'Jekyll' creeps away with a record

Sunday, August 27, 2006 'One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest' also won big, with six awards. SPECIAL TO THE VINDICATOR AUSTINTOWN — The third annual Marquee Awards got off to a rousing start Saturday night at the Saxon Club with a lively production number from the Salem Community Theater production of "Big River." But from that point on it was all "Jekyll & Hyde — The Musical," as the Youngstown Playhouse production pulled in 15 awards including Best Musical, Best Director of a Musical and Best Leading Actor in a Musical. "Jekyll & Hyde" now owns the record for awards won at the Marquees. The Marquee Awards honor the top achievers in Youngstown-area live theater for each season. The Playhouse also fared well on the play side with "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" receiving Best Play honors along with five other awards. WInners The Playhouse and "Jekyll" were not the only winners, however, with Move Over Broadway Productions winning three awards. The New Castle Playhouse tallied three wins, with remaining theaters taking home anywhere between one and two awards each. J.E. Ballantyne Jr., chairman of the Youngstown Area Community Theater Awards, said he was quite surprised by the big "Jekyll & Hyde" win. YACTA voters generally spread the awards around a little more, he said, adding that "Jekyll & Hyde" was an exceptionally strong production and that it got very high marks from all the voters. Some special awards were also given. Joey Monda received the Hugh Fagan Award, James Lybarger was awarded the Friend of the Theater Award, and Mary Beth Schulze from Carnation City Players in Alliance was given YACTA's first Lifetime Achievement Award.