The Arden Theatre Company's "Gem of the Ocean" and Theatre Horizon's "The Color Purple" led the 2019 Barrymore Awards, which honored Philadelphia's theater excellence for the 25th year on Monday night.
"Gem of the Ocean" won big during the ceremony, held at Bok in South Philadelphia. It captured nine Barrymores, including local theater giant James Ijames' outstanding direction award. The play also took home awards for outstanding overall production of a play and both categories for outstanding performance in a play.
"The Color Purple" wasn't far behind, with six total awards that dominated the musical categories. The show's director, Amina Robinson, became the first black woman to win a Barrymore for outstanding direction of a musical.
This season, 118 productions across 41 professional companies were eligible for awards within a 35-mile radius of Center City.
Because of the dominating wins for "Gem of the Ocean" and "The Color Purple," the Arden and Theatre Horizon were the only two theaters to win multiple awards. A few other honorees from Simpatico Theatre, InterAct, and Philadelphia Theatre Company also were sprinkled in there.
Philadelphia playwright Ed Shockley, who is also a professor, and a founding member of the Philadelphia Dramatists Center, received the Lifetime Achievement Award.
The awards received a redesign this year. The new Barrymores are now 9-inch rectangular sculptures, created by local artist Sharif Pendleton.
Here are all the winners:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company
Boycott Esther (Azuka Theatre)
Indecent (Arden Theatre Company)
Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)
Morir Sonyando (Passage Theatre Company)
The Great Leap (InterAct Theatre Company)
xoxo moongirl (Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)
Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play/Musical
Emily Acker (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)
Kash Goins (74 Seconds…To Judgment, Arden Theatre Company)
Jess Conda, Jenn Kidwell, Mel Krodman (A Hard Time, Pig Iron Theatre Company)
Christina Anderson (How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Erlina Ortiz (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)
Josh Wilder (Salt Pepper Ketchup, InterAct Theatre Company & Passage Theatre Company)
Alice Yorke with Eva Steinmetz, Alex Bechtel, Scott R. Sheppard, and the ensemble / Music and Lyrics – Alex Bechtel (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)
Outstanding Direction of a Play
James Ijames (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
C. Ryanne Domingues (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)
Jerrell L. Henderson (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Maura Krause (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)
Kathryn MacMillan (The Complete Works of Jane Austen, Abridged, Tiny Dynamite)
Kittson O’Neill (Moby Dick, Hedgerow Theatre)
Rebecca Wright (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)
Award for Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play
Brandi Burgess (Cry It Out, Simpatico Theatre)
Justin Jain (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)
Zuhairah (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Akeem Davis (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Keith Illidge (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
McKenna Kerrigan (Hapgood, Lantern Theater Company)
Jennifer Kidwell (A Hard Time, Pig Iron Theatre Company)
Jered McLenigan (Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, The Wilma Theater)
Geneviève Perrier (Betrayal, Lantern Theater Company)
Brandon Pierce (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)
Chuja Seo (Salt Pepper Ketchup, InterAct Theatre Company & Passage Theatre Company)
Lindsay Smiling (How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Leah Walton (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)
Ruby Wolf (Box Clever, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play
Brian Anthony Wilson (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Danielle Leneé (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Rachel Brodeur (Box Clever, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Walter DeShields (Sweat, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Alexandra Espinoza (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)
Adam Hammet (Measure for Measure, Lantern Theater Company)
Anthony Martinez-Briggs (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)
Susan Mckey (The Christians, Bristol Riverside Theatre)
Claris Park (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)
Lawrence Pressman (Awake and Sing!, Quintessence Theatre Group)
Bianca Sanchez (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)
Jahzeer Terrell (Three Sisters, Two, EgoPo Classic Theater)
Johanna Tolentino (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)
Rob Tucker (This is the Week That Is, 1812 Productions)
Outstanding Outdoor Theatre Production
Contradict This! A Birthday Funeral for Heroes (The Bearded Ladies Cabaret)
Birds of North America (Theater with a View)
King Lear (Shakespeare in Clark Park)
The Beast of Nubia (Theatre in the X)
Whisper’s Gone (Theatre Exile)
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)
Once (Arden Theatre Company)
The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)
The Bridges of Madison County (Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Amina Robinson (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Claire Moyer (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Terrence J. Nolen (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Eva Steinmetz (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)
Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical
Jessica M. Johnson (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Sarah Gliko (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Katherine Fried (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Hanna Gaffney (Oliver!, Quintessence Theatre Group)
Tessa Grady (42nd Street, Bucks County Playhouse)
Claris Park (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Sav Souza (Basic Witches, Hager Productions)
Robert Zelaya (Evita, The Resident Theatre Company)
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical
Ebony Pullum (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Brett Ashley Robinson (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)
Miche Braden (Nina Simone: Four Women, People’s Light)
Newton Buchanan (Honk! The Musical, Delaware Theatre Company)
Rachel Camp (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Charlie DelMarcelle (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Eleni Delopoulos (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Terran Scott (Minors, Lantern Theater Company)
Outstanding Choreography / Movement
Nicole Burgio and Ben Grinberg (xoxo moongirl, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)
Sanchel Brown (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Zachary Chiero (Fly Eagles Fly, Tribe of Fools)
Jeremy Dumont (42nd Street, Bucks County Playhouse)
Eli Lynn (Tis Pity She’s A Whore, The Philadelphia Artists’ Collective)
Steve Pacek (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Annie Wilson (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Scenic Design
Thom Weaver (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
D’Vaughn Agu (Nina Simone: Four Women, People’s Light)
Melpomene Katakalos (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)
Paul E Kuhn (All My Sons, Curio Theatre Company)
Marie Laster (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Colin Mcllvaine (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)
Matt Saunders (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Costume Design
Levonne Lindsay (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Natalia de la Torre (Three Sisters Two, EgoPo Classic Theater)
Elizabeth Ennis (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon
Meghan E. Healey (Mr. Burns, a post-electric play, The Wilma Theater)
Jillian Keys (Treasure Island, Arden Theatre Company)
Mark Mariani (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Rosemarie McKelvey (Cinderella: A Musical Panto, People’s Light
Award for Outstanding Lighting Design
Thom Weaver (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Isabella Byrd (Such Things As Vampires, People’s Light)
Alyssandra Docherty (Completeness, Theatre Exile)
Alyssandra Docherty (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Oona Curley (Nina Simone: Four Women, People’s Light)
Maria Shaplin (Indecent, Arden Theatre Company)
Thom Weaver (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)
Outstanding Media Design
Sadah “Espii” Proctor, Carlos Del Castillo Aceves (Morir Sonyando, Passage Theatre Company)
Christopher Ash (Sweat, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Jorge Cousineau (74 Seconds…To Judgment, Arden Theatre Company)
Jorge Cousineau (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)
Lyell Hints (The Great Leap, InterAct Theatre Company)
Award for Outstanding Sound Design
Daniel Ison (Gem of the Ocean, Arden Theatre Company)
Elizabeth Atkinson (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Christopher Colucci (The Heir Apparent, Lantern Theater Company)
Melissa Dunphy (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)
Justin Ellington (Kill Move Paradise, The Wilma Theater)
Daniel Ison (UNTITLED, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Shannon Zura (Boycott Esther, Azuka Theatre)
Outstanding Original Music
Zak Berkman & Jessie Fisher (Such Things As Vampires, People’s Light)
Alex Bechtel (The Appointment, Lightning Rod Special)
Melissa Dunphy (Among the Dead, Theatre Exile)
Larry Fowler (Hype Man: A Break Beat Play, InterAct Theatre Company)
Jamison Foreman (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Robi Hager (Basic Witches, Hager Productions)
Mel Hsu (xoxo moongirl, Almanac Dance Circus Theatre)
Outstanding Music Direction
Amanda Morton (The Color Purple, Theatre Horizon)
Jamison Foreman (The Monster in the Hall, Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Amanda Morton (The Bridges of Madison County, Philadelphia Theatre Company)
Jason Neri (Ragtime, Eagle Theatre)
Ryan Touhey (Once, Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
Gem of the Ocean (Arden Theatre Company)
A Hard Time, (Pig Iron Theatre Company)
Awake and Sing! (Quintessence Theatre Group)
Box Clever (Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Indecent (Arden Theatre Company)
Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)
Treasure Island (Arden Theatre Company)
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)
Once (Arden Theatre Company)
The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)
The Monster in the Hall (Inis Nua Theatre Company)
Lifetime Achievement Award
Ed Shockley
F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist
Jaylene Clark Owens
J Hernandez
Dan O’Neil
Gabriela Sanchez
Maria Shaplin
Brown Martin Philadelphia Award
The Color Purple (Theatre Horizon)
Boycott Esther (Azuka Theatre)
Kill Move Paradise (The Wilma Theater)
Morir Sonyando (Passage Theatre Company)
The Appointment (Lightning Rod Special)
June and Steve Wolfson Award for an Evolving Theatre Company
Lightning Rod Special
Applied Mechanics
Curio Theatre Company
Simpatico Theatre
Tiny Dynamite
Victory Foundation Award for Outstanding Theatre Education Program ASAP/After School Activities Partnerships
Theatre Horizon
Lantern Theater Company
People’s Light
Yes! And…Collaborative Arts
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Photos courtesy/Theatre Philadelphia
