Tales based on the Bard and a Stephen Sondheim musical about the glory days of show business were the top winners at the 2017 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards.
The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis took home nine awards for work associated with the company, seven of them for the musical “Follies," including outstanding production of a musical and outstanding director. The wins topped off a year of celebrating the company's 50th season.
Artistic director Steve Woolf said The Rep's production of "Follies" was more than two years in the making.
"I think the work of the entire creative team and the cast made it unique. It was all connected; it wasn't just a bunch of dramatic scenes and then some numbers," Woolf said. "It was simply magical."
Productions of Shakespeare plays and unique takes on the iconic playwright earned nine awards Monday. They include Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis’ “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Slightly Askew Theatre Ensembles’ “As You Like It” and Equally Represented Arts’ “Trash Macbeth.”
Woolf said that collection illustrates the brilliance of Shakespeare — and local theater professionals.
"That speaks to a specific kind of creativity in the St. Louis theater community," he said.
A highlight of the event, held at the Skip Viragh Center at Chaminade College Preparatory, was a standing ovation for the late B. (Barry) Weller, who died this past May. Weller won the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama for "Ivanov" at St. Louis Actors' Studio.
Here’s a complete list of the winners and nominees. Winners' names are bolded, and marked with an asterisk, with two names indicating a tie.
Katie Donnelly, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
*Rachel Hanks, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Shannon Nara, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Stray Dog Theatre
Nancy Nigh, boom, R-S Theatrics
Margeau Steinau, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
Will Bonfiglio, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Isaiah DiLorenzo, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
Evan Fornachon, Brighton Beach Memoirs, ACT INC.
*Stephen Pilkington, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Shane Signorino, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
Nancy Anderson, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Cara Barresi, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Lindsay Gingrich, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Stray Dog Theatre
Elizabeth Van Pelt, boom, R-S Theatrics
*Maggie Wininger, Educating Rita, West End Players Guild
*Will Bonfiglio, Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre
Joe Hanrahan, Thom Pain (based on nothing), Midnight Company
Tom Kopp, Educating Rita, West End Players Guild
Andrew Kuhlman, boom, R-S Theatrics
Zac O’Keefe, Brighton Beach Memoirs, ACT INC.
Rob Denton, A Christmas Carol, The Rep
*Patrick Huber, Ivanov, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Kathy Perkins, Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep
Nathan Schroeder, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare
John Wylie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Ted Drury, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare
Tom Mardikes, Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing, The Rep
*Rick Sims, Twisted Melodies, The Black Rep
Rusty Wandall, A Christmas Carol, The Rep
Rusty Wandall, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Dorothy Marshall Englis, A Christmas Carol, The Rep
Dorothy Marshall Englis, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare
*Meredith LaBounty, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts
Michele Friedman Siler, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
*Kristin Cassidy, Burrow, Young Liars
Kristin Cassidy, Wilson Webel, and Lucy Cashion, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts
Christie Johnston, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Robert Mark Morgan, A Christmas Carol, The Rep
Peter and Margery Spack, Golda’s Balcony, New Jewish Theatre
Kirsten De Broux, Kindertransport, Mustard Seed Theatre
Sydney Frasure, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater
Anita Jackson, The St. Louis Rooming House Plays, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
*Alicia Revé Like, Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep
Kristin Rion, Arcadia, West End Players Guild
Will Bonfiglio, Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre
Jason Contini, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater
Leo Ramsey, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
*B. Weller, Ivanov, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Eric Dean White, Driving Miss Daisy, New Jewish Theatre
*Lavonne Byers, Golda’s Balcony, New Jewish Theatre
Michelle Hand, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare
Linda Kennedy, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater
Dael Orlandersmith, Until the Flood, The Rep
Rachel Tibbetts, Cuddles, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
*Charlie Barron, Richard III, St. Louis Shakespeare
J. Samuel Davis, Driving Miss Daisy, New Jewish Theatre
John Pasha, Disgraced, The Rep
Michael James Reed, I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard, Blue Rose Stage Collective
Kelvin Roston, Jr., Twisted Melodies, The Black Rep
Nancy Bell, Remember Me, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
West Hyler, Matt Schatz, and Jack Herrick, Georama, The Rep
*Dael Orlandersmith, Until the Flood, The Rep
Tammy Ryan, Molly’s Hammer, The Rep
Maya Arad Yasur, Suspended, Upstream Theater
Christine Brewer, Doubt, Union Avenue Opera
*Andriana Chuchman, Shalimar the Clown, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Stephen Lord, Macbeth, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Neil Nelson, Tosca, Union Avenue Opera
Melody Wilson, Doubt, Union Avenue Opera
Ariadne on Naxos, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Doubt, Union Avenue Opera
*Macbeth, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
The Merry Widow, Winter Opera Saint Louis
Shalimar the Clown, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Sue Goldford, American Idiot, New Line Theatre
Brad Haak, Fiddler on the Roof, The Muny
*Brad Haak, Follies, The Rep
Neal Richardson, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Ben Whiteley, 42nd Street, The Muny
Stephen Bourneuf, Sister Act, Stages St. Louis
*Denis Jones, 42nd Street, The Muny
Dana Lewis, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Ralph Perkins, Follies, The Rep
Lara Teeter, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, Variety Children’s Theatre
Taylor Louderman, Aida, The Muny
*Laurie McConnell, Company, Insight Theatre Company
Corinne Melançon, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Anna Skidis Vargas, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stray Dog Theatre
Donna Weinsting, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Will Bonfiglio, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Zachary Allen Farmer, Celebration, New Line Theatre
*Edward Juvier, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Terry Meddows, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Luke Steingruby, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, Stray Dog Theatre
Rob Denton, 42nd Street, The Muny
Tyler Duenow, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, Stray Dog Theatre
*John Lasiter, Follies, The Rep
Sean M. Savoie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Michael Sullivan, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
*Luke Cantarella, Follies, The Rep
Dunsi Dai, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Robert Mark Morgan, The Wizard of Oz, The Muny
*Scott C. Neale, Georama, The Rep
Peter and Margery Spack, Yentl, New Jewish Theatre
*Amy Clark, Follies, The Rep
Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Andrea Lauer, 42nd Street, The Muny
Brad Musgrove, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Margaret E. Weedon, Georama, The Rep
Shanara Gabrielle, Yentl, New Jewish Theatre
*Debby Lennon, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Sarah Porter, Tell Me on a Sunday, New Line Theatre
Jonalyn Saxer, 42nd Street, The Muny
Emily Skinner, Follies, The Rep
Michael Baird, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stray Dog Theatre
Zachary Allen Farmer, Atomic, New Line Theatre
*Corey Fraine, Bat Boy: The Musical, Stray Dog Theatre
Adam Heller, Follies, The Rep
David Schmittou, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
*The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars
The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Remember Me, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
*Arcadia, West End Players Guild
Manifest|Destiny, West End Players Guild
Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep
The St. Louis Rooming House Plays, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts
42nd Street, The Muny
The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
*Follies, The Rep
Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Sister Act, Stages St. Louis
Gary F. Bell, Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre
*Rick Dildine, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Chuck Harper, The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars
Donna Northcott, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
*Ellie Schwetye, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
*Lucy Cashion, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts
John Contini, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Joe Hanrahan, Cuddles, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Tim Ocel, Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre
Wayne Salomon, Three Tall Women, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Justin Been, Bat Boy: The Musical, Stray Dog Theatre
Michael Hamilton, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
Denis Jones, 42nd Street, The Muny
Annamaria Pileggi, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
*Rob Ruggiero, Follies, The Rep
*As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble
Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre
The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars
The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Disgraced, The Rep
The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater
*Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre
Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts
42nd Street, The Muny
The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis
*Follies, The Rep
Georama, The Rep
Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions
Follow Nancy on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL
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