Oakland wins best play, but Weathervane dominates

staff report

AUSTINTOWN — Youngstown-area theaters fared well at the 2008-09 Marquee Awards, but Akron’s Weathervane Community Playhouse walked away with both the top prize of Best Musical for “Children of Eden,” and 21 other awards.

“Children of Eden” collected a total of 18 awards. Weathervane also picked up awards for Best Cameo Performance by an Actor (Jeff Bixby) for “Man of LaMancha,” as well as for its productions of “Love, Valour, Compassion,” “A Doll’s House” and “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

The sixth annual Marquee Awards were Saturday night at the Saxon Club on Meridian Road. The event, which honors the best in community theater for each season, was hosted by WYTV’s Jim Loboy and three-time Marquee Award winner Brandy Johanntges. About 200 actors, technicians and theater managers attended.

The evening got off to a rousing start with Oakland Center for the Arts director Rob Joki and company performing “Seasons of Love” from the musical “RENT.”

The Oakland garnered the second-best total of Marquees with nine, including Best Play for “Driving Miss Daisy.” Terri Wilkes, who directed “Daisy,” picked up Best Director. Other Oakland winners were “Reefer Madness,” “Doubt” and Joki’s “I’m Not That Girl.”

Top Hat Productions claimed five awards for its productions of “Aida” and “The Earth Trembled.” After Top Hat, the New Castle Playhouse scored four hits with “South Pacific” and “Laughter on the 23rd Floor.”

Remaining winners were the Stage Left Players with two for “Quilters” and “Goldilocks in Bobby Sox”; Victorian Players with one for “The Miracle Worker” and the Youngstown Playhouse with one for “Company.”

The Marquee Awards are sponsored by Youngstown Area Community Theatre Alliance.

YACTA comprises Youngstown Playhouse, Oakland Center for the Arts, Victorian Players, Top Hat Productions, New Castle Playhouse, Move Over Broadway, Potter Players (East Liverpool) and New Castle Playhouse.

But the Marquee Awards include several theaters that are not members, including Salem Community Theatre, Trumbull New Theatre, Carnation City Players (Alliance), Stage Left Players (Lisbon), Boardman Community Theatre, Main Street Theater and Weathervane.

The nomination and awards process was conducted by a contingent of 40 trained evaluators, who used a points-based system to grade each performance. Each of the 60 plays and musicals was evaluated by the team, and at least five evaluators saw every play.

BEST MUSICAL: “Children of Eden,” Weathervane (producer)

BEST PLAY: “Driving Miss Daisy,” Oakland Center for the Arts (producer)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY: John Cox as Max Prince in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Castle Playhouse; and Johnny Herbert as Hoke in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Oakland Center for the Arts

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: James Dickason as Adam in “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL: Terri Kent for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Molly Galano as Miss Daisy in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Oakland Center for the Arts

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL : Amanda Davis as Eve in “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY: Terri Wilkes for “Driving Miss Daisy,” Oakland Center for the Arts

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT: “I’m Not That Girl,” Oakland Center for the Arts (producer)

BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Melissa Fucci for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST STAGE MANAGER: Benjamin Rexroad for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST REVIVAL OF A PLAY OR MUSICAL: “A Doll’s House,” Weathervane (producer)

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY: Eric Kibler as Boolie Werthan in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Oakland Center for the Arts; and David Dougherty as Val Skolsky in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Castle Playhouse

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Benjamin Czamota as Father in “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY: April Sauline as Sister James in “Doubt,” Oakland Center for the Arts

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Julie Palumbo as Amneris in “Aida,” Top Hat

BEST SWING PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL OR PLAY: Jason Levpold for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST SOUND OPERATION: Dan Jankura for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST SOUND DESIGN: Dan Jankura for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORAMNCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A PLAY: Carla Gipson as Mrs. Muller in “Doubt,” Oakland Center for the Arts

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Miriam Henkel-Moellman as Yonah in “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A PLAY: Phillip Clark as Ira Stone in “Laughter on the 23rd Floor,” New Castle Playhouse

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEATURED ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Aaron Schoonover as Cain/Japheth in “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST SCENIC DESIGN: Ben Needham, Terri Kent for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PROPERTIES DESIGN: Alan Scott Ferrall for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE JUVENILE IN A PLAY: Dylan White as Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Weathervane

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A MALE JUVENILE IN A MUSICAL: Drew Bennett as Papa Bear in “Goldilocks in Bobby Sox,” Stage Left Players

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE JUVENILE IN A PLAY: Lisandra Stebner as Helen Keller in “The Miracle Worker,” Victorian Players

BEST PERFORMANCE BY A FEMALE JUVENILE IN A MUSICAL: Brittany Storey as the Tear Catcher in “The Earth Trembled,” Top Hat

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN: Jeff Chann for “Aida,” Top Hat; and Nathan Emerine for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST LIGHTBOARD OPERATOR: Neil Figley for “Aida,” Top Hat

BEST FOLLOWSPOT OPERATOR: Nick Figley and Meysha Harville for “Aida,” Top Hat

BEST MALE ENSEMBLE MEMBER: Morgan Thomas-Mills for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST FEMALE ENSEMBLE MEMBER: Melanie Williams for “Quilters,” Stage Left Players

BEST COSTUME DESIGN: Jason Smith for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER: Nathan Emerine, Eric Van Baars and Terri Kent for “Children of Eden,” Weathervane

BEST CHARACTER PERFORMANCE IN A PLAY: Zac Hudak as Buzz Howser in “Love, Valour, Compassion,” Weathervane

BEST CHARACTER PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL: Molly Makselan as Joan of Arc in “Reefer Madness,” Oakland Center for the Arts; and Amanda Mays as Bloody Mary in “South Pacific,” New Castle Playhouse

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL: Melissa Cook as the Featured Singer in “Company,” Youngstown Playhouse

BEST CAMEO PERFORMANCE BY AN ACTOR IN A MUSICAL: Jeff Bixby as The Barber in “Man of LaMancha,” Weathervane