The first annual Richmond Theatre Critics Circle award nominations have been announced.
The award ceremony will be held on Sunday, October 19th at the Firehouse Theatre. Visit the Richmond VA Theater Blog for the full listing of nominees, but right here we're going to crow about Richmond Shakespeare's eight honorees!
Best Play
As You Like It (indoor), Richmond Shakespeare
Best Direction - Play
Andrew Hamm, As You Like It (indoor) (Richmond Shakespeare)
James Ricks, Richard II (Richmond Shakespeare)
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Play
David Bridgewater, Henry IV, Part 2 (Richmond Shakespeare)
Joseph Anthony Carlson, Henry IV, Part 2 (Richmond Shakespeare)
Stephen Ryan, Richard II (Richmond Shakespeare)
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Liz Blake, Measure for Measure (Richmond Shakespeare)
Outstanding Achievement, Costume Design
Rebecca Cairns, As You Like It (indoor) (Richmond Shakespeare)
We're incredibly proud of all of our nominees, and would like to add our gratitude to the full casts and crews of all of our shows for the past year. No actor, director, or designer works alone; it takes an ensemble to create a play with a truly standout performance. Similarly, it takes a commitment to quality work the year round to empower an individual show or performer. You are all nominated.
Congratulations to all our friends and colleagues around Richmond who have been recognized. It truly is an honor to be nominated.
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4 comments:
Andrew, I'm surprised that you would tout the awards here, considering your previous quote:
"I hate all award shows. I'm just not down with a perspective of awarding one person's art as being somehow "superior" to another's. I also resent the cult of celebrity in general. Can we please spend that monsy on something that helps people rather than self-aggrandizement? If I was nominated for an Oscar or a Tony I would very seriously probably not attend."
Good point. I was actually going to write about this on my personal blog in a day or so. Two brief answers:
1) This is the company's blog, not mine specifically. I often post different perspectives on a production there than I do here; my blog is for opinion much more than this one, which is primarily for information. Eight award nominations are good PR, to begin with, but failing to honor all of those honored would be disrespectful of the amount of work they put into their shows. In other words, my personal feelings take a back seat to the company and our employees here.
2) I continue to dislike the idea that some art is "better" than other art. But this event isn't at all what I have a history of decrying; this is a benefit event with proceeds going to support the RAPT Theatre Artists Fund.
If putting on a monkey suit and watching my friends and colleagues give and receive awards will help that cause, I can certainly get behind that.
Fortunately I've not gone on record as hating arts awards (though watching them on television is usually pretty boring). I'm thrilled to be nominated both individually and as part of the cast of As You Like It - especially since whenever I wasn't ON stage for the indoor production, I got the pleasure of seeing the fantastic work of my other four cast members. I can say in all honesty that I never, ever got tired of watching Adam Mincks, Sunny LaRose, Julia Rigby and Patrick Bromley work their magic. It was a pleasure and a privilege.
But I'd have to disagree with the notion of rating some art as better than other art, including acting. You can't compare Robert DeNiro's Oscar winning performance in Raging Bull to the atrocity of awarding a Golden Globe to Pia Zadora in Butterfly(the Golden Globes' reputation suffered for YEARS as a result). On the other hand: Meryl Streep, Academy Award Winner. Well, that just makes sense, now doesn't it?
Who will win the awards on October 19th for the RTCC honors? I for one have absolutely NO idea. But suddenly I can understand why actors spout cliches such as "it's an honor to be nominated". With 40 plays in the running, it sure as heck IS an honor to be nominated. And I've been placed in pretty fine company, whether I win or not.
My wife has been waiting a long time to see me in a tuxedo. She just might get her chance on October 19th. Wonder if it will be an open bar??? (Thank goodness Falstaff wasn't an As You Like It character!)
Good response Andrew! Henley Street and all the other theatres can't help but use this to boost sales and create buzz. But what makes it acceptable in my mind is that it does give back...Creative Capitalism is never a bad thing!
I hope I get invited…I got a great low cut dress that I have been itching to wear!
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