Man Frog and Other People

Produced by Necessary I. T. E. M. S. Project
Written by Eugene Muzica
Directed by Irina Abraham

Nomination: Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role - Ron Williams

About Necessary I. T. E. M. S. Project
Necessary I.T.E.M.S. Project is an award winning experimental theatre company. I.T.E.M.S. stands for Inner Truth, Experience, Movement, Style - all are items necessary in their creative work. Actors look for INNER TRUTH of their characters and therefore - their own artistic truth. They are constantly searching for and EXPERIENCE the emotional and intellectual states of their characters. The directors love movement and choreography. MOVEMENT is life! As a collective of artists, they are in constant search of their own unique STYLE of expression on stage.

Photo by Tom Schubert

About Man Frog and Other People
Man Frog and Other People is a satirical adaptation of the fairy tale Prince Frog.

What first attracted you to working on this show?

Ron: The first thing that attracted me to this role was simply becoming a frog and bringing it to life!

Irina: We were attracted to the mythology and symbology of fairytales in general and wanted to find parallels between the plot lines and messages of some of the most famous fairy tales and life in the modern world.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Irina: The process of adapting the story and physical exploration of it were most exciting. Finding precision in actors' physicality helped us communicate the essence of the characters and the world they lived in. Building the story itself drawing on the original plot of Prince Frog as well as mythology and current events was an interesting process in which we learned a lot.

What was the most challenging aspect of working on this production?

Ron: The most challenging part of working on this production was trying to find the good in my character.

Irina: There was a delicate balance between staying truthful and working with a magical plot framed by a highly stylized execution.

What was the funniest or most quirky part of this production?

Irina: Everything about this production was quirky, innovative and funny. We usually do work that is in the realm of experimental. The rules are rather different in that territory, so the process is unique every time with a lot of laughter and surprises along the way.

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching Man Frog and Other People

Irina: We were experimenting with genres and aimed at creating something new from something old. We wanted our audience to look beyond the well known plot line of Prince Frog and see the hidden meaning and the connections to mythology, psychology and tendencies in today's society.

What is the best thing about working with this company of artists?

Ron: The best thing about working with Necessary Items is not only are you able to work with such talented a creative people, they also have become my family. I am truly grateful to share this nomination with them.

Irina: Our nominee Ronnie Williams joined our team for the first time in this production. Ronnie's work is very deep, humorous and physically charged. He is very precise in his body language and creates bald, memorable characters, which is very much in tune with our company's approach.

Did you learn anything or discover anything new while working on this project?

Ron: I discovered that my body can move in ways i never thought it could.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Ron: Receiving this nomination means I have touched someones heart /soul and a part of me is with them. This is what I enjoy doing! Putting everything I have into each performance on stage to make someone feel something, whether its happy, sad, angry, etc.

Irina: We are very happy for Ronnie's nomination. From the start we were admiring his work: creating a character that is part animal, part human and is essentially a walking metaphor is not easy and he accomplished the task with elegance and ease. We are proud to have worked together and to have provided the creative space for Ronnie to spread his wings and apply his artistry.

Bruce Barton

Hamlet
Written by William Shakespeare
Conceived & Directed by George K. Wells
Produced by Hudson Warehouse in association with Susane Lee

Nomination: Bruce Barton - Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role

About Hudson Warehouse
Hudson Warehouse's mission is to provide quality, exciting, innovative, and affordable classical theater to the community. Those unable to pay are still welcome. The Warehouse believes theater is a "ware" and essential for daily life. To this end, through our partnership with Goddard Riverside, the New York City's Department of Parks and Recreation, and the New York City Department of Corrections, our audience is a vast community of people who wouldn't otherwise have the opportunity to experience quality live theater. Hudson Warehouse believes everyone deserves to have the theater experience, because theater is so essential to what makes us human.

Photos by Susane Lee

About Hamlet
An adaptation of Hamlet conceived and directed by Hudson Warehouse Associate Artistic Director George K. Wells. Wells also appeared in the title role. Wells devised the gravedigger scene, originally written as a two character scene, essentially as a monologue for the gravedigger (played by Bruce Barton,) who has assorted skulls in his graveyard. These skulls do respond to him, but purely in his head.

What first attracted you to this version of Hamlet?

Bruce: I'm one of the Artists in Residence with Hudson Warehouse, so any chance to appear in one of their summer season productions is an experience I know I'm going to enjoy, as the productions invariably are cast with those who I've enjoyed working with in the company previously and newcomers bringing their own new energy to the group. With Hamlet I knew many of the cast going in. And Hudson Warehouse does classical theater so I always know going in that the material will be great.

Susane: George Wells’s adaptation was inspired. He explored Hamlet’s motives and relationships, with Ophelia and Horatio in particular, in a truly innovative way. His staging of Hamlet’s soliloquies, the most famous as a dialogue between Ophelia and Hamlet, was gripping and brought a much deeper layer to their relationship. And the emotional, passionate relationship between Hamlet and Horatio made so much sense within the text. And added another layer to the emotional heartbreak in the story.

What was your favorite part of working on this production? 

Bruce: Getting to be in Hamlet, for one. And getting to play two contrasting roles is always fun.

Susane: Watching the production evolve through the rehearsal process. Wells’ Hamlet was so raw and invigorating. I have seen many productions of Hamlet in my life, but his adaptation was the most innovative and really grabbed me. We had a terrific cast and production team that fully embraced this adaptation and the audience response was so gratifying because it was such an innovative adaptation.

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you? 


Bruce: Well, doing something, anything in Hamlet is challenging because you have the challenge of honoring the material and also finding a way to put your own take on the role while staying true the particular production you're in.

Susane: There were several technical elements including sound cues throughout the production. It was essential that the sound and music cues move in and out of the dialogue. Getting these two elements aligned was a challenge. It was a thrill when it all came together.





What did you want the audience to walk away with after watching this production?

Susane: A deeper sense of Hamlet’s struggle and all the emotional turmoil brought on by the loss of a parent, only elevated by the message from ghost of his father. It was so gratifying when parents told us afterwards that their children wanted to immediately go to Barnes and Noble and purchase the book!

What is the best thing about working with this company of artists?

Bruce: Being an Artist in Residence with a company whose work you respect means you have a home. A place where people whose artistic vision you respect provide an environment where you can work on great material with talented people and can feel safe to take chances and be supported. Hudson Warehouse has provided me with that so the experiences are both challenging and fun.

Susane: Bruce Barton has been an actor in New York City for the past 35 years and been an Artist in Residence of Hudson Warehouse for the past 7 years. He is an incredibly humble and modest man. This nomination really honors a man who really deserves to be recognized. He is a strong and versatile actor, someone who is memorable in all his roles, a beloved member of our company, and we couldn't be more proud or happier for him.

What was the funniest part of this production?

Susane: Bruce Barton’s gravedigger was hilarious, incredibly quirky, and conceptually inspired. Bruce has great comedic timing and delivery and gave us a gravedigger no one had seen before -- and blew everyone away!

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Bruce: It's very special to be nominated by audience members who've seen the show and don't necessarily know you personally but have enjoyed/appreciated your work. It's also meaningful because it reflects well on the company. Since all performances are the product of the ensemble effort, it's a tribute to the whole company's work, so as an Artist in Residence with Hudson Warehouse I'm glad to reflect that.

Susane: Independent Theater in New York is entirely motivated by the love of the work. The desperate need to get an idea, a vision and a story out there. To have our Bruce Barton nominated is so satisfying after all the energy that goes into creating Off-Off-Broadway theater. We are so proud of this recognition because outdoor theater is definitely a labor of love. It is so hard to put up a full fledged production, outdoors, only to take it down after each show. We do this for 48 shows over the summer, for three very different shows, over three months. It's so much work to put up and take down a show every night, not counting the heat and elements. But we do it because theater matters and we work incredibly hard to make our outdoor theater experience exciting and memorable for our audience. It is such an honor to be recognized by the NYIT Awards. We are thrilled and grateful.

Entangled

Produced by The Amoralists

Written by Charly Evon Simpson & Gabriel Jason Dean

Directed by Kate Moore Heaney

Nominations: Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role – Naomi Lorrain; Outstanding Original Full-Length Script - Gabriel Jason Dean & Charly Evon Simpson

About the Amoralists

We are The Amoralists. A diverse collective of uncompromising artists. Founded in 2006, we produce original work that confronts the American condition in all its complexity. Our stories are emotionally charged and character driven, a place where politics and perspectives collide and no side emerges unscathed. Explosive, vital, raucous and raw, we do theatre, no moral judgement.

Photos by Travis Emery Hackett

About Entangled

In the aftermath of a mass shooting in NYC, the black mother of a victim and the white brother of the shooter try to make sense of what happened, each individually grappling with a soul-shattering experience that few understand. An exploration of loss and survival, Entangled is the story of two strangers connected by tragedy in a nation still struggling to see itself for what it is.

The nominees and producer James Kautz give us some insight into developing Entangled.

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What first attracted you to Entangled?

James: The opportunity to explore this very important topic with extremely talented playwrights and artists

Naomi: I am an eternal fan of Charly Evon Simpson's writing and I originated the part of Greta in her previous play Stained.

Gabriel: I was commissioned by the Amoralists as part of their 'Wright Club. I had been working on a musical, OUR NEW TOWN, with the Civilians which was about a fictional shooting on a college campus and so the crossover to the Amoralists Ricochet project was easy.

What was your favorite part of this production?

James: The creation process was incredible personal for all involved - and sharing it with our audience - the conversations in the lobby and the house after the show - was our favorite part of the production. The conversations were heartfelt, heated and abundant.

Naomi: I especially enjoyed illuminating the racial politics that exist within the modern day epidemic that are mass shootings.

Gabriel: It was so rewarding to work with Charly over the course of 18 months. Our conversations were incredible. Entangled was the first time I’ve done something so collaborative with a straight play. And I feel the work is a lot deeper and more examined as a result.

Charly: Getting to work along side Gabriel was a true delight.

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you?

James: Building new plays around difficult subject matter with multiple playwrights takes time and care - and scheduling was by far the most difficult part of this process. Our two playwrights exploded with popularity and productions in 2018/2019.

Naomi: The subject matter was extremely difficult and the monologue style of delivery had its challenges but I believe in Charly's writing and the importance and urgency of the story being told.

Gabriel: Charly and I both had rolling world premieres through the National New Play Network going on at the time and so finding the time to get together was tricky. We eventually settled on writing the script via a Google doc which we both edited and offered comments on and then we followed up with phone conversations.

Charly: Co-writing a play when you are barely in the same place at the same time was a huge challenge for us and really affected how we wrote the play.

What did you want the audience to take away with them after seeing Entangled?

James: I wanted them to have a greater need, ability and urgency to discuss gun violence (and violence in general) in our country and a deeper compulsion to change the status-quo.

What was the most unique or noteworthy part of this production?

James: Our two playwrights wrote this play over the course of two - three months through phone calls, emails and a shared google doc. They’re warriors at the top of their craft.

Naomi: Entangled was one of my most unique & noteworthy experiences I've ever had because of three main things: One, I've never been in a play were I never spoke directly to my scene partner. Two, we had an extremely sparse set consisting of only two chairs and a projector and lastly, I've never been in a show with literally no props whatsoever. The story and connection with the audience was all we had.

Gabriel: When Charly and I first began talking about the characters for Entangled--the brother of the shooter and the mother of one of his victims-- we both knew we were attempting an impossible conversation.Rather than forcing a more theatrical conflict on characters who were already traumatized, we decided it would be more honest and ultimately more thought-provoking to explore the characters’ conflicts through soliloquies and instant messages, both sent and unsent. We had many meetings and phone conversations, but ultimately created the play together on a Google Doc with Charly writing for Greta and me writing for Bradley. That process allowed us to respond to each other in real time, leaving notes and ideas for each other along the way. By accident, we also discovered that the writing process we were experiencing for the play ultimately correlated almost seamlessly to the structure and experience of the play we were creating.

What was it like working with this company of artists?

James: They risk being vulnerable - really vulnerable

Naomi: They are fearless. They enjoy challenging the mindset of their audience and I think that's vital in order to amplify the empathy and humanity we have as a society.

Gabriel: With the entire project, we had 18 months to talk, think, try things. It was an amazing experience to have a company get behind and stage your first draft and to work on crafting that draft during rehearsal. Typically there is a lot of development along the way and in my experience, sometimes the play can lose its force that way.

Did you gain any insight or learn anything new throughout this process?

Naomi: Most definitely. I realized how unnecessary props, sets or even lights are to telling a story. The connection to the story and relying that story to the audience is key.

Gabriel: Work with Charly as much as possible!

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

James: It’s an incredible honor that we’ve been recognized for contributing something noteworthy to NY’s Indie Theatre community.

Naomi: Working on this show was especially difficult. It was one of the hardest plays I've done this season (specifically due to the style and lack of traditional play elements) and this nomination is a reminder that the intense emotional life that I brought to Greta was recognized and appreciated.

Gabriel: It's really a true honor to have our experiment and collaboration recognized with this nomination. I'm very grateful!

Charly: I love that I get to share this nomination with Gabriel. The writing process for this play felt a little crazy at times, but it is nice to know that Gabriel and I found our way and the story we were trying to tell came alive.

Shadows, a dance musical

Produced by Go Joe Enterprises
Book by Randall David Cook
Music by Edison Woods, Maxim Moston and Karen Bishko
Directed by Joey McKneely

Nominations: Outstanding Choreography / Movement - Joey McKneely; Outstanding Original Music: Karen Bishko, Maxim Moston, & Edison Woods


About Shadows, a dance musical
When a married woman starts an affair in her NYC pied-à-terre, she discovers it is haunted by spirits. Trapped by their own violent past, the spirits try to stop this affair from escalating. Past informs the present as the cycle repeats itself to a dramatic conclusion.

How far will you go to keep the one you love?

Photos by Jay Michaels

The nominees and producer Jay Michaels discuss their experience of creating this new concept musical.

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What first attracted you to this work?

Joey: The show was an opportunity to create a new form of a musical. Trying to create something fresh using dance as a major form of narrative was the big attraction.

Karen: I was attracted to this show because it's a script about a passionate affair between two unhappily married people. I remember hearing an interview with Sting once where he talked about how love triangles are brilliant for songwriting. I thought I could get stuck into this.

Maxim: My writing partner Julia Frodhal came to me with this project and I loved the idea of melding dance and drama.

Jay: Joey McKneely and Randall David Cook created the project

What was your favorite part of working on Shadows...?

Joey: My favorite part was collaborating not only with my fellow creatives, but with our extraordinary cast of actors and dancers. To see how passionate they all were from the get go was a real treat to experience.

Karen: The people. What a wonderful team.

Maxim: Seeing the actors and dancers put it all together after years of looking at a page or a sound file.

Jay: Watching it come to life

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you?

Joey: The most challenging part was trying to get it right. Once an audience comes into the theater, they let you know what's working and what's not. With the limited time we had, it was really a push to try to make the changes to the show and discover how we could improve our show.

Karen: Being sent home to write a song overnight. There was a hole in the script, which I pointed out and then got nominated to fill. By then I knew the amazing actor and voice that I was writing it for (John Arthur Greene) so it was a different and better experience. Also rewarding because John loved the song when I took it to him the next day.

Maxim: Multiple directions were explored, which meant multiple cues and some brilliant cues needed to be discarded.

Jay: Producing it. Independent theater is far more "hands-on" than Broadway (which McKneely is used to) and needed a lot more care and attention. It became that much more satisfying as all facets could have your signature.

What do you think the funniest or most ironic part of the production for you?

Joey: Wow...being the producer, director, choreographer, conceiver, set/tech supervisor, delivery driver, janitor and anything else that needed to get done during this process was the most exhausting yet inspiring thing I have ever attempted to do.

Karen: Our dress rehearsal was a disaster. Everything went wrong. Ballerina Irina Dvorovenko, possibly the most graceful woman I've ever met, couldn't shut the french doors on the set. She ended up slamming them so hard that the whole set nearly fell over. Randall David Cook (the book writer) and I nearly died laughing. I still laugh every time I think about it.

Maxim: Melding of "high art" and comedy reminded me of On The Town.

Jay: The musical is a Gothic ghost story that took place in a 100 year old building and the theatre is over a century old (which McKneely didn't know when acquiring it) so the whole picture was "supernatural."

What was the best part of working with this company of artists?

Joey: The best thing about these artist is that they all believed in the show. They gave they're all every day. I am so grateful for their time and commitment to the show.

Karen: No egos! Everyone was just a team.

Maxim: Their total dedication.

Jay: Brilliance and mind-reading. Amazing talent and knowing what "works"

Did you gain any insight or learn anything new from this experience?

Joey: Yes, I discovered being a producer is way harder than directing/choreographing a show!

Karen: I learned so much, especially from Joey McNeely. He worked so hard and he pushes everyone and they respond. I also really learnt, quite simply, to work from someone else's script. Randall would give me extra notes about exactly what he thought the song should say, I'd put my twist on it and somehow it worked.

Maxim: I actually like dance.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Joey: It is a huge honor to get this nomination. For all the hard work and sacrifice I made just to get the show on stage, it feels like a little slice of heaven is saying "don't give up, keep going!" It is an enormous gift.

Karen: I'm over the moon to be nominated for this award because I knew this show was different and special and I've worked hard on the songs for years. They're not traditional musical theatre songs at all and it's lovely to be recognized for them.

Maxim: A true honor.

Jay: Validation for the work; acceptance by the community; an honor.

Friendly’s Fire

Produced by The Rising Sun Performance Company in Association with the Theatre at the 14th Street Y
Written by John Patrick Bray
Directed by Anna Hogan

Nomination: Outstanding Set Design - Daniel Hogan

About Rising Sun Performance CompanyRising Sun is committed to the principle of ensemble process and performance through the collaboration of a resident company of theatre artists. Their goal is to provide a safe artistic home which stimulates risk-taking without limits of genre or agenda and where all the artists stand together to create vivid stories.Their mission is to advance the vitality and diversity of American theater by nurturing artists, encouraging repeatable creative relationships, and contributing new works and revitalized pre-existing work to the national canon. They believe in preserving a history of performance and the integrity of theater that can not be found in any other medium today.

Photos by David Anthony

About Friendly’s Fire
Friendly's Fire shows us to what lengths one man will go to preserve the sanity of his friend - a veteran who lost his brother in service to our country.

Daniel and Producer Akia share their thoughts on Friendly's Fire.

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What first attracted you to Friendly's Fire?

Daniel: I have previously worked with several of the artists and producers of the show, and I was thrilled to have the chance to collaborate with them again.

Akia: We have had a long working relationship with the playwright John Patrick Bray, he presented this work to us many years ago and the timing was never right. We finally had the right venue, the right team and the political climate also influenced our timing of the work

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Daniel: I really enjoyed discussing the concept of the show with the director. She is my sister, and I have had few chances to work with her. Friendly's Fire was a chance to develop a cohesive vision together!

Akia: The venue at the 14th street Y was spectacular, they were great champions and partners. Our creative design team was amazing and this show elevated our work on many levels

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you?
Daniel: The world of the show is deeply complex and spans different dimensions and states of consciousness. It was challenging to create levels of reality in a minimal theatrical setting.

Akia: All of the complex design and technical elements the script required . Our lead actor also ruptured to his appendix during the run. Fortunately we had an understudy who was ready, who went on with one full rehearsal.





What was the quirkiest part of this production?

Daniel: The script itself is quirky, charming, whimsical, and dark. I didn't realize how much of it resonated with me until i was watching the actors in dress rehearsals.

Akia: We had a dancing Russian bear, a flying helicopter (YES A FLYING HELICOPTER), a skateboarding Santa and a fighting bee.

What was it like to work with this company of artists?

Daniel: Each artist was able to come together to tell this story.

Akia: The sheer challenge of space/storage/budget. Daniel did so much with so little it was amazing! He worked so closely with the director and team to bring alive the complicated different locations.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Daniel: I have worked extensively in regional theatre for many years where I designed mostly large-scale musical theatre. This show was a return to the essence of design, style, and concept, and I am glad that others enjoyed my work.

Akia: We are excited to have this nomination be for design, as this work really challenged us in so many ways. Visually this has been the most beautiful work we have done to date

The 11th Dimension

Produced by ETdC Projects' Lab in association with Roi Escudero & Valentin Ewan

Designed and Directed by Roi Escudero

Nomination: Outstanding Performance Art Production

About ETdC Projects' Lab

ETdC Projects' Lab was founded by conceptual performance artist Roi Escudero creates post-modern immersive works for the stage. Their immersive dramatic spectacles and postmodern performance-artwork is inspired by cultural storytellers and the mystique of the fantastic and vérité. Hand-make the visual elements: sets, costumes, masks and life-sized body puppet characters, utilizing recycled materials and found objects as well as multimedia video are hallmarks of ETdC Projects’ productions and used to exaggerate everyday reality and blend together fantasy, magic, myth and natural phenomena.

Photos by James Ewan

About The 11th Dimension

“Sometimes to get to paradise you have to journey through hell.” Through their travels across space and time, the existential heroic beings of light, the Bubulinos, struggle with the ephemeral and physical troubles of mankind’s present, striving to keep their “divine child” pure. In their quest to rescue the Bird of Truth, the Bubulinos guided by Antonin Artaud, traverse The Inferno of today’s world and arrive to the true paradise of life. The 11th DIMENSION is a post-modern vérité tale inspired by The Theory of Everything, Antonin Artaud, Deleuze and Guattari’s concepts of “a body without organs”, and Dante’s 9 Circles of Hell. It was created for the stage by award winning conceptual-performance artist Roi Escudero. This performance-art piece blends magic realism and surreal humor with a persuasive visual art collage containing nostalgic music hits. Roi uses her background in visual arts and theatre to create immersive works on stage.

What first attracted you to this subject matter?

Roi: I was challenged by Artaud’s words: “No one has ever written, painted, sculpted, modeled, built, or invented except literally to get out of hell.” His words inspired me to create a performance-art piece merging Artaud’s brilliant madness with Dante and his Divina Comedia.

What was your favorite part of working on this project?

Roi: Enjoying a space to rehearse thanks to the generosity of The LIT fund and The Times Center NYC, and experimenting and collaborating with other artists in the creative process.

What was the most challenging aspect of this experience for you?

Roi: Merging my Bubulinos contemporary vérité tales with the brilliant madness of Artaud and the poetic universe of Dante was a strong effort of knowledge that challenged my imagination.

What did you want the audience to take away from your piece?

Roi: I hope that they leave the theatre with questions and a heart in peace, with space for love, sensibility and tolerance.

What was it like to work with this company of artists?

Roi: I love sharing this nomination with my phenomenal co-producer Valentin Ewan and the talented artists at ETdC Projects’ Lab, our guests and sponsors. Each one of them were precious in the creative process and production of The 11th DIMENSION: Ioan Ardelean, John Cencio Burgos, Lia Barcellona Tamborra, Richard Stevens, Ruben Celiberti, Jack Placidi, Cesar Valderrama, Antonio Miniño, David Stalling, James Ewan, Horacio Gerpe, Karina Alexander, Carter O'Brien Ford, Gabe Garcia, Shennie Shaw, Dinyasia Crum, Sean Phillips, and Patrons of the Arts Joan and Frederick Nicholas, founder and former Chairman of the Board of The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Los Angeles, CA. Much thanks also to: The Ray and Wyn Ritchie Evans Foundation, The Indie Theater Fund, The League of Independent Theater, The Times Center and Planet Connections. IATI Theater, Erez Ziv, FRIGID New York, Marcina Zaccaria, Randi Berry and Patricia Herrera-Latin-Media. Gracias IT Awards! Merci Artaud and Grazie Dante.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Roi: This nomination means a lot to me, “toda una vida de trabajo”. Thank you IT Awards for recognizing performance-art for the stage as a “whole.” Performance-art is an achievement of my lifetime. My work is a platform for other artists to collaborate and experiment with imagination. I dedicate this nomination to the Dreamers. I know by experience that it is not easy to achieve the American Dream. As an immigrant and as a citizen, I love the Americas from South to North. Muchas gracias IT Awards for the nomination!

The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear

Written, Performed, & Produced by Larry Phillips 
Directed by Ben Liebert

Nominations: Outstanding Solo Performance & Outstanding Original Short Script – Larry Phillips

About The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear
You have been invited to attend a Master Class on Acting taught by the legendary Fozzie Bear.

What first attracted you to The Art of Acting...
Larry: Always wanted to do a solo piece.

What was your favorite part of working on this project?
Larry: It was a small rehearsal room. 3 people; me, the director, and the stage manager.

What was the most challenging part of this experience for you?
Larry: Being alone.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?
Larry: Anytime someone recognizes your work it's thrilling

 
Larry Phillips has written and appeared in: Koalas are Dicks (Theater 80), The Weekend Will End (Theatre 54), Must Win (14th St. Y), Last Chance for Mama (LaTea), The Rise of Mediocrity (Hudson Guild), The Other Harvey (Theatre 54), Secondary Pitch (The Bridge), Arbuckle Syndrome (Hudson Guild), Fistful of Cake, Pocketful of Miracles (Wild Project), Learning to Skip (The Bridge). The New York Theater Festival has nominated him three times for Best Play (winning once), and a nomination for Best Actor. He has also been nominated at The Planet Connections Theatre Festival for Best Play (Comedy) Best Script (Comedy) and won Best Lead Actor in a Comedy.

The Head Hunter

Produced by One Shot Deal in association with Scott McCord
Written by Mark Borkowski
Directed by David Zayas Jr.

Nomination: Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role – Scott McCord

Scott McCord and Ali Arkane

About The Head Hunter
Casmir, a screenwriter, has sold the exclusive rights of his screenplay to a sleazy Hollywood producer. He confesses what he has done to his cousin Salvatore, a hit man for the mob. The screenplay, a bio-pic, contains truths about Sal’s father that are more than incriminating. Enraged, Salvatore vows to get the screenplay’s rights back to Casmir even if it means eliminating the producer. The two cousins are forced to deal with issues that tore their family apart and drove them to be who they are: one an artist, the other a ruthless killer.

 
What first attracted you to The Head Hunter?
Scott: The writing by Mark Borkowski, and working with Ali Arkane

What was your favorite part of working on this project?
Scott: The character work. Writing was so rich - Mark is an actor and wrote deeply flawed characters who desperately need each other’s love

What was the most challenging part of the experience for you?
Scott: Two act Two hander - lots of lines

What was it like to work with this company of artists?
Scott: Mark, Ali and myself are about always deepening the work. I think we did that with every performance

Did you gain any insight through your work on this project?

Scott: That it’s about deepening the work every time out there.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Scott: That we did what we needed to do out there. I’m deeply honored and grateful for this recognition of the work.

The Maids

Produced by The Seeing Place Theater
Written by Jean Genet
Directed by Erin Cronican and Brandon Walker

Nominations: Outstanding Revival of a Play; Outstanding Actress in a Lead Role - Gaia Visnar; Outstanding Ensemble: Erin Cronican, Christine Redhead, Gaia Visnar

About the Seeing Place Theater
The name "The Seeing Place" is the literal translation of the Greek word for theater (theatron): ". . . the place where we go to see ourselves." The Seeing Place is an actor-driven company dedicated to exploring the intersection between the actor's voice and the playwright's words, by reinterpreting masterful works live and in the moment to make them relevant, visceral, truthful, and accessible to a modern audience. We live up to our name by engaging our community in a vivid conversation about what makes us human. Connection. Learning. Humanity. That's what theater is all about.

About The Maids
Two sisters, maids to a wealthy society woman, act out fantasies of class, love and revenge while the lady of the house is out on a romantic rendezvous. As their games intensify, the incipient violence escalates as they await Madame's return.

What first attracted you to The Maids?

Erin: When choosing to produce and direct this show, we were struck by the feminist and classist themes that are highly relevant in society today. Plus, it's a show that would heavily promote three talented actors in our theater company - seeing plays with an all-female cast is a rare and exciting treat.

Christine: Good Content.

Gaia: I was always intrigued by the play and wanted to really work on it as it's so bizarre and seems non-sensical.

What was your favorite part of work on this production?
Erin: I loved having conversations with patrons in our lobby after the play who found the play resonant and important. It was also wonderful diving into the play dramaturgically with the cast and creative team.

Christine: Learning how to approach the script in a different way. It changed my perspective.

Gaia: The organic approach of The Seeing Place Theater, really exploring the humanity and drives of the characters.

What was the most challenging part of this experience for you?
Erin: How deep the play goes! We gave ourselves two months of dramaturgical and rehearsal time and we still felt like it was just skimming the surface of what was possible. That's what's so beautiful about well-written plays.

Gaia: Really diving into the characters and their reality, coming to terms with their suffering and trapped situation - which is the source of the games they play. Also, it is a very heavy show, and the nature of the theater company is to go all in, so we really had to dive into the ugly, painful and uncomfortable as well.



What was the most noteworthy part of this production?

Erin: It was wonderful working with so many fierce females in this production - from our director (me), to the cast, to our stage manager and lighting designer.

Gaia: The process with The Seeing Place is always very much in the hands of the actor - we weren't really directed, just placed into the frame of the show, so we had to figure out what we are doing by ourselves and new reality was created on stage every night.

What was the best part of working with this company of artists?

Erin: Their commitment to the creative process was inspiring.

Gaia: As mentioned before, the nature of their work - really diving into the core of the character's complex psychology and human behaviour, as it comes out, not as we think it should.

Did you gain any insight or learn anything new through this experience?

Erin: I discovered how much resilience I had, and how strong that made me. Many people did not know that I was going through chemo for stage IV cancer while we were in production. To be able to come to the theater each night was a challenge in itself, and I learned that the audience can give back to you as much as you give to them. I count myself very lucky that I had the play to focus on while going through treatment.

Gaia: Yes, I got a much better understanding of the play and the character of Claire. I've learned that all the weird things that seemed absurd and out-of-the-blue for me when I was reading the play are rooted in normal, basic human emotions.

What does it mean to you to receive this nomination?

Erin: It means a lot to know that this production made a difference to our audiences, and to the Indie Theatre community. It inspires us to keep going with this kind of work.

Gaia: I am very honoured and humbled by the very unexpected nomination - as an artist, I am focused on doing my work and never think of a reward other than performing what I've been working on. It is nice to be recognised for something you've invested in so much.

Eight Tales of Pedro

Produced by The Secret Theatre
Written by Mark-Eugene Garcia
Directed by Rodrigo Ernesto Bolaños

Nominated for: Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role - Federico Mallet; Outstanding Original Music - Luis D'Elias

About The Secret Theatre
The Secret Theatre strives to provide New York City and surrounding communities with inexpensive, but high-caliber performances, to expand the horizons of patrons young and old alike who would normally not venture outside of the main borough. As a venue for assorted live entertainment, particularly classical theatre, as well as new works, comedy, and musicals.

Photos by Hunter Peress

About Eight Tales of Pedro
Two sets of storytellers, some now and some in the 17th century, cross a country - risking everything for a new life. As they tell their tales, their lives and plots combine and intertwine into the same conclusion.

What first attracted you about working on Eight Tales of Pedro?

Federico: Working with an all Latino cast telling a story that invites the audience to be empathetic with the Latino experience in the US in contentious times and accomplished it by also finding humor and joy in it.

Luis: The opportunity to develop a score in an unconventional way, plus working on an original Latin American work

What was your favorite part of the production?

Federico: The people. They were incredibly welcoming and that for me is one of the main (if not the main) characteristics of the Latino community.

Luis: The cast and crew. It was like a family, and there was this collaborative spirit where everyone felt invested in the work. Truly amazing group of humans.

What was your biggest challenge of this experience?

Federico: Very quick changes from character to character and switching from very light humor to the heavy stuff. You want to make sure those two land how they’re supposed to.

Luis: Listening. My work was an underscore that adapted to the play. It involved equal parts composing, and improvising to the rhythm of the performances, which involved a lot of listening tp the performer of each piece. The music became an active ingredient, but it could not overshadow the actor. So, it was like scoring a film in real time, which made it really organic.

What part of you did you bring to the production that changed what was presented to the audience?

Federico: I was the only actor in the production whose first language was Spanish, that brought the opportunity to expand the language and jokes of the show.

Luis: The way we let the music interact with the actors, as if it were another performer, felt pretty innovative. Something I think helped us connect was having me, the composer/guitarist, be part of the warm up exercises before each show and rehearsal. It's a level of cohesion that really benefited the presentation of the piece.

What was it like working with this company of artists?

Federico: Their warmth, love and joy for what they do. How welcoming they are. How willing they are to play.

Luis: A production team that feels like a family, especially one that is really trusting, and that allows each artist to bring what they know best to the table, trusting everyone comes from a place of shared respect and dedication towards the play and the subject matter.

Did you gain any insight or learn anything new from this experience?

Federico: I learned a lot of about the immigrant experience in the US (first generation/ second generation), and also a lot about folklore in different parts of Latin America.

Luis: New possibilities regarding composing a score and accompanying a theater play by listening and reacting to the actors and performers.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Federico: It doesn’t happen often that I decide to do a play just because of my love for it. I loved the script instantly and my gut told me to do it no matter what the outcome. It’s good to know that that can pay off. It’s also special because sometimes I wonder how I fit in within the industry.

Luis: Truly an honor, but also a recognition towards this approach that connects actors and musicians into an organic unit, which I believe has endless potential for new and innovative theater experiences, not only for the audiences, but also for the performers involved.

Make sure to check out The Secret Theatre on Twitter - @secrettheatreny

The Harrowing of Hell

Produced by American Theatre of Actors in association with Collectio Musicorum, Inc. Written by Aonymous
Translated & Directed by Jeff Dailey

Nominations: Outstanding Actor in a Featured Role - Connor Chaney; Outstanding Performance Art Production

About American Theatre of Actors
The mission of the American Theatre of Actors is to promote the development of new playwrights, directors and actors, to revive works from the past, and to provide a creative atmosphere in which to work, without the pressures of commercial theatre.

Photos b J. Dailey

About The Harrowing of Hell
Sometime in the 13th century, an anonymous author wrote a short play detailing the events of the Harrowing of Hell, when, after dying, Jesus went to Hell to rescue all the prophets imprisoned there. This play, one of the first ever written in English, was so popular it survives in multiple sources, but it had never been performed in the United States. Newly translated into modern English, the play explains how Jesus vanquished Satan, and then released Adam, Eve, and others from their hellish imprisonment. Also on the program was another medieval play, "The Fall of the Angels," dating from the 14th century, which shows how Satan came to be cast into Hell in the first place, along with a performance of "The Soliloquy of Satan," by the 20th century American poet Elliott Blaine Henderson.

What first attracted you to The Harrowing of Hell?

Connor: I love classical plays, and it's a rare opportunity to work on a piece both classical, and a world debut!

Jeff: The process of translating the original text into modern English and then giving the first performance ever in North America.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?

Connor: Immersing myself in the medieval mindset and attempting to articulate their worldview onstage.

Jeff:  Working with the actors on both the language and the theology of the play.

What was the most challenging part of this experience for you?

Connor: Wrapping my brain around the rhythm and structure of the language was sometimes very challenging. It's a mode of thinking neither contemporary nor Shakespearean!

Jeff:  Making a 13th Century play accessible to a modern audience.

What was the funniest or most ironic thing that happened during this process?
 

Connor: It turns out dropping a cloth on someone accurately in much more challenging than one might think.

Jeff: God was nominated as Outstanding Actor.





 Did you gain any insight or learn anything new while working on this production?

Connor: I've gained a new appreciation for poetic language, and perhaps permitted myself a little leniency in tackling roles I consider unapproachable (like God).

What did you want the audience to come away with after watching The Harrowing of Hell?

Jeff: An understanding of a different historical time and the theology that was a part of everyone's life back then.

What was it like working with this company of artists?

Connor: I loved the diversity of perspectives and approaches the company brought to the table. I can't remember the last time I've worked with such a differentiated group.

Jeff: They all took a leap of faith to devote weeks of their lives into a production unlike anything they had done before. They agreed to learn not only their lines and blocking, but the tremendous backstory of medieval life and theology.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Connor: This is the first tangible recognition I've received in this city as an actor, and I find that quite gratifying.

Jeff: Recognition that texts from centuries ago still speak to us.

The Fantastical Dangerous Journey of Q

Produced by Rebel Playhouse in association with 14th Street Y
Book by Ric Averill
Music & Additional Music by Dax Dupuy
Directed by Sarah Sutliff

Nomination: Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role - Milo Longenecker

About Rebel Playhouse
The Rebel Playhouse is a non-profit, educational theater company that produces productions for children and families based on stories that break traditions and challenge normative thinking, and offers classes designed to foster creative development. By rebelling against established stories, we ignite children's imaginations so they can learn to create their own stories by thinking outside of the box and uphold our mission to Empower, Educate, and Entertain our audiences.

About The Fantastical Dangerous Journey of Q
The story of Q, an upper elementary student struggling with gender and identity issues, who faces the daily difficulties of preoccupied parents, bullying peers, and communication with challenging teachers... but with a bag of tricks shared by Q's neighbor Nix, everyday objects grow and are endowed with powers that allow Q to face larger than life threats head on! This new hour-long musical features song, dance, and puppetry.


What first attracted you to The Fantastical Dangerous Journey of Q?

Sarah: This piece was commissioned from playwright by Ric Averill by Rebel Playhouse and the development process was overseen by myself as Rebel Playhouse Artistic Director. I had long been interested in developing a work for children that explored gender fluidity and showed the experience of a non-binary child being forced to exist in a binary observing world. I wanted to take the commonplace and ordinary and make it extraordinary and even dangerous.

What was your favorite part of working on this production?
 
Milo: Getting to play an elementary schooler was very playful and freeing! I laughed my butt off every single day which really helped me get through some of the more difficult and vulnerable aspects of the process. And it meant so much to me to play a trans kid, having been a trans kid who didn't see anyone like me represented in media growing up.

Sarah: Milo (the incredible performer in the role of Q) was an absolute delight to work with. He gave incredible insight and care in the development of Q and created a protagonist that had profound depth and vulnerability.


What was the biggest challenge you faced during the production?

Milo: Reliving the pain and loneliness of growing up trans and feeling misunderstood by my parents, peers, and teachers - even those who "meant well".

Sarah: Although we had two non-binary performers and a non-binary dramaturg and stage manager, the majority of the cast and creative team was cisgendered. It was a delicate balancing act to create a safe space for our team and create a culture of listening and correction, while working under a very limited rehearsal period. I am eternally grateful to the incredible team assembled for this piece for their honestly, openness, and willingness to

 
What was the most meaningful part of this process for you?

Milo: One day after the show this kid came up to me--super shy--to ask if I was a boy or a girl. I told them "neither"! And their dad thanked me profusely and said they had a lot to talk about after seeing the show. That was just the best feeling in the world to make gender diversity part of a story they could enjoy and relate to. Now they will always know there are more than 2 ways to have a gender and will hopefully never levy shame at themselves or others for exploring the expansiveness of their own identities.

Sarah: This was my first experience as artistic director (and Director) building a piece from scratch with a playwright. That in and of itself is quite an experience! Two readings, a residency and workshop production later, and our world premiere run at The 14th Street Y felt very much like a first child. What a roller coaster! Playwright Ric Averill, Musical Director Christina Bottley, Puppet Designer Rosa Douglas and Dramaturg Mak Morin are all true professionals and delights to work with and made this Fantastical adventure feel truly magical.

What did you want the audience to walk away with after seeing The Fantastical Dangerous Journey of Q?

Sarah: I want audiences to come away with a recognition of how entrenched in the binary our society is and how that must be challenged. The current structures of education, public spaces, and even casual interactions create uncomfortable and, yes, even dangerous circumstances for many individuals. This experience of the world is foreign to many cis people who can comfortably exist in it, so I wanted to create a visceral sense of danger and fear accessible to all.

What was it like working with Milo?

Sarah: Milo is smart, punctual, vulnerable and playful. He is not afraid to speak his mind, or challenge ideas in the name of making his character and work stronger. I had seen him in a production a full year before “...Q” and I remember thinking he would be so phenomenal in the title role. I was beyond pleased when Milo submitted for an audition and even more so by the dedication and passion put into the rehearsals and performances.

What does receiving this nomination mean to you?

Milo: As a trans/nonbinary person being recognized for playing a trans/nonbinary character, it's not only an honor for me as an artist, but a step forward in representation for the world of independent theatre and Off-Off-Broadway that I can only hope will trickle up to larger stages and platforms and allow trans voices to be amplified across our industry.

Sarah: I am so moved and honored that the It Awards saw in Milo’s performance exactly what we were all hoping the audience would see. This is our third nomination for a relatively new company, and we couldn’t be happier at this recognition.

MEET THE 2019 NOMINEES: Assassins

Produced by The Secret Theatre
Music and Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim 
Book by John Weidman
Director: Lauren Shields
Musical Director: Morgan Morse

Nominations: Outstanding Director – Lauren Shields; Outstanding Actor in a Lead Role – Evan Teich (see post); and Outstanding Production of a Musical

About the Secret Theatre
The Secret Theatre strives to provide New York City and surrounding communities with inexpensive, but high-caliber performances, to expand the horizons of patrons young and old alike who would normally not venture outside of the main borough. As a venue for assorted live entertainment, particularly classical theatre, as well as new works, comedy, and musicals.

Photos by Jakub Djeko

About Assassins
Nine individuals who have attempted a presidential assassination tell their stories in this revue-style musical of humor, drama, history, and fiction. Assassins is an illustration of very different people who have made extreme choices for varied reasons.

What about directing Assassins was most attractive for you?

Lauren: We all have a shadow side of ourselves that lurks deep in our consciousness. The consequences of the impact on us by our culture and our own individual tragedies can make us do reprehensible things in desperation. Some act on it, while others do not. No one person or set of experiences can be seen as black and white. I wanted to show audiences a deeper side of the humans that are seen as villains to so many of us.




What was it like to work with The Secret Theatre?

Lauren: This company dedicated so much of their time and passion into this project. They spent hours researching and working before they stepped into the rehearsal room. It made the rehearsal process powerful, moving and inspiring. I could not have had a better team.

Make sure to check out The Secret Theatre on Twitter - @secrettheatreny