It is the purpose of THE CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE
AWARDS to recognize outstanding Cleveland area productions, performers,
directors and designers who contributed to the professional theater scene
during the 2014 season. For a
listing of the theatres considered for “Best of” and “Superior Achievement”
awards, go to: clevelandtheaterreviews.com
Best Musical Production: LES
MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
BREATH AND
IMAGINATION, Cleveland Play House
CARRIE THE
MUSICAL, Beck Center for the Arts
IT AIN’T NOTHIN’
BUT THE BLUES, Karamu House Theater
THE LIGHT IN
THE PIAZZA, Lakeland Civic Theatre
TITUS,
Cleveland Public Theatre
Best Non-Musical Production: THE
LITTLE FOXES, Cleveland Play House
Superior Achievement:
‘NIGHT MOTHER,
Beck Center for the Arts
GIDION’S KNOT,
none too fragile theatre
SPIRITS TO
ENFORCE, Cleveland Public Theatre
TERMINUS, convergence-continuum
WOMAN AND
SCARECROW, Mamai Theatre Company
ONE FLEW OVER
THE CUCKOO’S NEST, Blank Canvas Theatre
Best Actor in a Musical: Stephen
Mitchell Brown, LES MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes
Theater
Superior Achievement:
Elijah Rock,
BREATH AND IMAGINATION, Cleveland Play House
Greg Violand,
MY FAIR LADY, Porthouse Theater
Kyle Jean
Baptiste, LES MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Best Actor in a Non-Musical: Scott Plate, SEMINAR, Beck Center for
the Arts
Superior Achievement:
Andrew Cruse,
KING HENRY IV, PART I, Ohio Shakespeare Festival
Andrew Narten,
POSSUM DREAMS, none too fragile theatre
Greg White,
ANNA CHRISTIE, Ensemble Theatre
Best Actress in a Musical: Caitlin
Houlahan, CARRIE THE MUSICAL, Beck Center for the Arts
Superior Achievement:
Claire Howes
Eisentrout, LES MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Kerri Rene
Fuller, LES MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Lindsey Sandham
Leonard, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, Lakeland Civic Theatre
Best Actress in a Non-Musical: Derdriu
Ring, STRANDED ON EARTH, Theatre Ninjas/Mamaí Theater Company
Superior Achievement:
Dorothy Silver,
‘NIGHT MOTHER, Beck Center for the Arts
Jen Klika,
GIDION’S KNOT, none too fragile theatre
Laura Perotta, ‘NIGHT
MOTHER, Beck Center for the Arts
Sally Groth,
Photograph 51, Actors Summit
Best Director of a Musical: Victoria
Bussert, LES MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
Craig George,
TITUS, Cleveland Public Theatre
Martin
Friedman, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA, Lakeland Civic Theatre
Best Director of a Non-Musical: Laura
Kepley, THE LITTLE FOXES, Cleveland Play House
Superior Achievement:
Donald Carrier,
SEMINAR, Beck Center for the Arts
Mathew Wright,
SPIRITS TO ENFORCE, Cleveland Public Theatre
Pandora
Robertson, WOMAN AND SCARECROW, Mamaí Theater Company
Scott Plate,
‘NIGHT MOTHER, Beck Center for the Arts
Sean Derry,
POSSUM DREAMS, none too fragile theater
Best Choreographer: Greg
Daniels, CARRIE THE MUSICAL, Beck Center for the Arts
Superior Achievement:
Mary Ann Black,
OLIVER, Porthouse Theater
Martin
Céspedes, THE FROGS, Cain Park
Martin
Céspedes, MARY POPPINS, Beck Center for the Arts
John Crawford,
MY FAIR LADY, Porthouse Theater
Best Scenic Design: Russ Metheny, DEATHTRAP, Great Lakes
Theater
Superior Achievement:
Lex Liang, THE
LITTLE FOXES, Cleveland Play House
Ben Needham, A
CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN
MUSICAL CELEBRATION Dobama Theatre
Laura Carlson
Trantwoski, OCCUPANT, Cesear’s Forum
Best Costume Design: S. Q. Campell, MY FAIR LADY, Porthouse
Theater
Superior Achievement:
Jeff Nellis,
BREATH AND IMAGINATION, Cleveland Play House
Lex Liang,
LITTLE FOXES, Cleveland Play House
Tesia Dugan
Benson, A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN
AMERICAN MUSICAL CELEBRATION,
Dobama Theatre
Best Lighting Design: Rick Martin, DEATHTRAP, Great Lakes
Theater
Superior
Achievement:
Jeff Nellis,
BREATH AND IMAGINATION, Cleveland Play House
Marcus Dana, A
CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN AMERICAN
MUSICAL CELEBRATION,
Dobama Theatre
Russ Borski,
CARRIE THE MUSICAL, Beck Center for the Arts
Best Sound Design: Mikhail Fiksel, HOW WE GOT ON,
Cleveland Play House
Superior Achievement:
Tom Limenmeier,
BELLEVILLE, Dobama Theatre
Amanda Ware, LES
MISÉRABLES, Great Lakes Theater
Kevin Rutan,
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES, Actors Summit
Best Musical Direction: Joel Mercer, LES MISÉRABLES, Great
Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
Nancy Maier, CARRIE
THE MUSICAL, Beck Center For the Arts/Baldwin Wallace University Musical
Theatre Program
Nathan Motta, THE
FROGS, Cain Park
Larry
Goodpaster, [title of show], Beck Center for the Arts
Best National Touring Production:
PORGY AND BESS, PlayhouseSquare
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS:
Actors’ Equity Association for their
Project Code production of HEARTBREAK HOUSE.
The Baldwin Wallace University Musical
Theatre Program for producing an outstanding number of Broadway theater cast
members.
Holly Holsinger, for her body of work as
a writer, director and actor.
Daryl Waters for his musical arrangements
for A CIVIL WAR CHRISTMAS: AN
AMERICAN MUSICAL CELEBRATION, Dobama Theatre
Christine Howey for writing and
performing in EXACT CHANGE at both Cleveland Public Theatre and none too
fragile theatre.
Members of the Cleveland Critics Circle are: Bob Abelman (Cleveland Jewish News, News-Herald, The Morning Journal), Roy Berko
(CoolCleveland.com, ArtsAmerica.com, BroadwayWorld.com, royberko.info), Kerry
Clawson (Akron Beacon Journal), Howard Golub, Elyria Chronicle Telegram, Mark Horning, (Examiner.com), Christine Howey (Cleveland Scene,
raveandpan.blogspot.com), David Ritchie, (West
Side Leader), Andrea Simakis (The Plain Dealer), Art Thomas (West
Life).
For additional information about the CLEVELAND
CRITICS CIRCLE, including reviewing summaries, links to members’ full reviews,
and details about the CCC Speaker’s Bureau, go to: clevelandtheaterreviews.com
For individual critic year-end awards and "best of" articles, go to:
Bob Abelman: www.clevelandjewishnews.com