TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES--2009
Greater Cleveland is blessed with a vital theatre scene. It is the purpose of the TIMES THEATRE TRIBUTES to recognize theatrical experiences that, in the mind of this reviewer, were excellent and deserve special recognition.
Only shows performed in 2009 which I reviewed were considered. Selections were limited to locally produced stagings, so none of the professional touring shows are recognized, though actors, directors and technicians who were imported by local theatres were considered. Actors are not separated by gender or leading or supporting roles.
If there are any spelling errors on the list please let me know so I can change the permanent record on my blog.
If you would like to read any of my reviews for the year, please go to www.royberko.info, enter the blog and click on “2009 Reviews” or click on the name of the producing theatre and scroll through their performances. Reviews from previous years may also be accessed.
NOTE: THOSE WHO WOULD LIKE A CERTIFICATE OF THEIR RECOGNITION SHOULD E-MAIL ROY BERKO ( royberko@yahoo.com). PLEASE INCLUDE THE ADDRESS TO WHICH THE CERTIFICATE(S) SHOULD BE MAILED!
2009 BEST OF THE BEST DRAMAS:
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
2009 BEST OF THE BEST MUSICALS:
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
PIPPIN (Cain Park)
2009 BEST OF THE BEST PERFORMANCES:
Dominguez, Nina, no CHILD (CPT)
Folino, Dan, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Hammer, Joel, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Koesters, Nick, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Little, Kristi, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Mach, Corey, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Nottage, Mary Jane Nottage, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Primous, Kyle, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Also, thanks to the following for making the 2009 theatre scene in the Cleveland area stimulating and memorable:
PLAY
A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
MAHALIA ( CPH)
no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
OPTIMUM PRIME FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
PIPPIN (Cain Park)
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
DIRECTOR
Bussert, Victoria, A LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Bussert, Victoria, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
DeLorenzo, Bart, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Gordon, Seth, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Kent, Terri, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Maudlin, Michael, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Messina, Jenna, OPTIMUM FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
Ortenzi, Lisa, no CHILD (Cleveland Public Theatre)
Paul, Jeremy, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Plate, Scott, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Robbins, Sonya, DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
Spence, Scott, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Sternfeld, Fred, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Thackaberry, A. Neil, FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
Thomas, Rohn, ODD COUPLE, Porthouse
Verciglio, Joe, H.R. (Dobama)
Woods, Beth, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
PERFORMER
Bredeson-Smith, Lucy, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Bredeson-Smith, Lucy, BIG LOVE (convergence-continuum)
Bruno, J. R., [title of show], (BW/PLAYHOUSE SQUARE)
Busser, John, THE GOOD DOCTOR (Ensemble)
Cataan, Ursula, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Chanenka, Lydia, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Cranendonk, Terence, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Crouch, Kevin, THE SEAGULL (GLTF)
Cummins, Jackie, THE ALICE SEED (CPT)
Dixon, Ed, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Domingue, Nina, no CHILD (CPT)
Farley, Keythe, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Felder, Hershey, BEETHOVEN, AS I KNEW HIM (CPH)
Folino, Dan, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Folino, Dan, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY ITCH (Hi Fi Concert Club)
Folino, Dan, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Foust, Joe, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Garrigan, Alison, SWEENEY TODD (Lakeland)
Germany, Carly, TEN MORE MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND (Dobama)
Halling, Michael, HEAVEN’S MY DESTINATION (CPH)
Hammer, Joel, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
Harper, Ciara, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Hawkes, Robert WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Jaeck, Scott, INHERIT THE WIND (CPH)
Kennedy, Mimi, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS (CPH)
Koester, Nick, BLASTED (B&C)
Koesters, Nick, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Koesters, Nick, TEN MORE MINUTES FROM CLEVELAND (Dobama)
Kozlenko, Val, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Little, Kristi, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Mach, Corey, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Mach, Corey, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
May, Andrew, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (GLTF)
May, Andrew, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
May, Michael, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (Beck)
May, Michael, MILITANT LANGUAGE (B&C)
Myor, Jennifer, ME AND MY GIRL (Mercury)
Nagel, Maryann, GREY GARDENS (Beck)
Nottage, Mary Jane, WHY TORTURE IS WRONG AND THE PEOPLE WHO LOVE THEM (CPT)
Patterson, Tracee, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Prentice, Christian, OUROBOROS (convergence-continuum)
Primous, Kyle, YELLOWMAN (Karamu)
Rosenfeld, Ethan, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
Roth, George, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Schwartz, Layla, CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
Seman, Larry, FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
Sills, Brian, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Smith Kelly, PETER PAN (Beck)
Smith, David Anthony, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
Soto, John Paul, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Stewart, Paul Anthony, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Thomas, Scott, MILITANT LANGUAGE (B&C)
Van Baars, Eric, 14 (Kent State University Theatre)
Van Baars, Eric, ODD COUPLE (Porthouse)
Violand, Greg, THE SHADOW BOX (CSU-Summer Stages)
Weldon, Alyssa, BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
White, Tom AUTOBAHN (CWRU MFA ACTING PROGRAM)
Williams, Leigh AUTOBAHN (CWRU MFA ACTING PROGRAM)
Williams, Natasha Yvette, MAHLIA (CPH)
Zoldessy, Brian, CLEVELAND HEIGHTS (JCC/CCC)
Zoldessy, Brian, THE ODD COUPLE (Fairmount)
Composite cast
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
BLACKBIRD (Dobama)
CRAVE (Theatre Ninjas)
DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
FOR BETTER (Actors’ Summit)
HEAVEN’S MY DESTINATION (Cleveland Play House)
I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
LADY (Bang and Clatter)
ODD COUPLE (Porthouse)
OPTIMUM FOR PRESIDENT (Fourth Wall)
RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
THE RECEPTIMNIST & HR (Dobama)
TECHNICIANS
Borski, Russ, set and costume design, GREY GARDENS (BECK)
Borski, Russ, set design, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Burch, Ted, THE LADY WITH ALL THE ANSWERS (CPH)
Burns, Trad, scenic and lighting design, THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION (Beck)
Couture, Francois-Pierre, BEETHOVEN, A I KNEW HIM (CPH)
Davis, Jeff, lighting design, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Davis, Jill, set design, ALL’S WELL THAT END’S WELL, CWRU MFA Acting Company
Folino, Dan and PJ Toomey, special effects, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Gould, Richard, set design, MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM (BECK)
Herrmann, Jeff, set design, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (GLTF)
Herrmann, Jeff, set design, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Hu, Tiffany, costume design, CINDERELLA, Mercury Summerstock
Karpinski, Todd, set design, DREAM/HOME (Dobama)
Kata, Takeshi, set design, AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS (CPH)
Kondilas, Tom, video designer, BIG LOVE, convergence-continuum
McBride, Don, set design, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Metheny, Russell, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS, (GLTF)
Michalak, Amber, painting of the set, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
Middleton, Rayna, costume design, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
Needhanm, Ben, scenic design, PETER PAN (Beck)
Roech, Michael, scenic design, THE RECEPTIONIST & H.R. (Dobama)
Savage, Lee, set design, CRIME AND PUNISHMENT (CPH)
Smith, Jim, set design, BIG LOVE, convergence-continuum
Sparano, Jenniver, costume design, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Tarantowski, Laura Carlson, set design, PANGS OF THE MESSIAH (JCC)
VanCurtis, Jeffrey, costume design, ALL’S WELL THAT END’S WELL, CWRU MFA Acting Company
Williams,, Gage, set design, TWELFTH NIGHT (GLTF)
Yetman, Charlotte, costume design, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROO (GLTF)
Yetman, Charlotte, costumes, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
MUSICAL DIRECTION
Carney, Eddie, GOODSPELL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Carney, Eddie, ME AND MY GIRL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Garrett, Ryan, musical accompaniment, [title of show] (BW, PLAYHOUSE SQ)
Goodpaster, Larry, FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Beck Center)
Goodpaster, Larry, PETER PAN (Beck)
Krol, John, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Maier, Nancy, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Taylor, Brian, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Webb, Matthew, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Yurich, Dennis, HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH (Hi Fi Concert Club)
CHOREOGRAPHY
Brault, Pierre-Jacques, CINDERELLA (Mercury Summer Stock)
Brault, Pierre-Jacques, GODSPELL (Mercury Summer Stock)
Céspedes, Martin PETER PAN (Beck)
Céspedes, Martin, THE COMEDY OF ERRORS (GLTF)
Céspedes, Martin, EVIL DEAD THE MUSICAL (Beck)
Céspedes, Martin, I LOVE YOU BECAUSE (Playhouse Square)
Céspedes, Martin, PIPPIN (Cain Park)
Céspedes, Martin, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD (GLTF)
Céspedes, Martin, THE WILD PARTY (BW)
Deering, Lynn, RETURN TO THE FORBIDDEN PLANET (CSU-Summer Stages)
Van Baars, Eric, A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM (Porthouse)
SPECIAL RECOGNITION
Michael Bloom, Fusion Fest, CPH
Jewish Community Center for their good intentions in commissioning a play that would commemorate the Cleveland Jewish Community
Eric Coble for his authorship of ‘H.R.’ and ‘FOR BETTER’
Margi Herwald Zitelli for her authorship of ‘OPTIMUS PRIME FOR PRESIDENT’
Sarah Morton for her authorship of ‘DREAM/HOME’
Mercury Summerstock for the initiation of “My First Musical Program,” a program which makes available performances to children who would otherwise not have the opportunity to attend live theatre.
Roe Green, for her financial backing of the JCC Arts program, as well as her contributions to the Kent State University Theatre and Dance programs
John Cameron for his authorship of ‘14’
