show 6th Street Playhouse 

Principal Actor in a Musical in a house 100 to 300 seats Tom Orr Dirty Little Showtunes New Conservatory Theatre Center 

Principal Actress in a Musical in a house over 300 seats Denise Elia-Yen Young Frankenstein Spreckels Theatre Co. 

Principal Actress in a Musical in a house under 100 seats Julianne Lorenzen The Rocky Horror Show 6th Street Playhouse 

Principal Actress in a Musical in a house 100 to 300 seats Monique Hafen Camelot SF Playhouse 

Principal Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house over 300 seats Danny Scheie Next Fall San Jose Rep 

Principal Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house 100 to 300 seats Gabriel Marin The Mother F**ker the Hat SF Playhouse 

Principal Actor in a Drama or Comedy in a house under 100 seats Miyaka Cochrane As You Like It Impact Theatre 

Principal Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house under 100 seats Maria Giere Marquis As You Like It Impact Theatre 

Principal Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house over 300 seats Sharon Lockwood Vanya and Soina and Masha and Spike Berkeley Rep 

Principal Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house under 100 seats Susan Zelinsky Steel Magnolias Novato Theater  

Principal Actress in a Drama or Comedy in a house 100 to 300 seats Susi Damilano Abigail's Party SF Playhouse 

Set Design in a house 100 to 300 seats Bill English Storefront Church SF Playhouse 

Set Design in a house under 100 seats Harry Reid Steel Magnolias Novato Theater Co. 

Set Design in a house over 300 seats Yoon Bae Disconnect San Jose Rep 

Solo Performance in a house over 300 seats David Strathairn Underneath the Lintel ACT 

Sound Design in a house over 300 seats Erik Carstensen The Pianist of Willesden Lane Berkeley Rep 

Sound Design in a house under 100 seats Liz Ryder Eurydice Custom Made Theatre Co. 

Sound Design in a house 100 to 300 seats Matt Stines The Arsonists Aurora Theatre 

Sound Design in a house over 300 seats Rick Lombardo The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus San Jose Rep Theatre 

Specialty: Fight Choreography in a house 100 to 300 seats Miguel Martinez Camelot SF Playhouse 

Specialty: Movement in a house under 100 seats Daunielle Rasmussen, Movement Eurydice Custom Made Theatre  

Specialty: Projection Design in a house over 300 seats Erik Scanlon Projections Carrie, the Musical Ray of Light 

Specialty: Projection Design in a house 100 to 300 seats Micah J. Stieglitz Camelot SF Playhouse 

Stage Direction in a house under 100 seats Norman A. Hall Steel Magnolias Novato Theater Co. 

Stage Direction in a house over 300 seats Richard E. T. White Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Berkeley Rep 

Stage Direction in a house 100 to 300 seats Sheri Lee Miller La Cage au Folles Cinnabar Theater 

Touring Show in a house over 300 seats Anything Goes Anything Goes SHN