WATCH Awards Honor Local Theater Productions

N.Va. Groups Show Less Dominance

The curtain appears to have come down on Northern Virginia's dominance of local theater awards. The Little Theatre of Alexandria and the Elden Street Players of Herndon, traditionally big winners, were almost shut out at this year's Washington Area Theatre Community Honors, and Maryland-based newcomers swept many of the top awards.

The WATCH program held its annual awards gala Sunday night at the Birchmere in Alexandria, honoring theater groups from Virginia, Maryland and the District.

The Little Theatre of Alexandria, usually among the most-honored groups in the region's theater community, took home only two awards, one for outstanding supporting actress (Rebecca Lenehan as Rosemary Sydney in "Picnic"), and the other for lighting (Ken Crowley and Patti Crowley, also for "Picnic").

Despite being nominated for 16 awards in acting and technical categories, the Alexandria troupe, which stages nine shows annually, was outpaced by the Arlington Players, which won three awards and staged three productions.

The Arlington Players won for outstanding direction of a musical (John K. Monnett for "Sweet Smell of Success"), outstanding cameo in a musical (Albert Coia as Erronius in the comedy "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum") and outstanding costume design (Mary Ayala-Bush and Lori Levitt for "Sweet Smell of Success").

The Elden Street Players received three top honors out of 13 nominations for its five shows, including a tie for outstanding lead actress in two of its dramas. The group's production of "Doubt, a Parable" won honors for outstanding lead actress in a play (Jane MacFarlane as Sister Aloysius) and outstanding cameo in a play (Lolita-Marie as Mrs. Muller).

The Elden Street Players' drama "Hedda Gabler" earned outstanding lead actress in a play (Karen Jadlos Shotts as Hedda Gabler). The Herndon company was outpaced among Fairfax County troupes by the Reston Community Players, which won four awards. Two of those were in technical categories, and its comic musical "Urinetown" was honored for choreography (Matt Anderson and Catherine Oh) and for outstanding featured supporting actress in a musical (June Schreiner as Little Sally).

A relative newcomer, Montgomery County's Kensington Arts Theatre, seems the company to beat. The group, which specializes in a mix of cutting-edge and traditional musicals, won seven awards out of 17 nominations, including outstanding musical ("A New Brain"), outstanding lead actress in a musical (Katie McManus as Lizzie in "110 in the Shade") and lead actor in a musical (frequent winner Andy Izquierdo as Gordon Michael Schwinn in "A New Brain"). The group also won outstanding featured supporting actor in a musical (Ryan Manning as Jim in "110 in the Shade").

Another group new to WATCH, the Colonial Players of Annapolis, took home four awards, including outstanding play (the historical drama "Hauptmann") and outstanding lead actor in a play (Pat Reynolds as Bruno Richard Hauptmann in "Hauptmann").

The top award winner was the Port Tobacco Players of La Plata, although its eight awards were primarily in technical categories.

WATCH judged 114 productions (30 musicals, 84 plays) by 29 community-based theater companies last year. In each of 28 categories, five nominees were selected, based on the average scores of eight judges. For calendar year 2009, 122 productions staged by 30 troupes will be in the competition.

The annual awards gala featured performances from the casts of the nominated musicals, in addition to the handing out of trophies resembling the Washington Monument.