2015 Suzi Bass Award nominees announced -- complete list here

With 51, the Alliance Theatre led Suzi Bass Award nominations as the finalists for Atlanta's version of the Tonys were announced Monday night.

Theatrical Outfit came in second with 24 nominations, followed by Actor’s Express (21), Aurora Theatre (20) and Serenbe Playhouse (11).

Musical productions held the five top spots in terms of “by show” nominations: "Memphis," a co-production of Aurora Theatre and Theatrical Outfit (where it will open Sept. 10), lead with 13. Alliance Theatre's "Tuck Everlasting" came in second with 12, followed by Serenbe Playhouse’s "Evita" (9); "Rent" at Actor’s Express (8) and "Chasin’ Dem Blues" at Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre (7).

Final ballot voting for the Suzi Awards begins this week and will culminate in the presentation of Suzi trophies at the 11th Annual Suzi Awards Ceremony on Nov. 2 at the Porter Sanford Performing Arts Center in DeKalb County.

Freddie Ashley and Agnes Lucinda Harty in "The Whale" at Actor's Express. CONTRIBUTED BY BREEANNE CLOWDUS

Outstanding Production of a Play

Blues for an Alabama Sky at Alliance Theatre

Edward Foote at Alliance Theatre

The Elephant Man at Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Silent Sky at Theatrical Outfit

The Whale at Actor's Express

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Ann Marie Gideon in the Alliance Theatre production of "Edward Foote" by Atlanta playwright Phillip DePoy. CONTRIBUTED BY GREG MOONEY

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

Joe Knezevich and Tom Key in John Patrick Shanley's "Storefront Church" at Theatrical Outfit. CONTRIBUTED BY BREEANNE CLOWDUS

Bad Jews at Actor's Express (Galen Crawley*, Rachel DeJulio, Wyatt Fenner*, Louis Gregory)

Clybourne Park at Aurora Theatre (Robin Bloodworth*, Tess Malis Kincaid*, Danielle Deadwyler*, Eric J. Little*, Bobby Labartino, Joe Sykes, Cara Mantella)

The Explorers Club at Aurora Theatre (Courtney Patterson*,Tony Larkin, Chris Kayser*, Chad Martin, George Contini, Al Stilo, Jacob York, Steve Hudson, Tim Whitson)

Pericles, Prince of Tyre at Shakespeare Tavern (Drew Reeves*, Matt Felton, Andrew Houchins*, Chris Schulz, J. Tony Brown*, Troy Willis*, Kevin Roost, Nicholas Faircloth, Miranda Wilson, Kati Grace Brown, Mary Russell, Hayley Platt, Mary Ruth Ralston, Andy Offutt Irwin)

Steel Magnolias at Alliance Theatre (Becky Ann Baker*, Beth Broderick*, David de Vries*, Mary Pat Gleason*, Deirdre Lovejoy*, Sarah Stiles*, Zoë Winters*)

Outstanding Costume Design in a Play

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play

Outstanding Scenic Design in a Play

Outstanding Sound Design in a Play

Anthony David and Maiesha McQueen in "Chasin' Dem Blues" at True Colors Theatre. CONTRIBUTED BY JOSH LAMKIN

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Chasin' Dem Blues at Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company

Evita at Serenbe Playhouse

Memphis at Aurora Theatre & Theatrical Outfit

Rent at Actor's Express

Tuck Everlasting at Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Outstanding Musical Direction

Outstanding Choreography of a Musical

Georgia Ensemble Theatre's production of "My Fair Lady" starred Carey Curtis Smith (Henry Higgins), William S. Murphey (Colonel Pickering), Jackie Prucha (Mrs. Higgins) and Molly Coyne (Eliza Doolittle). CONTRIBUTED BY DAN CARMODY/STUDIO 7

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical

"Hands on a Hardbody" at Aurora Theatre. CONTRIBUTED BY CHRIS BARTELSKI

Outstanding Ensemble Cast in a Musical

Outstanding Costume Design for a Musical

Outstanding Lighting Design for a Musical

Outstanding Scenic Design for a Musical

O utstanding Sound Design for a Musical

Cynthia D. Barker and Anthony Manough in Horizon Theatre's "Uprising, " by Gabrielle Fulton. CONTRIBUTED BY JAY BOWMAN

Outstanding World Premiere

Bull Durham at Alliance Theatre

The C.A. Lyons Project at Alliance Theatre

Edward Foote at Alliance Theatre

Tuck Everlasting at Alliance Theatre

Uprising at Horizon Theatre Company

Outstanding Production – Theatre for Young Audiences

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type at Center for Puppetry Arts

James and the Giant Peach at Alliance Theatre

Knuffle Bunny at Alliance Theatre

The Lizard and El Sol at Alliance Theatre

The 3 Little Pigs at Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Direction – Theatre for Young Audiences

Courage at Alliance Theatre, Director Rosemary Newcott

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type at Center for Puppetry Arts, Director – Jon Ludwig, Music Director – Dolph Amick

James and the Giant Peach at Alliance Theatre, Director – Rosemary Newcott, Choreographer – Ricardo Aponte, Music Director – Christopher Cannon

The Lizard and El Sol at Alliance Theatre, Director – Rosemary Newcott, Choreographer – Ricardo Aponte

The Secret Garden at Serenbe Playhouse, Director – Ryan Oliveti

Outstanding Design – Theatre for Young Audiences

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type at Center for Puppetry Arts, Puppet Designer – Jason Hines, Scenic Designer – Ryan Sbaratta, Lighting Designer – Liz Lee, Sound Designer – Gregory Montague, Costume Designer – Angela Malone

James and the Giant Peach at Alliance Theatre, Set Design – Kat Conley, Costume Design – Sydney Roberts, Lighting Design – Pete Shinn, Sound Design – Clay Benning

Lyle the Crocodile at Synchronicity Theatre, Scenic & Properties Design – Ryan Blackburn, Costume & Puppet Design – Scottie Rowell, Lighting & Sound Design – Kevin Frazier

The Secret Garden at Serenbe Playhouse, Garden Design – Cameron Watkins, Costume Design – Erik Teague, Sound Design – Daniel Pope

The 3 Little Pigs at Aurora Theatre, Set & Costume Designers – Isabel and Mariah Curley-Clay, Lighting Designer – Mike Post, Sound Designer – Thom Jenkins, Props Designer – Suzanne Cooper Morris

Outstanding Performance – Theatre for Young Audiences

Courage at Alliance Theatre, Ensemble - Lauren Boyd, Matt Felton, Stephanie Lloyd, J.L. Reed

James and the Giant Peach at Alliance Theatre, Ensemble - Caleb Clark, Molly Coyne, Benjamin Harding, Wendy Melkonian, Brandon O'Dell, Julissa Sabino, Googie Uterhardt, Jeremy Varner, Minka Wiltz

Knuffle Bunny at Alliance Theatre, Devon Hales

The Lizard and El Sol at Alliance Theatre, Julissa Sabino

Lyle the Crocodile at Synchronicity Theatre, Matt Baum

Devon Hales and Jeremiah Parker Hobbs in "Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Musical" at the Alliance Theatre. BRANT SANDERLIN/BSANDERLIN@AJC.COM

Special awards

The Suzi Bass Awards also presents four awards that are nominated by members or participating theaters: the Spirit of Suzi Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, the Callboard Award and the Volunteer of the Year award. The organization also names the publicly voted Audience Choice Award for Outstanding Season. And lastly, the Gene-Gabriel Moore Playwriting Award goes to an Atlanta playwright produced in the past season, and is decided by a special committee of educators, playwrights and theater professionals.

Nominations by theater company

Alliance Theatre – 51

Theatrical Outfit – 24

Actor’s Express – 21

Aurora Theatre – 20

Serenbe Playhouse – 11

Georgia Ensemble Theatre – 8

Kenny Leon’s True Colors Theatre – 8

Horizon Theatre – 5

Center for Puppetry Arts – 3

The Legacy Theatre – 2

Synchronicity Theatre – 2

Dominion Entertainment Group - 1

New American Shakespeare Tavern -1

Stage Door Players – 1

Nominations by production

Memphis

Tuck Everlasting – 12

Evita – 9

Rent – 8

Chasin' Dem Blues – 7

Edward Foote – 7

Silent Sky – 7

Blues for an Alabama Sky – 6

Bull Durham – 6

The C.A. Lyons Project – 5

The Whale – 5

James and the Giant Peach – 4

My Fair Lady – 4

Uprising – 4

Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type – 3

The Elephant Man – 3

The Lizard and El Sol – 3

Marcus; or the Secret of Sweet – 3

My Children! My Africa!  – 3

The 3 Little Pigs – 2

A Christmas Carol – 2

Courage – 2

Clybourne Park – 2

The Explorers Club – 2

Knuffle Bunny – 2

Les Liaisons Dangereuses – 2

Lyle the Crocodile –2

Murder Ballad – 2

The Secret Garden – 2

Bad Jews – 1

Black Nativity – 1

Detroit – 1

Hands on a Hardbody – 1

How I Learned What I Learned – 1

Native Guard – 1

Pericles, Prince of Tyre – 1

Pump Boys and Dinettes – 1

Ring of Fire  - 1

Rocket Boys - 1

Steel Magnolias – 1

Storefront Church – 1

Sylvia – 1

Nominations by artist

Isabel Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay – 6

Clay Benning – 4

Ricardo Aponte – 3

Kat Conley – 3

Molly Coyne – 3

Rosemary Newcott – 3