Announcing the Winners of the Second Annual Twin Cities Theater Bloggers Awards! Thirteen bloggers* voted for their favorite in each category (full nominee list here: http://bit.ly/tctb2016). Winners listed below. Congratulations everyone and thanks for making amazing #TCTheater in 2016!
Favorite comedic performance by an individual:
-Shanan Custer, Calendar Girls and The Liar (Park Square Theatre) and Sometimes There's Wine (Minnesota Fringe)
-Shanan Custer, Calendar Girls and The Liar (Park Square Theatre) and Sometimes There's Wine (Minnesota Fringe)
Favorite dramatic performance by an individual:
-Darius Dotch, Bars and Measures (The Jungle Theater) and Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
-Darius Dotch, Bars and Measures (The Jungle Theater) and Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
Favorite musical performance by an individual:
-David Murray, Ragtime (Theater Latte Da) and Cinderella (Children's Theatre Company)
-David Murray, Ragtime (Theater Latte Da) and Cinderella (Children's Theatre Company)
Favorite comedic performance by an ensemble:
-Calendar Girls (Park Square Theatre)
-Calendar Girls (Park Square Theatre)
Favorite dramatic performance by an ensemble:
-Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
-Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
Favorite musical performance by an ensemble:
-Nina Simone: Four Women (Park Square Theatre)
-Nina Simone: Four Women (Park Square Theatre)
Favorite director of a play:
-Sarah Rasmussen, Oldest Boy and Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Jungle Theater) and Sense and Sensibility (Guthrie Theater)
-Sarah Rasmussen, Oldest Boy and Two Gentlemen of Verona (The Jungle Theater) and Sense and Sensibility (Guthrie Theater)
Favorite director of a musical:
-Sarah Rasmussen, Dear World (Ten Thousand Things)
-Sarah Rasmussen, Dear World (Ten Thousand Things)
Favorite musical director:
-Sandford Moore, Nina Simone: Four Women (Park Square Theatre) and Parchman Hour (Guthrie Theater)
-Sandford Moore, Nina Simone: Four Women (Park Square Theatre) and Parchman Hour (Guthrie Theater)
Favorite choreographer:
-James Rocco, White Christmas (Ordway Center for the Performing Arts)
-James Rocco, White Christmas (Ordway Center for the Performing Arts)
Favorite production design:
-Beauty and the Beast (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres - Nayna Ramey set design, Rich Hamson costume design, Sue Ellen Berger lighting design)
-Beauty and the Beast (Chanhassen Dinner Theatres - Nayna Ramey set design, Rich Hamson costume design, Sue Ellen Berger lighting design)
Favorite play:
-Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
-Raisin in the Sun (Park Square Theatre)
Favorite musical:
-Ragtime (Theater Latte Da)
-Ragtime (Theater Latte Da)
Favorite new work:
-Baltimore is Burning (Underdog Theatre)
-Baltimore is Burning (Underdog Theatre)
Favorite theater company:
- Transatlantic Love Affair
- Transatlantic Love Affair
Favorite theater venue:
- Guthrie Theater
- Guthrie Theater
And a few more people we'd like to recognize:
Best use of social media:
- Mixed Blood Theatre Company has a consistent presence on both twitter and Facebook and regularly interact. Mixed Blood also creates hashtags for their shows which makes it easy to join the conversation online. They share informative theater content along with reviews to keep content fresh and interesting.
- Mixed Blood Theatre Company has a consistent presence on both twitter and Facebook and regularly interact. Mixed Blood also creates hashtags for their shows which makes it easy to join the conversation online. They share informative theater content along with reviews to keep content fresh and interesting.
Most accessible theater:
- Mixed Blood Theatre Company sets a high standard for accessibility in many ways. Their Radical Hospitality initiative removes economic barriers with free tickets available for all mainstage productions. Their recent remodel includes an elevator and a handful of new accessible, all-gender restrooms. And their programming has showcased stories of characters out of the mainstream of life and theater by race, class, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Seeing these stories on stage helps us all to understand the world from a broader perspective, and post-show talkbacks give the audience a chance to process what they've experienced.
- Mixed Blood Theatre Company sets a high standard for accessibility in many ways. Their Radical Hospitality initiative removes economic barriers with free tickets available for all mainstage productions. Their recent remodel includes an elevator and a handful of new accessible, all-gender restrooms. And their programming has showcased stories of characters out of the mainstream of life and theater by race, class, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation. Seeing these stories on stage helps us all to understand the world from a broader perspective, and post-show talkbacks give the audience a chance to process what they've experienced.
Favorite new artists/one to watch:
- Kory LaQuess Pullam has impressed as an actor in multiple roles across multiple stages the last few years, including several of TCTB's favorites this year (Calendar Girls, The Christians, and The Parchman Hour). But going above and beyond his performances, he recently co-founded a new company, Underdog Theatre, and wrote their premiere play Baltimore is Burning, our favorite new work of 2016. We'll be keeping our eye on Kory in the coming years, and suggest you do the same!
- Kory LaQuess Pullam has impressed as an actor in multiple roles across multiple stages the last few years, including several of TCTB's favorites this year (Calendar Girls, The Christians, and The Parchman Hour). But going above and beyond his performances, he recently co-founded a new company, Underdog Theatre, and wrote their premiere play Baltimore is Burning, our favorite new work of 2016. We'll be keeping our eye on Kory in the coming years, and suggest you do the same!
*Bloggers from the following blogs participated in the final vote, in which each blogger chose one nominee from the 5 or 6 in each category (see full list of nominees here: http://bit.ly/tctb2016). Results were tabulated, and ties were decided by a re-vote.
