'Something Intangible' Leads Winners at 2009 Barrymore Awards

"Move over Chicago, Philadelphia's coming."

 

That's what director/producer Terrence J. Nolen said near the conclusion of Monday night's Barrymore Awards, honoring the best of the Philadelphia theater season. You can't blame Nolen for being proud - his production of Bruce Graham's Something Intangible was the night's big winner, scoring seven awards, including outstanding play. The outstanding musical award went to another original production: Cinderella at People's Light & Theatre Company.

  

The Walnut Street Theatre prior to the 2009 Barrymore Awards ceremony

Something Intangible, Bruce Graham's saga of two warring brothers running an animation studio in the golden age of Hollywood, also earned prizes for outstanding direction of a play (Nolen) and leading actor in a play (Ian Merrill Peakes), plus the outstanding new play award for Graham. In his acceptance speech, the wisecracking Graham thanked his wife, saying "I only write these plays to impress her, and thank God she has always been easily impressed."

 

Actor Ben Dibble, nominated for his performances in Candide

and The Producers, with wife Amy Dugas Brown

Cinderella was People's Light's fifth annual original Christmas show filled with slapstick, cross-dressing and audience participation in the tradition of an English panto. Michael Ogborn, winner for outstanding original music for his work on Cinderella, described the process by saying "it's like the Group Theatre gets together every year to do an annual Mitzi Gaynor special, and I for one could not be happier." The show won four awards overall, including outstanding direction of a musical (Pete Pryor) and outstanding ensemble in a musical.

 

Two other shows won three awards each: the Middle Eastern war drama Scorched at the Wilma Theater, and the doo-wop musical Avenue X at 11th Hour Theatre. Scorched earned nods for ensemble in a play, sound design, and supporting actress in a play (for Janis Dardaris). Avenue X's winners were for leading actor in a musical (Michael Philip O'Brien), supporting actor in a musical (Forrest McClendon), and music direction (Dan Kazemi).

The cast of Scorched accepting the award for Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

 

Six other productions won a single award each.

 

Jennie Eisenhower won the lead actress in a musical honor for playing multiple outlandish roles in Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits; she thanked the voters for "embracing my weirdness." Kate Eastwood Norris won the lead actress in a play award for her performance in Rock 'n' Roll, and in her acceptance speech she paid tribute to her mother, whose battles with illness inspired her portrayal of Eleanor in the Tom Stoppard play.

Jennie Eisenhower (left) and Kate Eastwood Norris

 

Bristol native Christopher Gattelli won the choreography award for the production of Altar Boyz staged at the Bristol Riverside Theatre.

Christopher Gattelli

 

The Barrymores were presented before a packed - and very receptive - audience at the Walnut Street Theatre, which celebrated its two hundredth anniversary this year. The presenters paid tribute not only to the Walnut but to the entire history of theater in Philadelphia, which dates back to 1754, as well as to the vibrant contemporary scene. Mary Martello, a winner for her role in the Arden Theatre's Candide, paid tribute to "the creative life that makes this city hum." Actress Kala Moses Baxter, a nominee for the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, said in a videotaped segment that "I believe you can find any character you want to play on Broad Street." (The Haas Award, which includes a $10,000 check, was presented to costume designer Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind.)

 

In one of the more unusual moments of the night, actor Tony Danza appeared as a presenter, introduced as "Northeast High School's Newest English Teacher" in reference to the reality series he's now filming in the city. Danza offered his services as an actor to the city's theaters, which drew a smattering of applause. (Does he know that the Walnut is doing Fiddler on the Roof next spring?) He then presented the award for Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, joking that "I have done some community service." The award was won by the Lantern Theater Company, whose former education director George Sedgwick had a joke of his own: "First of all, I do want to thank Tony Danza for introducing me to Alyssa Milano after the show."

 

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Dugald MacArthur, a veteran director and educator. John Connolly, Executive Director of Actors Equity, called MacArthur "the unspoken granddaddy of theater in Philadelphia" and praised him for "the profound effect he had on my generation."

John Connolly (left) and Dugald MacArthur

 

The drag cabaret artist Martha Graham Cracker - whose alter ego, Pig Iron Theatre Company co-founder Dito van Reigersberg, also appeared as a presenter - closed the show with a bizarre but wonderful Philly soul version of "Don't Cry For Me, Philadelphia." The audience then left for a reception at the Benjamin Franklin House.

 

The program opened with a videotaped segment spotlighting the number of artists who work in the city's theaters, and mentioned that over 1.1 million tickets were sold last season. Mary Martello's acceptance speech may have put it best: "Let's keep at it."

 

Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre

2009 Award Recipients by Category

 

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play

Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical

Cinderella - The People's Light & Theatre Company

 

Harmelin Media Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play

Terrence J. Nolen - Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Pete Pryor - Cinderella - The People's Light & Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Music Direction

Dan Kazemi - Avenue X - 11^th Hour Theatre Company

 

Ark Media Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play

Ian Merrill Peakes as Tony Wiston - Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

The Charlotte Cushman Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play

Kate Eastwood Norris as Eleanor/Adult Esme - Rock 'n' Roll - The Wilma Theater

 

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical

Michael Philip O'Brien as Pasquale - Avenue X - 11^th Hour Theatre Company

 

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical

Jennie Eisenhower - Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits - Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

Jered McLenigan as Freddie Filmore - It's a Wonderful Life!  A Live Radio Play - Prince Music Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

Janis Dardaris as Nazira/Nawal 60-65 - Scorched - The Wilma Theater

 

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

Forrest McClendon as Roscoe - Avenue X - 11^th Hour Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

Mary Martello as Old Woman - Candide - Arden Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Set Design

James Kronzer - Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

PECO Award for Outstanding Lighting Design

F. Mitchell Dana - Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

Earl Girls Award for Outstanding Costume Design

Rosemarie E. McKelvey - Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

 

Clear Sound Award for Outstanding Sound Design

Jorge Cousineau - Scorched - The Wilma Theater

 

Outstanding Original Music

Michael Ogborn - Cinderella - The People's Light & Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Choreography/Movement

Christopher Gattelli - Altar Boyz - Bristol Riverside Theatre

 

Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play

Something Intangible - By Bruce Graham - Arden Theatre Company

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

Scorched - The Wilma Theater

 

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

Cinderella - The People's Light & Theatre Company

 

The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations

Delaware Theatre Company & The Ferris School for Boys - No Child...

 

Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award

Lantern Theater Company - Classroom Connections

 

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist

Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind

 

Special Recognition Award

Deen Kogan

 

Lifetime Achievement Award

Dugald MacArthur

 

2009 Award Recipients by Production

7 Awards:

Something Intangible - Arden Theatre Company

4 Awards:

Cinderella - The People's Light & Theatre Company

3 Awards:

Scorched - The Wilma Theater

Avenue X - 11^th Hour Theatre Company

1 Award each:

Altar Boyz - Bristol Riverside Theatre

Candide - Arden Theatre Company

Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits - Walnut Street Theatre

It's a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play - Prince Music Theatre

No Child... - Delaware Theatre Company

Rock 'n' Roll - The Wilma Theater

Photos by Tim Dunleavy