2017 Payne Theatre Award Winners

The theatre fans who voted for this year's B. Iden Payne Awards seemed to love a number of productions from the 2016-17 season, but as became clear at the 43rd annual awards ceremony, held at the Austin Scottish Rite Theater Monday, those they loved they loved a lot. They honored three shows with five awards apiece and two with four each.

The widely nominated musical Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, which scored 11 nods for Doctuh Mistuh Productions, was among the trio of most honored shows, taking home five awards for Production of Musical Theatre, director Michael McKelvey, costume designer Glenda Wolfe, actress Jess Hughes, and the performance of the entire ensemble.

Also netting five awards was Sky Candy's original sci-fi spoof Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade, which won for Julie Moore's performance; Monica Kurtz's stage management; Tyler Mabry's original score; Joanna Wright's dance choreography; and the fight choreography by Wright, Caroline Poe, and Andy Agne.

And Theatre en Bloc's historical drama The Drowning Girls was honored with awards for Production of a Drama, director Jenny Lavery, scenic designer Chris Conard, lighting designer Kate Ducey, and the performance by the cast.

Austin Scottish Rite Theater's Rosita y Conchita swept the Theatre for Youth category with awards for Production, director Susan Gayle Todd, and actors Jesus I. Valles and Gricelda Silva. Shrewd Productions' The Revolutionists also netted four awards, including Production of a Comedy, with additional honors for director Rudy Ramirez, actress Sarah Marie Curry, and a special certificate to designer Jennifer Rose Davis and Blood and Glitter Makeup for the show's wigs.

The show of multiple-award affection extended into the honors for improvisational theatre, where the ColdTowne Theater production of Latinauts: La Frontera Finál received three honors, for Production, the direction by Ben Bazán and Mical Trejo, and the cast performance.

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The full list of awards follows:

THEATRE FOR YOUTH

Production
Rosita y Conchita, Austin Scottish Rite Theater

Director
Susan Gayle Todd, Rosita y Conchita

Actor
Jesus I. Valles, Rosita y Conchita

Actress
Gricelda Silva, Rosita y Conchita

Young Actor
Matthew Kennedy, Monty Python's Spamalot

Young Actress
Lydia Kamm, Monty Python's Spamalot

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IMPROV THEATRE

Production
Latinauts: La Frontera Finál, ColdTowne Theater

Direction
Ben G. Bazán and Mical Trejo, Latinauts: La Frontera Finál

Design
Biz Gilmore, Jay Mahavier, Lindsey McGowen, & Cindy Page, How I Saved the World Over Summer Vacation

Cast of an Improvised Show
Latinauts: La Frontera Finál, ColdTowne Theater

Rudy Kloptik Award for Outstanding Improvisational Troupe
The Knuckleball Now

Ethel Hinckley Award for Outstanding New Improv Troupe
Sugar, Water, Purple

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COMEDY

Production
The Revolutionists, Shrewd Productions

Direction
Rudy Ramirez, The Revolutionists

Lead Actor
Heath Allyn, Death Race Inferno

Lead Actress
Sarah Marie Curry, The Revolutionists

Featured Actor
Jay Byrd, Hir

Featured Actress
Julie Moore, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

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DRAMA

Production
The Drowning Girls, Theatre en Bloc

Direction
Jenny Lavery, The Drowning Girls

Lead Actor
Jeffery Da’Shade Johnson, Underground

Lead Actress
Ebony Stewart, Ocean

Featured Actor
Joey Hood, A Perfect Robot

Featured Actress
Taji Senior, TWENTYEIGHT

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MUSICAL THEATRE

Production
Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe, Doctuh Mistuh Productions and Austin Playhouse

Direction
Michael McKelvey Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Lead Actor
Andrew Cannata, Dani Girl

Lead Actress
Chanel, Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill

Featured Actor
Scott Shipman, Guys and Dolls

Featured Actress
Jess Hughes, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

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DESIGN

Set Design
Chris Conard, The Drowning Girls

Lighting Design
Kate Ducey, The Drowning Girls

Sound Design
Buzz Moran, Requiem for Tesla

Costume Design
Glenda Wolfe, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Media Design
The Back Pack, The Back Pack Presents: Throwing Shade

Properties Design
Michael Krauss, jj’s arcade

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GENERAL CATEGORIES

Stage Management
Monica Kurtz, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

Music Direction
Tosin Awofeso, Immigrants, the Musical! (Part 1)

Dance Choreography
Joanna Wright, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

Fight Choreography
Joanna Wright, Caroline Poe, and Andy Agne, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

Original Script
Ocean, Ebony Stewart

Original Score
Tyler Mabry, Agent Andromeda: The Orion Crusade

Cast Performance
The Drowning Girls, Theatre en Bloc

Ensemble Performance
Suzanne Balling, Joey Banks, Matt Connely, Jess Hughes, Stephen Mercantel, and Megan Rabuse, Nevermore: The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Puppetry
Moby Dick, Trouble Puppet Theater Company

Theatrical Event
Requiem for Tesla, Rude Mechanicals

Featured Music Performance
Tosin Awofeso, Immigrants, the Musical! (Part 1)

Featured Movement
Lilah Guaragna, A Shoe Story

SPECIAL RECOGNITION CERTIFICATES
Zach Theatre for sensory-friendly performances
Youth shows, Zach Theatre
Capital T Theatre for dramaturgy addressing mental-health resources
The Effect, Capital T Theatre
Jennifer Rose Davis and Blood and Glitter Makeup for wigs
The Revolutionists, Shrewd Productions