Local theater awards recognize the best

NINTH ANNUAL

MARQUEE AWARDS

Staff report

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Big winners at the ninth annual Marquee Awards held Saturday night at St. Michael Family Life Center were the Victorian Players, which collected 15 Marquees, and the Youngstown Playhouse with 12.

Glenn Stevens of 21 WFMJ -TV served as host for the annual theater season honors event.

Musical numbers were presented from each of the five shows nominated in the Best Musical category.

A synopsis of each show nominated was given. Previously, scenes from the shows were presented.

The Victorian Players received a special award for “A Light in the Darkness: A Story of Hope During the Holocaust.”

Other Victorian Players winners included Christopher Fidram, who won for Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play for “The Foreigner.”

That play also won for Best Comedy of the 2011-12 season.

Dr. Thomas Copeland picked up awards for Best Properties, Best Scenic Design and Best Lighting Design.

The Youngstown Playhouse earned an award for Best Revival of a Musical with “Gypsy.” Fidram won for Best Direction of a play for “Circle Mirror Transformation.”

Other Playhouse winners were Carla Gipson for Best Character Performance in a musical for “Drood”; Terry Shears for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for “Romeo and Juliet”; Liz Conrad for Best Performance by a Swing Actress for “Romeo and Juliet”’ and Joyce Jones for Best Lightboard Operator for “Gypsy.”

The Oakland Center for the Arts won six awards. Brandy Johanntges won for Best Performance by a Featured Actress in a play for “Kimberly Akimo,” which also won Best Drama for the 2011-12 season.

Other awards went to Haggy Hageman for Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a play for “Last Summer at Bluefish Cove,” which was the only tie of the evening with Barbara Malizia winning in this category for “A Light in the Darkness.”

Craig Conrad won Best Performance by a Swing Actor for “Distracted,” and Tom Smith and Haggy Hageman won for Best Sound Design and Best Sound Operation, respectively.

Legends of the Theatre Honors also were awarded. Two members were inducted in the local theater Hall of Fame. The late Jean McClure Kelty was recognized as the founder of Victorian Players, as was former managing director, the late Maggie Higgins.

Best Musical of 2011-12 went to “Next to Normal” produced by Spotlight Players.

Winners by show had “A Light in the Darkness” and “The Foreigner” winning six each, followed by “Next to Normal” with four.