Lakes Region performers earn top honors at New Hampshire Theatre Awards

CONCORD — The Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative of Laconia and Village Players of Wolfeboro were among the companies recognized for fostering and strengthening the New Hampshire theater community during an awards ceremony at Capitol Center for the Arts on Feb. 1.

Presented by the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance, the New Hampshire Theatre Awards recognized both professional and community performances and those responsible for keeping acting alive in the Granite State. The evening included several special awards.

Raina Ames, director of theatre education and chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of New Hampshire, received an award for Special Achievement in Youth Theatre. She cited three examples of how theater served as a “powerful way” to enhance learning, generate excitement and foster creativity.

“To be able to feed your own artistic growth is wonderful,” she said, “but to be a part of sparking interest in young artists is just magical.”

Bob Bates of the Barnstormers Theatre received the Francis Grover Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. Bates was on Cape Cod and unable to attend the ceremonies, but sent a message of acceptance:

“I feel somewhat stunned but deeply honored,” he wrote. “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to people who start theaters so actors can do what they feel compelled to do against so many odds: Francis Cleveland, for whom this award is named and co-founder of the Barnstormers Theatre, helped give me a start to my professional acting career, and gave me the enormous privilege of working with him when he was both a director and an actor; and thanks to Carolyn Nesbitt, who founded the remarkable acting company called Advice To the Players, creating the opportunity for theater professionals, adult members of the community and community youth to perform in imaginative productions of [William] Shakespeare’s plays. But then other people came forward and kept those theaters going, making it possible for people like me to hang around long enough to get awards like this.”

The New Hampshire Theatre Alliance also awarded the Kevin Riley NH Theatre Hero Award to Carl and Andrea Juliano, whose Theatre in a Box collects costumes and props from groups that shut down or do not have space to store them, and then provides the items at no charge to school and community theatrical groups.

“We don’t do this for accolades; we just want to help,” Carl said. “I’ve been doing theater over 50 years, and one of the most expensive things to do is to build a set and gather props. And I see theater groups in schools buy materials, assemble things, have to buy props or locate furniture, and then, once the show’s done, they end up having to throw it out or put it in a Dumpster, or see if there’s somebody that’ll take it. And then the next show comes and they’ve got to spend money all over again.

"I don’t have the cure for all of that. Our goal is just to try to keep community theater affordable.”

The Barnstormers Theatre received several nominations for its production of “Into the Breeches!” The play was a finalist for Outstanding Professional Production of a Play; the winner was Peterborough Players’ “Ben Butler”. Dee Nelson as Celeste Fielding was a finalist for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Professional Production of a Play. The three winners were Amy Desrosiers as Charlotte Cushman in the New Hampshire Theatre Project’s production of “Romeo and Her Sister”; Greta Swartz as Susan Cushman in the same production; and Douglas Rees as Maj. Gen. Benjamin Butler in the Peterborough Players’ “Ben Butler”.

Clara Jean Kelly was nominated for Outstanding Costume Design in a Professional Production for “Into the Breeches!”, but the award went to Jane Alois Stein for Peterborough Players’ “Man of La Mancha”. Richie Ouellette was nominated for Outstanding Scenic Design in a Professional Production, but Gary English took the award for Peterborough Players’ “Man of La Mancha”. Kimberley O’Loughlin was nominated for Outstanding Sound Design in a Professional Production, but Andrew Cameron took the award for Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”.

Powerhouse Theatre Collaborative’s “Tuck Everlasting” took a number of awards, including for Outstanding Community Production of a Musical; and Bryan Halperin won for Outstanding Direction of a Community Production of a Musical. Powerhouse Theatre was a finalist for Outstanding Community Production of a Musical for its production of “Fiddler on the Roof”. Theatre UP’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” also was a finalist.

Christine Chiasson was nominated for Outstanding Music Direction in a Community Production for Powerhouse's “Tuck Everlasting”, but the award went to Kevin Fisher and Ella Burroughs for Ovation Theatre Company’s production of “Rock of Ages: Teen Edition”.

Meg King received a nomination for Outstanding Choreography in a Community Production for her work on Powerhouse's “Fiddler on the Roof” and was a finalist in the category for “Tuck Everlasting”. The award went to Katy Gore for Ovation Theatre Company’s “Legally Blonde The Musical”. Gore also had been nominated in that category for her work with “Six: The Musical - Teen Edition”.

Maci Johnson, as Winnie Foster in “Tuck Everlasting”, shared honors for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Community Production of a Musical with Ro Gavin as Ursula in Manchester Community Theatre Players’ production of “The Little Mermaid” and Rose Chaffee as J.D. in Ro Gavin Collaborative Theatre’s “Heathers”. Among the finalists in that category were Powerhouse actors Joel Iwaskiewicz as Tevye in “Fiddler on the Roof” and Caity Hicks as Mae Tuck in “Tuck Everlasting”.

Matthew Haley of Arts in Motion Theater Company won the award for Outstanding Scenic Design in a Community Production for “The Play That Goes Wrong” where Powerhouse's Melissa Shakun with “Fiddler on the Roof” and Samantha Tutasi with “Tuck Everlasting” were finalists, while Jay Sydow of the Village Players was nominated for the honor with work on “Wit”.

Emma Molloy as Chava and Olivia Martinson as Tzeitel in Powerhouse’s production of “Fiddler on the Roof” were nominated for Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Community Production of a Musical. The awards went to Rose Chaffee as Blaine Tuttle in Actors Cooperative Theatre’s “Cruel Intentions, The ’90s Musical”, Nick Allen as Sam Sweetly/Others in Dive In Productions’ “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals”, and Ella Burroughs as Marie in Ovation Theatre Company’s “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella”.

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Community Production went to Joshua Benham of Actorsingers for “The Spongebob Musical”. Tyler Soucy of Powerhouse was also nominated for the honor with “Tuck Everlasting”. Soucy also had been nominated for Outstanding Sound Design in a Community Production for “Fiddler on the Roof” and was a finalist for “Tuck Everlasting”, but the award went to Mark Beland of Ovation Theatre Company for “Rock of Ages: Teen Edition”.

Gay Bean and Heather Vitale of Powerhouse were nominated for Outstanding Costume Design in a Community Production for both “Fiddler on the Roof” and “Tuck Everlasting”. The award went to Andrew Lidestri and Jennifer Donovan for Theatre UP’s production of “Disney’s The Lion King Jr.”

The Village Players’ Phoebe VanScoy-Giessler as Vivian Bearing, Ph.D., in “Wit” was one of three winners for Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Community Production of a Play. The other winners were Heather Howe as Victoria/Chelsea in Dive In Productions’ “Romantic Atmos-Fear” and Andrew Lidestri as Arnold in M&D Playhouse’ “Torch Song”.

The Village Players’ “Wit” was nominated for Outstanding Community Production of a Play, but the award went to “The Play That Goes Wrong” by Arts in Motion Theater Company. Michaela Andruzzi, who directed “Wit”, was nominated for Outstanding Direction of a Community Production of a Play but, again, the award went to Arts in Motion Theater Company’s Glenn Paranal-Noble for his direction of “The Play That Goes Wrong”.

Interspersed among the awards were performances of songs and scenes from shows submitted for awards. The NHTA Performance Ensemble presented a parody of “Six Wives” from "SIX"; Dive In Productions performed “La De Da Dah Day” from “The Guy Who Didn’t Like Musicals”; Peacock Players presented “Whose House Is This?” from “Mean Girls High School Version”; and Amplified Arts did a presentation from “Hedda Gabler” before a presentation of a memorial slide show honoring those in the theater profession who have died.

After an intermission, the ensemble sang “Larger Than Life/Road To Hell”; Nashua Theatre Guild presented a scene from “Our Town”; Manchester Community Theatre Players sang “If Only” from “Disney’s The Little Mermaid”; Kids Coop Theatre presented “When You’re An Addams” from “The Addams Family”; and Colonel Town Players presented “Those Canaan Days” from “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”.

Closing out the night’s performances, Ovation Theatre Company performed “What You Want” from “Legally Blonde The Musical”.

Other awards

Professional category

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Musical: Scott Bakula as Don Quixote/Cervantes in Peterborough Players’ “Man of La Mancha”; Jason Faria as Anatole in Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”; and Shinnerrie Jackson as “Ensemble” in Weathervane Theatre’s “The Story Goes On: The Songs of Maltby and Shire”.

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Play: Michael Towle as Edwin Forrest in New Hampshire Theatre Project’s “Romeo and Juliet”; Nicholas Wilder as Lieutenant Kelly in Peterborough Players’ “Ben Butler”; and Lady Ro as Miss Tracy Mills in Players’ Ring Theatre’s “The Legend of Georgia McBride”.

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Musical: Kraig Swartz as Sancho in Peterborough Players’ “Man of La Mancha”; Alyssa Dumas as Marya in Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812"; and Marisa Kirby as “Ensemble” in Weathervane Theatre’s “The Story Goes On: The Songs of Maltby and Shire”.

Outstanding Production of a Musical: Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”.

Outstanding Direction of a Play: Courtney St. Gelais, New Hampshire Theatre Project’s “Romeo and Juliet”.

Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Ben Hart and Brandon James, Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”.

Outstanding Music Direction: Deniz Cordell, Weathervane Theatre’s “The Story Goes On: The Songs of Maltby and Shire”.

Outstanding Choreography: David Grindrod, Weathervane Theatre’s “Everybody’s Talking About Jamie”.

Outstanding Lighting Design: Zachary Ahmad-Kahloon, Seacoast Repertory Theatre’s “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812”.

Community & youth category

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Community Production of a Play: Maya Small as Thea Elvsted in Amplified Arts’ “Hedda Gabler”, Rose Chaffee as Judas Iscariot in Milford Area Players’ “The Last Days of Judas Iscariot”, and Chris Savage as Gibson/Homer in Ro Gavin Collaborative Theatre’s “Mr. Burns, A Post-Electric Play”.

Outstanding Performance in a Leading Role in a Youth Production: Samantha Mastroberte as Squidward Q. Tentacles in Actorsingers’ “The Spongebob Musical”, Lorelei Stahl as Lonny Barnett in Ovation Theatre Company’s “Rock of Ages: Teen Edition”, and Debrah Hernandez as Jane Seymour in Ovation Theatre Company’s “Six: The Musical - Teen Edition”.

Outstanding Performance in a Supporting Role in a Youth Production: Gavin McCrevan as Sheldon J. Plankton in Actorsingers’ “The Spongebob Musical”, Isabelle Frechette as Dory in Arts in Motion Theater Company’s “Disney’s Finding Nemo Jr.”, and Violet Strevig as Timon in Theatre Up’s “Disney’s The Lion King Jr.”

Outstanding Youth Production: Ovation Theatre Company’s “Six: The Musical - Teen Edition”.

Outstanding Contribution to the New Hampshire Theatre Alliance: Justin Voshell.