The St. Louis Theater Circle released its 2019 award nominees on Friday's St. Louis on the Air for locally produced professional theater in 2018. This is the seventh year of the awards.
Judith Newmark, former St. Louis Post-Dispatch’s theater critic who writes at her blog, and Mark Bretz, president of the St. Louis Theater Circle who writes for Ladue News, joined host Don Marsh to discuss the nominations and the upcoming awards ceremony.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis led the way with a total of 21 nominations, followed by 18 for the Muny and 15 for Stray Dog Theatre.
The Rep's musical "Evita" and the Tennessee Williams Festival’s production of "A Streetcar Named Desire" each garnered 11 nominations.
All professional St. Louis productions are eligible; touring shows are not.
The awards will be announced at a gala ceremony on Monday, March 25, at the Loretto-Hilton Center for the Performing Arts (130 Edgar Rd., Webster Groves, MO 63119). The ceremony begins at 7 p.m.
Listen to the full discussion:
Full list of nominations:
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy
Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Stray Dog Theatre
The Realistic Joneses, Rebel and Misfits Productions
Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Kari Ely, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Carmen Garcia, Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with Theatre Nuevo
Jennelle Gilreath, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Stray Dog Theatre
Katy Keating, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Shannon Nara, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Gary Wayne Barker, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Isaiah Di Lorenzo, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, St. Louis Shakespeare
Brad Fraizer, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Stephen Henley, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Carl Overly Jr., Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with Theatre Nuevo
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy
Sarajane Alverson, Raging Skillet, New Jewish Theatre
Michelle Hand, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Nancy Nigh, Every Brilliant Thing, R-S Theatrics
Ruth Pferdehirt, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Heather Sartin, The Great Seduction, West End Players Guild
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Will Bonfiglio, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Alan Knoll, An Act of God, New Jewish Theatre
Luke Steingruby, The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told, Stray Dog Theatre
Robert Thibaut, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, St. Louis Shakespeare
Pete Winfrey, The Importance of Being Earnest, Insight Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Comedy
Gary F. Bell, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Nancy Bell, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Edward Coffield, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Pamela Hunt, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Anna Skidis Vargas, Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with Theatre Nuevo
Outstanding Production of a Comedy
Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Luchadora!, Mustard Seed Theatre with Theatre Nuevo
Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
As It Is in Heaven, Mustard Seed Theatre
The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Mustard Seed Theatre
The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Macbeth: Come Like Shadows, Rebel and Misfits Productions
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Nicole Angeli, Doctor Faustus, or the Modern Prometheus, SATE
Lana Dvorak, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Laurie McConnell, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Jennifer Theby-Quinn, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre Company
Brandi Threatt, Torn Asunder, The Black Rep
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Chuck Brinkley, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Ryan Lawson-Maeske, Tribes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Thom Niemann, Admissions, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Spencer Sickmann, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Eric Dean White, The Last Days of Judas Iscariot, Mustard Seed Theatre
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Elizabeth Birkenmeier, Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Sophia Brown, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Kari Ely, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
LaShunda Gardner, Torn Asunder, The Black Rep
Angela Ingersoll, End of the Rainbow, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Ron Himes, Fences, The Black Rep
Nick Narcisi, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
John Pierson, Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Rob Riordan, New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
David Wassilak, The Dresser, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Outstanding Director of a Drama
Lorna Littleway, Fences, The Black Rep
Bobby Miller, The Dresser, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Tim Ocel, New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
Tim Ocel, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Annamaria Pileggi, Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Outstanding Production of a Drama
Blackbird, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
End of the Rainbow, Max & Louie Productions
Fences, The Black Rep
New Jerusalem, New Jewish Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Dunsi Dai, End of the Rainbow, Max & Louie Productions
Gianni Downs, The Humans, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Peter and Margery Spack, Blow, Winds, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Peter and Margery Spack, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
James Wolk, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Lou Bird, Born Yesterday, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Megan Harshaw, The Little Foxes, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Amy Hopkins, Red Scare on Sunset, Stray Dog Theatre
Michele Friedman Siler, Into the Breeches!, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Michele Friedman Siler, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
Rob Lippert, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre Company
Jon Ontiveros, Macbeth: Come Like Shadows, Rebel and Misfit Productions
Peter E. Sargent, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean M. Savoie, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Nathan Schroeder, Silent Sky, West End Players Guild
Outstanding Sound Design in a Play
James Blanton, Silent Sky, Insight Theatre Company
Rusty Wandall, A Christmas Story, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rusty Wandall, The Humans, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Amanda Werre, Life Sucks, New Jewish Theatre
Amanda Werre, A Streetcar Named Desire, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Luke Cantarella, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Dunsi Dai, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Paul Tate dePoo III, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Michael Schweikardt, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Muny
James Wolk, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Leon Dobkowski, The Wiz, The Muny
Colene Fornachon, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Daryl Harris, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Robin L. McGee, Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Muny
Alejo Vietti, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Rob Denton, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Rob Denton, Meet Me in St. Louis, The Muny
Tyler Duenow, Jesus Christ Superstar, Stray Dog Theatre
John Lasiter, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sean M. Savoie, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Musical Director
Charlie Alterman, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rick Bertone, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Jennifer Buchheit, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
Charles Creath, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Nicolas Valdez, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Choreographer
Camille A. Brown, The Wiz, The Muny
Tony Gonzalez, Mamma Mia!, Stages St. Louis
Dana Lewis, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Rommy Sandhu, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Gustavo Zajac and Mariana Parma, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, The Muny
The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
The Zombies of Penzance, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Joy Boland, Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Variety Theatre
Faye Butler, The Wiz, The Muny
Julia Knitel, Gypsy, The Muny
Macia Noorman, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Megan Sikora, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Kent Coffel, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Matthew Curiano, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Zachary Allen Farmer, The Zombies of Penzance, New Line Theatre
Nathan Lee Graham, The Wiz, The Muny
Sean MacLaughlin, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Michele Aravena, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Sarah Ellis, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Beth Leavel, Gypsy, The Muny
Kay Love, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Sarah Porter, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Corbin Bleu, Singin’ in the Rain, The Muny
Tielere Cheatem, The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Phil Leveling, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
Pepe Nufrio, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Blake Price, Oklahoma!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Justin Been, The Robber Bridegroom, Stray Dog Theatre
Linda Kennedy, Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Scott Miller and Mike Dowdy-Windsor, Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Josh Rhodes, Jersey Boys, The Muny
Rob Ruggiero, Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Anything Goes, New Line Theatre
Crowns: A Gospel Musical, The Black Rep
Evita, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jersey Boys, The Muny
The Light in the Piazza, R-S Theatrics
Outstanding New Play
Stacie Lents, Run-On Sentence, SATE
Scott Miller, The Zombies of Penzance, New Line Theatre
Nikkole Salter, Torn Asunder, The Black Rep
John Wolbers, Doctor Faustus, or the Modern Prometheus, SATE
Vladimir Zelevinsky, The Great Seduction, West End Players Guild
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Susan Graham, Regina, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Kenneth Overton, Lost in the Stars, Union Avenue Opera
Susanna Phillips, Regina, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Patricia Racette, La Traviata, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Shaun Patrick Tubbs, Lost in the Stars, Union Avenue Opera
Outstanding Production of an Opera
An American Soldier, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
L’elisir d’amore, Winter Opera Saint Louis
La Traviata, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Lost in the Stars, Union Avenue Opera
Regina, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
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