CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE 2021 THEATER AWARD WINNERS
The Cleveland Critics Circle each year honors local theaters, performances, writers, performers and technicians of plays staged by Cleveland area professional theaters during the January 1-December 31 year.
Voters: Kerry Clawson (Akron Beacon Journal), Sheri Gross (Cleveland Jewish News, The Lorain Journal, The News Herald), Laura Kennelly (CoolCleveland.com), Mark Horning (WIX), and Roy Berko(Broadwayworld.com, CoolCleveland.com, www.royberko.info). Participation in these awards does not preclude individual critics from preparing their own recognitions.
(Note: Dual award winners and Honorable Mention designees are listed in alphabetical order)
Best Musical Production-- INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY
Honorable Mention
BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
QUILTERS, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
Best Non-Musical Production-- BROADWAY BOUND, BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Honorable Mention
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, OHIO SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL
APPLES IN WINTER, SEAT OF THE PANTS PRODUCTIONS
WHERE DO WE SIT ON THE BUS?, CLEVELAND PLAYHOUSE
Best Actor – Musical— MATEUS CARDOSO, HEARTBREAKERS IN HELL, RUBBER CITY
THEATRE
DEVON TURCHAN, CABARET THEATRE, BLANK CANVAS
THEATRE
Honorable Mention
TIM ALLEN, ELF, BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
DARRELLE HILL, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
Best Actor – Non-Musical-- TREY GILPIN, AIRNESS, DOBAMA
Honorable Mention
BRIAN KENNETH ARMOUR, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, NONE TOO
FRAGILE THEATRE
ALED DAVIES, THE TEMPEST, GREAT LAKES THEATER
JOE WEGNER, THE TEMPEST, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Best Actress – Musical— SANDRA EMERICK, CABARET, BLANK CANVAS THEATRE
TERRI KENT, QUILTERS, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
Honorable Mention
GRACIE KEENER, AMELIE THE MUSICAL, MERCURY THEATRE COMPANY
Best Actress – Non-Musical— ANNE MCEVOY, APPLES IN WINTER, SEAT OF THE
PANTS PRODUCTIONS
DERDRIU RING, THIS GIRL LAUGHS, BECK CENTER
FOR THE ARTS
Honorable Mention
AMY FRITSCHE, THE EXONERATED, BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
CHRISTINA JOHNSON, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM,
KARAMU HOUSE
Rising Stars
Male
DARIO ALVAREZ, INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY
MATEUS CARDOSO, HEARTBREAKERS IN HELL, RUBBER CITY
THEATRE
Female
EILEEN BRADY, INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY
RHONNIROSE MANTILLA, INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN
WALLACE UNIVERSITY
CLAIRE MARIE MILLER, INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN
WALLACE UNIVERSITY
Best Director – Musical--TERRI KENT, QUILTERS, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
Honorable Mention
VICTORIA BUSSERT, INTO THE WOODS, BALDWIN
WALLACE UNIVERSITY
TONY SIAS, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
Best Director – Non-Musical-- JAMIE KOETH, APPLES IN WINTER, SEAT OF THE
PANTS PRODUCTIONS
Honorable Mention
SARA BRUNNER, THE TEMPEST, GREAT LAKES THEATER
DAVID VEGH, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
JUSTIN EMEKA, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM, KARAMU HOUSE
COLLEEN LONGSHAW JACKSON, THE EXONERATED, BECK
CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Best Choreographer: MARTIN CÉSPEDES, ALTAR BOYZ, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
KATIE GIBSON, CABARET, BLANK CANVAS THEATRE
Honorable Mention
KEVIN MARR II, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
Best Musical Direction: JONATHAN SWOBODA, ALTAR BOYZ, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
Honorable Mention
ANTHONY TRIFILETTI, CABARET, BLANK CANVAS THEATRE
Best Scenic Design: CHERI DEVOL, BROADWAY BOUND, BECK CENTER FOR THE
ARTS
Honorable Mention
SEAN DERRY, SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
Best Lighting Design: TIM CRISMON, THE EXONERATED, BECK CENTER FOR THE
ARTS
Honorable Mention
WES CALKIN, AIRNESS, DOBAMA THEATRE
FRANKIE CASTROVILLARI, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, MAGICAL THEATRE
COMPANY
Best Projection Design: T. PAUL LOWRY, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
Honorable Mention
T. PAUL LOWRY, AIRNESS, DOBAMA THEATRE
Best Costume Design: HELEN Q. HUANG, THE TEMPEST, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
INDA BLATCH-GEIB, BROADWAY BOUND, BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
INDA BLATCH-GEIB, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM,KARAMU HOUSE
Best Sound Design: RICHARD B. INGRAHAM, AIRNESS, DOBAMA THEATRE
MATTHEW WEBB, THE TEMPEST, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
STEVE SHACK, ELF THE MUSICAL, BECK CENTER FOR THE ARTS
Best Touring Production: THE PROM, PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
Best New Play by a Local Playwright: LOVE IN RESERVE, ERIC MANSFIELD, RUBBER
CITY THEATRE
Best Overall Ensemble (Unified Cast) in a Musical
QUILTERS, PORTHOUSE THEATRE
Best World Premiere in the Cleveland area: HEARTBREAKERS IN HELL, JOEY CONTRERAS & BENJAMIN HALSTEAD, RUBBER CITY THEATRE
Special Mention
DOROTHY SILVER – A LIFE OF LOVE FOR THE THEATER-- THE DEPARTURE OF THE GRANDE DAME OF CLEVELAND THEATER PROVOKED A SEA OF TEARS. GOOD NIGHT SWEET DOROTHY, AND, MAY THE FLIGHTS OF ANGELS SING THEE TO THY REST.
ALL OF THE LOCAL THEATER PERSONNEL AND BOARDS WHO FOUND WAYS TO KEEP THEIR THEATERS ALIVE AND FINANCED DURING THE ON-GOING ANGST OF COVID.
PLAYHOUSE SQUARE FOR HIRING EXTRA STAFF TO CHECK THE COVID CARDS BEFORE EACH PERFORMANCE WHICH REASSURED AND ALLEVIATED FEAR FOR THE AUDIENCE.
END OF AN ERA IN AKRON: "ACROSS THE RIVER," AN ORIGINAL ONE-MAN SHOW BY JOSY JONES FEATURING JAIRO CUESTA, WAS THE CURTAIN CLOSER FOR NEW WORLD PERFORMANCE LAB IN THE UNITED STATES.
