From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 166: "The Music Man," "The Engagement Party" and "Twelfth Night" Top the 29th Annual Connecticut Critic's Circle Nominations

"The Music Man" at Goodspeed Musicals

By James V. Ruocco

The Goodspeed Musicals' revival of "The Music Man," Yale Rep's "Twelfth Night" and "The Engagement Party" at Hartford Stage are among the major contenders in competition for this year's 29th annual "Connecticut Critic's Circle Awards."

The event, which recognizes the best professional Equity theatre in the state will take place June 3 at the Goodspeed (6 Main St., East Haddam, CT). The ceremony will be hosted by Jennifer Cody who will be featured in "Mamma Mia!" this June at Connecticut Repertory Theatre in Storrs. She will be playing Rosie.

Showtime is 7 p.m.

In contention are the following Connecticut based theaters: Hartford Stage, Long Wharf Theatre, Goodspeed Musicals, Playhouse on Park, Music Theatre of Connecticut, Westport Country Playhouse, Yale Rep, Connecticut Repertory Theatre, Summer Theatre of New Canaan, ACT of CT,  Seven Angels Theatre, TheaterWorks/Hartford and Ivoryton Playhouse.

Tony Award-winning set designer Michael Yeargan has been tapped to receive the annual "Tom Killen" award for lifetime achievement in Connecticut theatre.

Rachel Christopher Outstanding Solo performance ("An Iliad") (Long Wharf Theatre)

Two performers have been awarded acting awards out of competition. Rachel Christopher will receive the "Outstanding Solo Performance" award for  her portrayal of The Poet in "An Iliad" at Long Wharf Theatre. The award for "Outstanding Debut" will be given to Kenneth Galm who played Tobias Ragg in the Connecticut Repertory Theatre production of Stephen Sondheim's "Sweeney Todd."

The Connecticut Critic's Circle is a professional organization of writers, critics, columnists, actors, designers, directors and broadcasters representing newspapers, magazines, websites, radio programs, online columns and other social media. Their individual work reaches millions of people throughout Connecticut, New York, Rhode Island, Massachussets and around the world.

All nominations are submitted via a long list of nominees, which, is later voted upon to fit a short list of contenders (five choices each) in several major categories including Outstanding Play, Outstanding Ensemble and Outstanding Musical.

This year's 2019 nominees are as follows:

"The Engagement Party" at Hartford Stage

Outstanding Play:

"The Engagement Party" (Hartford Stage)

"Twelfth Night" (Yale Rep)

"el Huracan" (Yale Rep)

"Make Believe" (Hartford Stage)

"A Flea in Her Ear" (Westport Country Playhouse")

Outstanding Musical:

"The Music Man" (Goodspeed Musicals)

"In the Heights" (Playhouse on Park)

"Once" (Ivoryton Playhouse)

"In the Heights" (Westport Country Playhouse)

"Man of LaMancha" (Westport Country Playhouse)

Jordan Sobel ("My Name is Asher Lev") (Playhouse on Park) 

Outstanding Actor in a Play:

Zack Appelman ("The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

Jordan Sobel ("My Name is Asher Lev") (Playhouse on Park)

Brad Heberlee ("Make Believe") (Hartford Stage)

Michael Raver ("Cat on a Hot Tin Roof') (Music Theatre of Connecticut)

Marc D. Lyons ("Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?") (Ivoryton Playhouse)

Outstanding Actress in a Play:

Linda Powell ("The Roommate") (Long Wharf Theatre)

Megan Byrne ("Make Believe") (Hartford Stage)

Peggy Cosgrove ("Ripcord") (Seven Angels Theatre)

Andrea Lynn Green ("Cat on a Hot Tin Roof") (Music Theatre of Connecticut)

Marina Re ("Ripcord") (Seven Angels Theatre)

Edward Watts ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Outstanding Actor in a Musical:

Edward Watts ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

 Philip Hernandez ("Man of La Mancha") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Niko Touros ("In the Heights") (Playhouse on Park)

Terrence Mann ("Sweeney Todd") (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

Rodolfo Soto ("In the Heights") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Donald Corren ("Oliver!") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Outstanding Actress in a Musical:

Ellie Fishman ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Gisela Adisa ("Man of LaMancha") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Liz Larsen ("Sweeney Todd') (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

Emily Ferranti ("The Mystery of Edwin Drood") (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

Christina Carlucci ("First Date") (Seven Angels Theatre)


Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play:

Allen Gilmore ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Leon Addison Brown ("Paradise Blue") (Long Wharf Theatre)

Brian Patrick Murphy ( "The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

Dan Shor ("My Name is Asher Lev") (Playhouse on Park)

Mic Matarresse ("A Flea in Her Ear") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Adriana Sevahn Nichols ("el Huracan") (Yale Rep)

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play:

Jennifer Paredes ("el Huracan") (Yale Rep)

Tiffany Denise Hobbs ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Brenda Pressley ("Flyin' West")  (Westport Country Playhouse)

Ilia Isorelys Paulino ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Adriana Sevahn Nichols ("el Huracan") (Yale Rep)


Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical:

Brandon Andrus ("Oliver!") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Ed Dixon ("Sweeney Todd") (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

Jim Schilling ("Cabaret") (Music Theatre of Connecticut)

Blakley and Parker Slaybaugh ("The Drowsy Chaperone") (Goodspeed Musicals)

James Donahue ("First Date") (Seven Angels Theatre)

Alexa Racioppi ("A Chorus Line") (Ivoryton Playhouse) 

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical:

Amy Jo Phillips ("In the Heights") (Playhouse on Park)

Rachel MacIssac ("Kiss Me, Kate") (Summer Theatre of New Canaan)

Stephanie Pope ("In the Heights") (Playhouse on Park)

Anne Kanengeiser ("Cabaret") (Music Theatre of CT)

Alexa Racioppi ("A Chorus Line") (Ivoryton Playhouse)


Outstanding Ensemble:

The Cast of ("The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

The Cast of ("Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense") (Hartford Stage)

The Cast of ("The Revolutionists") (Playhouse on Park")

The Cast of ("Cadillac Crew") (Yale Rep)

The Cast of ("Thousand Pines") (Westport Country Playhouse)

The Cast of ("Altar Boyz") (Seven Angels Theatre)

Mark Lamos ("A Flea in Her Ear") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Outstanding Director of a Play:

Darko Tresnjak ("The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

Mark Lamos ("A Flea in Her Ear") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Laurie Woolery ("el Huracan") (Yale Rep)

Carl Cofield ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Jackson Gay ("Make Believe") (Hartford Stage)


Outstanding Director of a Musical:

Jenn Thompson ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Ben Hope ("Once") (Ivoryton Playhouse)

Marcos Santana ("In the Heights") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Sean Harris ("In the Heights") (Playhouse on Park)

Mark Lamos ("Man of LaMancha") (Westport Country Playhouse)

"In the Heights" at Playhouse on Park

Outstanding Choreography:

Patricia Wilcox (“The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Darlene Zoller ( “In the Heights") (Playhouse on Park)

Chris Bailey ("The Drowsy Chaperone") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Charlie Sutton ("Evita") (ACT of CT)

Marcos Santana ("In the Heights")  (Westport Country Playhouse)

Outstanding Projection Design:

Brittany Bland  (“Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Yaara Bar  ("el Huracan")  (Yale Rep)

Caite Hevner  ("Working") (ACT of CT)

Rasean Davonte Johnson  (“Cadillac Crew") (Yale Rep)

"The Engagement Party" at Hartford Stage 

Outstanding Set Design:

Alexander Dodge ("The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

Wilson Chin (“Man of La Mancha") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Adam Koch ("In the Heights") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Paul Tate dePoo III  ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Kristen Robinson ("A Flea in Her Ear") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Outstanding Costume Design:

 Mika H. Eubanks ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Gregg Barnes ("The Drowsy Chaperone") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Brittny Mahan ("The Mystery of Edwin Drood") (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

 David Toser ("The Music Man") (Goodspeed Musicals)

Herin Kaputkin ("el Huracan") (Yale Rep)

Outstanding Lighting Design:

Matthew Richards ("The Engagement Party") (Hartford Stage)

John Lasiter ("Oliver!" ) (Goodspeed Musicals)

Samuel Kwan Chi Chan ("Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Alan C. Edwards ("Man of La Mancha") (Westport Country Playhouse)

Paul Miller ("The Music Man”) (Goodspeed Musicals)

"Twelfth Night" at Yale Rep

Outstanding Sound Design:

Joshua D. Reid (“Girlfriend”) (TheaterWorks/Hartford)

Frederick Kennedy ( “Twelfth Night") (Yale Rep)

Lee Kinney ("An Iliad") (Long Wharf Theatre)

 Michael Vincent Skinner (“Sweeney Todd”) (Connecticut Repertory Theatre)

Megumi Katayama (“el Huracan”) (Yale Rep)