SAN FRANCISCO: Theatre Bay Area held its 2016 TBA Awards celebration on Monday, Dec. 5 at American Conservatory Theater. The ceremony recognized professional theatres in the Bay Area, and the biggest winner of the night was Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre.
Writer Chinaka Hodge and actor Reggie D. White hosted the evening, and 75 awards were given out across three tiers, based on operating budgets.
In addition to the competitive awards, TBA, in partnership with the RHE Charitable Foundation, presented the 2016 RHE Artistic Fellowship Award to activist and theatre practitioner Sarita Ocón. The program, now in its third year, grants $10,000 and a year-long mentorship with a veteran theatre artist to each winner.
TBA also presented three Legacy Awards for individuals who have made large contributions to the local theatre scene: Robert Hurwitt, theatre practitioner and former San Francisco Chronicle critic; Cultural Odyssey’s coartistic directors Idris Ackamoor and Rhodessa Jones; and late philanthropists Leigh and Ivy Robinson.
The 2016 TBA awards were determined by 300 adjudicators who cast ballots for more than 281 productions at 96 companies. The awards are facilitated by Theatre Bay Area, a 40-year-old service organization for the area’s theatre.
The complete winners’ list is below.
CREATIVE SPECIALTIES
Jesse Mooney-Bullock for The Oldest Boy at Marin Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Tier I: Tsering D. Bawa for The Oldest Boy at Marin Theatre Company
Tier II: Janie Scott for Chicago at Palo Alto Players
Tier III: Alex Rodriguez for The Wild Party at Ray of Light Theatre
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Tier I: Victoria Livingston-Hall for Born Yesterday at Center Repertory Company
Tier II: Courtney Flores for By the Way, Meet Vera Stark at Douglas Morrisson Theatre
Tier III: Kim Haugan for The Greatest Monkey Show On Earth at Antic in a Drain
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Tier I: Pam MacKinnon for Amélie, A New Musical at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Tier II: Nina Meehan for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
Tier III: Ryan Cowles for The Who’s: Tommy at OMG! I Love That Show! Productions
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Tier I: Timothy Near for “Master Harold”… and the Boys at Aurora Theatre Company
Tier II: Mark Phillips for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: Charlie Varon for The Real Americans at The Marsh
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A MUSICAL
Tier I: Amélie, A New Musical at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Tier II: Avenue Q at Berkeley Playhouse
Tier III: LIZZIE at Ray of Light Theatre
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A PLAY
Tier I: “Master Harold”… and the Boys at Aurora Theatre Company
Tier II: Handle with Care at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: The Awakening at The Breadbox
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Tier I: Heather Orth for The Boys From Syracuse at 42nd Street Moon
Tier II: Jamella Cross for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
Tier III: Pamela Rosen for Ragtime at Stage 1 Theatre
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Tier I: Omoze Idehenre for Gem of the Ocean at Marin Theatre Company
Tier II: Denmo Ibrahim for I Call My Brothers at Crowded Fire Theater Company
Tier III: Ginny Wehrmeister for Play It Again, Sam at Town Hall Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Tier I: Allison F. Rich for Sail Away at 42nd Street Moon
Tier II: Jessica Coker for Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Berkeley Playhouse
Tier III: Dani Beem for Into the Woods at Novato Theater Company
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE IN A PLAY
Tier I: Sharon Rietkerk for Born Yesterday at Center Repertory Company
Tier II: Tristan Cunningham for The Taming at Marin Shakespeare Company
Tier III: Maria Giere Marquis for The Awakening at The Breadbox
OUTSTANDING GUEST PRODUCTION
The Hypocrites’ Pirates of Penzance at Berkeley Repertory Theatre
OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN
Tier I: Robert Hand for Chester Bailey at American Conservatory Theater
Tier II: Nick Kumamoto for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: Joe D’Emilio for LIZZIE at Ray of Light Theatre
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Tier I: Ryan Drummond for Scrooge in Love! at 42nd Street Moon
Tier II: Edward Hightower for Shrek the Musical at Woodminster Summer Musicals
Tier III: Sven Schultz for Ragtime at Stage 1 Theatre
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE IN A PLAY
Tier I: L. Peter Callender for Swimmers at Marin Theatre Company
Tier II: Benjamin Stowe for One Man, Two Guvnors at 6th Street Playhouse
Tier III: Christian Haines for Value Over Replacement at PlayGround
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Tier I: Jason Graae for Scrooge in Love! at 42nd Street Moon
Tier II: Brian Watson for Disney’s The Little Mermaid at Berkeley Playhouse
Tier III: Michael RJ Campbell for La Cage aux Folles at Bay Area Musicals
OUTSTANDING MALE ACTOR IN A PRINCIPAL ROLE IN A PLAY
Tier I: L. Peter Callender for “Master Harold”… and the boys at Aurora Theatre Company
Tier II: Max Tachis for Handle with Care at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: Jerry Motta for Play It Again, Sam at Town Hall Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL DIRECTOR
Tier I: Matt Castle for The Last Five Years at American Conservatory Theater
Tier II: Grace Renaud for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
Tier III: Matthew Bourne for Ragtime at Stage 1 Theatre
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Tier I: The Last Five Years at American Conservatory Theater
Tier II: Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
Tier III: The Wild Party at Ray of Light Theatre
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Tier I: Chester Bailey at American Conservatory Theater
Tier II: Handle with Care at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: The Awakening at The Breadbox
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF AN ANTHOLOGY
Sheherezade’s Last Tales at Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A SOLO SHOW
Don Reed for East 14th at The Marsh
OUTSTANDING PROPERTIES DESIGN
Tier I: Devon LaBelle for Hamlet at Shotgun Players
Tier II: Joan Howard for Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre
Tier III: Justin DuPuis for Play It Again, Sam at Town Hall Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SCENIC DESIGN
Tier I: Nina Ball for The Nether at San Francisco Playhouse
Tier II: Kuo-Hao Lo for Mothers and Sons at New Conservatory Theatre Center
Tier III: Brian Watson for Play It Again, Sam at Town Hall Theatre Company
OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN
Tier I: Matt Stines for Eurydice at Shotgun Players
Tier II: George Psarras for Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde at City Lights Theater Company
Tier III: David L. Hobbs & Jeff Stevens for Ragtime at Stage 1 Theatre
OUTSTANDING WORLD PREMIERE MUSICAL
Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site, the Musical at Bay Area Children’s Theatre (Austin Zumbro)
OUTSTANDING WORLD PREMIERE PLAY
Chester Bailey at American Conservatory Theater (Joseph Dougherty)
