Critics’ Forum Awards in 2013: a testament to the diverse, dynamic thespian output produced in our North Texas region, from originals to Classics, contemporary and edgy to the beloved, tried-and-true. In 2013 a youth theatre program figures prominently in the honors, and a 12-year-old member of its dedicated ensemble earns recognition for giving one of the Best Acting Performances of the award season. I’ve been grinning all day. Drum roll….
— Best Direction of a Play or Musical –
Cheryl Denson: The Most Happy Fella (Lyric Stage), Music and Lyrics by Frank Loesser, based on They Knew What They Wanted by Sidney Howard
Jeffrey Schmidt: On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions); Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo (Theatre Three) by Rajiv Joseph, Enron (Theatre Three) by Lucy Prebble
Jeff Swearingen: Daffodil Girls, Inspired by David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross (Fun House Theatre and Film)
Fun House Theatre and Film
Jim Covault: The Taming of the Shrew (Stage West), by William Shakespeare
Joel Ferrell: Gruesome Playground Injuries (Second Thought Theatre) by Rajiv Joseph
Jonathan Fielding: The True Story of the Tragic Life and Triumphant Death of Julia Pastrana, The Ugliest Woman in the World (Amphibian Stage Productions) by Shaun Prendergast
Matthew Posey: Dreams of Slaughtered Sheep (Ochre House)
Regan Adair: In a Forest Dark and Deep (Second Thought Theatre) by Neil LaBute
Susan Sargeant: Children of a Lesser God (Contemporary Theatre of Dallas) by Mark Medoff and Lydie Marland in the Afterlife (WingSpan Theater Company) by Isabella Russell-Ides
Tim Johnson: The Chairs (Kitchen Dog Theater) by Ionesco
T.J. Walsh: The Taming of the Shrew (Trinity Shakespeare Festival) by William Shakespeare
— Best New Play or Musical –
Daffodil Girls (Fun House Theatre and Film) by Jeff Swearingen, set design by Joseph Cummings
Dreams of Slaughtered Sheep (Ochre House) by Matthew Posey, set design by Lucy Kirkman and Justin Hunter Allen
Fly By Night (Dallas Theater Center) by Kim Rosenstock, Bill Connolly and Michael Mitnick
On the Eve by Shawn and Seth Magill and Michael Federico (Spacegrove Productions), set design by Jeffrey Schmidt
— Best Touring Production –
Anything Goes (Lexus Broadway Series)
The Book of Mormon (Lexus Broadway Series)
Traces (Lexus Broadway Series)
Underneath the Lintel (Patrick O’Brien at the Out of the Loop Fringe Festival)
— Best Performance by an Actress –
Allison Pistorius: The Taming of the Shrew (Stage West)
Amber Nicole Guest: The Most Happy Fella (Lyric Stage)
Amber Nicole Guest and Bill Nolte in The Most Happy Fella, photo by Michael C. Foster
Barbara Wood: Knock Me a Kiss (Jubilee Theatre)
Jenny Ledel: Becky Shaw (Kitchen Dog Theater), On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions)
Kennedy Waterman: Daffodil Girls (Fun House Theatre and Film)
Marianne Galloway: Children of a Lesser God (Contemporary Theatre of Dallas)
Martha Harms: RX (Kitchen Dog Theater), On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions) and The Lucky Chance; or, The Alderman’s Bargain (Echo Theatre)
Rhonda Boutte: The Chairs (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Tina Parker: RX (Kitchen Dog Theater)
— Best Performance by an Actor –
Alex Organ: The Most Happy Fella (Lyric Stage), Fly by Night (Dallas Theater Center), Julius Caesar (Trinity Shakespeare)
Ashley Wood: Children of a Lesser God (Contemporary Theatre of Dallas)
Bruce DuBose: An Iliad (Undermain Theatre)
Chris Hury: The Taming of the Shrew (Stage West)
David Coffee: Fly By Night (Dallas Theater Center)
Asa Sommers, David Coffee in Fly By Night, photo by Karen Almond
Gregory Lush, On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions), Penelope (Undermain Theatre)
Jack Alder: Freud’s Last Session (Theatre Three)
Max Hartmann: RX (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Montgomery Sutton: Gruesome Playground Injuries (Second Thought Theatre)
Rafael Parry: The Chairs (Kitchen Dog Theater)
— Best Ensemble Performance –
Jailbait (Dallas Actors Lab), directed by Dylan Key
On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions), directed by Jeffrey Schmidt
The Taming of the Shrew (Trinity Shakespeare Festival), directed by T.J.Walsh
— Best Creative Contribution –
The Lucky Chance: Echo Theatre
Costume design: Ryan Matthieu Smith, The Lucky Chance; or, The Alderman’s Bargain (Echo Theatre)
Full Design team: Dreams of Slaughtered Sheep (Ochre House)
Full Design team: The Taming of the Shrew and Julius Caesar (Trinity Shakespeare Festival) includes: Brian Clinnin, Tristan Decker, Michael Skinner, Ethan Steimel, Aaron Patrick DeClerk, Chris Hassler, Toby Jaguar Algya
Set by Brian Clinnin: Julius Caesar
Music and sound design: Bruce DuBose and Paul Semrad, An Iliad (Undermain)
Score: Home by Hovercraft, On the Eve (Spacegrove Productions)
Set design: Timothy R. Mackabee, The Odd Couple (Dallas Theater Center)
Set design: Scott Osborne, The Chairs (Kitchen Dog Theater)
Set design: Bob Lavallee, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Theatre Arlington) and Gruesome Playground Injuries (Second Thought Theatre)
Sound design: John Flores, Gruesome Playground Injuries (Second Thought Theatre)
— Special Citations –
- The late Jerry Russell, founder of Stage West, for his lifetime contribution to the North Texas theater community as an actor, director, producer and advocate
- Jeff Swearingen and Bren Rapp, Artistic Director and Producer, Fun House Theatre and Film, for their innovative youth theater and dedication to the future of the craft
Jerry Russell 1936-2013. He seemed immortal. Gone but never forgotten.
criticalrant.com Alexandra Bonifield 