2019-20 Artsies nominations announced, “Lucky 13” theme

The Richmond Theatre Critics Circle apologizes for our insensitivity in announcing the Artsies nominations on Juneteenth. The announcement was scheduled to coincide with the June 19th episode of Curtain Call, which airs alternate Fridays on WRIR. We regret the error.

“Lucky 13th” Annual Theater Awards and Nominees Announced

Richmond, VA – June 19, 2020.  The Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards (Artsies) will look a little different this year: the whole event will be virtual. Using the occasion of the Artsies’ 13th year, the 2020 theme will be “Lucky 13.” The show will highlight the funny – and often outrageous – ways that theater can go wrong, elevating what is unique and vital about live performance: the thrill of the unexpected.

Area theater artists are invited to submit a 30-second video about their experiences with the unpredictable nature of live theater. Video specifications can be found at http://www.artsies.org/2020/06/lucky-13-video-specs/.

Not only are the Artsies the community’s recognition of excellence in Richmond-area theater, but they are the primary fundraising event for the Theatre Artist Fund of Greater Richmond (The Fund). The Fund provides emergency financial assistance to theater artists who have experienced an exceptional financial need related to a specific crisis beyond their control. Since its inception, the Artsies have raised $83,446 for the Fund, which has written ten grants totaling $13,000 for artists in need. While there will be no tickets sold for this event, please consider donating in support of the Theatre Artist Fund of Greater Richmond.

The 2019-2020 nominees are:

Best Musical
A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)
Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Best Direction, Musical
Kikau Alvaro, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Matt Polson, Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Best Actor, Musical
Keaton Hillman, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Alexander Sapp, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Matt Shofner, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Scott Wichmann, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep

Best Actress, Musical
Bianca Bryan, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Grey Garrett, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Rachel Marrs, Daddy Long Legs, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Musical
Keydron Dunn, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Jamar Jones, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Luke Schares, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Durron Marquis Tyre, Falsettos, Richmond Triangle Players

Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Musical
Kelsey Cordrey, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Adrienne Eller, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Audra Honaker, Cinderella, Virginia Rep
Michaela Nicole, Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Best Musical Direction
Sandy Dacus, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Paul Deiss, Daddy Long Legs, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Leilani Fenick, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Travis West, Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Best Choreography
Matthew Couvillon, Cinderella, Virginia Rep
Nicole Morris-Anastasi, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Christine Wyatt, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design, Musical
Maura Lynch Cravey, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Sue Griffin, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Jeanne Nugent, Cinderella, Virginia Rep

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design, Musical
Michael Jarett, Urinetown, TheatreLAB
Bill Miller, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
BJ Wilkinson, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design, Musical
Tennessee Dixon, Tuck Everlasting, Virginia Rep
Chris Raintree, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Tom Width, The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, Musical
Derek Dumais & Joey Luck, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Virginia Rep
Jimmy Fecteau, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Joey Luck, Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Best Play
Admissions, TheatreLAB
Fences, Virginia Rep
Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre
The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB

Best Direction, Play
Alison Devereaux, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre
Deejay Gray, Admissions, TheatreLAB
Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Fences, Virginia Rep

Best Actor, Play
James Craven, Fences, Virginia Rep
Tyler Stevens, Admissions, TheatreLAB
Adam Valentine, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre

Best Actress, Play
Katrinah Carol Lewis, The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB
Terri Moore, The Cake, Richmond Triangle Players
Boomie Pedersen, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre

Best Actor in a Supporting Role, Play
Arik Cullen, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre
Andrew Firda, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre
J. Ron Fleming Jr., Fences, Virginia Rep
Joe Pabst, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Quill Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role, Play
Maggie Bavolack, The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB
Jacqueline Jones, Admissions, TheatreLAB
Lorin-Hope Turner, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design, Play
Anna Bialkowski, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, Quill Theatre
Maura Lynch Cravey, Holmes and Watson, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Ruth Hedberg, The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB

Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design, Play
Andrew Bonniwell, Fences, Virginia Rep
Joe Doran, Holmes and Watson, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Michael Jarett, Level 4, TheatreLAB
BJ Wilkinson, The 39 Steps, Virginia Rep

Outstanding Achievement in Set Design, Play
David Allan Ballas, The Cake, Richmond Triangle Players
Josafath Reynoso, Fences, Virginia Rep
Tom Width, Holmes and Watson, Swift Creek Mill Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, Play
Kelsey Cordrey, The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB
Derek Dumais, The 39 Steps, Virginia Rep
Nicholas Seaver, Fences, Virginia Rep

Ernie McClintock Best Ensemble Acting
Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
The Revolutionists, TheatreLAB
Urinetown, TheatreLAB

Breakout Performance
Dylan Jones, Passing Strange, Firehouse Theatre
Marjie Southerland, Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, Virginia Rep
Lorin-Hope Turner, Stupid Kid, Firehouse Theatre

Outstanding Original Work
Level 4, TheatreLAB

Nominees are asked to submit a thirty-second video acceptance speech. Video specifications can be found at http://www.artsies.org/2020/06/lucky-13-video-specs/.

This year’s celebration will be live-streamed at 7:30 p.m. on Sunday, September 13th. For more information, visit http://www.artsies.org/.

The members of the RTCC include Claire Boswell (Style Weekly), Tony Farrell (Richmond Times-Dispatch), Rich Griset (Style Weekly), Julie Turner (provisional), Julinda Lewis (RVArt Review), and Jerry Williams (Sifter/WRIR-FM). RTCC members and Theatre Alliance Panelists must have seen at least two-thirds of the locally-produced shows during the season in order to vote in the award nomination process.