On September 17, the Austin Circle of Theatres (ACOT) held the 21st annual
B. Iden Payne Awards Ceremony at the Four Seasons Hotel. The event honors
achievements in local theatre during the preceding year and recognizes
significant individual and corporate contributions to local theatre. ACOT’s
Board of Directors voted the 1995 Individual Recognition Award to Bil Pfuderer,
in recognition of his long work as an actor, director, and an administrator
with the City of Austin Parks and Recreation Department, and the Corporate
Recognition Award to KPMG Peat Marwick for their 10 years of accounting service
to ACOT.
Most of the evening was devoted to the presentation of 31 awards to artists
and production companies for work presented on Austin stages from August 1994
through July 1995. The productions receiving the most awards were those which
had been honored with the most nominations: Dreamgirls (six awards, 15
nominations), Forever Plaid (five awards, 14 nominations), The
Steadfast Tin Soldier (five awards, 12 nominations), and And Baby Makes
Seven (four awards, 10 nominations). Troupe Texas’ adaptation of a Bertolt
Brecht drama, The Chalk Circle, was the surprise winner of the night,
winning three awards, including Best Production of a Drama. The most honored
producer was the Zachary Scott Theatre Center; 13 awards acknowledged work that
it produced. The full list of award winners is as follows:
Design
Properties: Christopher McCollum & Keith
Donnally, And Baby Makes Seven
Set: Michael Raiford, Forever Plaid
Lighting: Don Day, Forever Plaid
Sound: Mac McDonnell, Forever Plaid
Costume: Michael Raiford, Dreamgirls
Hair & Make-Up: Robin Lee, Dreamgirls
Original Script: Christopher Boyd & Allen
Robertson, The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Children’s Theatre
Actor: Scotty Roberts,
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Actress: Meredith Robertson,
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Director: Christopher Boyd,
The Steadfast Tin Soldier
Production: The Steadfast Tin Soldier
(Second Youth)
Musical
Choreography: Sarah Ing, The Chalk Circle
Musical Direction: Allen Robertson,
Forever
Plaid
Featured Actor: Kenneth Williams,
Five Guys Named Moe
Featured Actress: Felicia Dinwiddie,
Dreamgirls
Lead Actor: Joe York, Forever Plaid
Lead Actress: Jacqui Cross, Dreamgirls
Director: Dave Steakley, Dreamgirls
Production: Dreamgirls
(Zachary Scott Theatre Center)
Comedy
Featured Actor: Todd Lowe, Three Cuckolds
Featured Actress: Barbara Chisholm, Good-
night Desdemona (Good Morning Juliet)
Lead Actor: Norman Blumensaadt,
The Triumph of Love
Lead Actress: Roxy Becker,
And Baby Makes Seven
Director: Mark Ramont,
And Baby Makes Seven
Production: And Baby Makes Seven
(Frontera/Hyde Park Theatre)
Drama
Featured Actor: Michael Dalmon, Burnt
Featured Actress: Jennifer Haley,
The Chalk Circle
Lead Actor: Chamblee Ferguson, Girl Gone
Lead Actress: Lee Horton, Keely and Du
Director: Vicky Boone, The Water Principle
Production: The Chalk Circle (Troupe Texas)
This article appears in September 22 • 1995 and September 22 • 1995 (Cover).