The 38th Annual Elliot Norton Awards!!

ON WITH THE SHOW—VIRTUALLY!

Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence

Awarded Posthumously to Johnny Lee Davenport

                          ***Virtual Ceremony Set For Monday, May 11, 2020 at 7 pm ***

Two dozen nominations of outstanding actors, directors, designers and ensembles have been announced by The Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA) for the 38th Annual Elliot Norton Awards. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, no live ceremony will be held; instead, the winners will be revealed in a virtual ceremony on Monday, May 11 at 7:00 pm. Details will follow on how to view the 38th Annual Elliot Norton Awards on Monday night May 11 at ElliotNortonAwards.com

The Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence is being awarded posthumously to Johnny Lee Davenport, a towering actor on Boston area stages large and small. A Special Citation will be awarded to Shear Madness, the popular audience-participation murder mystery that recently ended a 40-year run at the Charles Playhouse.

This year, in place of a scholarship the BTCA will make a donation of $2,500 to the Theatre Community Benevolent Fund, which provides financial relief to artists in crisis in catastrophic times in Greater Boston.

As president of the Boston Theater Critics Association, I can say on behalf of all of us that it is more important than ever before that we acknowledge this season’s outstanding work! The arts community has been among the hardest hit by the pandemic, and we will continue to support and honor our theater artists the best way we know how. This season, which would have concluded on March 31st, was unfortunately cut short. Nevertheless, we will vote on what we were able to see. All of us on the BTCA have been in constant communication discussing nominations and have been meeting virtually to finalize the nominations and will continue this process to vote on the winners.

The 38th Annual Elliot Norton Awards are being presented free of charge this year, from our living rooms to yours, and the after party will be held all over greater Boston and beyond as we celebrate this theater community, support struggling artists and highlight the importance of what artists bring to our lives.

The Elliot Norton Awards are presented annually by The Boston Theater Critics Association (Don Aucoin, Jared Bowen, Terry Byrne, Carolyn Clay (Secretary), Christopher Ehlers (Treasurer), Iris Fanger, Nancy Grossman, Joyce Kulhawik (President), Kilian Melloy, Bob Nesti and Ed Siegel) to honor the outstanding productions, directors, designers and performers that audiences have seen on greater Boston stages throughout the season.

Special and honored guests at the awards in past years comprise a Who’s Who of distinguished artists whose work has appeared on Boston’s stages, including: Melinda Lopez, Randy Rainbow, Cherry Jones, Lea DeLaria, Mary Louise Wilson, Olympia Dukakis, Chita Rivera, Tommy Tune, Al Pacino, Edward Albee, Brian Dennehy, August Wilson, Julie Harris, Sir Ian McKellen, Lynn Redgrave and Jason Robards Jr.

Johnny Lee Davenport came to Boston in 2006, when he was invited to play Claudius in Actors’ Shakespeare Project’s production of “Hamlet.” Since then, he had performed with nearly every area theater including Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, New Repertory Theatre, Huntington Theatre Company, Company One Theatre, Lyric Stage Company of Boston, Gloucester Stage Company, Wheelock Family Theatre, Greater Boston Stage Company, The Poets’ Theatre, Speakeasy Stage Company, The Front Porch Arts Collective, Underground Railway Theater, Wellfleet Harbor Actors Theater and Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. Davenport’s acting career began as a teenager. And by the end of it, he had appeared in more than 200 professional productions throughout the United States, Canada, Greece and Ireland and had founded two African-American theater companies, one while stationed at Fort Campbell during the Vietnam War. Once discharged from the Army, Davenport began performing in Chicago. With a goal to perform in professional productions of Shakespeare’s entire canon, he traveled extensively, appearing as a guest artist for numerous Shakespeare troupes, including Shakespeare & Company, Orlando Shakespeare Theater, Tennessee Shakespeare Company, Actors’ Shakespeare Project, Commonwealth Shakespeare Company, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Washington DC’s Shakespeare Theatre, Milwaukee Shakespeare Company, Elm Shakespeare Company and the Illinois Shakespeare Festival. In all, he played nearly 60 roles in 26 of Shakespeare’s 39 plays. Davenport died on February 2, 2020. In his honor, a non-profit organization has been formed to realize his dream of training minorities in classical theater. Called “Beyond Classical Theatre,” the non-profit “honors the legacy of Johnny Lee Davenport by giving actors of color, with a specific passion for classical theater, opportunities to prepare for excellence in the performance of classical theater and to become role models and teachers for other actors of color who share this same passion.” To that end, a gofundme campaign is underway. The organization’s website is beyondclassicaltheatre.org.

 

The 2020 Elliot Norton Award nominees are:

Outstanding Musical Production

“Parade,” Moonbox Productions

“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

“Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions

“Pacific Overtures,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Outstanding Production, Large Theater

“The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

“Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson

Outstanding Production, Midsize Theater

“Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective

“The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

“Cloud 9,” The Nora

“Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre

“Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater

Outstanding Production, Small or Fringe Company

“The Return,” Israeli Stage

“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre

“The Ebonic Woman,” Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans

“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre

“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction, Large Theater

Rachel Chavkin, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

Billy Porter,” “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

Kimberly Senior, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

Lee Sunday Evans, “Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson

Kevin P. Hill, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Outstanding Direction, Midsize Theater

Lee Mikeska Gardner, “Cloud 9,” The Nora

Benny Sato Ambush, “black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective

David R. Gammons, “Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater

Marti Lyons, “Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Eric Tucker, “The Crucible,” The Nora in association with Bedlam

Outstanding Direction, Small or Fringe Theater

Jason Modica, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions

Danielle Fauteux Jacques, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Igor Golyak, “The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Igor Golyak, “The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Guy Ben-Aharon, “The Return,” Israeli Stage

Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actor

Aaron Patterson, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions

Nicholas Rodriguez, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Rashed Alnuaimi, “Oliver!,” New Repertory Theatre

Tom Nelis, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

Peter Mill, “The Rocky Horror Show,” Moonbox Productions

Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress

Yewande Odetoyinbo, “Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions

Alice Ripley, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Katrina Z Pavao, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Haley K. Clay, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions

 Outstanding Actor, Large Theater

Will LeBow, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” Huntington Theatre Company

Morocco Omari, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

Eric Berryman, “Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson

Outstanding Actor, Midsize Theater

Nathan Malin, “Admissions,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Kadahj Bennett, “Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective

Hubens “Bobby” Cius, “Pipeline,” The Nora and WAM Theatre

Brandon Greene, “black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective

Albert Park, “Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre

Outstanding Actor, Small or Fringe Theater

Nael Nacer, “The Return,” Israeli Stage

Brooks Reeves, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Alexander Pobutsky, “Hir,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Seamus G. Doyle, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Minh-Anh Day, “Wolf Play,” Company One Theatre

Outstanding Actress, Large Theater

Analisa Velez, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

Izzie Steele, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

Nora Eschenheimer, “Cymbeline,” Commonwealth Shakespeare Company

Jennifer Regan, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

Tyla Abercrumbie, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

Outstanding Actress, Midsize Theater

Cheryl McMahon, “Admissions,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Paula Plum, “The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Ireon Roach, “School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Karen MacDonald, “The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Debra Wise, “Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater

Outstanding Actress, Small or Fringe Theater

Darya Denisova, “The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Anne Gottlieb, “The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Lily Kaufman, “Cry It Out,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Becca A. Lewis, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Philana Mia, “The Return,” Israeli Stage

Outstanding Ensemble, Large Theater

“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

“The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company

“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

“Quixote Nuevo,” Huntington Theatre Company

“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble, Midsize Theater

“School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

“Cloud 9,” The Nora

“Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

“black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective

“Pipeline,” The Nora and WAM Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble, Small or Fringe Theater

“The Ebonic Woman,” Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans

“Parade,” Moonbox Productions

“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre

“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Outstanding New Script

“The Purists” by Dan McCabe, Huntington Theatre Company

“Moby-Dick” by Dave Malloy, American Repertory Theater

“Wolf Play” by Hansol Jung, Company One Theatre

“The Ebonic Woman” by Ryan Landry, Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans

“Detroit Red” by Will Power, ArtsEmerson

Outstanding Design, Large Theater

“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

Scenic design by Mimi Lien; costume design by Brenda Abbandandolo; lighting design by Bradley King; sound design by Hidenori Nakajo; puppet design by Eric F. Avery; wig, hair and make-up design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt

“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Scenic design by Kyle Dixon; costume design by Anthony Powell and Kelly Baker; lighting design by Jose Santiago; wig and hair design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt

“Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson

Scenic and costume design by Adam Rigg; lighting design by Alan C. Edwards; sound design by Justin Ellington; projection design by Ari Herzig

“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company

Scenic design by Cameron Anderson; costume design by Junghyun Georgia Lee; lighting design by D.M. Wood; sound design by Pornchanok Kanchanabanca

“Quixote Nuevo,” Huntington Theatre Company

Scenic design by Takeshi Kata; costume design by Rachel Anne Healy; lighting design by Brian J. Lilienthal; sound design by David R. Molina

Outstanding Design, Midsize Theater

“Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater

Scenic design by David R. Gammons; costume design by Leslie Held; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg; sound design by David Wilson; properties coordinated by Ciara McAloon

“black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective

Scenic design by Jon Savage; costume design by Nadine Grant; lighting design by Aja M. Jackson; sound design by Dewey Dellay; property design by Elizabeth Rocha

“Cloud 9,” The Nora

Scenic design by Allison Olivia Choat; costume design by Elizabeth Rocha; lighting design by Whitney Brady-Guzmán; sound design by David Bryan Jackson; property design by Stef Tivan

 

“Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective

Scenic design by Baron E. Pugh; costume design by Chelsea Kerl; lighting design by Kathy A. Perkins; sound design by Anna Drummond

“The Cake,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston

Scenic design by Matt Whiton; costume design by Charles Schoonmaker; lighting design by Aja M. Jackson; sound design by Arshan Gailus

Outstanding Design, Small or Fringe Theater

“Parade,” Moonbox Productions

Scenic design by Lindsay Genevieve Fuori; costume design by Chelsea Kerl; lighting design by Steve Shack; sound design by Elizabeth Cahill; hair and wig design by Peter Mill

“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Scenic design by Nikolay Simonov; costume design by Nastya Bugaeva; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg

“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre

Stage design by David R. Gammons; costume design by Nastya Bugaeva; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg; videos designed by Vladimir Gusev

“Vietgone,” Company One Theatre

Scenic and projection design by Izmir Ickbal; costume design by Debra Kim Sivigny; lighting design by Jennifer Fok; sound design by Aubrey Dube; properties by Kelly Smith

“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company

Set/lighting design by Danielle Fauteux Jacques; costume design by Elizabeth Rocha; sound design by David Reiffel

Outstanding Musical Direction

Catherine Stornetta, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions

David Freeman Coleman, “Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Dan Rodriguez, “Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions

Milton Granger, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre

Or Matias, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater

Outstanding Choreography

Yewande Odetoyinbo and Ruka White, “Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company

Kira Troilo, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions

Ilyse Robbins, “Swan Lake in Blue,” Greater Boston Stage Company