Friday, January 15, 2016

The First Annual Twin Cities Theater Blogger Awards - The Winners!

Here it is, the moment you've all been waiting for - the winners of the First Annual Twin Cities Theater Blogger Awards!

Seven theater writers representing six blogs (Aisle Say Twin CitiesArtfully EngagingCherry and SpoonMinnesota Theater LoveOne Girl, Two Cities, and Play off the Page), who saw an average of 65 shows each last year, came together to chose our favorites of 2015. Read on for the results. (Click here for a list of all nominees.)
FAVORITE MUSICAL:
The Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center for the Performing Arts)
FAVORITE ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Aimee K. Bryant - The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
FAVORITE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Dieter Bierbrauer - The Sound of Music (Ordway Center)
FAVORITE DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL:
Peter Rothstein - Into the Woods AND Sweeney Todd (Theater Latte Da) AND Peter Pan (Children's Theatre Company)
FAVORITE PLAY:
These Old Shoes (Transatlantic Love Affair)
FAVORITE ACTRESS IN A PLAY:
Angela Timberman - Annapurna AND You Can't Take it With You (The Jungle Theater)
FAVORITE ACTOR IN A PLAY:
Derek Lee Miller - These Old Shoes (Transatlantic Love Affair)
FAVORITE DIRECTOR OF A PLAY:
Craig Johnson - Boeing Boeing (Torch Theater Company) AND The Matchmaker (Girl Friday Productions)
FAVORITE ENSEMBLE:
The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Outstanding Survey Taking and Fundraising: Mu Performing Arts
Every theater wants you to fill out a survey--or at least they throw one in the program. Mu is the only theater we know of that requires you to fill out the nicely brief survey in order to enter the theater. Very smart! Also, their Playmakers fundraising program is specific and engaging, and truly makes donors feel like a part of the artistic process.
Outstanding Theater Festival: Twin Cities Horror Festival
With a blend of dramatic and comedic theater, music and dance, multicultural offerings and shows by theaters new and old, Twin Cities Horror Festival is the perfect theater fest. It's a nice, short run, it takes place at one creepily outfitted theater (the Southern), and is surrounded by great bars. And it's all spooky!
Outstanding Use of Location: TigerLion Arts' Nature, performed in Nature
This lovely outdoor walking play about the friendship between Emerson and Thoreau has been around for a few years, and this year they went on tour around Minnesota. No matter where they went, this creative, innovative, funny, charming, and poignant play had the perfect backdrop - Nature herself, the most important character in the story.
Best Theater Trend: Racial Diversity and Non-Traditional Casting
The Twin Cities are lucky to have a number of theaters that focus on telling the stories of a range of racially and culturally diverse populations (Mixed Blood Theatre CompanyPenumbra Theatre Company, Mu Performing Arts, Pillsbury House Theatre). It's wonderful to see other theaters starting to tell the stories that reflect our changing populations and making sure the faces on stage reflect the racial diversity in our area. The Ordway's Damn Yankees featured a diverse cast (and a fabulous display on African-Americans in baseball), and Park Square's recent offerings have been expanding their diversity as well. And we can't forget that no one does non-traditional casting as well as Ten Thousand Things. Here's hoping that other theaters, like the Guthrie and the Jungle, continue this fabulous trend.
MVP: Kersten Rodau
Kersten was in all three of the Ordway's original productions this year, as well as both of their Broadway Songbooks. No matter how small or large the role (a reporter in Damn Yankees, Ruth in Pirates of Penzance, the Baroness in Sound of Music, and also Carrie in the semi-staged concert version of Carousel with the Minnesota Orchestra), she made her characters memorable with humor, charm, and that gorgeously powerful voice.

Thursday, January 7, 2016

The First Annual Twin Cities Theater Blogger Awards - The Nominations!

Announcing nominations for the First Annual TWIN CITIES THEATER BLOGGER Awards! 
Seven theater writers representing six blogs (Aisle Say Twin CitiesArtfully EngagingCherry and Spoon, Minnesota Theater Love,One Girl, Two Cities, and Play off the Page) chose the nominees and will be voting on winners this week. Like this page and check back soon for the big reveal!
FAVORITE MUSICAL:
The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
Glensheen (History Theatre)
The Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center for the Performing Arts)
Putting It Together (Skylark Opera)
The Sound of Music (Ordway Center)
FAVORITE ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL:
Aimee K. Bryant - The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
Maggie Chestovich - The Unsinkable Molly Brown (Ten Thousand Things)
Ann Michels - Mary Poppins (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres)
Katharine Strom - The Spitfire Grill (Lyric Arts)
Regina Marie Williams - Sister Act (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres)
FAVORITE ACTOR IN A MUSICAL:
Dieter Bierbrauer - The Sound of Music (Ordway Center)
Danny Binstock - The Music Man (Guthrie Theater)
Darius Dotch - The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
Brandon O'Neill - The Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center)
Ricardo Vazquez - River Road Boogie (History Theatre)
FAVORITE DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL:
Gary Briggle - The Sound of Music (Ordway Center)
Michael Brindisi - Mary Poppins AND Sister Act (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres)
James Rocco - The Pirates of Penzance (Ordway Center)
Peter Rothstein - Into the Woods AND Sweeney Todd (Theater Latte Da) AND Peter Pan (Children's Theatre Company)
Lewis E. Whitlock III - The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
FAVORITE PLAY:
Annapurna (The Jungle Theater)
Equus (Theatre Coup d'Etat)
The Gospel of Lovingkindness (Pillsbury House Theatre)
These Old Shoes (Transatlantic Love Affair)
The Trump Who Stole Christmas (The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theatre)
FAVORITE ACTRESS IN A PLAY:
Joy Dolo - emilie/eurydice (Transatlantic Love Affair)
Jasmine Hughes - Pussy Valley (Mixed Blood Theatre Company)
Angela Timberman - Annapurna AND You Can't Take it With You (Jungle Theatre)
Karen Wiese-Thompson - Forget Me Not When Far Away (Ten Thousand Things) AND The Matchmaker (Girl Friday Productions)
Sally Wingert – Hir (Mixed Blood Theatre) AND Shooting Star (Park Square Theatre)
FAVORITE ACTOR IN A PLAY:
Kevin Fanshaw - Equus (Theatre Coup d’Etat)
Ron Menzel - Forget Me Not When Far Away (Ten Thousand Things)
Derek Lee Miller - These Old Shoes (Transatlantic Love Affair)
Kory LaQuess Pullam - Choir Boy (Guthrie Theater) AND Prep (Pillsbury House Theatre)
Namir Smallwood - The Gospel of Lovingkindness (Pillsbury House Theatre)
FAVORITE DIRECTOR OF A PLAY:
Craig Johnson - Boeing Boeing (Torch Theatre) AND The Matchmaker (Girl Friday Productions)
Isabel Nelson - emilie/eurydice (Transatlantic Love Affair)
Randy Reyes - Twelfth Night (Mu Performing Arts)
Peter Rothstein - Choir Boy (Guthrie Theater)
Niegel Smith - Hir (Mixed Blood Theatre)
FAVORITE ENSEMBLE:
Choir Boy (Guthrie Theater)
The Color Purple (Park Square Theatre)
Forget Me Not When Far Away (Ten Thousand Things)
The Matchmaker (Girl Friday Productions)
Twelfth Night (Mu Performing Arts)