Over the past couple weeks, the Boston Theater Critics Association, of which I’m a member, met virtually to determine the nominees of the 2020 Elliot Norton Awards. The show will go on, albeit virtually, when the prizes for the Boston area’s theater season concluding March 31st are announced May 11th. Several companies had extremely strong showings this year including the Huntington Theatre Company, Moonbox Productions and the two groups which comprise Central Square Theater: The Nora and Underground Railway. Needham’s small, but mighty Arlekin Players made a dynamic showing—notably for its productions of The Stone and The Seagull.
It was a year that saw celebrated returns of a great, white whale in Moby-Dick at the American Repertory Theater, of Malcolm X in Detroit Red at ArtsEmerson and of Norma Desmond in North Shore Music Theatre’s ravishing Sunset Boulevard. SpeakEasy Stage Company has a string of nominations for myriad offerings including the dystopian, The Children which eked out a promising run of performances before closing early because of the novel coronavirus. Apollinaire Theatre Company of Chelsea, a reliable Norton contender, made another strong showing this year with its production of The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart.
The nominations also find Tony-winners Billy Porter and Rachel Chavkin up for awards in directing categories. The committee will award a special citation to Shear Madness which completed a record 40-year run before closing earlier this year. And the ceremony will celebrate Johnny Lee Davenport, who died in February, with the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence. A mainstay on Boston area stages since 2006, Davenport is remembered for his indelible performances and humanity that stand as an enduring legacy on the region’s theatrical landscape. Following are the nominees for The 38th Annual Elliot Norton Awards:
Outstanding Musical Production
“Parade,” Moonbox Productions
“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
“Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions
“Pacific Overtures,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston
Outstanding Production, Large Theater
“The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson
Outstanding Production, Midsize Theater
“Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective
“The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“Cloud 9,” The Nora
“Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
“Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater
Outstanding Production, Small or Fringe Company
“The Return,” Israeli Stage
“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre
“The Ebonic Woman,” Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans
“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre
“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Outstanding Direction, Large Theater
Rachel Chavkin, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
Billy Porter,” “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
Kimberly Senior, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
Lee Sunday Evans, “Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson
Kevin P. Hill, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Outstanding Direction, Midsize Theater
Lee Mikeska Gardner, “Cloud 9,” The Nora
Benny Sato Ambush, “black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective
David R. Gammons, “Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater
Marti Lyons, “Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Eric Tucker, “The Crucible,” The Nora in association with Bedlam
Outstanding Direction, Small or Fringe Theater
Jason Modica, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions
Danielle Fauteux Jacques, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Igor Golyak, “The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Igor Golyak, “The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Guy Ben-Aharon, “The Return,” Israeli Stage
Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actor
Aaron Patterson, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions
Nicholas Rodriguez, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Rashed Alnuaimi, “Oliver!,” New Repertory Theatre
Tom Nelis, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
Peter Mill, “The Rocky Horror Show,” Moonbox Productions
Outstanding Musical Performance by an Actress
Yewande Odetoyinbo, “Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions
Alice Ripley, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Katrina Z Pavao, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston
Haley K. Clay, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions
Outstanding Actor, Large Theater
Will LeBow, “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” Huntington Theatre Company
Morocco Omari, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
Eric Berryman, “Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson
Outstanding Actor, Midsize Theater
Nathan Malin, “Admissions,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Kadahj Bennett, “Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Hubens “Bobby” Cius, “Pipeline,” The Nora and WAM Theatre
Brandon Greene, “black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Albert Park, “Cambodian Rock Band,” Merrimack Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Actor, Small or Fringe Theater
Nael Nacer, “The Return,” Israeli Stage
Brooks Reeves, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Alexander Pobutsky, “Hir,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Seamus G. Doyle, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Minh-Anh Day, “Wolf Play,” Company One Theatre
Outstanding Actress, Large Theater
Analisa Velez, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
Izzie Steele, “The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
Nora Eschenheimer, “Cymbeline,” Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
Jennifer Regan, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
Tyla Abercrumbie, “Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
Outstanding Actress, Midsize Theater
Cheryl McMahon, “Admissions,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Paula Plum, “The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Ireon Roach, “School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Karen MacDonald, “The Children,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Debra Wise, “Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater
Outstanding Actress, Small or Fringe Theater
Darya Denisova, “The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Anne Gottlieb, “The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Lily Kaufman, “Cry It Out,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Becca A. Lewis, “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Philana Mia, “The Return,” Israeli Stage
Outstanding Ensemble, Large Theater
“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
“The Purists,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Quixote Nuevo,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble, Midsize Theater
“School Girls; or, The African Mean Girls Play,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“Cloud 9,” The Nora
“Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective
“Pipeline,” The Nora and WAM Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble, Small or Fringe Theater
“The Ebonic Woman,” Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans
“Parade,” Moonbox Productions
“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre
“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Outstanding New Script
“The Purists” by Dan McCabe, Huntington Theatre Company
“Moby-Dick” by Dave Malloy, American Repertory Theater
“Wolf Play” by Hansol Jung, Company One Theatre
“The Ebonic Woman” by Ryan Landry, Ryan Landry and the Gold Dust Orphans
“Detroit Red” by Will Power, ArtsEmerson
Outstanding Design, Large Theater
“Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
Scenic design by Mimi Lien; costume design by Brenda Abbandandolo; lighting design by Bradley King; sound design by Hidenori Nakajo; puppet design by Eric F. Avery; wig, hair and make-up design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt
“Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Scenic design by Kyle Dixon; costume design by Anthony Powell and Kelly Baker; lighting design by Jose Santiago; wig and hair design by Rachel Padula-Shufelt
“Detroit Red,” ArtsEmerson
Scenic and costume design by Adam Rigg; lighting design by Alan C. Edwards; sound design by Justin Ellington; projection design by Ari Herzig
“Sweat,” Huntington Theatre Company
Scenic design by Cameron Anderson; costume design by Junghyun Georgia Lee; lighting design by D.M. Wood; sound design by Pornchanok Kanchanabanca
“Quixote Nuevo,” Huntington Theatre Company
Scenic design by Takeshi Kata; costume design by Rachel Anne Healy; lighting design by Brian J. Lilienthal; sound design by David R. Molina
Outstanding Design, Midsize Theater
“Vanity Fair,” Underground Railway Theater
Scenic design by David R. Gammons; costume design by Leslie Held; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg; sound design by David Wilson; properties coordinated by Ciara McAloon
“black odyssey boston,” Underground Railway Theater and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Scenic design by Jon Savage; costume design by Nadine Grant; lighting design by Aja M. Jackson; sound design by Dewey Dellay; property design by Elizabeth Rocha
“Cloud 9,” The Nora
Scenic design by Allison Olivia Choat; costume design by Elizabeth Rocha; lighting design by Whitney Brady-Guzmán; sound design by David Bryan Jackson; property design by Stef Tivan
“Pass Over,” SpeakEasy Stage Company and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Scenic design by Baron E. Pugh; costume design by Chelsea Kerl; lighting design by Kathy A. Perkins; sound design by Anna Drummond
“The Cake,” Lyric Stage Company of Boston
Scenic design by Matt Whiton; costume design by Charles Schoonmaker; lighting design by Aja M. Jackson; sound design by Arshan Gailus
Outstanding Design, Small or Fringe Theater
“Parade,” Moonbox Productions
Scenic design by Lindsay Genevieve Fuori; costume design by Chelsea Kerl; lighting design by Steve Shack; sound design by Elizabeth Cahill; hair and wig design by Peter Mill
“The Seagull,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Scenic design by Nikolay Simonov; costume design by Nastya Bugaeva; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg
“The Stone,” Arlekin Players Theatre
Stage design by David R. Gammons; costume design by Nastya Bugaeva; lighting design by Jeff Adelberg; videos designed by Vladimir Gusev
“Vietgone,” Company One Theatre
Scenic and projection design by Izmir Ickbal; costume design by Debra Kim Sivigny; lighting design by Jennifer Fok; sound design by Aubrey Dube; properties by Kelly Smith
“The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart,” Apollinaire Theatre Company
Set/lighting design by Danielle Fauteux Jacques; costume design by Elizabeth Rocha; sound design by David Reiffel
Outstanding Musical Direction
Catherine Stornetta, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions
David Freeman Coleman, “Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Dan Rodriguez, “Caroline, or Change,” Moonbox Productions
Milton Granger, “Sunset Boulevard,” North Shore Music Theatre
Or Matias, “Moby-Dick,” American Repertory Theater
Outstanding Choreography
Yewande Odetoyinbo and Ruka White, “Choir Boy,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Kira Troilo, “Parade,” Moonbox Productions
Ilyse Robbins, “Swan Lake in Blue,” Greater Boston Stage Company
