Sonoma County theater artists gathered Monday night at the Juncture Taproom and Lounge in Santa Rosa for the Third Annual Marquee Theater Journalists Association Awards. Seventeen awards were given to local theatre artists and productions whose nominations were culled from the sixty-six Sonoma County productions attended by members from September 1, 2017 through August 31, 2018.
The MTJA was founded in 2015 by Sonoma County-based theater journalists with the intent of developing a critically-based awards program to acknowledge outstanding work done by the local theater community. Current members include the North Bay Bohemian’s Harry Duke, Sonoma County Gazette’s Alexa Chipman, Talkin’ Broadway’s Jeanie K. Smith, and Aisle Seat Review’s Barry Willis and Nicole Singley. All are members of the San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC) and/or the American Theatre Critics Association (ATCA).
The MTJA Awards have the distinction of being the first theatre awards program to eliminate gender distinction in the performance categories, simply recognizing outstanding lead and supporting performances by genre.
The Sonoma Arts Live production of Always… Patsy Cline was the single most awarded production of the evening, taking home awards for Lead and Supporting Performances in a Musical as well as Costume Design, Musical Direction and Outstanding Musical Production. Rohnert Park’s Spreckels Theatre Company production of By the Water was recognized with three awards; Outstanding Lighting Design, Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama, and Outstanding Drama Production. The choreography in their production of Peter Pan was also recognized. Santa Rosa’s Left Edge Theatre took home awards for three different shows including Lead Performance in a Comedy, Supporting Performance in a Comedy, and Outstanding Comedy Production. Sebastopol’s Main Stage West had two shows recognized with three awards including Outstanding Sound Design, Outstanding Set Design, and Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama. Healdsburg’s Raven Players and Santa Rosa’s 6th Street Playhouse each took home one award.
Here is the complete list of nominees with winners designated by a (W):
Outstanding Poster/Program Design
Elizabeth Craven – Blackbird – Main Stage West
Marla Goodman – Constellations – 6th Street Playhouse
Elizabeth Craven – Eurydice – Main Stage West
Richard Sheppard – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Raven Players
Richard Sheppard – Water by the Spoonful – Raven Players (W)
Outstanding Costume Design
Michael Ross – Always… Patsy Cline – Sonoma Arts Live (W)
Tracy Hinman – Death of a Salesman – 6th Street Playhouse
Maryanne Scozzari – Into the Woods – Santa Rosa Junior College
Pamela Johnson – Peter Pan – Spreckels Theatre Company
Jeanine Gray, Michael Mingoia – Shrek, the Musical – Raven Players
Outstanding Lighting Design
Missy Weaver – Blackbird – Main Stage West
Missy Weaver – Buried Child – Main Stage West
Eddy Hansen – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company (W)
April George – Disgraced – Left Edge Theatre
April George – The Realistic Joneses – Left Edge Theatre
Outstanding Sound Design
Jessica Johnson – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company
Doug Faxon – Eurydice – Main Stage West
Doug Faxon – Grace – Main Stage West (W)
Argo Thompson – Honky – Left Edge Theatre
Carla Spindt, Argo Thompson – Women in Jeopardy! – Left Edge Theatre
Outstanding Set Design
David Lear – Blackbird – Main Stage West (W)
Eddy Hansen, Elizabeth Bazzano – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company
Peter Crompton – Into the Woods – Santa Rosa Junior College
Michael Ross, Theo Bridant – Always… Patsy Cline – Sonoma Arts Live
Elizabeth Bazzano, Eddy Hansen – Peter Pan – Spreckels Theatre Company
Outstanding Choreography
Katie Watts-Whitaker – I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change – Raven Players
Craig Miller and Amanda Morando – Illyria – 6th Street Playhouse
Joseph Favalora – La Cage aux Folles – 6th Street Playhouse
Michella Snider – Peter Pan – Spreckels Theatre Company (W)
Katie Watts-Whitaker – Shrek, the Musical – Raven Players
Outstanding Musical Direction
Ellen Patterson – Always… Patsy Cline – Sonoma Arts Live (W)
Dave MacNab – Daddy Long Legs – Main Stage West
Lucas Sherman – Illyria – 6th Street Playhouse
Ginger Beavers – La Cage aux Folles – 6th Street Playhouse
Timothy Eisman – Peter Pan – Spreckels Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble
By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company
Equus – 6th Street Playhouse (W)
Good People – Cinnabar Arts
Grace – Main Stage West
The Realistic Joneses – Left Edge Theatre
Outstanding Musical Production
Always… Patsy Cline – Directed by Michael Ross – Sonoma Arts Live (W)
Daddy Long Legs – Directed by Elly Lichenstein – Main Stage West
Illyria – Directed by Craig Miller – 6th Street Playhouse
Peter Pan – Directed by Sheri Lee Miller – Spreckels Theatre Company
Shrek, the Musical – Directed by Kerry Duvall – Raven Players
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical
Danielle DeBow – Always… Patsy Cline – Sonoma Arts Live (W)
Madison Genovese – Daddy Long Legs – Main Stage West
Carmen Mitchell – Illyria – 6th Street Playhouse
Michael Conte – La Cage aux Folles – 6th Street Playhouse
Sarah Wintermeyer – Peter Pan – Spreckels Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical
Karen Pinomaki – Always… Patsy Cline – Sonoma Arts Live (W)
Gillian Eichenberger – Illyria – 6th Street Playhouse
Bill Garcia – Shrek, the Musical – Raven Players
Tim Setzer – Illyria – 6th Street Playhouse
Joseph Favalora – La Cage aux Folles – 6th Street Playhouse
Outstanding Comedy Production
Good People – Directed by Michael Fontaine – Cinnabar Arts
Quartet – Directed by Jereme Anglin – Cinnabar Arts
The Realistic Joneses – Directed by Argo Thompson – Left Edge Theatre (W)
Sideways – Directed by Argo Thompson – Left Edge Theatre
Women in Jeopardy! – Directed by Carla Spindt – Left Edge Theatre
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy
Trey G. Riley – Honky – Left Edge Theatre (W)
Chris Ginesi – The Realistic Joneses – Left Edge Theatre
Chris Schloemp – The Realistic Joneses – Left Edge Theatre
Shannon Rider – Women in Jeopardy! – Left Edge Theatre
Laura Jorgensen – Quartet – Cinnabar Arts
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy
Liz Rogers Beckley – Honky – Left Edge Theatre
Dorian Lockett – Inspecting Carol – Sonoma Arts Live
Richard Pallaziol – Women in Jeopardy! – Left Edge Theatre
Jazmine Pierce – Sideways – Left Edge Theatre
Zane Walters – Women in Jeopardy! – Left Edge Theatre (W)
Outstanding Drama Production
Blackbird – Directed by David Lear – Main Stage West
By the Water – Directed by Carl Jordan – Spreckels Theatre Company (W)
Death of a Salesman – Directed by Craig Miller – 6th Street Playhouse
Disgraced – Directed by Phoebe Moyer – Left Edge Theatre
Grace – Directed by John Craven – Main Stage West
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama
Mark Bradbury – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company
Mary Gannon Graham – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company (W)
Mike Schaeffer – Disgraced – Left Edge Theatre
Jill K. Wagoner – Steel Magnolias – 6th Street Playhouse
Ariel Zuckerman – Death of a Salesman – 6th Street Playhouse
Outstanding Lead Performance in a Drama
Illana Niernberger – Grace – Main Stage West
Mike Pavone – By the Water – Spreckels Theatre Company
Sharia Pierce – Blackbird – Main Stage West (W)
James Rowan – The Elephant Man – Curtain Call Theatre
Jared Wright – Disgraced – Left Edge Theatre
