Theater News

Rita Moreno, Jonathan Moscone, Jeff Whitty Among SFBATCC Award Winners

Rita Moreno
(© Berkeley Repertory Theatre)
Rita Moreno
(© Berkeley Repertory Theatre)

San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle (SFBATCC) announced its 2011 award winners during a ceremony held on April 2 at the Palace of Fine Arts.

Each year, SFBATCC gives out drama and musical awards to theaters ranging in size from smaller than 99-set houses to major area theaters.

This year’s notable winners include Berkeley Rep‘s production of Ruined, which won for best production and actors Carla Duren and Zainab Jah, who shared the award for Performance by a Female Actor in a Featured Role for their parts in that play. Tonye Patano also won the award for Performance by a Female Actor in a Principal Role for her work in Ruined.

Among the other acting winners were L. Peter Callender (Driving Miss Daisy), Rob Campbell (Titus Andronicus), Leigh Crow (Vice Palace), Alexander Crowther (Metamorphosis), Susi Damilano (Harper Regan), Ashkon Davaran (Beardo), Charles Dean (A Delicate Balance), Don DeMico (Death of a Salesman), Nandi Drayton (Seussical: The Musical), Jason Hite (Hairspray), Michelle Ianiro (Clue), Omoze Idehenre (Seven Guitars), Anna Ishida (Beardo), Ann Kendrick (Driving Miss Daisy), Marcus Klinger (Hairspray), Craig Marker (The Glass Menagerie), Lisa-Marie Newton (Assassins), Michael Phillis (Wish We Were Here), Rebecca Pingree (Seussical: The Musical), D.C. Scarpelli (The Mystery of Irma Vep), Gregory Sottolano (Assassins), Paul Stout (Indulgences in the Louisville Harem), Bonni Suval (Vice Palace), Eric Tyson Wertz (Vice Palace), and the ensembles of Assassins, Pelleas & Melisande, Seussical: The Musical, Seven Guitars

In addition, the new musical adaptation of Tales of the City won awards for Jeff Whitty’s book and Jason Moore’s direction, as well as Robert Wierzel’s lighting design. Jonathan Moscone won best director for Candida at California Shakespeare Theater. Rita Moreno won an award for best solo performance for her Rita Moreno: Life Without Makeup. Bill Cain won for his original script, How to Write a New Book for the Bible. Geoff Hoyle won awards for both best original script and best solo performance at venue of 99 seats or fewer for his play Geezer, which played at The Marsh.

For a full list of SFBATCC winners and nominees, click here.

Click here for TheaterMania’s Guide to Theater Awards.