On Monday, June 5, the Austin Critics Table handed out its annual awards for outstanding achievements in the Austin arts in a ceremony at the Cap City Comedy Club. This year's honors, the 14th such presented by this informal association of local arts writers, began with the induction of Ada Anderson, Robert DeSimone, Jessie Otto Hite, Rodolfo Mendez, Charles Moore, David Nancarrow, and Ken Webster into the Austin Arts Hall of Fame.
In the awards themselves, the Zachary Scott Theatre Center's production of Urinetown: The Musical took top honors, with six awards, including Production of a Musical. The rest of the awards were very evenly distributed among shows and exhibitions, with Match-Play, the Rude Mechanicals' theatrical take on Deborah Hay's dance The Match, the only other show to capture more than two awards.
Critics participating in this year's awards, covering the period from May 1, 2005, to April 30, 2006, were the Austin American-Statesman's Michael Barnes (arts), Jamie Smith Cantara (theatre/music), Clare Croft (dance), Randy Harriman (music), Erin Keever (visual art), Sondra Lomax (dance), David Mead (music), Tommy O'Malley (theatre), Joey Seiler (theatre), Jeanne Claire van Ryzin (arts), and Holly Williams (dance); and the Chronicle's Elizabeth Cobbe (theatre), Heather Barfield Cole (theatre), Patricia Hadad (theatre), Rachel Koper (visual art), Nikki Moore (visual art), Barry Pineo (theatre), and Robert Faires (arts). Obligatory ethical note: Critics refrained from nominating themselves or members of their families for any awards and refrained from voting in any category in which the critic or a family member was nominated.
Production, Drama
Where Are They Now? Shrewd Productions
Director, Drama
Dustin Wills,
CymbelineActress, Drama
Kelsey Kling,
The Glory of LivingActor, Drama
Brent Werzner,
StaticSupporting Actress, Drama
Anne Hulsman,
Where Are They Now?Supporting Actor, Drama
Matthew Radford,
Richard III Production, Comedy
Match-Play, Rude Mechanicals
Director, Comedy
Shawn Sides,
Match-Play/
Decameron Day 7: REVENGEActress, Comedy
Lee Eddy,
The Intergalactic Nemesis: Twin Infinity/
The Santaland DiariesActor, Comedy
Scott Tesh,
The Playboy of the Western World/
The Beard of AvonSupporting Actress, Comedy
Nikki Zook,
Appointment with Death/
Twelfth Night (Onstage)
Supporting Actor, Comedy
Robert Matney,
The RivalsProduction, Musical
Urinetown: The Musical, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Director, Musical
Matt Hislope and Josh Meyers,
Holes Before BedtimeActress, Musical
Laura Powell,
Annie Get Your GunActor, Musical
Tyler Rhodes,
Batboy: The MusicalSupporting Actress, Musical
Meredith McCall,
Urinetown: The Musical
Supporting Actor, Musical (tie)
Marc Pouhé,
Urinetown: The Musical
Cole Wimpee, Holes Before Bedtime
Ensemble Performance
The Three Cuckolds, Tongue and Groove Theatre
David Mark Cohen New Play Award
American Fiesta, Steven Tomlinson
Original Script, Adaptation
Match-Play, Kirk Lynn
Musical Direction
Content Love Knowles,
BentMovement
Robin Lewis,
Urinetown: The MusicalScenic Design
Michael Raiford,
Keepin' It Weird/
Urinetown: The MusicalCostume Design
Sheila Hargett,
The RoverLighting Design
Jason Amato,
Whispers of Heaven/
Keepin' It Weird/
Vampyress/
Urinetown: The Musical/
Dark Goddess 2006/
The ExoneratedSound Design
Buzz Moran,
StaticCabaret or Theatrical Concert
Sandra Reeves-Phillips, Austin Cabaret Theatre
Touring Show, Theatre
Kathy Griffin, Paramount Theatre
Touring Show, Dance
Vincent Mantsoe, Dance Umbrella
Dance Concert
Season Finale, Sharir + Bustamante Danceworks
Choreographer
José Luis Bustamante, "Night of Four Moons"/"Court Dance"/"Snake Rock"
Dancer, Female
Inga Lujerenko,
Swan LakeDancer, Male
Eric Midgley,
Carmina Burana/"InsideOut"/
"Desire/Three Movements"
Symphonic Performance
Rautavaara:
Cantus Arcticus, Austin Symphony
Chamber Performance
Jupiter String Quartet, Austin Chamber Music Festival
Choral Concert
Monteverdi:
Vespers of the Blessed Virgin, 1610, Schola Cantorum, Texas Early Music Project
Opera
Dialogues of the Carmelites, UT Opera Theatre
Singer, Female
Keely Rhodes,
Dialogues of the CarmelitesSinger, Male
Nathan Berg,
Don GiovanniOriginal Composition
Dan Welcher:
Symphony No. 4 ("American Visionary"), UT Wind Ensemble
Museum Exhibition
"New Art in Austin: 22 to Watch," Austin Museum of Art
Solo Gallery Exhibition
"Nathan Green: Farewell to the Endless," Art Palace
Group Gallery Exhibition
"Migration Uno," Gallery Shoal Creek
Gallery, Body of Work
Art Palace
Artist, Female
Deborah Roberts
Artist, Male
Bale Creek Allen
SPECIAL CITATIONS
W.H. "Deacon" Crain Award for Outstanding Student Work
Jaclyn Pryor, UT Department of Theatre & Dance
John Bustin Award for Conspicuous Versatility
Laura Cannon
Arts Advocate Extraordinaire Award
Anne Elizabeth Wynn
Outstanding Debut
Nina Revering and Conspirare Children's Choir
Outstanding Body of Work
Conspirare,
Shadow and Light/
Carmina Burana/
Perpetual Light/
Christmas at the Carillon/
Wondrous JourneyRaising the Bar (and Baton) Award
Richard Buckley, Austin Lyric Opera
Grandest EGO Trip Award
The Blanton Museum of Art's Extremely Grand Opening
Hometown Portrait Award
Keepin' It Weird, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Video Feast Award
Michael Mergen,
Decameron Day 7: REVENGE!