Arts Spotlight: 2015 Theater Year in Review

Theater-of-the-Year-feature
Best Productions

1. One Arm, New Epic Theater
2. The Crucible, Guthrie Theater
3. Equus, Theatre Coup D’etat
4. The Jungle Book, Children’s Theatre Company
5. Jericho,  Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company
6. Juno and the Paycock, Guthrie Theater
7. Prep, Pillsbury House Theatre
8. Hairspray, Artistry
9. Choir Boy, Guthrie Theater
10. (3-way tie)
MR. BURNS: a post-electric play, Guthrie Theater
Hir,  Mixed Blood Theatre
Emily/Eurydice, Transatlantic Love Affair, Illusion Theater

Prep. Photo by Rich Ryan.

Prep. Photo by Rich Ryan.

Theater Artists of the Year
Lauren Anderson, Actress-Collaborator for Mad Max: Beyond Measledome, 50 Shades of GravyJunk from our TrunkThe Trump Who Stole Christmas, Brave New Workshop

Craig Johnson, Director: Civil War Homecoming, Fitzgerald Theater; Boeing Boeing, Torch Theater; The Matchmaker, Girl Friday Productions. Actor: Death and the Maiden, Torch Theater & Gremlin Theatre; One Arm, New Epic Theater

Best Director: Joe Dowling, The Crucible and Juno and the Paycock, Guthrie Theater

Best Dramatic Actress: Stacia Rice, Death and the Maiden, Torch Theater & Gremlin Theatre
Best Musical Actress: Ann Michels, Mary Poppins, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Best Comedic Actress: Crystal Fox, By the Way, Meet Vera Stark!, Penumbra Theatre

Best Dramatic Actor: Charles Numrich, Equus, Theatre Coup D’etat

Best Musical Actor: (tie) Rich Hamson & Jim Pounds, La Cage Aux Folles, Artistry

Best Comedic Actor: Dustin Bronson, Hir, Mixed Blood Theatre

Best Supporting Dramatic Actress: Miriam Schwarz, Jericho, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company

Best Supporting Musical Actress: Norah Long, Sister Act, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
Best Supporting Comedic Actress: Mo Perry, Boeing, Boeing, Torch Theater

Best Supporting Dramatic Actor: James A. Williams, Akeelah and the Bee, Children’s Theatre Company
Best Supporting Musical Actor: (tie) Logan Greene, Calvin Berger, Minneapolis Musical Theatre; Dane Stauffer, Glensheen, History Theatre
Best Supporting Comedic Actor: Raye Birk, You Can’t Take It With You, Jungle Theater

Best Cross-gender Performance (tie)
Nicco Annan, Pussy Valley, Mixed Blood Theatre; Jean Wolff, The Coward, Walking Shadow Theatre Company
Best Solo Performance: James Craven, Thurgood, Illusion Theater

Best Multiple-Role Performance: Nathaniel Fuller, The Woman in Black, Yellow Tree Theatre

Best Classical Performance: Anna Sundberg, Henry IV, Part I, 10,000 Things Theater Company
Best New Queer Play and Production: Getting to Ellen, BOOM! Theater
Best Revival of a Queer Classic: Gertrude Stein and a Companion, Jungle Theater
Choir Boy. Photo by Heidi Bohnenkamp.

Choir Boy. Photo by Heidi Bohnenkamp.

Crème de la Crème Performances

Lauren Davis, Oliver!, Hennepin Theatre Trust-Theater Latte Da
Danny Binstock and Stacey Bono, The Music Man, Guthrie Theater
Johanna Easley, Akeelah and the Bee, Children’s Theatre Company
Kory LaQuess Pullam, Prep, Pillsbury House Theatre
Kevin Fanshaw, Equus, Theater Coup D’etat
Regina Marie Williams, Sister Act, Chanhassen Dinner Theatres
John-Michael Lyles, Choir Boy, Guthrie Theater
Adam Whisner, A Bright New Boise, Loudmouth Collective and The Woodsman, Theatre Pro Rata
Erik Heger, The Crucible, Guthrie Theater
Shanan Custer and Charles Hubbell, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Casting Spells Productions
Jessica Lind Peterson, Next to Normal, Yellow Tree Theatre
Sam Bardwell, Things of Dry Hours, Frank Theatre
Torsten Johnson, One Arm, New Epic Theater
Sara Marsh, Extremities, Dark & Stormy Productions
Summer Hagen, God Girl, History Theatre
Thomasina Petrus, The Gospel of Lovingkindness, Pillsbury House Theatre
Ryan M. Lindberg, Jericho, Minnesota Jewish Theatre Company
Anna Sundberg, For the Loyal, Illusion Theater

Best Choreography: Michael Matthew Ferrell, Hairspray, Artistry

Best Musical Direction: Anita Ruth, Hairspray, Artistry

Best Costumes: Immanuel Elliott, Vile Affections, Gadfly Productions

Best Set Design: Joe Stanley, The Jungle Book, Children’s Theatre Company

Best Sound Design: Peter Vitale, Henry IV, Part I, 10,000 Things Theater Company

Best Lighting: Nancy Schertler, The Jungle Book, Children’s Theatre Company

Best Stage Combat Direction: Annie Enneking, Extremities, Dark & Stormy Productions; Henry IV, Part I, 10,000 Things Theater; The Jungle Book, Children’s Theatre Company

Best New Playwriting: Kristine Holmgren, God Girl, History Theatre

Superior Achievement in Theater Music and Lyrics: Chan Poling, Glensheen, History Theatre

Superior Team Achievement in Theatrical Design Innovation: Katrina Benedict, David Cook, Ken Grosch, Lisa V. Kudas & Matt Kudas, Lemonade for the Lawnboy: The Musical, Minnetonka Theatre

Hairspray. Photo by Vicki Madsen

Hairspray. Photo by Vicki Madsen

Superior Achievement in Artistic Leadership:
Philip Bither, Senior Curator of Performing Arts, Walker Art Center
Julie Voigt, Senior Program Officer, Walker Art Center
Tom Hoch, President and Chief Executive Officer, Hennepin Theatre Trust

Best Show From Out of Town: Pippin, national tour at Orpheum Theatre

Best Performances from Out of Town:  Kyle Taylor Parker, Kinky Boots, national tour at Orpheum Theatre; Aaron Davidman, Wrestling Jerusalem, Guthrie Theater

Best Supporting Performance from Out of Town: Priscilla Lopez, Pippin, national tour at Orpheum Theatre

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