The Boston Theater Critics Association announced its nominees for the 42nd Annual Elliot Norton Awards Wednesday, recognizing outstanding actors, directors, designers, choreographers, musicians and productions in and around the city.
The Huntington’s production of “The Grove” and the American Repertory Theater’s production of “Gatsby” lead the awards field with 10 nominations apiece.
Joyce Kulhawik, the critics’ association’s president, said this assemblage of nominees brings productions outside the mainstream into the conversation.
“What we’re very proud of this season is how smaller productions and companies rose to the surface,” said Kulhawik. “‘The Hombres’ from Gloucester Stage and Teatro Chelsea was nominated. That was a very popular production from a smaller theater company. We don’t know how many people actually saw that play, but we thought it was a marvelous piece of work.”
The members of the critics’ association travel throughout Greater Boston, consuming as much theater as possible. This year, that meant a total of 120 productions. This season-long blitz precedes an intense, three-day period of critical discussion that eventually leads to the nominations.
“We look, we analyze, we think, we talk, we debate,” said Kulhawik. “You can imagine the conversations that went on in that room. We were there one night from 5:30 until after 11 o’clock.”
The BTCA also awards the annual Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence, an honor that this year went to Boston-based actress Kathy St. George for her work stretching back to 1981 on Broadway and throughout New England.
The 42nd Annual Elliot Norton Awards ceremony is set to be held on June 2 at the Huntington Theatre in Boston.
The ful list of nominees can be found here.
