CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE 2023 THEATER AWARDS
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 publisher(s); 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 theaters during the 2023 calendar year.
Members of the CCC who voted for the 2023 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), Christine Howey (Cleveland Scene) and Roy Berko (Broadwayworld.com, CoolCleveland.com, theatrecriticism.com, www.royberko.info). Additional nominators: Laura Kennelly (CoolCleveland.com) and Kerry Clawson (Akron Beacon Journal)
(Duplicate winners and honorable mentions are listed in alphabetical order, not by order of excellence.)
BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
BLACK NATIVITY, KARMAU HOUSE THEATRE
CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER
BEST NON-MUSICAL PRODUCTION
LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATRE
Honorable Mention
DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER
MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
SKYLIGHT, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
TRUE WEST, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
BEST PERFORMERS–MUSICAL
ALEX SYIEK, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT
LAKES THEATER
ISRAELJAH REIGN, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER
JESSIE KIRTLEY, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT
LAKES THEATER
JODI DOMINICK, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT
LAKES THEATER
KRIS LYONS, PIPPIN, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY
MICHAEL SNYDER, ROCKY, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
SCOTT ESPOSITO, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
Honorable Mention
MADISON SHANNON, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
CARLYN DEMANELIS, ROCKY, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
BEST PERFORMERS – NON-MUSICAL
CHRISTOPHER BOHAN, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER
DERDRIU RING, FAITH HEALER, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
KATIE SIMÓN, LUNGS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
MARIAH BURKS, LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATRE
NNAMDI OKPALA, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
ROB GRANT, LUNGS, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
ROBERT WILLIAMS, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
Honorable Mention
NATALIE GREEN, TRUE WEST, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
RACHEL LEE KOLIS, TRUE WEST, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
RON NEWELL, A FUGITIVE’S LESSON, CESEAR’S FORUM
TRACEE PATTERSON, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATER
RISING STAR
JULIANA SHUMAKER, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
BEST DIRECTOR – MUSICAL
VICTORIA BUSSERT, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812,
GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
JOANNA MAY CULLINAN, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
TERRI KENT, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
BEST DIRECTOR – NON-MUSICAL
MELISSA CRUM, LITTLE WOMEN, DOBAMA THEATER
Honorable Mention
DONALD CARRIER, DOUBT: A PARABLE, BECK CENTER
JEANNINE GASKIN, TROUBLE IN MIND, SEAT OF PANTS ENSEMBLE
SARAH MAY, THE ISLAND, ENSEMBLE THEATRE
SEAN DERRY, SKYLIGHT, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
BEST CHOREOGRAPHER
JACLYN MILLER, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
LAUREN TIDMORE, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR
DREAMCOAT, BECK CENTER
MARTIN CESPEDES, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
MONICA OLEJKO, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
SARAH CLARE, LEAP OF FAITH, BLANK CANVAS THEATER
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
MATTHEW WEBB, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
BRADLEY WYNER, RENT, CAIN PARK
DAVID M. THOMAS, BLACK NAIVITY,
KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
LARRY GOODPASTER, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
JEFF HERMANN, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
LEX LIANG, MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY
HOUSE
SEAN DERRY, SKYLIGHT, NONE TOO FRAGILE THEATRE
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
JAKYUNG C. SEO, MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND PLAY
HOUSE
Honorable Mention
RUSS BORSKI, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK
CENTER
TRAD A BURNS, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEST PROJECTION DESIGN
JEREMY PAUL, THE OTHER PLACE, DOBAMA THEATER
Honorable Mention
BRITTANY MERENDA, JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR
DREAMCOAT, BECK CENTER
KASUMO, GHOST, BALDWIN WALLACE UNIVERSITY/BECK
CENTER
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
INDA BLATCH-GEIB, ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER
Honorable Mention
INDA BLATCH GEIB, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
THEATER/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
MEIKA VAN PLOEG, SENSE AND SENSIBILITY, GREAT LAKES THEATER
MICHELLE HUNT SOUZA, CABARET, KENT STATE UNIVERSITY
TESIA DUGAN BENSON, NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
BEST SOUND DESIGN
ANGIE HAYES, FUN HOME, CAIN PARK
Honorable Mention
RICHARD INGRAHAM, BLACK NATIVITY, KARAMU HOUSE
THEATER/CLEVELAND PLAY HOUSE
SHARATH PATEL, MARY SHELLEY’S FRANKENSTEIN, CLEVELAND
PLAY HOUSE
TOM MARDIKES & STAN KOZAK, A CHRISTMAS CAROL, GREAT
LAKES THEATER
BEST TOURING PRODUCTION
DEAR EVAN HANSEN, PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
BEST NEW PLAY BY A LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT
A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT: A HANUKKAH PLAY, LES AND ELANA HUNTER, TAILSPINNERS CHILDREN’S THEATRE
BEST CHORUS IN A MUSICAL
NATASHA, PIERRE AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, GREAT LAKES THEATER
Honorable Mention
RENT, CAIN PARK
ONCE ON THIS ISLAND, BECK CENTER
JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT, BECK
CENTER
BEST WORLD PREMIERE IN THE CLEVELAND AREA
A LIGHT IN THE NIGHT: A HANUKKAH PLAY, LES AND ELANA HUNTER,
TAILSPINNERS CHILDREN’S THEATRE
SPECIAL MENTION
PATRICK CIAMACCO FOR HIS CREATIVITY IN PRESENTING HIGH-QUALITY THEATRE ON A SHOESTRING BUDGET AT BLANK CANVAS THEATER
GINA VERNACI FOR HER MANY YEARS OF INSPIRED SERVICE WITH PLAYHOUSE SQUARE
ENSEMBLE THEATRE’S WORKSHOP READING OF A COMMISSIONED PLAY, THE PROSPECT OF EQUALITY BY RACHEL ZAKE
AND, A REMINDER FROM THE PAST...
REUBEN AND DOROTHY SILVER FOR THEIR 21 YEARS OF STELLAR INVOLVEMENT WITH KARAMU HOUSE THEATRE
