B. Iden Payne Award Nominations, 1999-2000

The Music Man

On Monday, August 14, the Austin Circle of Theatres released its nominations for the 1999-2000 B. Iden Payne Awards, the annual theatre honors named for Shakespearean scholar and director B. Iden Payne, who spent his later years in Austin at the University of Texas. This year, 59 productions by 30 different companies were honored with nominations, the most favored shows being the Austin Musical Theatre production of The Music Man (10 nominations) and the VORTEX Repertory Company production of Despair's Book of Dreams and the Sometimes Radio (eight nominations). It was a good year for designer Michael Raiford, who received four nominations, and for Peyton Hayslip, Lana Lesley, Sarah Richardson, Kirk Smith, Scott Thompson, and Joe York, all of whom received three nominations each. In fact, it was a good year for multiple nominees in general; almost one-fourth of all the individuals on this year's list received more than one nomination.

This year's list reflects a few changes made by the 15-member Awards Nominations Committee. After several years in which nonmusical productions were grouped together under the heading Plays, the committee has returned to a system in which nonmusicals are divided into Dramas and Comedies. This year, the committee considered lead and featured performances together in all but one category, Dramas, but it also created a new category: Outstanding Cast Performance, citing the ensemble work in the productions of Abundance, Bleacher Bums, The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Love's Fire, and Shakespeare's R&J.

Ballots containing the nominations are mailed to Austin Circle of Theatres members, who vote for the winners. The ballots will be tabulated and the awards presented at a ceremony to be held Monday, September 18, 7pm, at the Scottish Rite Theatre. Call 454-9700 for information.

Plays for Youth

Degas' Little Dancer, ZSTC Project InterAct

The Frogs, VORTEX Repertory Company

Pigman in the Old West, Freddy Carnes Productions

Roxaboxen, Magik Children's Theatre of San Antonio

Señora Tortuga, Teatro Humanidad

Time Again in Oz, UT Dept of Theatre & Dance

The Wonder Hat, Second Youth Repertory

Family Theatre

You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, Austin Musical Theatre

Outstanding Director

Kevin Archambault, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

G'ann Boyd, The Mischief Makers

G'ann Boyd, The Wonder Hat

Rod Caspers, Time Again in Oz

Brian Gaston, Liu, the Dragon King

Judy Matetzschk, Degas' Little Dancer

Clay Towery, The Frogs

Outstanding Actor

Jesse Galvan, Time Again in Oz

Clint Gilfillan, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Craig Kanne, Pigman in the Old West

David Nancarrow, Time Again in Oz

Maurice Ripke, The Mischief Makers

David Saldaña, The Frogs

Nick Walker, The Wonder Hat

Outstanding Actress

Ann Armstrong, A Place of Peace

Irene Gonzales, Señora Tortuga

Peyton Hayslip, Degas' Little Dancer

Beth Leckbee, Liu, the Dragon King

Tiffany Nicely-Williams, The Frogs

Bobbie Owens, Inside's Out

Musicals

The Butcher's Daughter, Refraction Arts

The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Salvage Vanguard Theater

Despair's Book of Dreams and the Sometimes Radio,

VORTEX Repertory Company

The Music Man, Austin Musical Theatre

The Rocky Horror Show, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

Outstanding Director

Bonnie Cullum, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Jason Neulander, The Cry Pitch Carrolls

Deanna Shoemaker, The Butcher's Daughter

Scott Thompson, The Music Man

Outstanding Actor

Ron Berry, The Butcher's Daughter

Tom Byrne, The Music Man

Greg Holt, Jesus Christ Superstar

LeRoy Nienow, Children of Eden

Jim Raposa, The Music Man

Alex Rollins, The Music Man

Kirk Smith, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Joe York, The Rocky Horror Show

Outstanding Actress

Susanne Abbott, Tapestry: The Music of Carole King

Brooks Almy, The Music Man

LuAnn Aronson, The Music Man

Laura Kenney, The Music Man

Ellie McBride, The Butcher's Daughter

Richele A. Pitalo, The Butcher's Daughter

Janis Stinson, Children of Eden

Stephanie Swenson, The Butcher's Daughter

Comedies

Abundance, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

& Athena Dramatics

Blithe Spirit, ONSTAGE Theatre Company

Closer, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

Curb Appeal, Frontera @ Hyde Park Theatre

Lipstick Traces, Rude Mechanicals

The Mystery of Irma Vep, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

Senioritis, VORTEX Repertory Company

Outstanding Director

Ann Ciccolella, Closer

Robert Faires, Abundance

J. Damian Gillen, Blithe Spirit

Christina J. Moore, Curb Appeal

Shawn Sides, Lipstick Traces

Outstanding Actor

Martin Burke, The Mystery of Irma Vep

Dan Dietz, Terminal Hip

Michael Miller, Closer

Rob Nash, Senioritis

Paul Norton, Closer

Steven Tomlinson, Curb Appeal

Wade Williams, For the Love of Linko

Joe York, The Mystery of Irma Vep

Outstanding Actress

Kara Bliss, Closer

Babs George, Barefoot in the Park

Peyton Hayslip, Blithe Spirit

Lana Lesley, In the House of the Moles

Helen Merino, Crimes of the Heart

Bernadette Nason, Blithe Spirit

Andrea Osborn, Closer

Brooke Parker, Barefoot in the Park

Dramas

Ashes to Ashes, Public Domain Theatre Company

desire, Laura Somers

Polaroid Stories, Frontera @ Hyde Park Theatre

Pride's Crossing, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

Shakespeare's R & J, Zachary Scott Theatre Center

Taking Sides, Actors Theatre of Austin

Under a Western Sky, Teatro Humanidad

War, Rude Mechanicals

Outstanding Director

Kirk Lynn, War

Despair's Book of Dreams and the Sometimes Radio

Jason Neulander, Venus

Jerry Pilato, Taking Sides

Robi Polgar, Ashes to Ashes

Sarah Richardson, Pride's Crossing

Sarah Richardson, Shakespeare's R & J

Laura Somers, desire

Outstanding Lead Actor

Brad Armstrong, Bucky: The Life and Work of

Buckminster Fuller

Joey Hood, The Collection

Forrest McClendon, The America Play

Jeffery Mills, Equus

Art Peden, Taking Sides

David Stahl, Ashes to Ashes

David Stahl, The Collection

Dirk van Allen, The Weir

Outstanding Lead Actress

Katherine Catmull, Ashes to Ashes

Katherine Catmull, A Kind of Alaska

Francelle Stewart Dorn, E Pluribus Unum: Barbara Jordan -- One Voice

Christa Kimlicko Jones, desire

Joni L. Jones, Heavenly Shades of Night Are Falling

April Matthis, Venus

Meredith Robertson, Pride's Crossing

Jill K. Swanson, Othello

Outstanding Featured Actor

Joel Crabtree, Taking Sides

Richard Craig, Fruits and Vegetables

Cory Cruser, Polaroid Stories

Travis Dean, The Possibilities

Judson L. Jones, desire

Daniel Lam, Polaroid Stories

Stewart MacGregor, Fruits and Vegetables

Outstanding Featured Actress

Janelle Buchanan, Spring Storm

Dana Eskelson, Spring Storm

Peyton Hayslip, Fruits and Vegetables

Lana Lesley, War

Helen Merino, Pride's Crossing

Sarah Richardson, War

Stacey Robinson, The America Play

General Categories

Abundance, Janelle Buchanan/Barbara Chisholm/

Scotty Roberts/Rich Upton/Jon Watson/Joe York

Bleacher Bums, Travis Dean/Lana Dieterich/

Robert S. Fischer/Jeff Gondek/Joey Hood/

Christa Kimlicko Jones/David Jones/

Judson L. Jones/Eric Peterson

The Cry Pitch Carrolls, Lana Lesley/April Matthis/

Joseph Meissner/Shawn Sides/Becky Stark

Love's Fire, Tara Battani/Stuart Bone/Bradley Carlin/

Cory Cruser/Lee Eddy/Jason Garrett Hays/

Nick Kougias/Jenny Larson/Shannon Riley/

Elizabeth Wakehouse

Shakespeare's R & J, Martin Burke/Chris Hatcher/

Aaron Johnson/Jon Watson

Outstanding Set Design

Ann Marie Gordon, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Michael Massey, The Good Woman of Setzuan

Christopher McCollum, Fruits and Vegetables

Christopher McCollum, Polaroid Stories

Marco Noyola, Ashes to Ashes

Michael Raiford, The America Play

Michael Raiford, Pride's Crossing

Outstanding Lighting Design

Jason Amato, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Jason Amato, The Rocky Horror Show

Tina Berrigan, Polaroid Stories

Stephen Pruitt, Invisible Moments

Zach Murphy, Ashes to Ashes

Zach Murphy, War

Outstanding Sound Design

Emily Fordyce, Polaroid Stories

Dutch Rail & Dave Steakley, The America Play

Allen Robertson, Closer

Allen Robertson, The Mystery of Irma Vep

Scott Schroeder, Fruits and Vegetables

Kirk Smith & Ken Burchenal, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Outstanding Costume Design

Leslie Bonnell, The Rocky Horror Show

Pam Fletcher, Pigman in the Old West

Theresa May, Goldie: A Fish Story

Michael Raiford, The Mystery of Irma Vep

Michael Raiford, Pride's Crossing

Susan Tsu, Time Again in Oz

Outstanding Music Director

Fred Barton, The Music Man

Ken Burchenal, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

John Howrey, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Graham Reynolds, The Cry Pitch Carrolls

Allen Robertson, Tapestry: The Music of Carole King

Outstanding Choreographer

Aimee McCormick, Polaroid Stories

Kevin Archambault, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown

Margery Segal, Love's Fire

Scott Thompson, The Music Man

Scott Thompson, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Outstanding Original Script

Ann Ciccolella, Fruits and Vegetables

Dan Dietz, Blind Horses

Jennifer Haley, The Butcher's Daughter

Kirk Lynn, War

Kirk Smith, Despair's Book of Dreams

and the Sometimes Radio

Steven Tomlinson, Curb Appeal

Alice Wilson, Bucky: The Life and Work of

Buckminster Fuller