Payne Pleasures 2002
On Monday, September 30, the Austin Circle of Theatres (ACoT) hosted the 28th annual B. Iden Payne Awards, honoring outstanding achievements in local theatre from August 2001 through July 2002. The site of this year’s ceremony was once again the State Theater, where David Potts‘ impressive two-story house set for Proof provided a homey backdrop for Jason Neulander‘s deft emceeing, musical merriment from Carol Channing (as channeled by Stuart Moulton), and just over two hours of honors and exceedingly brief thank-you speeches. The Vortex Repertory Company dominated the win column with eight awards (including one for absentee artistic director Bonnie Cullum, off honeymooning with groom Chad Salvata). Austin Musical Theatre took home six and the Zachary Scott Theatre Center left with five. Zach Managing Director and former ACoT Executive Director (and director and playwright and dramaturg and …) Ann Ciccolella received the annual Special Recognition Award for Outstanding Achievement in Austin Theatre. The Payne Awards Nominating Committee also dispensed special citations to longtime theatre supporter Connie McMillan; performer Hans Mark (Lonely Highway), set designer Gary van der Wege, and puppet designer Brian Gaston.
Here are the winners:
Production, Comedy: The Importance of Being Earnest (Sam Bass Community Theatre)
Production, Drama: The Laramie Project (Zachary Scott Theatre Center)
Production, Musical: The Sound of Music (Austin Musical Theatre)
Production, Play for Youth: Bye Bye Birdie (Austin Musical Theatre Performing Arts Academy)
Director, Comedy: Kyle Evans, The Importance of Being Earnest
Director, Drama: Dave Steakley, The Laramie Project
Director, Musical: Scott Thompson & Richard Byron, The Sound of Music
Director, Play for Youth: (tie) Kevin Archambault, Bye Bye Birdie; Bonnie Cullum, Moby Dick
Actor & Actress, Comedy:
Rob Nash, Rob Nash Does Romeo and Juliet With the Cast of Holy Cross
Katherine Brewer, Fuddy Meers
Lead Actor & Actress, Drama:
David Stahl, Richard III
Meredith McCall, The Pavilion
Actor & Actress, Musical: Andrew Rannells, Hedwig and the Angry Inch
Leslie Stevens, Sweet Charity
Actor & Actress, Play for Youth:
(tie) Damien Gillen, Edward, the Owl and the Calico Cat; Stewart Johnson, Moby Dick
Elizabeth Doss, Moby Dick
Featured Actor & Actress, Drama:
Everett Skaggs, The Seagull
Jessica Hedrick, References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot
Featured Actor & Actress, Comedy:
Charles P. Stites, Fools
Karen Kuykendall, Big Love
Featured Actor & Actress, Musical:
Tim Blackwood, The USO Christmas Show
(tie) Kathryn Chambers, Rigoletto; Larissa Wolcott, You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown
Outstanding Cast Performance:
Janelle Buchanan, Martin Burke, Jenny Larson, Meredith McCall, Robert Newell, Sarah Richardson, Dirk Van Allen, The Laramie Project
Musical Direction: Fred Barton, The Sound of Music
Original Score: Kirk Smith, The Deluge: On the Shoulder of Night
Original Script: Emily Cicchini, Edward, the Owl and the Calico Cat
Costume Design: Kari Perkins, Dark Goddess 2002
Lighting Design: Jason Amato, The Deluge: On the Shoulder of Night
Set Design: Ann Marie Gordon, The Deluge: On the Shoulder of Night
Sound Design: Buzz Moran, Etta Sanders, and Hillary Thomas, The Intergalactic Nemesis Redux
This article appears in October 4 • 2002.