A number of local theater companies have something to celebrate this morning: The St. Louis Theater Circle Awards announced this year’s winners from 31 categories that reflect excellence in musicals, dramas, comedies and operas.
The night’s big winner was New Jewish Theatre with six awards, including Outstanding Actor in a Comedy for Will Bonfiglio in “Fully Committed” and Outstanding Production of a Comedy for “Brighton Beach Memoirs.”
Max & Louie Productions’ performance of “Indecent” garnered five awards, followed by four awards to The Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis for its production of “A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur.”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the eighth annual awards ceremony, originally planned for March 30 at the Loretto-Hilton Center, was cancelled. Instead, an abbreviated produced version aired via streamcast by HEC Media Tuesday night.
Awards were given in 31 categories covering comedies, dramas and musicals, as well as two categories for opera. In addition, philanthropists Ken and Nancy Kranzberg received a special award for their contributions to the arts and theatre in the St. Louis area, including many developments in the Grand Center Arts District.
The awards, which honored outstanding achievement in locally produced professional theatre for the calendar year 2019, recognized a total of 21 productions and 14 companies. In all, 25 local companies received nominations in 33 categories for comedy, drama, musical and opera, as well as 125 individuals up for awards.
More than 120 local professional theatrical productions were staged in the St. Louis area in 2019.
2020 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards Winners:
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy
A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Kelley Weber, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Patrick Blindauer, Love’s Labors Lost, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Actress in a Comedy (tie)
Katie Kleiger, Pride and Prejudice, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Maggie Wininger, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Actor in a Comedy
Will Bonfiglio, Fully Committed, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Director of a Comedy
Kari Ely, A Lovely Sunday for Creve Coeur, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Production of a Comedy
Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
Indecent, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama
Carly Uding, Translations, Black Mirror Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama
Samuel Davis, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Actress in a Drama
Donna Weinsting, Salt, Root and Roe, Upstream Theater
Outstanding Actor in a Drama
Gary Wayne Barker, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Director of a Drama
Joanne Gordon, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Production of a Drama
Indecent, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Margery and Peter Spack, Brighton Beach Memoirs, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Felia Davenport, District Merchants, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
Patrick Huber, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Sound Design
Phillip Evans, Indecent, Max & Louie Productions
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Mary Engelbreit and Paige Hathaway, Matilda, The Muny
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Sarah Porter, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Sean M. Savoie, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Musical Director
Charles Creath, Don’t Bother Me, I Can’t Cope, The Black Rep
Outstanding Choreographer
Dexandro Montalvo, Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis,
Big Muddy Dance Company, Jazz St. Louis, Nine Network of Public Media
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Matilda, The Muny
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Taylor Louderman, Kinky Boots, The Muny
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Tielere Cheatem, La Cage aux Folles, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Actress in a Musical
Kendra Kassebaum, Guys and Dolls, The Muny
Outstanding Actor in a Musical
Luke Steingruby, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, The Q Collective
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Michael Hamilton, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Such Sweet Thunder, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis,
Big Muddy Dance Company, Jazz St. Louis, Nine Network of Public Media
Outstanding New Play
Nonsense and Beauty, by Scott C. Sickles, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Achievement in Opera (tie)
Terence Blanchard and Kasi Lemmons, Fire Shut Up in My Bones, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Roland Wood, Rigoletto, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Outstanding Production of an Opera
La Boheme, Union Avenue Opera
Special Award
Ken and Nancy Kranzberg
