17th Awards Event and Nominations for the 2024-25 Season
The 17th Richmond Theatre Community Circle (formerly the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle) Awards (or “Artsies”), the community’s recognition of excellence in Richmond-area theater, will be held at the November Theatre on Sunday, October 19th, at 7:00 p.m.
“With respect for those who are still in mourning, and after consultation with some of those close to our friend and colleague Adam Turck, we are moving forward to celebrating the past year of local theater with the incredible Richmond theater community that has demonstrated its strength and resilience over these past weeks,” said Julinda Lewis, Richmond Theatre Community Circle (RTCC) President.
The RTCC announces the following nominees for this year’s Artsies. The 2024-25 nominees are:
Best Musical
A Strange Loop, Richmond Triangle Players (RTP)/Firehouse Theatre (Firehouse)
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep)
John and Jen, Swift Creek Mill Theatre (Swift Creek Mill)
The Spitfire Grill, Swift Creek Mill
Waitress, Virginia Rep
Best Direction (Musical)
Rick Hammerly, Waitress
Katrinah Carol Lewis, A Strange Loop
Paul Takács and Todd D. Norris, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Tom Width, Cotton Patch Gospel (Swift Creek Mill)
Tom Width, John and Jen
Best Lead Performance (Musical)
Marcus Antonio, A Strange Loop
Malcolm Holmes, John and Jen
Matt Shofner, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Emelie Faith Thompson, Waitress
Lindsey Zelli, The Spitfire Grill
Best Supporting Performance (Musical)
Miya Bass, Waitress
Bianca Bryan, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Tara Callahan Carroll, The Spitfire Grill
Kylee Márquez-Downie, Waitress
Rachel Marrs, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Terence Sullivan, Waitress
Joy Williams, The Spitfire Grill
Best Musical Direction
Leilani Fenick, Waitress
Kim Fox, Peter and the Starcatcher (Firehouse)
Ben Miller, A Strange Loop
Travis West, Cotton Patch Gospel
Best Choreography
Deandra Clarke, A Strange Loop
Paul Dandridge, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Paul Dandridge, Waitress
Nathaniel Shaw, Peter and the Starcatcher
Kayla Xavier, H*tler’s Tasters (5th Wall Theatre)
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design (Musical)
Sarah Grady, Waitress
Margarette Joyner, A Strange Loop
Jeanne Nugent, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design (Musical)
Joe Doran, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Joe Doran, Cotton Patch Gospel
Joe Doran, Waitress
Michael Jarett, A Strange Loop
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design (Musical)
Daniel Conway, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Frank Foster, A Strange Loop
Mercedes Schaum, Waitress
Tom Width, John and Jen
Tom Width, The Spitfire Grill
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (Musical)
Grace Brown Labelle, A Strange Loop
James Nicholas, Cotton Patch Gospel
Jonathan Pratt, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory
Best Play
Detroit ‘67, Firehouse
H*tler’s Tasters
Peter and the Starcatcher
Water by the Spoonful, Firehouse
Which Way to the Stage, RTP
Best Direction (Play)
Juliana Caycedo, Sanctuary City (5th Wall)
Katrinah Carol Lewis, Water by the Spoonful
Tawnya Pettiford-Wates, Detroit ‘67
Nathaniel Shaw, Peter and the Starcatcher
Rusty Wilson, True West (Cadence)
Best Lead Performance (Play)
Katrinah Carol Lewis, Detroit ‘67
James Murphy, Cyrano de Bergerac (Richmond Shakespeare)
Landon Nagel, True West
Stevie Rice, True West
Alan Sader, The Father (Richmond Shakespeare)
Shannon Schilstra, Peter and the Starcatcher
Matt Shofner, Which Way to the Stage
Best Supporting Performance (Play)
Keaton Hillman, Sanctuary City
Paisley LoBue, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Richmond Shakespeare)
Jeremy V. Morris, Detroit ‘67
Eric Quander, Water by the Spoonful
James Ricks, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Alexander Sapp, Dial M for Murder (Virginia Rep)
Laine Satterfield, Burial Tax (Firehouse)
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design (Play)
Sarah Grady, Dial M for Murder
Sarah Grady, Moriarty (Virginia Rep)
Margarette Joyner, Detroit ‘67
William Luther, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche (RTP)
Alex Valentin, A Campy Christmas (RTP)
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design (Play)
Andrew Bonniwell, Water by the Spoonful
Gretta Daughtrey, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
Gretta Daughtrey, Burial Tax
Gretta Daughtrey, H*tler’s Tasters
BJ Wilkinson, Misery (Virginia Rep)
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design (Play)
Sarah Cook, Moriarty
Chase Kniffen, Peter and the Starcatcher
William Luther, 5 Lesbians Eating a Quiche
Chris Raintree, Burial Tax
Chris Raintree, Misery
Mercedes Schaum, Detroit ‘67
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design (Play)
Kyle Epps, Detroit ‘67
Candace Hudert, H*tler’s Tasters
Grace Brown Labelle, Burial Tax
James Nicholas, The Diary of Anne Frank (Swift Creek Mill)
Jonathan Pratt, Dial M for Murder
Ernie McClintock Best Ensemble Acting
A Strange Loop, Richmond Triangle Players/Firehouse Theatre
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged), Richmond Shakespeare
H*tler’s Tasters, 5th Wall Theatre
Peter and the Starcatcher, Firehouse Theatre
SMOKE, Cadence
The Spitfire Grill, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Breakout Performance
Jeff Ashworth, The Spitfire Grill
Ayla Hanna-Elizabeth Clinton, The Diary of Anne Frank
Paisley LoBue, A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Samantha Richardson, Proof (Chamberlayne Actors Theatre)
David Lyve Watkins, Detroit ‘67
Best Original Work
Burial Tax created by Andrew Gall and directed by Paul Takács, Firehouse Theatre
SMOKE created by Enid Graham and directed by Anna Senechal Johnson, Cadence
WillJee created by M. Mary Sullivan and directed by Kerrigan Sullivan, The Lynn Theatre at Brightpoint Community College
Outstanding Achievement in Projection Design
Tennessee Dixon, Water by the Spoonful
Dasia Gregg, Misery
Chase Kniffen, Peter and the Starcatcher
The event will take place at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, October 19, at Virginia Rep’s November Theatre. Formal attire is encouraged for the awards ceremony, which is open to the public. Tickets are $25 for orchestra seating and $30 for balcony seating. They will go on sale September 21 and can be purchased by calling the Virginia Rep box office at 804-282-2620. Get your tickets early – ticket prices go up by $5 on October 5. All proceeds from Artsies ticket sales support the Theatre Artist Fund of Greater Richmond.