For more than 50 years, the CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE (CCC) has provided support and recognition for professional theaters in our community and for the talented individuals who create and stage their productions. CCC members include local theater critics who write for print and/or online publications; or who have established a distinct, credible, and consistent online presence (blog, etc.) for their reviews.
On the CCC website, www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com, visitors will find capsule reviews of professional productions in the 216/440/330 area, with links to the reviewers’ full articles.
In addition, each year CCC honors outstanding local productions as well as select performers, directors, designers, and playwrights. (Note: The organization does not separate award recipients by gender identities.)
Eligible plays include those staged by Cleveland-area professional and higher education theaters during the 2024 calendar year.
Members of the CCC who voted for the 2024 Awards are: Sheri Gross (Cleveland Jewish News, The Lorain Journal, The News Herald), Mark Horning (WIX, Chagrin Valley Times, The Solon Times), Howard Golub (The Chronicle Telegram), Roy Berko (Broadwayworld.com, CoolCleveland.com, theatrecriticism.com, www.royberko.info), Laura Kennelly (CoolCleveland.com) and Yuko Kurahashi (PlayShakespeare.com).
(Duplicate winners and honorable mentions are listed in alphabetical order, not by order of excellence.)
BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
INTO THE WOODS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEAUTIFUL, CAROLE KING, THE MUSICAL, BECK CENTER
IN THE HEIGHTS, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
BEST NON-MUSICAL PRODUCTION
AMADEUS, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
POTUS, DOBAMA THEATER
Honorable Mention
A DOLL’S HOUSE PART II, BECK CENTER
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, GREAT LAKES THEATER
JITNEY, BECK CENTER
MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEST PERFORMERS–MUSICAL
DANNY BÓ, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/PLAY HOUSE SQUARE
JAEDYN LATTER, INTO THE WOODS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
MATT KOENIG, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
MATTHEW GITTINS, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
REESE HENRICK, BEAUTIFUL, THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL, BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
CHRISTINA ROSE HALL, ALWAYS…PATSY CLINE, GREAT LAKES THEATER
COLEEN LONGSHAW JACKSON, NUNSENSE, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
DARYLL LEWIS, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, BLANK CANVAS
JILLIAN KATES, INTO THE WOODS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
ZACHARY PALUMBO, LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
BEST PERFORMERS – NON-MUSICAL
AAMAR-MALIK CULBRETH, JITNEY, BECK CENTER
ANJANETTE HALL, DOLL’S HOUSE-PART II, BECK CENTER
DEIDRIU RING, SOMETHING CLEAN, DOBAMA THEATER
MAGGIE LACEY, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
PRICE WALDMAN, AMADEUS, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
Honorable Mention
DYRELL BARNETT, PURLIE VICTORIOUS, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
MARIAH BURKS-DOT, THE BREAKFAST AT THE BOOK STORE, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
SCOTT ESPOSITO, THE CRUCIBLE, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
WILL BLUM, AMADEUS, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
RISING STAR
PARKER TOWNS, ANNIE, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
BEST DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
VICTORIA BUSSERT, INTO THE WOODS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
VICTORIA BUSSERT, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE
UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
SCOTT SPENCE, BEAUTIFUL, CAROLE KING, THE MUSICAL, BECK CENTER
TERRI KENT, ANNIE, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
BEST DIRECTOR – NON-MUSICAL
DON CARRIER, A DOLL’S HOUSE-PART II, BECK CENTER
LAURA GORDON, AMADEUS, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
Honorable Mention
CARRIE WILLIAMS, POTUS, DOBAMA THEATER
JIMMIE WOODY, JITNEY, BECK CENTER
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
LAUREN TIDMORE MAROUSEK, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE
UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
LAUREN TIDMORE MAROUSEK, BEAUTIFUL, CAROLE KING, THE MUSICAL BECk CENTER
LIZ BAUMGARTNER, GROUNDHOG DAY, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
MARTIN CÉSPEDES, ANNIE, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
MARTIN CÉSPEDES, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
MATTHEW WEBB, ALWAYS PATSY CLINE, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
ALEXANDRE MARR, ANNIE, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
MATTHEW WEBB, ALWAYS PATSY CLINE, GREAT LAKES THEATER
MATTHEW WEBB, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BECK CENTER
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
RICK MARTIN, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
CHERI PROUGH DEVOL, BEAUTIFUL, CAROLE KING, THE MUSICAL, BECK CENTER
LARRY HEYMAN, THE CHERRY ORCHARD, CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIVERSITY/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
RAUL ABREGO, WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
TRAD BURNS, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE/BECK CENTER
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
RICK MARTIN, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
ADAM DITZEL, A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2, BECK CENTER
JAKYUNG C. SEO, JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR, PORTHOUSE/KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
JEREMY PAUL, SOMETHING CLEAN, DOBAMA THEATER
BEST PROJECTION DESIGN
JACK-ANTHONY INA, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
JEREMY PAUL & WAYNE SMITH, WENDY/PETER, DOBAMA THEATER
PATRICK CIAMACCO, GROUNDHOG DAY, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
SCOTT ZOLKOWSKI, LAST SHIP TO PROXIMA CENTAURI, CONVERGENCE-CONTINUUM
T. PAUL LOWRY, BREAKFAST AT THE BOOKSTORE, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
DANIELE TYLER MATHEWS, THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, GREAT LAKES THEATER
ESTHER HABERLEN, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
MIEKA van der PLOEG, A MIDSUMMER’S NIGHT’S DREAM, GREAT LAKE THEATER
OLIVERA GAJIC, PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEST SOUND DESIGN
CARLTON GUC, RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE
UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
PATRICK JOHN KIERNAN, MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEST TOURING PRODUCTION
BACK TO THE FUTURE, PLAY HOUSE SQUARE
HONORABLE MENTION
MJ, PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
BEST NEW PLAY BY A LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT
RACHEL ZAKE, THE PROSPECT OF EQUALITY, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
HONORABLE MENTION
LISA LANGFORD, BREAKFAST IN THE BOOKSTORE, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
BEST ENSEMBLE (BEST CAST LEADS AND CHORUS) IN A MUSICAL
RIDE THE CYCLONE, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
BEAUTIFUL, CAROLE KING, THE MUSICAL, BECK CENTER
BEST WORLD PREMIERE IN THE CLEVELAND AREA
THE PROSPECT OF EQUALITY, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
Honorable Mention
ALTER, CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE
SPECIAL MENTION
CHARLES FEE, GREAT LAKES THEATER--FOR HIS MANY SUCCESSFUL AND CREATIVE YEARS AS THE THEATER’S ARTISTIC DIRECTOR.
CHRIS HOWEY—A LONG-TIME OFFICER AND ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE, SHE WAS WELL KNOWN AS THE ACERBIC THEATER CRITIC FOR THE PLAIN DEALER AND SCENE. HER EXTENSIVE THEATER BACKGROUND INCLUDES WORK AS A DIRECTOR, ACTOR AND PLAYWRIGHT, INCLUDING THE PLAY AND MOVIE EXACT CHANGE, IN WHICH SHE WROTE AND PERFORMED HER OWN TRANSITIONING STORY. SHE HAS RECENTLY RETIRED FROM REVIEWING AND MOVED TO NEW JERSEY.
MARY JANE NOTTAGE--ACTRESS AND THEATRE PHILANTHROPIST, WHO PASSED AWAY ON SEPTEMBER 20, 2024 AT THE AGE OF 90. A TALENTED ACTRESS--IT WAS HER LIFE AND PASSION. SHE STARTED HER CAREER AT THE CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE AND WENT ON TO DISPLAY HER TALENTS AT SUCH VENUES AS KARAMU, ENSEMBLE, NONE-TOO-FRAGILE, MAMAl, CASSIDY, CLAGUE, ACTOR'S SUMMIT, CHAGRIN VALLEY, LAKELAND, TRI-C, BALDWIN-WALLACE AND CLEVELAND PUBLIC THEATRE.
ROY BERKO FOR BEING RECOGNIZED BY BROADWAY WORLD AND GOOGLE BECAUSE HE WAS
"DEEMED TO BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND INFLUENTIAL ARTS JOURNALISTS/CRITICS IN THE CLEVELAND AREA. THIS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE AMAZING WORK HE HAS DONE SUPPORTING AND CONTRIBUTING TO LOCAL ARTS."
FAYE SHOLITON FOR HER EFFORTS, THROUGH INTERPLAY, TO KEEP JEWISH THEATRE PRESENT IN CLEVELAND.
