From the Desk of Jim R, Take 2, Column 447, Best Actor in a Play, Best Featured Actor in a Play, Best Actress in a Play, Best Featured Actress in a Play, Best Lighting Design

 By James V. Ruocco

The actor.
The actress.
The play.
The performance.
The interpretation.

Who stood out?
Who deserves the recognition?
Who went above and beyond?
Whose talents were award-winning?
Whose work left a lasting impression?
Whose performance was unmissable?

In 2023, Hole in the Wall Theater and Brookfield Theatre for the Arts, among other venues, featured a stellar line up of non-equity actors whose work - outstanding, expressive, inspired, thematic - was deeply felt, emotional, amplified, confident and handsomely presented within the framework of the individual storytelling.

My choices are as follows:

Best Actor in a Play

Rick Malone (David in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)
Rick Calvo (Stephen in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)
Jordan Pita (George Hay in "Moon Over Buffalo") (Sacred Heart University)
Terrance J. Peters (Frankie in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater) 
Tony Palmieri (Brian in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)

Best Featured Actor in a Play

Terrance J. Peters (Hyde 3, Surgical Student 1 and Man 3 in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
John Garfield (Javier in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Billy Dempster (Winston in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts) 
Jamie Reopell (Morris in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Dennis Hull (Charlie Aiken in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Ethan Timothy (Elmer Sweeney in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)

Best Actress in a Play

Ingrid M. Smith (Violet Weston in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Sarah Etkin (Barbara Fordham in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Kerrie Maguire (Scarlett in "Wife/Worker/Whore" (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Sarah Etkin (Donna in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Tina Parziale (Jenna in "Mentors") (Backyard Theatre Ensemble)
Sydney Yargeau (Athena in "Athena") (Andromeda Theatre Guild) 
Carolyn Doherty (Karen Andre in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)

Best Featured Actress in a Play

Dawn Maselli (Mrs. Sportelli in "Night of January 16th") (Castle Craig Players)
Marie R. Altenor (Liz in "Wife/Worker/Whore") (Hole in the Wall Theater) 
Krysten Drachenberg (Johnna Monevata in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall
Theater)
Lindsay Campbell (Ivy Weston in "August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Jan Andree (Poole and Woman 1 in "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde") (Hole in the Wall Theater)
Lynn Nissenbaum (Bitsy in "Straight Men Can't Dance") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)
Maggie Devlin (Ethel in "Moon Over Buffalo") (Sacred Heart University) 

Best Lighting Design

Stephen Cihanek ("Spring Awakening") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)
Stephen Cihanek ("Urinetown: The Musical") (Brookfield Theatre for the Arts)
Lucas Veo ("Rent") (White Rabbitt Theatre)
Jakob Kelsey ("Into the Woods") (Castle Craig Players)
Jim Nason ("August: Osage County") (Hole in the Wall Theater)