The Philadelphia Inquirer from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Page E03

Tuesday, October 7, 2008 THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER www.philly.com E3 Star turns for best of local theater BARRYMORE from El vante, executive director of the Theatre Alliance, told the crowd. "First, because of our city's historical roots as the origin of American culture and because of the people in this room. Tonight is about recognizing that greatness through awards for artistic excellence." Past Barrymore winners took the stage to present the awards, and casts from several current productions State Fair (Walnut), My Fair Lady (Media Theatre), The Hothouse (Lantern Theatre) performed. An impressive display of videos produced by Barrymore director Vincent Marini, including a tribute to regional theater figures who died in the last year, punctuated the evening. And a swirl of colored lights, an onstage band, and an energized audience greeted winners.

Three shows tied for the most awards for a single production, each receiving three Barrymores: the Walnut's Les Miz, Arden Theatre Company's edgy production of the dark musical Assassins, and 1812 Productions' dancing house party, Suburban Love Songs. Les Miz's Hugh Panaro, a Broadway actor who grew up in Philadelphia, won best musical actor for his portrayal of Jean Valjean, the lead character in the show, an adaptation of Victor Hugo's sprawling 1862 novel. A third Les Miz award, for supporting actress in a musical, went to Christina DeCicco for her portrayal of unrequited love as Eponine. Terrence J. Nolen, the Arden's producing artistic director, won as best musi- first lady, Lisa Nutter.

In other awards, Lantern Theater Company's intense production of David Hare's Skylight garnered a nod for outstanding play direction for Dan Kern and another for Genevieve Perrier as best supporting actress in a play. Triney Sandoval won for best supporting actor in a play, and Toby Twining for his elegant original music, both for the Wilma Theater's stylish production of Eurydice. The cast of The World Goes 'Round accepted the ensemble musical award for the 11th Hour Theatre Company's production. Beowulf Boritt won for his monochrome set for Delaware Theatre Company's Art, while Joshua Schulman took honors for his lighting. Best actor in a play was Jeb Kreager, who portrayed child-killer Ralph in InterAct Theatre Company's Frozen.

Kim Carson, as Yitzhak in Azuka Theatre's Hedwig and the Angry Inch, won for leading actress in a musical, and Lee Ann Etzold won best supporting actress in a play for her role in Philadelphia Theatre Company's The Happiness Lecture, in which she played a clueless academic. National theater artists with ties to Philadelphia attending last night's ceremony included Tony Award-winner Bill Irwin, who created and starred in The Happiness Lecture; TV's 30 Rock actor Keith Powell, who founded Contemporary Stage in Wilmington; Adam Gertler, now on the Food Network's Will Work for Food; Merion native Gideon Glick, who was in the original Broadway Spring Awakening cast; Barrymore Award-winner Tobias Segal, critically admired for his Off-Broadway performance in From Up Here last season; and The Lion King's tour-production Pumbaa, Ben Lipitz, a Walnut Street Theatre alumnus. DAVID WARREN Staff Photographer Among those attending last night's Barrymore Awards ceremony in the Wanamaker Building's Crystal Tea Room were (from left) Catharine Slusar, Whit MacLaughlin, Matt Pheifferand Kim Pheiffer. cal director for Assassins, his ninth staging of a Stephen Sondheim musical. The show also won a musical-direction Barrymore for Eric Ebbenga and a supporting-actor award for Scott Greer, who played Sam Byck, the bizarre Philadelphian who had a scheme to assassinate Richard Nixon.

The three awards to Suburban Love Songs a bubbly piece in which the actors never speak but only dance their story line about a groovy '60s party went to creator and choreographer Karen Getz, sound designer Christopher Colucci, and the cast, which took the stage to accept honors as outstanding ensemble in a play. The show began life three seasons back as a hit in the Live Arts FestivalPhilly Fringe, and it was remounted for 1812 Productions' regular season last year. In all, Arden productions won six Barrymores, making it the only company to win awards for more than a single show. In addition to the Arden's awards for Assassins, playwright David Davalos won the new-play award for his clever Protestant Reformation comedy, Wittenberg, which throws Martin Luther, Dr. Faustus and Hamlet into the same heady mix.

Richard St. Clair won for his Sleeping Beauty costumes, in the Arden's holiday show. An award for collaboration went to the Arden and its neighbor Christ Church, which accommodated the company's Act 2 wedding of Our Town inside its celebrated sanctuary through the entire run. Actor-director Matt Pfeiffer, 31, who has received both acting and directing Barrymore nominations, won the $10,000 F. Otto Haas award for an emerging artist.

Trained in theater at DeSales University near Allentown, the site of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Pfeiffer has worked with many professional companies in Philadelphia and last summer returned to the festival for his first directing stint at that venue. Mayor Nutter, whose introduction was met with a standing ovation, presented the lifetime achievement award to Dolly Beechman Schnall, an actress, director, educator and longtime arts advocate who he said "personifies the very best in the wonderful world of arts and culture." Schnall, a longtime friend of many in the audience, also received a standing ovation. For its PASSPORTS program, a full-year arts-enrichment curriculum for high school students, Philadelphia Theatre Company won a $2,000 community service award, presented by the city's Contact staff writer Howard Shapiro at 215-854-5727 or hshapirophillynews.com. Read his recent work at philly.comhowardshapiro. Li Hosted by Will Shortz At the ceremony were (from left) Margie Salvante, Theatre Alliance executive director; Mark Zimmerman, Actors' Equity Association president; and Rebekah Sassi, Theatre Alliance chair.

2008 Barrymore Award Winners rullJiHiiiuTTiTKyTTTl7 Outstanding Set Design Beowulf Boritt, Art; Delaware Theatre Company Outstanding Lighting Design Joshua Schulman, Art; Delaware Theatre Company Outstanding Costume Design Richard St. Clair, Sleeping Beauty; Arden Theatre Company Outstanding Sound Design Christopher Colucci, Suburban Love Songs; 1812 Productions Outstanding Original Music Toby Twining, Eurydice; The Wilma Theater Outstanding ChoreographyMovement Karen Getz, Suburban Love Songs; 1812 Productions Outstanding New Play Wittenberg, by David Davalos; Arden Theatre Company Outstanding Ensemble in a Play Suburban Love Songs, 1812 Productions Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical The World Goes 'Round, 11th Hour Theatre Company New Approaches to Collaborations Arden Theatre Company Christ Church, Our Town in Old City Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Philadelphia Theatre Company's PASSPORT Theater Residency Program F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist Matt Pfeiffer Lifetime Achievement Award Dolly Beechman Schnall Outstanding Overall Production of a Play Six Characters in Search of an Author, The People's Light Theatre Company Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical Les Miserables; Walnut Street Theatre Outstanding Direction of a Play Dan Kern, Skylight; Lantern Theater Company Outstanding Direction of a Musical Terrence J. Nolen, Assassins; Arden Theatre Company Outstanding Music Direction Eric Ebbenga, Assassins; Arden Theatre Company Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play Jeb Kreager as Ralph, Frozen; InterAct Theatre Company Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play Genevieve Perrier as Kyra, Skylight; Lantern Theater Company Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical Hugh Panaro as Jean Valjean, Les Miserables; Walnut Street Theatre Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical Kim Carson as Yitzhak, Hedwig and the Angry Inch; Azuka Theatre Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play Triney Sandoval as Nasty Interesting ManLord of the Underworld, Eurydice; The Wilma Theater Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play Lee Ann Etzold, The Happiness Lecture; Philadelphia Theatre Company Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical Scott Greer as Samuel Byck, Assassins; Arden Theatre Company Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical Christina DeCicco as Eponine, Les Miserables; Walnut Street Theatre lm TITLE SPONSOR SPONSOR PARTNER SPONSOR PARTNER SPONSOR Harriott. PHILADELPHIA DOWNTOWN PARTNER SPONSOR Jacobs mi MUSIC i.