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.
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
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
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
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
Credit: Bo Emerson
Credit: Bo Emerson
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
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
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
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
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
Credit: hpousner
Credit: hpousner
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
Julissa Sabino – 3
Erik Teague – 3
Dolph Amick – 2
Freddie Ashley — 2
Jeremy Cohen – 2
David Crowe – 2
Danielle Deadwyler – 2
Matt Felton – 2
Kevin Frazier – 2
Randi Garza – 2
Steve Hudson – 2
Thom Jenkins – 2
Liz Lee – 2
Wendy Melkonian – 2
Eric Moore – 2
Matthew Sidney Morris– 2
Casey Nicholaw – 2
Mike Post – 2
Elizabeth Rasmusson -2
Jeremy Varner – 2
Jeremy Wood – 2
