The 2008-09 Spokies: Here are your nominees …
For shows that opened during June 2008-May 2009 and that Bobo actually saw.
Winners will be revealed in the July 2 Inlander.
Just this week, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) announced its decision to nominate 10 movies for Best Picture at Oscar time next February.
As the sole member of the Spokane Academy of Theatrical Arts and Numismatic-tossing (SATAN), Bobo feels inspired by that decision and has accordingly gone CRAAAZY, filling out some of the Spokie categories below with an unusually large number of nominees.
I know I’m the guy with the notepad who walks in the room and makes everybody nervous (or angry, or indifferent), but the Spokies — limited as they are, like peering at just one guy’s Oscar ballot — ought to celebrate what’s best about the theater season just concluded. People deserve to see their names listed. Why limit nominees arbitrarily?
Please write in listing all of Bobo’s egregious mistakes.
Outstanding Choreography
Tralen Doler for La Cage aux Folles, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater
Kathie Doyle-Lipe for Oklahoma!, Spokane Civic Theater
Jean Hardie for No, No, Nanette, Civic
Troy Nickerson and Cameron Lewis for A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Civic
Outstanding Lighting Design
David Baker for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Spokane Civic Theater
Peter Hardie for Godspell, Civic’s Studio
Justin Schmidt for Waiting for Godot, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Joel Williamson for Les Miserables, CdA Summer Theater
Outstanding Set Design for a Musical
David Baker for A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Spokane Civic Theater
David Baker for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Civic
Peter Hardie for No, No, Nanette, Civic
Michael McGiveney for All Shook Up, CdA Summer Theater
Michael McGiveney for Les Miserables, CdA
Outstanding Set Design for a Play
David Baker for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Spokane Civic Theater
David Baker for Shakespeare in Hollywood, Civic
Outstanding Costume Design
Susan Berger and Jan Wanless for A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Civic
Judith McGiveney for Les Miserables, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater
Jan Wanless and Susan Berger for No, No, Nanette, Civic
Featured Actor in a Musical
Jadd Davis as the Minstrel in Once Upon a Mattress, CdA Summer Theater
Cameron Lewis as Will Parker in Oklahoma!, Spokane Civic Theater
Cameron Lewis as Billy Early (not Trainor) in No, No, Nanette, Civic
Tim Louma as Jacob in La Cage aux Folles, CdA
Gavin Smith as Jacob Marley in A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Civic
Robert Wamsley as Senex in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Civic
Featured Actor in a Play
Damon Abdallah as Pozzo in Waiting for Godot, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Jamie Flanery as Max Reinhardt in Shakespeare in Hollywood, Spokane Civic Theater
Thomas Heppler as Dale Harding in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Civic
Thomas Stewart as Roger Wolders in Together Again for the First Time, Interplayers
Paul Villabrille as Billy Bibbit in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Civic
Featured Actress in a Musical
Jean Hardie as Aunt Eller in Oklahoma!, Spokane Civic Theater
Darcy Wright as Eponine in Les Miserables, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater
Featured Actress in a Play
Caryn Hoaglund-Trivett as Gwendolyn Fairfax in The Importance of Being Earnest, Actors Repertory Theater of the Inland Northwest
Karen Kalensky as Audrey in Together Again for the First Time, Interplayers
Anne Lillian Mitchell as Lydia in Shakespeare in Hollywood, Civic
Leading Actress in a Musical
Krystle Armstrong as Cosette in Les Miserables, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater
Krista Kubicek as Fantine in Les Miserables, CdA
Kat Ramsburg as Princess Winnifred in Once Upon a Mattress, CdA
Leading Actor in a Play
Luke Barats as Frank in Never Swim Alone, Civic Studio
Kevin Connell as Bill Livingston in The Women of Lockerbie, Civic Studio
Carter J. Davis as Benjamin Braddock in The Graduate, Interplayers
George Green as Bill in Never Swim Alone, Civic Studio
George Green as Randall P. McMurphy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Civic
Jonn Jorgensen as Vladimir in Waiting for Godot, Interplayers
Jon Lutyens as Algernon Moncrieff in The Importance of Being Earnest, Actors Rep
Reed McColm in multiple roles in The Dining Room, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Damon C. Mentzer as Jack Worthing in The Importance of Being Earnest, Actors Rep
Damon C. Mentzer as Oberon in Shakespeare in Hollywood, Civic
Leading Actor in a Musical
Jerry Christakos as Albin/”Zaza” in La Cage aux Folles, CdA Summer Theater
Robby French as Jesus in Godspell, Spokane Civic Theater
Jerry Sciarrio as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Civic
Douglas Webster as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables, CdA
Leading Actress in a Play
Ashley Cooper as Rootie in Graceland, Spokane Civic’s Studio Theater
Ellen Crawford as Emily Dickinson in The Belle of Amherst, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Karen Kalensky as Mrs. Robinson in The Graduate, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Jack Bannon for Together Again for the First Time, Interplayers
Yvonne A.K. Johnson for One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Spokane Civic Theater
Yvonne A.K. Johnson for Never Swim Alone, Civic’s Studio
Brooke Kiener for Museum, Whitworth
Christopher Schario for The Belle of Amherst, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Tralen Doler for La Cage aux Folles, Coeur d’Alene Summer Theater
Rick Hornor for Urinetown, Gonzaga
Kirk Mouser for Les Miserables, CdA
Troy Nickerson for A Christmas Carol: The Musical, Spokane Civic Theater
Troy Nickerson for Godspell, Civic’s Studio
Diana Trotter for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Civic
Roger Welch for All Shook Up, CdA
Best Ensemble
Les Miserables, CdA Summer Theater
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Spokane Civic Theater
Together Again for the First Time, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Best Touring Musical
The Color Purple
Phantom of the Opera
Spamalot
Best Comedy
The Importance of Being Earnest, Actors Repertory Theater of the Inland Northwest
Shakespeare in Hollywood, Spokane Civic Theater
Together Again for the First Time, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Best Drama
The Belle of Amherst, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
Never Swim Alone, Spokane Civic’s Studio Theater
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Civic
Best Local Musical
All Shook Up, CdA Summer Theater
Cowgirls, Spokane Interplayers Ensemble
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Spokane Civic Theater
Godspell, Civic
La Cage aux Folles, CdA
Les Misérables, CdA
Labels: The Spokies
posted by Bobo the Theater Ho @ 6:48 PM
36 Comments
36 Comments:
Total nominations: 81
Gonzaga 1
Whitworth 1
Best of Broadway Spokane** 3
Actors Rep 4
Interplayers 15
CdA Summer Theater 17
Spokane Civic Theater 40
I think it's fantastic that you have so many nominees - it says a lot for theater in our fair city! And such a variety of productions. Thank you for including so many "technical" categories, as well - all who are nominated deserve the recognition they receive here.
Hey Just thought Bobo might want to know that when Les Mis was originally Tony nominated both the roles of Eponine (Frances Ruffelle) and Cosette (Judy Kuhn) were considered Featured actresses with Ruffelle winning. You have Cosette as leading actress. Just a little Trivia for you.
Bobo, I don't mean to disparage anyone, but a lighting nom for Interplayers? Tragic at best.
I guess you never saw Godot. The lighting and stage pictures were beautiful.
Nominating COWGIRLS and FORUM over OKLAHOMA is pretty damned egregious!
I saw the play and while some of the pictures where lovely to look at the transitions were clunky and awkward. I also think something is wrong with the equiptment at Interplayers, things flash oddly and blackout and flash on. Weird.
COWGIRLS r u serious cmon Bobo get a clue!
Since I was in the show, you can take this for what it's worth, but I certainly agree that Oklahoma deserves a Best Local Musical nomination every bit as much as the other shows on your list, as does Kathie's direction of same.
And while I expect to agree with some of your choices and disagree with others, I have to point out that in your zeal to emulate the Oscars and recognize more nominees, you still only managed to recognize 11 female performances overall while 25 male performances got "the nod". Yes, I know that there are more men's roles than women's out there- believe me, as a woman I do know that - but you seem to have left an inordinately large number of fine female performances unrecognized.
Also...Cameron's character in No, No, Nanette was Billy Early.
Jean:
I looked up the character name and got Billy Trainor. Did it change from stage to film, or something? Either way, my fault. I did try to get it right. Dumb on my part.
I was very aware of there being twice as many actor as actress noms. Not sexist: I put it down to a thin year for the actresses. Certainly not intended as a slight.
I'm second-guessing myself already: There are about three nominations I should have made, and didn't -- and probably half a dozen that I shouldn't have made, and did. (Or so it seems to me now.)
Interestingly (at least to me) -- and after all the rereading and list-making and comparing and revising and listing of criteria that I did (I _DO_ take this seriously), there were four categories that I had finalized and then thought, when it came time to make a choice, "I have no idea who I think is best here." So, at least to a small degree, these aren't
We'll just have to agree to disagree on *Oklahoma!* I will say, with respect to *Cowgirls,* that it was far and away, IMHO, the most UNeven show of the year. There were eye-rollingly bad moments in it, mostly having to do with the more "dramatic" moments, and I gather that lots of viewers thought poorly of those. But that show also had -- and this is where some playgoers tend to throw out the baby with the bathwater -- some remarkable moments, both musical and comedic. At the top of the show, when the trio had to demonstrate its vocal and classical skills, they were remarkable. J.J. belted a ballad and the trio even switched gears to handle some of the second-act yee-hah country numbers. So to dismiss *Cowgirls* entirely, in my view, is unfair. (Sorry, this is in reply to another post.)
Is it kinda stupid to set up one guy's opinions as the arbiter of what's good around here? Yes, it is. But I would rather make a fool of myself and make mistakes and still provide one more opportunity in a weekly paper to remind infrequent and lukewarm theater-goers out there that local theater is alive and well despite hard times ... than not do it at all. The other guy (Jim K., great guy) has repeatedly made it clear that he can't/won't join in. I tried canvassing a board of about six other playgoers one year, with middling results.
You write in and tell me: a better way? Just wide-open voting on the Internet would lead to all kinds of ballot-stuffing and spite-voting. Perhaps paper ballots handed out in Sept. to about a dozen local theater luminaries, with instructions to see as many shows as possible, take notes, respond when I ask them to report in on progress at mid-season? But would the most prominent local artistic directors, directors, actors, designers, stage managers, etc. be willing to vote on a ballot that prevented them from voting for shows of their own? Or are we better off with just one guy voting? Write in and provide some thoughts. (Not just bobo UR clueless, but more well-reasoned stuff, like what Jean just said.)
Bobo,
If you looked up the characters on IMDb, that explains it. The movie
(1940) bears only the most passing resemblance to the stage play...character names are different, some characters are missing while others randomly appear. Next time, go to IBDb.
Since you acknowledge that it is "stupid" to set up one guy as the arbiter...etc. etc., why not just bite the bullet and take criticism the same way that we actors are supposed to take yours? After all, you did solicit a cataloguing of your mistakes.
But here is a suggestion for you, although I don't know how practical it would be. At the end of the season, why not furnish a list in your blog of eligible productions (which are, quite sensibly, those you've seen, as I understand it) and ask your blog readers to suggest their lists of nominees - and why. This wouldn't be for posting and would have no official impact on your final choices, but it might be an aide to you as you review the season to make your nominations. At the very least, it might help to clarify which shows and performances are eligible. For example, do college productions, community theatre productions and summer stock productions all belong in the same nomination pool? What constitutes a leading role and a featured role? Is there some show that went unrecognized not because you didn't care for it, but because you didn't see it? That sort of thing.
Best of luck.
Jean, I wasn't making an excuse about Billy Early's name. I just got sloppy. I got it wrong. I was just pointing out that I did try, ineptly, to get it right. That's all.
Thanks very much for your Spokie suggestions. Today by e-mail, I'm inviting a dozen local theater luminaries to form a Spokie voting panel for this coming season. I'll keep you posted on how willing/able they are, and how feasible this idea works out to be.
Thursday *Inlander*s are actually available on Wednesdays, noonish, at our downtown office on Riverside.
It'd be grand to have a BEST NEW PLAY award wouldn't it?
Oh wait. Nobody's doing new work in Spokane.
Nevermind
Define new...
New as it not scene by the Spokane Market or new as in first time ever produced... in which case no will come see it. If you want to be a play write - move to a theatre town or at least Seattle.
ANONYMOUS 7/1 Said:
'New as it not scene by the Spokane Market or new as in first time ever produced... in which case no will come see it.'
No. I don't want to be a playwright (and that's how it's spelled by the way). But I think it's naive and shamelessly incorrect to say that people won't go to new theatre. The whole of producing, whether in theatre, movies, or television, is betting on what will be a hit. What new work will rbing in the most money. NOT "What can we rehash and get people to see." It's THAT thinking that gives you Saw V, Wolverine 4, Transformers 2, and the theatrical seasons for interplayers, the Civic and CDA for years. The whole of theatrical and movie history is based on bringing people in to see a new shows. And it's closed minded people like you that can't get off your ass to buy a ticket to something you've never seen nor read and instead pumps money into revivals, old timey hits, and Michael Bay like Blockbusters that makes theatre a struggling art, movies vacant pieces of crap that are made entirely for opening weekend profits, and, to be honest, making America dumber and less intellectually curious. Try something new once in a while. It might be good for you.
ARt did a nice mix of old and new and seemed to be able to sell it. What was their secret?
ARt failed and you want to know their secret?
it is proven in this town that people DONT see new works.
It is SAD. But it is true.
They just don't - they'd rather get SHOCK TREATMENT to watch young NON-PRO teens hit a puck around the ice.
Thankyou Jean for saying what a lot of people have expressed,did you not see the fine performances by many strong female actresses this season.I understand that you may not always agree with the plays premise but what a shame to ignore fine work.As much as I appreciate your efforts over the years have you considered stepping aside for 3 or 4 years in favor of a fresh look from someone else.I think it would be good for you and the local theatre.Or prehaps share your platform with a 1 or 2 people who would review along with you.
ARt failed because of gossip on this blog and in this town not because of a lack of audience.
If ARt failed (and they did) doing productions as good as they did then maybe that's proof that new plays can't work in Spokane.
Bobo these r a joke actors in Idaho have done the national tours of some of these shows.Most of these dancers have studied all thier lives,give me a break.
Art failed because of mismanaged funds.Enough already.I miss Art .Any theatre closing is a shame and causes a monopoly which is not always healthy for the growth of the Artist and the Community.Thank goodness for the consistant and professional level of work at Civic but it is healthy to have other theatres for healthy competition.
If the free speech on this blog has the power to kill a theater, how come InterPlayers still breaths? Welcome to the new millennium. People have opinions and want to express them. The days when a theater's dirty little secrets (Mismanaged funds, embezzlement,nepotism, and yes, UNPROFESSIONAL BEHAVIOR)were kept in house are being flushed away in a swirl of Twittering and blogging.Personally I like the new transparency.
All businesses have things they would like to keep to themselves.That secrecy is acceptable in most cases except in Non- profit organizations. I hold our local non-profit arts organizations to a higher standard.You want my money? I want to see where it goes.You want my support? I want my hard work to not be trashed by inexperienced management who want to play theater.
oh please...art died of overspending
I'm curious fellow bloggers what were the productions you liked this season?
I for one liked Godspell and Cuckoo's nest and Never Swim Alone - they were all edgy and challenged me.
As for ARt - it failed for ALOT of reasons - this blog not be one of them. ARt could not even figure out how to stay afloat with MINIMAL set costs, MINIMAL Tech costs and LOW to NO (% of the door!!!!!) rent. Think please - just think... what could YOU do with that set up. Man, not a bad set up and they STILL screwed that up.
As for transparency - I don't this this blog is it - Um - theatres in this town are Non-Profit Public Entities - NOT PRIVATE Business - meaning they are as transparent as they can get - you want to know what they do - simply walk in and ask to read their minutes. Plain and simple.
Believe or don't believe what you read as I am sure words are stretched and changed in the books but that is opinionated argument. Good luck with that.
New works as in local works - don't work, New works as in UNKNOWN works, have to be marketing extremely well to have a chance to work - fellow performers and patrons, we LOVE theatre but we must face the facts here... we are a select few when it comes to this market place - SPOKANE is NOT a theatre town. Whomever wrote the think about hockey players and shock football - you are DEAD ON. To think our town intellect is based on NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PRO sports is so so sad but true. The media, even Bobo's own ARTS MAG/PAPER covers that crap WAY TOO MUCH.
I look back on years of bashing Civic on this blog and wonder why oh why most of us (including me) can't figure this out... Civic has usually had the best shows and keeps it doors open. We need to cut that organization some slack.
Bobo!!!! You call yourself a critic??!
Sorry to offend you but how in the world can you nominate NATIONALLY RENTED set pieces and costumes?
You mean to tell me that they (whoever it was person) that "assembled with instructions" the Les Mis set did a better job that Davis Baker on his Carol set?
He DESIGNED... sketched, CONSTRUCTED a masterpiece that could have been on any pro stage in NY. SAD - TRULY SAD.
Big venues NY, LA, SF, Dallas etc. are so much smarter than small ones - Spokane, Oklahoma City. Small venues behave like crabs in a bucket. As soon as one tries to get out, the others grab on to its leg whining "take me with you", and pull the crab back into the bucket. Or do they really whine, "If I can't you can't!" It's okay that I never did great and I'll make sure you never do either. What is the need here to bash Spokane sporting events as NOT EVEN CLOSE TO PROFESSIONAL?? Does it serve Spokane theater better to do that? Does it serve theater types to envy that the Spokane Shock sell 10,000 seats one day a week for eight performances a year? Stop comparing and being jealous. Shock fans probably are not your target market. Spokane can't have a professional football franchise because the population can't sustain it. The same reason it can't have a professional Equity theater. Even the INB brings in events from the big venue's second and third string understudies. Support your local town on all levels. Or just continue pulling the crabs back into your bucket.
Loved Godspell,Le Miz compared in strength to many other fine productions of it I have seen,Never Swim alone,The Women of Lockerbie was amazing,A Christmas Carol was fresh and entertaining and a few others I can't think of right now.
My favorite play this year was WAITING FOR GODOT. Musical...I can't be objective so I'll leave that one blank.
But really...I'm still just trying to figure out the whole "crabs in the bucket" thing. Are supporters of local theatre the ones IN the bucket or the ones trying to crawl OUT of the bucket?
(And speaking as one who has done quite a few shows at Civic, the only thing I really have against the Shock or Hockey or Cher or Elton John or whoever is the horror of trying to park at the theatre on a game/concert night!)
I am not bashing the sporting events... they ARE NOT professional!!! They are high school kids with pucks and 2nd league (not even MAIN league Arena - that has closed) football players and YET the SPOKANE population SWARMS them.... the point being... this is the challenge we face - no jealously here just making a point that SPokane is a CONSERVATIVE Sporting/Outdoor lifestyle markets and THUS the folks that want new theatre that has never been heard of before need to understand that THERE IS NO AUDIENCE for it - you said it yourself. So yes KUDOS to the smart rich folks that figured out that Spokane will come in tens of thousands to see non-pro sports - it is great for the economy.
Oh for crying out loud.Sporting events will always dominate everywhere! Wake up and smell the football,basketball,baseball,hockeyetc,etc.
Then say the Theater is not professional as well, otherwise you're bashing sporting events! The spokane Shock players and coaches get a paycheck. That's professional according to the theaters in town. It certainly isn't a salary negotiated by agents, but neither are the contracts of the actors in town. Sports and theater are not professional in Spokane according to your definition. So don't bag the sports. Bag 'em all or none. I would prefer none. Personally, I don't think 80,000 seats a year in a venue that has a potential for over 3 million seats sold a year is all that much for one franchise (Shock). I think the Chiefs do worse than that.
The Los Angeles Colliseum seats over 100,000 people. Ten miles away, the Rose Bowl in Pasadena (college games only) seats over 110,000 people. The two venues together seat the entire population of Spokane. I think the Dorothy Chandler Pavillion (Big LA musicals) seats a couple of thousand. The people in LA don't strike me as the Outdoorsy type. What's your point about sports and theatre? What do sporting events and the people who like those have anything to do with theater and the people that like those? I really don't get this whole market mentality comparison and the negativity from theater types toward the nice folks that enjoy a baseball game.
I don't think the poster was bashing - some of you are too touchy. The last post I read about this (from that poster) merely states a fact. More people see sporting events in Spokane than theatre (even if that happens in other places as well). That makes sense to me. BTW - I believe Civic pays like 8 staff members full time so they are professionals and isn't Interplayers a pro place - the new name says so? I bet the poster has a point. Ask the box office managers of the two theatre when attendance is at it lowest and I bet it is during the NICE weather months (no rocket science). Ask new people why they move to here and the main reasons - great place to raise family and the weather/outdoors.
So let's conclude (before anyone flies off the handle again)....
YES - no matter where you are Sporting events do better than theatre - with that said a small-mid size market like Spokane already has to battle to get any ticket sales of ANY kind (ask Barry Manilow).
YES - folks here would rather be outside that inside (for the most part) during nice weather days.
NO - Spokane does not have a major theatregoing audience like Chicago, Seattle, Portland, NY, Minneapolis, etc.... mostly due to market size.
Did I miss anything? By my accounts all this spells out as: Do popular shoes in a well-balanced season.
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