… complete listing …
The New York Innovation Theatre Foundation
Honors The Best And Brightest Of Off-Off Broadway
For more information, Katie Rosin at 917-438-9223 and pr@nyitawards.com
2016 Recipients marked with **
New York, NY: On Monday, September 26, 2016, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation, the organization who for the past 12 years has been dedicated to celebrating Off-Off-Broadway, announced the 2016 recipients at its annual awards ceremony, The IT Awards. Hosted by a crowd favorite, Jason Kravits and directed by award winning director and sound designer, DeLisa White the ceremony took place from 7pm to 10pm at the Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College.
The beautiful event included presenters from the vast theater community, including Jenny Lyn Bader & Ari Laura Kreith (Theatre 167), Ken Billington (lighting designer),Klea Blackhurst (Everything the Traffic Will Allow), Andrew Block (TDF), Anne Bogart (director), Mallory Catlett (Obie award winning director), Rebecca Cunningham (costume designer), Sol Crespo (Missteps of a Salsa Dancer), Alec Duffy (Hoi Polloi, JACK), Richard Frankel (producer), John Gromada (Next Fall, A Bronx Tale), John Benjamin Hickey (The Normal Heart), Elena K. Holy (FringeNYC), Cady Huffman (La Cage aux Folles, Big Deal), Andrew Long (Curious Incident of the Dog in The Nighttime), Neil A. Mazzella (Of Mice and Men, After Midnight…), Terrence McNally (Love! Valour! Compassion!), Crystal Skillman (playwright), Peggy Shaw (Split Britches Theater Company, WOW Cafe Theatre), Alisha Spielmann (Producing Juliet), Carmelita Tropicana (performance artist), Lois Weaver (independent performance artist),Robert Witherow (Violet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth), andEli Zoller (Violet, First Date: The Musical)
The 2016 New York Innovative Theatre Award Nominees represent 145 individual nominees, 50 productions and 44 theatre companies. In the past 12 years, the IT Awards have honored nearly 2,200 artists, 600 productions and 550 companies.
Outstanding Ensemble
** The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Fred Backus, Broderick Ballantyne, Rebecca Gray Davis, Lex Friedman, Ian W. Hill, Bob Laine, Matthew Napoli, Timothy McCown Reynolds, Alyssa Simon, Anna Stefani
Connected, Project Y Theatre Company
Gus Birney, Joachim Boyle, Robby Clater, Ella Dershowitz, Midori Francis, Dana Jacks, Thomas Muccioli, Aria Shahghasemi
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Andrew Dawson, Phil Gillen, Aidan Sank
Street Theater, TOSOS
Tim Abrams, Chris Andersson, Christopher Borg, Éilis Cahill, Jonathan Cedano, Desmond Dutcher, Russell Jordan, Josh Kenney, Jeremy Lawrence, Michael Lynch, Joe MacDougall, Rebecca Nyahay, Patrick Porter, & Ben Strothmann
The Further Adventures Of…, TOSOS
Tim Burke, Mark Finley, & Jamie Heinlein
Unity (1918), Project: Theater
Wendy Bagger, Alicia Dawn Bullen, Jessi Blue Gormezano, Doug Harris, Beth Ann Hopkins, Joshua Everett Johnson, Joe Jung, Alexandra Perlwitz, Melanie Rey
Outstanding Solo Performance
**Siobhan O’Loughlin
Broken Bone Bathtub, Elephant Run District
David Carl
David Carl’s Celebrity One Man Hamlet,
Project Y Theatre, PM2 Entertainment and Richard Jordan Productions in associate with Underbelly
Laura Hooper
Crumble, MORA Theater
Peter Michael Marino
Late With Lance!, PM2 Entertainment
Colin Summers
Steve: A Docu-Musical, New York Neo-Futurists
Yolanda K. Wilkinson
Bible Study for Heathens, New York Neo-Futurists
Outstanding Actor In A Featured Role
**Timothy McCown Reynolds
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Deven Anderson
The Pillowman, Variations Theatre Group
Joseph D. Giardina
Natural Life, T. Schreiber Studio
Alex Grubbs
Utility, The Amoralists
Ryan Johnston
Harper Regan, T. Schreiber Studio
Mike Phillips Gomez
Harper Regan, T. Schreiber Studio
Outstanding Actress In A Featured Role
**Midori Francis
Connected, Project Y Theatre Company
Kelly Barbarito
A Chorus Line, The Secret Theatre
Adrian Grace Bumpas
A Chorus Line, The Secret Theatre
Anwen Darcy
Romeo And Juliet, The Drilling Company
Noelle McGrath
Natural Life, T. Schreiber Studio
Lauren Nordvig
Rush, Team Awesome Robot
Outstanding Actor In A Lead Role
**Fred Backus
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Adam Belvo
Butcher Holler Here We Come, Aztec Economy
Dave Klasko
Gordy Crashes, Ricochet Collective
Lee Slobotkin
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Charles Socarides
How to Live on Earth, Colt Coeur
Jonny Stein
A Chorus Line, The Secret Theatre
Outstanding Actress In A Lead Role
**Maeve Yore
Harper Regan, T. Schreiber Studio
Becca Andrews
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Holly Heiser
Natural Life, T. Schreiber Studio
Christina Elise Perry
Wait Until Dark, Variations Theatre Group
Geena Quintos
A Chorus Line, The Secret Theatre
Vanessa Vaché
Utility, The Amoralists
Outstanding Choreography/Movement
**Becky Baumwoll
Above Below, Broken Box Mime Theater
Corrie Blissit
In the Soundless Awe, New Light Theater Project
Nikita Chaudhry& Ian Fields Stewart
Untameable, The Unsoft War and Highly Impractical Theatre
Patrice Miller
City of Glass, Untitled Theater Co. #61
Katie Proulx
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Geena Quintos
A Chorus Line, The Secret Theatre
Outstanding Director
**Fritz Brekeller
Composure, WorkShop Theater Company
Michael Bello
In the Heights, The Gallery Players
Kirk Gostkowski& John Arthur Long
Wait Until Dark, Variations Theatre Group
Ian Harkins
She Stoops To Conquer, Hudson Warehouse
Travis Russ
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Terry Schreiber
Harper Regan, T. Schreiber Studio
Outstanding Lighting Design
**Aaron Gonzalez
Wait Until Dark, Variations Theatre Group
Chelsie McPhilimy
Rush, Team Awesome Robot
John Narun
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Kia Rogers
Rizing, Flux Theatre Ensemble
Govin Ruben
Exposure, Next In Line Productions LLC
Serena Wong
Gordy Crashes, Ricochet Collective
Outstanding Costume Design
**Kaitlyn Elizabeth Day
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Mary Cann
Hot L Baltimore, T. Schreiber Studio
Viviane Galloway
A Little Night Music, Theater 2020
Jennifer A. Jacob
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Emily Rose Parman
She Stoops To Conquer, Hudson Warehouse
Ashley Soliman
Fatty Fatty No Friends, Mind The Art Entertainment
Outstanding Set Design
**George Allison
Hot L Baltimore, T. Schreiber Studio
Aaron Gonzalez
Wait Until Dark, Variations Theatre Group
Jennifer Neads
Rush, Team Awesome Robot
Kate Noll
Gordy Crashes, Ricochet Collective
Travis Russ & Carl Vorwerk
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Sandy Yaklin
Office Politics, One Wild Jew Productions
Outstanding Sound Design
**Joe Jung& KJ Sanchez
Unity (1918), Project: Theater
Andy Evan Cohen
In the Soundless Awe, New Light Theater Project
M.L. Dogg
How to Live on Earth, Colt Coeur
Ian W. Hill
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Matt Sherwin
Gluten!, Adjusted Realists
Mark Van Hare
Gordy Crashes, Ricochet Collective
Outstanding Innovative Design
**Berit Johnson
(Props Design)
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Andy Evan Cohen
(Video Design)
Natural Life, T. Schreiber Studio
Aaron Gonzalez & David Rey
(Projection Design)
The Pillowman, Variations Theatre Group
John Narun
(Projection Design)
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey, Life Jacket Theatre Company
Gil Sperling
(Video Design)
City of Glass, Untitled Theater Co. #61
Lynda White
(Mask Design)
The Bacchae, The Faux-Real Theatre Company in association with LaMaMa ETC
Outstanding Original Music
**Matt Sherwin
Gluten!, Adjusted Realists
Christian De Gré
Fatty Fatty No Friends, Mind The Art Entertainment
Jonathan Elliott,Mark Greenfield,Tony Naumovski& Emily Serotta
The Bacchae, The Faux-Real Theatre Company in association with LaMaMa ETC
James Brandon Lewis
Dvorak In America, GOH Productions
Ryan McCurdy
Rush, Team Awesome Robot
Anna Stefanic
The Golfer, Gemini CollisionWorks
Outstanding Original Short Script
**Kim Katzberg
Strays, Kim Katzberg in collaboration with Nora Woolley and Raquel Cion
Keelay Gipson
Time in the Penn, The Fire This Time Festival
Ayun Halliday
Fawnbook, Gemini CollisionWorks
Jiréh Breon Holder
God Will Know The Difference, The Fire This Time Festival
Roger Q. Mason
Hard Palate, The Fire This Time Festival
Siobhan O’Loughlin
Broken Bone Bathtub, Elephant Run District
Christopher Torres
We Come Here as part of Astoria Stories, Astoria Performing Arts Center
Kathleen Warnock
The Further Adventures Of…, TOSOS
Outstanding Original Full-Length Script
**Scott C. Sickles
Composure, WorkShop Theater Company
Jamal Abdunnasir, Tim Craig, Peregrine Heard, Lauren LaRocca, Emily Stout,Beatrice Vena, & Ayana Wilson
Black Protagonist, The Associates Theater Ensemble
Niki Hatzidis& Anastasia Rutkowski
Steel Birds, manhattan theatre source’s Estrogenius Festival
Lia Romeo
Connected, Project Y Theatre Company
Emily Schwend
Utility, The Amoralists
Seanie Sugrue
One Way To Pluto!, Locked In The Attic Productions
Colin Summers
Steve: A Docu-Musical, New York Neo-Futurists
Outstanding Performance Art Production
**Above Below
Broken Box Mime Theater
Broken Bone Bathtub
Elephant Run District
City of Glass
Untitled Theater Co. #61
Electronic City
The New Stage Theatre Company
Nord Hausen Fly Robot: (Invisible Republic #3)
Gemini CollisionWorks
War of the Worlds
Radiotheatre
Outstanding Production Of A Musical
**Steve: A Docu-Musical
New York Neo-Futurists
A Chorus Line
The Secret Theatre
A Little Night Music
Theater 2020
Fatty Fatty No Friends
Mind The Art Entertainment
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Astoria Performing Arts Center
The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit
WorkShop Theater Company
Outstanding Premiere Production Of A Play
**Utility
The Amoralists
Composure
WorkShop Theater Company
Gorey: The Secret Lives of Edward Gorey
Life Jacket Theatre Company
Natural Life
T. Schreiber Studio
One Way To Pluto!
Locked In The Attic Productions
Steel Birds
manhattan theatre source’s Estrogenius Festival
Outstanding Revival Of A Play
**Street Theater
TOSOS
Connected
Project Y Theatre Company
Harper Regan
T. Schreiber Studio
Hot L Baltimore
T. Schreiber Studio
Unity (1918)
Project: Theater
Wait Until Dark
Variations Theatre Group
Special Awards:
2016 Ellen Stewart Award
The Fringe NYC
2016 Artistic Achievement Award
Carmelita Tropicana
2016 Caffe Cino Fellowship Award
New Stage Theatre Company
The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation is a not-for-profit organization recognizing the great work of New York City’s Off-Off-Broadway, honoring its artistic heritage, and providing a meeting ground for this extensive and richly varied community. The organization advocates for Off-Off-Broadway and recognizes the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to American and global culture. They believe that publicly recognizing excellence in Off-Off-Broadway will expand audience awareness and foster greater appreciation of the New York theatre experience.
Sponsors: Kampfire Films PR www.kampfirefilmspr.com; United Stageswww.unitedstages.com; Kyden Machine Inc. www.kydeninc.com; Theatre Development Fund (TDF) www.tdf.org
For More Information, contact Katie Rosin 917-438-9223 or pr@nyitawards.com.