The Muny’s production of “Chicago” led the way with seven wins in the St. Louis Theater Circle’s 2022 awards. St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “Dress the Part” and the Midnight Company’s “It Is Magic” each captured four awards, and the Shakespeare festival’s “King Lear” won three.
The three companies had the most overall winners this year, with nine artists from productions at the Muny winning awards, eight from St. Louis Shakespeare Festival productions and six from the Midnight Company.
Monday’s online ceremony came after the St. Louis Theater Circle took a year off in 2021. There were few productions in 2020 because of the coronavirus pandemic. For this year’s event, a panel of local critics considered productions from 2020 and 2021 and gave awards in 33 categories. Artists with nine different St. Louis theater companies received honors.
In the four categories for best overall production, “Chicago” won for outstanding musical, “Dress the Part” won for outstanding comedy, “Two Trains Running” at the Black Rep won for outstanding production of a drama, and Opera Theatre St. Louis’ “Gianni Schicci” won for outstanding opera.
In the three categories for best director, Denis Jones won for the musical “Chicago,” GQ and JQ won for the comedy “Dress the Part,” and Carl Cofield won for best direction of a drama for St. Louis Shakespeare Festival’s “King Lear.” Jones also won for his choreography of “Chicago.”
Its seven wins make “Chicago" one of the most award-winning productions in the event’s history. The Rep’s 2012 production of “Sunday in the Park with George” holds the record for wins in a year, with eight. Three other productions have won seven. “Chicago” was aborted halfway through its one-week run last August due to positive Covid-19 tests among its creative team and will return to open the Muny’s 2022 season.
Writer and actor Joe Hanrahan was also a double winner. His “Tinsel Town” won for outstanding new play; it was produced by the Midnight Company, where he is artistic director. Hanrahan also won for his work as a supporting performer in a comedy for “It Is Magic.”
Check out a complete list of this year’s winners here.
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