Sunday, August 17, 2008
A+E, In this Issue..., Theater
The Spotlight Awards
SP's annual roundup of the very best of local theater
Honorable mentions
TOP FIVE ENSEMBLES
"Angela's Mixtape" (Synchronicity): Greta Glenn, Jeanette Illidge, Naomi Lavette, Ayesha Ngaujah, Minka Wiltz
"The Clean House" (Horizon): Jill Jane Clements, Carolyn Cook, James Donadio, Suehyla El-Attar, Mary Lynn Owen
"The Last Schwartz" (Jewish Theatre of the South): Tess Malis Kincaid, Bethany Anne Lind, Chris Moses, Jared Simon, Kathleen Wattis, Jeffrey Zwartjes
"Meds" (Out of Hand): Brian Crawford, Ariel de Man, Nathan Green, Matt Huff, Jessica Rhoads, Googie Uterhardt, Jeffrey Zwartjes
"A Very Merry Unauthorized Children's Scientology Pageant" (Dad's Garage): Hunter Ballard, Jason David, Sarah Gooding, Max Greenhouse, Kate Leek, Zoe Spencer, Alex Vannier, Philip Vannier, Kennedy Whiting
TOP FIVE SET DESIGNS
“Meds” (Out of Hand), Oz Dillman
"Octopus" (Actor's Express), Kat Conley,
"Of Mice and Men" (Atlanta Shakespeare), Jeffrey Watkins
"Oh, What a Lovely War!" (Theater Emory), Leslie Taylor
"Rabbit Hole" (Theatre in the Square), Jon Williamson
TOP FIVE BEHIND-THE-SCENE STEALERS
Lighting: Theater Emory's Judy Zanotti ("Bury the Dead," "Slapping Bernard")
Costumes: Sydney Roberts, "Pure Confidence" (Theatrical Outfit) and "Richard III" (Georgia Shakespeare), among others
Music Direction: Michael Fauss, the Alliance's "Jacques Brel is Alive and Well (and Living in Paris)"
Choreography: Jen MacQueen, "Anything Goes" (Atlanta Lyric)
Sound: The ubiquitous Chris Bartelski—among some 20 (!) shows, "In Darfur" and "The Clean House" (Horizon), "Indulgences" and "Song of the Living Dead" (Dad's Garage), "The Amen Corner" (True Colors), "The Belle of Amherst" (Theatre in the Square) and "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play" (Theatrical Outfit)
TOP FIVE ’08-’09 SEASONS
ACTOR’S EXPRESS: For some intriguing casting. "Finn in the Underworld" (Sept. 4-Oct. 4), featuring Marianne Fraulo and Mira Hirsch; "The New Century" (Oct. 23-Nov. 22), with Don Finney; "Mauritius" (Jan. 22-Feb. 21), co-starring Richard Garner, Chris Kayser and Kathleen Wattis; "Suddenly, Last Summer" (March 19-April 18); "Zanna, Don’t!" (May 14-June 20).
ALLIANCE THEATRE: For sheer volume of new work, even without the canceled Stephen King/John Mellencamp horror musical "Ghost Brothers of Darkland County." Mainstage: "Gem of the Ocean" and "Radio Golf" (Aug. 29-Sept. 28), the last two of August Wilson’s 10 cycle dramas; "Managing Maxine" (Oct. 8-Nov. 2) a comedy by Atlantan Janece Shaffer; "Jesus Christ Superstar, Gospel" (Jan. 14-Feb. 22), a revamping of the Andrew Lloyd Webber standard. Hertz Studio: "The Second City: Too Busy to Hate, Too Hard to Commute" (Sept. 19-Oct. 26), a collaboration with Chicago’s famed Second City improv troupe; "Smart Cookie" (Jan. 20-Feb. 22), winner of the fifth annual Kendeda competition; "26 Miles" (March 20-April 12) by the playwright of "Day of the Kings" (the first Kendeda winner). Children’s Theatre: "Goodnight Moon" (Nov. 3-16), a musical version of the popular book; "Class of 3000 Live" (March 16-29), based on the animated series from Atlanta’s own André Benjamin (of the hip-hop duo OutKast).
ATLANTA LYRIC: From its new home at the Strand Theatre on the Square in Marietta. "Beauty and the Beast" (Dec. 5-21); "Smokey Joe’s Café" (Jan. 16-Feb. 1); "The It Girl" (March 6-22); "The Pirates of Penzance" (April 24-May 10); "Chicago" (June 12-28).
7 STAGES: Because a) this season the company only did two full-run productions, one of which was a revival; b) some of these seem downright conventional; and c) you never know what sort of weird spin to expect. "The Little Prince" (Sept. 27-Oct. 26); "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" (Oct. 18-Nov. 2); "Willie & Esther" (Jan. 31-Feb. 22); "The Extremists" (March 28-April 19).
SYNCHRONICITY: Because you can usually count on artistic director Rachel May. Mainstage: "Welcome Home, Jenny Sutter" (Sept. 12-Oct. 12); "Looking for the Pony" (Feb. 2-March 8); "1:23" (April 17-May 17). Family Series: "The Snow Queen" (Dec. 5-28); "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie" (Feb. 14-March 8); "Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business" (May 5-31).