Tampa Bay's Theaters Announce Nominees for Jeff Norton Theater Awards

Tampa Bay's professional theaters announce the first annual Jeff Norton Theater Awards to be held Monday, August 22 at The Palladium Theater at St. Petersburg College, 253 Fifth Ave. N, St. Petersburg, FL. The event starts at 7pm with after-party to follow. Tickets are only $10 to encourage all members of the arts community to attend, but guests may purchase $25 tickets to express their support.

Awards are being given in ten categories: Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Supporting Actress, Best Director, Best Lighting Design, Best Sound Design, Best Costume Design, Best Set Design, and two special awards. The nominees represent audience favorite performances over the past season in Tampa Bay theater. The following are the nominees from host theaters: American Stage Theatre, Gorilla Theatre, and Stageworks Theatre. Jobsite Theater has not yet announced nominees because of the timing of its final production, but nominees from Jobsite will represent its mainstage season: EINSTEIN'S DREAMS, MINDGAME, THE ODD COUPLE, YELLOWMAN, REASONS TO BE PRETTY, and THE TAMING OF THE SHREW.

Nominees for Best Actor in a leading role
American Stage Theatre Company
Matt McGee (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Brian Webb Russell (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Steven Flaa (OPUS)
Dan Matisa (OPUS)
Steve Garland (OPUS)
Ricky Wayne (OPUS)
Alan Bomar Jones (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Kim Sullivan (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Ron Bobb Semple (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Ben Cain (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Richard B. Watson (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Matt Huffman (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Peter Zicky (RENT)
Ryan Michael Owens (RENT)
Clinton Harris (RENT)
Cranstan Cumberbatch (RENT)
Ricky Cona (RENT)
Tom Nowicki (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
Gavin Hawk (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Actor in a leading role
Gorilla Theatre
Curtis Belz for (URBAN GORILLA: JAILS, HOSPITALS AND HIP HOP)
Robert Hooker for (THE LION IN WINTER)
Chris Jackson for (SWEET STORM)
Alvin Jenkins for (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Christopher Swan for (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Drew Valins for (URBAN GORILLA: A REPORT TO AN ACADEMY)

Nominees for Best Actor in a leading role
Stageworks Theatre
Nick Horan for (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Rickie Cona for (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Mike McGreevy for (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Logan Harrington for (GOD OF ISAAC)
Joshua Goff for (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees for Best Actress in a leading role
American Stage Theatre Company
Tracie Thomason (OPUS)
ShaRon Scott (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Christine Decker (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Betty-Jane Parks (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
LuLu Picard (RENT)
Alex Covington (RENT)
Alison Burns (RENT)
Tonia Jackson (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
Samantha McKinnon Brown (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Actress in a leading role
Gorilla Theatre
Jessica Alexander (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Heather Atkinson (SWEET STORM)
Caroline Jett (THE LION IN WINTER)

Nominees for Best Actress in a leading role
Stageworks Theatre
Heather Krueger for (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Alison Burns for (GOD OF ISAAC)
L'Tanya Von Hamersveld for (MOMOLOGUES)
Rosemary Olando for (MOMOLOGUES)
Susan Karsnick for (MOMOLOGUES)
Jen Bone for (MOMOLOGUES)
Gloria Bailey for (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees for Best Supporting Actor
American Theater
Joe Parra (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Bill Karnovsky (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Stephen Ray (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Greg "Rico" Parker (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Stephen Ray (RENT)
Joel Gennari (RENT)
Brian Webb Russell (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Supporting Actor
Gorilla Theatre
Patrick Bolger (YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Nic Carter (THE LION IN WINTER)
Giles Davies (THE LION IN WINTER)
Jon Gennari (THE LION IN WINTER)
Jon Gennari (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Joshua Goff (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Glenn Gover (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Landon Green (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Chris Jackson (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Peter Konovicz (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Joe Winskye (THE LION IN WINTER)

Nominees for Best Supporting Actor
Stageworks Theatre
Slake Counts, (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Spencer Meyers, (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Bill Karnovsky, (GOD OF ISAAC)
Patrick Bolger (GOD OF ISAAC
Tom Mothershed, (GOD OF ISAAC)
Slake Counts (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)
Chip Carter (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)
Ronn Bobb-Semple (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees for Best Supporting Actress
Gorilla Theatre
Lauren Allison (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Brittney Currie (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Lydia Ferry (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Tia Jemison (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Caroline Jett (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Midge Mamatas (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Patricia McBride (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Jonelle Meyer (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Lynn Moore (THE LION IN WINTER)
Grayson Ross (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Holly Weber (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)

Nominees for Best Supporting Actress
Stageworks Theatre
Alison Burns (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Tia Jemison (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Summer Bohnencamp (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Dahlia Legault (GOD OF ISAAC)
Tia Jemison (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)
Eileen Koteles (GOD OF ISAAC)
Gloria Bailey (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees for Best Director
American Stage Theatre Company
Todd Olson (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Dan Lombardo (OPUS)
Mark Southers (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Todd Olson (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Eric Davis (RENT)
Bari Newport (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
John O'Connell (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Director
Gorilla Theatre
Bridget Bean (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Nancy Cole (THE LION IN WINTER)
Roxanne Fay (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Chris Jackson (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Gigi Jennewein (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Megan Lamasney (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
James Rayfield (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
James Rayfield (SWEET STORM)
Christopher Rutherford (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)

Nominees for Best Director
StageworksTheatre
Karla Hartley (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Karla Hartley (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Richard Coppinger (GOD OF ISAAC)
Karla Harley (MOMOLOGUES)
Anna Brennen (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees for Best Lighting Design
American Stage Theatre Company
Joseph P. Oshry (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Megan Byrn (OPUS)
Joseph P. Oshry (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
John Malinowski (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Joseph P. Oshry (RENT)
Joseph P. Oshry (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
Joseph P. Oshry (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Lighting Design
Gorilla Theatre
Megan Byrne (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Megan Byrne (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Megan Byrne (THE LION IN WINTER)
Megan Byrne (SWEET STORM)
Lauren Libretti (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)

Nominees for Best Sound Design
American Stage Theatre Company
Nathan Leigh (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
T. Scott Wooten (OPUS)
T. Scott Wooten (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Todd Olson (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Karla Hartley (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
T. Scott Wooten (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees for Best Sound Design
Gorilla Theatre
Lynne Locher (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Lynne Locher (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Lynne Locher (THE LION IN WINTER)
Lynne Locher (SWEET STORM)
Christopher Rutherford (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)

Nominees Best Costume Design
American Stage Theatre Company
Adrin Puente (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Mike and Kathy Buck (OPUS)
Saidah Ben Judah (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Adrin Puente (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Ty Christine Massola (RENT)
Adrin Puente (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
Trish Kelley (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees Best Costume Design
Gorilla Theatre Company
Mike Buck (SWEET STORM)
Jennifer Cunningham (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Jennifer Cunningham (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Jennifer Cunningham (THE LION IN WINTER)
Joel Gennari (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)

Nominees Best Costume Design
Stageworks Theatre
Mike and Kathy Buck (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Mike and Kathy Buck (WAR OF THE WORLDS)
Mike and Kathy Buck (GOD OF ISAAC)
Mike and Kathy Buck (MOMOLOGUES)
Frank Chavez (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

Nominees Best Set Design
American Theatre Company
Jeffrey Dean (THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP)
Michael Newton Brown (OPUS)
Scott Cooper (Ma Rainey'S BLACK BOTTOM)
Scott Cooper (WHO'S AFRAID OF Virginia Woolf?)
Scott Cooper (RENT)
Tom Hansen (FRANKIE & JOHNNY IN THE CLAIR DE LUNE)
Tom Hansen (BAREFOOT IN THE PARK)

Nominees Best Set Design
Gorilla Theatre
Greg Bierce (THE YOUNG DRAMATISTS' PROJECT)
Scott Cooper (CHRISTMAS STOPPING)
Jerid Fox (SHIPWRECKED! AN ENTERTAINMENT)
Eric Haak (THE LION IN WINTER)
Jake Kavanagh (SWEET STORM)

Nominees Best Set Design
Stageworks Theatre
Scott Cooper (AS BEES IN HONEY DROWN)
Tandova, Inc. (GOD OF ISAAC)
R. T. Williams (A LESSON BEFORE DYING)

The Jeff Norton Awards celebrate the best of theater in the Tampa Bay artistic community. For tickets, call the American Stage box office at (727) 823-7529; purchase tickets online at www.americanstage.org.