The 2002 Austin Critics Table Awards
On Monday, June 3, the Austin Critics Table handed out its annual awards for outstanding achievements in the Austin arts in a ceremony at the Capitol City Comedy Club.
By Robert Faires, Fri., June 7, 2002
The most favored recipients this year were the productions of Jelly's Last Jam by the Zachary Scott Theatre Center and El Paraiso by the Rude Mechs, which received five awards each, and the productions of Big Love by the Rude Mechs and Fugitive Pieces and Tilt Angel by Salvage Vanguard Theater, and Hedwig and the Angry Inch by Zach, all of which received three awards each.
Participating critics for this year's awards, which covered the period May 2001-April 2002, included Austin Chronicle writers Wayne Alan Brenner (theatre), Rob Curran (theatre), Robi Polgar (music), and yours truly, and Austin American-Statesman arts writers Michael Barnes (arts), Jamie Smith Cantara (theatre), Duncan Goodrich (art), Sondra Lomax (dance), David Mead (music), Moira Muldoon (theatre), and Jeanne Claire van Ryzin (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 they or a family member were nominated.
David Mark Cohen New Play Award (tie)
Anna Bella Eema, Lisa D'Amour
The Dinosaur Within, John Walch
Production, Drama
The Laramie Project, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Production, Comedy
Big Love, Rude Mechs
Production, Musical (tie)
Jelly's Last Jam, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
El Paraiso, Rude Mechs
Director, Drama
Jason Neulander, Fugitive Pieces/Tilt Angel
Director, Comedy
Darron L. West, Big Love
Director, Musical
Dave Steakley, Hedwig and the Angry Inch/Jelly's Last Jam/The World Goes Round
Actress, Drama
Stephanie Swenson, Shopping and Fucking
Actress, Comedy
Lee Eddy, Desdemona
Actress, Musical
Stephanie Block, Oliver!
Actor, Drama (tie)
Judson L. Jones, Fugitive Pieces
Jason Phelps, Tilt Angel
Actor, Comedy
Benjamin Sterling, As You Like It
Actor, Musical
Ronn K. Smith, Jelly's Last Jam
Supporting Actress, Drama
Jill Swanson, Madame X
Supporting Actress, Comedy
Lameece Isaaq, Seven Deadly Sins
Supporting Actress, Musical
Susanne Abbott, Hedwig and the Angry Inch/Little Shop of Horrors
Supporting Actor, Drama
Clay Towery, Shopping and Fucking
Supporting Actor, Comedy
Robert Newell, Big Love
Supporting Actor, Musical
Jason Liebrecht, El Paraiso
Ensemble Performance
The Medea Stories, Mary Moody Northen Theatre, St. Edward's
Scenic Design (tie)
Christopher McCollum, The Chairs/The Consul/La Fanciulla del West/Oliver!/Once in a Lifetime
Leilah Stewart, Blur/Luminarias/El Paraiso
Costume Design
Susan Branch, Jelly's Last Jam
Lighting Design
David Nancarrow, The Chairs/A Streetcar Named Desire
Sound Design
Jeremy Lee, Fugitive Pieces/El Paraiso/Tilt Angel
Movement
J. Ed Araiza & Medea company, The Medea Stories
Musical Direction
Allen Robertson, Hedwig and the Angry Inch/Jelly's Last Jam/Little Shop of Horrors
Touring Show, Theatre
Lypsinka! The Boxed Set, Zachary Scott Theatre Center
Touring Show, Dance
Washington Ballet, UT-PAC
Touring Show, Music
Australian Chamber Orchestra, UT-PAC
Dance Concert, Large
Romeo and Juliet, Ballet Austin
Dance Concert, Small to Medium
The Big Push, Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company
Dancer, Male
Anthony Casati, The Nutcracker/Romeo and Juliet
Dancer, Female
Allyson Paino, The Rite of Spring
Symphonic Concert
Mozart's Birthday, A. Mozart Fest Chamber Orchestra
Choral Concert
In Response, Conspirare Choir
Chamber Concert
Shostakovich: Ninth Quartet, Cavani String Quartet
Opera
A Streetcar Named Desire, Austin Lyric Opera
Singer, Male
Christopher Le Cluyse, Mid-Winter Festival of Music
Singer, Female
Cheryl Parrish, Ariel Dance Theatre in Concert
Instrumentalist
Anton Nel, Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No. 2
Museum Exhibition
"22 to Watch," Austin Museum of Art
Gallery Exhibition
"Diane Grammer and Margie Crisp," Davis Gallery
Gallery, Body of Work
Gallery 106
Artist, Female
Daphane Park
Artist, Male
Eduardo Muñoz Ordoqui
CITATIONS
John Bustin Award for Conspicuous Versatility
David Stahl, The Glass Menagerie/Richard III/The Seagull
W.H. "Deacon" Crain Award for Outstanding Student Work
Johanna McKeon, UT; Keri Safran, UT; Elizabeth Wakehouse, St. Edward's University
Cultural Exhibits
"The Life, Legend and Legacy of Davy Crockett," Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum; "Gutenberg to Gone with the Wind: Treasures of the Ransom Collection," Ransom Center and LBJ Library and Museum
Art Out of Bounds
Creative Research Laboratory
Theatrical Synergy
Anna Bella Eema, Refraction Arts Project/Physical Plant Theater
Unique Theatrical Experiences
Hyper Zoo, ethos/Celebrity Crush, Blue Theater/Seven Wonders of the World, Plus One, Tongue and Groove Theatre
Total Theatre
Ron Berry, et al., The Metamorphosis and the Kafka Museum
Best (Still) New Company
iron belly muses
Original Score
Graham Reynolds and Peter Stopschinski, Ariel Dance Theatre in Concert/El Paraiso
Debut Performance
Tamara Beland, Desdemona
He's Still Here and We're Delighted
Douglas Taylor
Austin Arts Hall of Fame
John Aielli (KUT-90.5 FM) -- broadcaster, singer, arts advocate
Paul Beutel (Austin Theatre Alliance) -- administrator, critic, actor
Ruth Denney (University of Texas) -- educator, director, school founder
Acia Gray (Tapestry Dance Company) -- dancer, choreographer, company co-founder
Deborah Hay (Deborah Hay Dance Company) -- dancer, choreographer, author, company founder
Kent Kennan (University of Texas, retired) -- composer, educator, author
Joe Sears and Jaston Williams (the Tuna plays, et al.) -- actors, playwrights, directors
Michael Shelton and Shannon Sedwick (Esther's Follies) -- writers, performers, company co-founders
Judith Sims (Austin Museum of Art) -- administrator, curator, school founder
Jess Walters (deceased) -- singer, educator, opera director