So the posting of these reasons has been thrown off a bit, largely because we RTCCers have been busy selecting the nominees for this year’s awards. The good news is that we are completing those selections this week and, next Monday, the list of nominees will be available. So you are REALLY going to want to tune in for reasons 6 and 7!
In the meantime, here are some more compelling reasons to go to the Seventh Annual Richmond Theatre Critics Circle awards on October 19th. (Also, check out Reasons 1, 2a and 2b if you missed them a while back.)
3. Some very attractive people attend the event wearing very dapper clothes. Sure, there are all sorts of charity balls in town during the year where the 1%-ers break out the fancy duds. But where else but the Artsies can you see 
local performers and artists really doing it up? I include these pictures from past shows as just a few examples.
4. The ‘Artsies’ is the best chance to see local theatrical celebrities and/or people you have worked with in the past but haven’t seen in months/years. You know what it’s like: you work on a production for a few months and bond like crazy with some folks. But then the show closes and life goes on, people move on to their next show or go back to their 9-to-5 lives, and you don’t see them again except for the random crossing of paths at an audition or in Martins. Well, the awards show is a great chance to catch up with those people in person, share a drink at one of the Novempire Theatre bars, and reminisce about that crazy thing that happened backstage that one time.
5. This year’s awards will feature a new award category: Most Promising Newcomer. Discussions have been going on for years amongst us RTCCers about how to recognize and encourage the contributions to local theater by young performers. The creation of two new categories – Best Young Actor & Actress – was bandied about but that idea got lost in the push to streamline the show to a more manageable length. After last year’s successful running time trim, we are excited to give this new award category a shot. There were a number of significant productions this past season featuring young 
actors or actors relatively new to the stage giving performances that made audiences say, “who is THAT and where did he/she come from?” These people didn’t always appear in significant roles (though sometimes they did) but already their gifts are clear. We offer this
award as encouragement for these newcomers and incentive to continue to hone their talents.
Check back on Monday, August 11th for 2 of THE MOST compelling reasons to make it to the ‘Artsies’ this year!
