‘Falsettoland,’ ‘The Chinese Lady,’ and ‘Lost in Yonkers’ Top Connecticut Critics Circle Nominations

Event Is Open to the Public

Music Theatre of Connecticut’s production of “Falsettoland” and Long Wharf Theatre’s “The Chinese Lady” and Hartford Stage’s “Lost in Yonkers” lead the shows nominated for the 30th annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards.

The awards event, which celebrates the best in professional theater in the state, will be held Monday, June 27 at 7:30 p.m. at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.  Kenneth Gartman, a New York City-based singer, music director, and producer, will preside over the show which is free and open to the public.

Falsettoland earned six nominations, including outstanding actor in a musical, best director, and best musical.  The Chinese Lady and Lost in Yonkers each received eight nods, including best actress, best director and best play.

Other outstanding play nominees are Westport Country Playhouse’s Doubt, Theaterworks Hartford’s Walden, and Playhouse on Park’s production of The Agitators.

Also earning outstanding musical nods are Playhouse on Park’s Five Guys Named Moe, Westport Country Playhouse’s Next to Normal, and A Contemporary Theatre of Connecticut’s production of  Smokey Joe’s Café.

In addition to the nominees, there will be two special awards presented at the ceremony. This year’s Tom Killen Memorial Award, presented for a lifetime of dedication to the theater and to theater in Connecticut, will be presented to Executive Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Music Theatre of Connecticut (MTC), Kevin Connors. The award is named after Tom Killen, a talented young critic who died at the age of 33 in August 1989 and who helped found the Connecticut Critics Circle. Connors was also instrumental in leading MTC to become one of only three theaters in the country to have permission from Actors Equity and the CDC to open for live audiences after COVID-19 restrictions began to be lifted.

Artistic Director Rob Ruggiero and Theaterworks Hartford will receive a special award for the company’s tireless efforts and innovative means to bring streamed plays to Connecticut theater-goers during the COVID-19 pandemic. In a time when audiences were not permitted in the theater, Theaterworks Hartford consistently produced high-quality streaming productions.

The 30^th Annual Awards Ceremony is free and open to the public.  To RSVP, visit the Connecticut Critics Circle website at http://www.ctcritics.org.

Other nominees are:

Outstanding Solo Performance

• Cloteal L. Horne – Fires in the Mirror – Long Wharf
• Matt Densky – Fully Committed – Music Theatre of CT
• Alaudin Ullah – Dishwasher Dreams – Hartford Stage

Outstanding Debut

• Ari Sklar – Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• Avanthika Srinivasan – Queen – Long Wharf

Outstanding Ensemble

• Five Guys Named Moe – Playhouse on Park
• Smokey Joe’s Cafe – ACT of CT
• The Porch on Windy Hill – Ivoryton Playhouse
• It’s a Wonderful Life – Hartford Stage
• A Grand Night for Singing – Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Projections

• RJ Romeo – The Mountaintop – Music Theatre of CT
• Camilla Tassi – Fires in the Mirror – Long Wharf
• Mark Holthusen – Dream House – Long Wharf

Outstanding Sound

• Hao Bai – Walden – Theaterworks Hartford
• Fabian Obispo – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Jay Hilton – A Grand Night for Singing – Goodspeed Opera House
• Noel Nichols and Uptown Works – Today is My Birthday – Yale Rep

Outstanding Costume Design

• Kara Harmon – Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous – Hartford Stage
• Linda Cho – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• An-Lin Dauber – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Harry Nadal – Zoey’s Perfect Wedding – Theaterworks Hartford
• Haydee Zelideth – Dream House – Long Wharf

Outstanding Lighting

• Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew – Walden – Theaterworks Hartford
• Jiyoun Chang – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Porsche McGovern – Fires in the Mirror – Long Wharf
• Christopher Chamber – Nickel Mines – ACT of CT
• Cory Pattak – Next to Normal – Westport Country Playhouse

Outstanding Set Design

• You-Shin Chen – Walden – Theaterworks Hartford
• Collette Pollard – Angry, Raucous & Shamelessly Gorgeous – Hartford Stage
• Junghyun Georgia Lee – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Stephanie Osin Cohen – Dream House – Long Wharf
• Daniel Nischan – Native Gardens – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography

• Stephanie Pope Lofgren – Smokey Joe’s Cafe – ACT of CT
• Brittney Griffin – Five Guys Named Moe – Playhouse on Park
• Andrew Palermo – Nickel Mines – ACT of CT
• Amy Hall Garner – Choir Boy – Yale Rep
• Lainie Sakakura – Cabaret – Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Actor – Musical

• Dan Sklar – Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• David Lutken – The Porch on Windy Hill – Ivoryton Playhouse
• Spiff Wiegand – Buddy Holly – Music Theatre of CT
• Avionce Hoyles – Jesus Christ Superstar – ACT of CT
• Austin Turner – Rent – ACT of CT

Outstanding Actress – Musical

• Lisa Helmi Johanson –The Porch on Windy Hill – Ivoryton Playhouse
• Susan Haefner – Tenderly – Music Theatre of CT
• Dar. Lee. See. Ah. – Next to Normal – Westport Country Playhouse
• Ayla Stackhouse – Star of Freedom – Ivoryton Playhouse
• Aline Mayagoitia – Cabaret – Goodspeed Opera House

Outstanding Actor – Play

• Eric Bryant – Doubt – Westport
• Tom Holcomb – This Bitter Earth – Theaterworks Hartford
• Damian Thompson – This Bitter Earth – Theaterworks Hartford
• Chaz Rose – The Mountaintop – Music Theatre of CT
• Gabriel Lawrence – The Agitators – Playhouse on Park

Outstanding Actress – Play

• Shannon Tyo – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Betsy Aidem – Doubt – Westport Country Playhouse
• Andrea Syglowski – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Stephanie Janssen – Queen – Long Wharf
• Darilyn Castillo – Dream House – Long Wharf

Outstanding Featured Actor – Musical

• Jeff Gurner – Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• Daniel J. Maldonado – Next to Normal – Westport Country Playhouse
• Richard E. Waits – Star of Freedom – Ivoryton Playhouse
• Bruce Landry – Cabaret – Goodspeed Opera House
• Gordia Hayes – Rent – ACT of CT

Outstanding Featured Actress – Musical

• Jessie Janet Richards – Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• Jennifer Smith – Cabaret – Goodspeed Opera House
• Paloma D’Auria – Rent – ACT of CT

Outstanding Featured Actress – Play

• Sharina Martin – Doubt – Westport Country Playhouse
• Antoinette LaVecchia – Ah, Wilderness – Hartford Stage
• Marsha Mason – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Liba Vaynberg – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Marianna McClellan – Dream House – Long Wharf

Outstanding Featured Actor – Play

• Jon Norman Schneider – Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Francis Jue – Today is My Birthday – Yale Rep
• Jeff Skowron – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Michael Nathanson – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Allen Gilmore – Choir Boy – Yale Rep

Outstanding Director – Musical

• Brittney Griffin – Five Guys Named Moe – Playhouse on Park
• Kevin Connors – Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• Marcos Santana – Next to Normal – Westport Country Playhouse
• Sherry Lutken – The Porch on Windy Hill – Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding Director – Play

• Ralph B. Pena – The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Marsha Mason and Rachel Alderman – Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• Laura Woolery – Dream House – Long Wharf
• Mei Ann Teo – Walden – Theaterworks Hartford
• Mark Lamos – Straight White Men – Westport Country Playhouse

Outstanding Production – Musical

• Smokey Joe’s Cafe – ACT of CT
• Five Guys Named Moe – Playhouse on Park
• Falsettoland – Music Theatre of CT
• Next to Normal – Westport Country Playhouse

Outstanding Production – Play

• The Chinese Lady – Long Wharf
• Doubt – Westport Country Playhouse
• Walden – Theaterworks Hartford
• Lost in Yonkers – Hartford Stage
• The Agitators – Playhouse on Park