The Bevies, Year 1

My friend, the multi-talented Alec Clayton, is not only a wonderful author and artist, but he is also a theatre critic in the Olympia (Washington) area. He recently gave out his own awards for excellence in theatre in his area. I thought I'd do the same thing. So far this year, I have seen 42 stage shows, some touring production, some equity shows, some community theatre, some university productions, some young people's productions. I'm leaving out professional productions (Music Circus and the touring Broadway Series), but leaving in Equity houses. This amounts to eight different theatre companies from which I considered awards.

Next year I'll take better notes at the time because it may be difficult to remember clearly shows I saw earlier this year, but let's see where this goes.

(It should be pointed out that these awards hold absolutely no prestige whatsoever and most of the recipients won't even know that they've been awarded! )

(Award courtesy of Photo Shop)

Best actor in a musical (male): Joseph Boyette as Bobby Child in Davis Musical Theatre's production of Crazy for You.

Best actor in a musical (female): A tie between Crystal Fox in in the title role of Sacramento Theatre Company's production of Black Pearl and Deborah Hammond as Mama Rose in Davis Musical Theatre Company's production of Gypsy.

Best Supporting actor in a musical (male): Joseph Boyette as Carman Ghia in The Producers at Davis Musical Theatre Comany.

Best Supporting actor in a musical (female): Danette Vasser in DMTC's Crazy for You.

Best Direction of a Musical: Steve Isaacson for The Producers at Davis Musical Theatre company

Best Choreography for a Musical: Ron Cisneros for The Producers at Davis Musical Theatare Company.

Best Musical: The Producers at DMTC.

Best Dramatic Actor (male): Matt K. Miller in Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at Capital Stage.

Best Dramatic Actor (female): Katie Rubin in Capital Stage's Hunter Gatherers

Best Direction of a Drama: Stephanie Gularte for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at Capital Stage.

Best Drama: Someone Who'll Watch Over Me at Capital Stage.

Best Comic Actor (male): Matt K. Miller, Fully Committed, Sacramento Theatre Company. (This also qualifies as best solo performance, as Miller plays some 40 different roles)

Best Comic Actor (female): Martha Omiyo Knight as Dotty Otley in Noises Off at Woodland Opera House.

Best Direction of a Comedy: Bob Cooner for Noises Off at the Woodland Opera Co.

Best Comedy: Noises off at Woodland Opera House.

Best Set Design: Jeff Kean for Noises Off, Woodland Opera House.

Best Lighting Design: Greg Wershing for Kiss Me Kate for Davis Musical Theatre Company

Best Costumes: Jean Henderson for Kiss Me Kate for Davis Musical Theatre Company.

That's it for this year, kiddies.