It is the purpose of THE CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE AWARDS to recognize outstanding Cleveland area productions, performers, directors and designers who contributed to the professional theatre scene during the 2013 season. For a listing of the theatres considered for “Best of” and “Superior Achievement” awards, go to: clevelandtheaterreviews.com
Best Musical Production: SWEENEY TODD, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
NEXT TO NORMAL, Lakeland Civic Theatre
SHE LOVES ME, Beck Center for the Arts
SPAMALOT, Beck Center for the Arts
Best Non-Musical Production: ON THE LINE, none too fragile theater
Superior Achievement:
GOOD PEOPLE, Cleveland Play House
RICHARD III, Great Lakes Theater
THE ICEMAN COMETH, Ensemble Theatre
THERE IS HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS, Cleveland Public Theatre
TWELVE ANGRY MEN, Blank Canvas Theater
Best Actor in a Musical: George Roth, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
Superior Achievement:
Chris McCarrell, NEXT TO NORMAL, Beck Center for the Arts/Baldwin Wallace Musical Theatre Program
Dougfred Miller, SPAMALOT, Beck Center for the Arts
Best Actor in a Non-Musical: Lynn Robert Berg, RICHARD III, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
Chris Richards, SONS OF THE PROPHET, Dobama Theatre
Jonathan Wilhelm, SORDID LIVES, convergence-continuum
Robert Branch, ON THE LINE, none too fragile theater
Best Actress in a Musical: Sara M. Bruner , SWEENEY TODD, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
Jessica L. Cope, SPAMALOT, Beck Center for the Arts
Miche Braden, THE DEVIL’S MUSIC, Cleveland Play House
Rebecca Pitcher, SHE LOVES ME, Beck Center for the Arts
Best Actress in a Non-Musical: Tracee Patterson, MEDEA, Mamaí Theater
Superior Achievement:
Derdriu Ring, THERE IS HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS, Cleveland Public Theatre
Heather Anderson Boll, TIME STANDS STILL, Dobama Theatre
Kate Hodge, GOOD PEOPLE, Cleveland Play House
Lara Knox, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, Ohio Shakespeare Festival
Best Director of a Musical: Victoria Bussert, SWEENEY TODD, Great Lakes Theater
Superior Achievement:
Eric Van Baars, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
Martin Friedman, NEXT TO NORMAL, Lakeland Civic Theatre
Scott Spence, SPAMALOT, Beck Center for the Arts
Terrence Spivey, CROWNS, Karamu House Theatre
Best Director of a Non-Musical: Ian Wolfgang Hinz, THE ICEMAN COMETH, Ensemble Theatre
Superior Achievement:
Beth Woods, THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS, Cleveland Public Theatre
Laura Kepley, GOOD PEOPLE, Cleveland Play House
Patrick Ciamacco, TWELVE ANGRY MEN, Blank Canvas Theatre
Sean Derry, ON THE LINE, none too fragile theater
Best Choreographer: Martin Cespédes, SPAMALOT, Beck Center for the Arts
Superior Achievement:
Dan Knechtes, GUYS AND DOLLS, Great Lakes Theater/PlayhouseSquare
John Crawford, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
MaryAnn Black, SOUTH PACIFIC, Porthouse Theatre
Best Scenic Design: Todd S. Krispinsky, THERE IS HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS, Cleveland Public Theatre
Superior Achievement:
Russ Borski, HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES, Beck Center for the Arts
Trad A Burns, NEXT TO NORMAL, Lakeland Civic Theatre
Wilson Chin, RICH GIRL, Cleveland Play House
Best Costume Design: Charlotte Yetman, SWEENEY TODD, Great Lakes Theater
Finalist:
Esther Haberlen, MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Great Lakes Theater
Best Lighting Design: Trad A Burns, NEXT TO NORMAL, Lakeland Civic Theatre
Superior Achievement:
Andrew Eckert, THE ICEMAN COMETH, Ensemble Theatre
Marcus Dana, COCK, Dobama Theatre
Best Sound Design: Dana Duke, Big Twig Studio, Brian Caiazza, Brett Keyser, video/sound/photography, STRUCK, Cleveland Public Theatre
James C. Swonger, GOOD PEOPLE, Cleveland Play House
Shane Cutlip, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
Best Musical Direction: Nancy Maier, NEXT TO NORMAL, Beck Center for the Arts/Baldwin Wallace Musical Theatre Program
Superior Achievement:
Jennifer Korecki, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, Porthouse Theatre
Joe Brancato, THE DEVIL’S MUSIC, Cleveland Play House
Matthew Webb, SWEENY TODD, Great Lakes Theater
Best National Touring Production: SLEEPING BEAUTY, PlayhouseSquare
Superior Achievement:
THE BOOK OF MORMAN, PlayhouseSquare
WAR HORSE, Playhouse Square
WOODY SEZ, Cleveland Play House
SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS:
Outstanding Body of Work: Larry Goodpaster, Musical Director, Beck Center for the Arts
Miles Sternfeld for THE WHOS TOMMY, Broadway Fights AIDS
Talespinner Children’s Theatre, for producing shows for kids that adults can enjoy, using local writers as adaptors and playwrights.
Theater Ninjas, for doing challenging theatrical works and staging them at unique venues throughout northeast Ohio
Great Lakes Theater for 25 years of presenting A CHRISTMAS CAROL which has played to over 600,000 audience members
Members of the Cleveland Critics Center are: Bob Ableman (Cleveland Jewish News), Roy Berko (CoolCleveland.com, ArtsAmerica.com, BroadwayWorld.com, royberko.info), Kerry Clawson (Akron-Beacon Journal), Mark Horning, (Examiner.com), Christine Howey (Cleveland Scene, raveandpan.blogspot.com), Andrea Simakis (The Plain Dealer), Art Thomas (West Life).
For additional information about the CLEVELAND CRITICS CIRCLE, including reviewing summaries, links to members’ full reviews, and details about the CCC Speaker’s Bureau, go to: clevelandtheaterreviews.com
