Norton Nominees Announced for 2010 Awards

Karen MacDonald To Receive
Prize For Sustained Excellence

The Boston Theater Critics Association has announced its nominees for this year’s Elliot Norton Awards, which recognize excellence in Greater Boston theater. Named for venerable theater critic Elliot Norton, the awards will be presented at the 28th annual ceremony, to be held at 7 p.m. on Monday, May 17, at the newly renovated Paramount Theatre, located at 549 Washington Street in Boston’s Theater District.

As previously announced, actor Karen MacDonald, a founding company member of the American Repertory Theatre, is this year’s recipient of the Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence. Tony Shalhoub and Brooke Adams, currently appearing on Broadway in “Lend Me a Tenor,” will attend as guests of honor.

In addition, StageSource will present its annual Theatre Hero Award to Michael Maso, longtime managing director of the Huntington Theatre Company. The award honors Mr. Maso’s role as a champion and inspiration for Boston-area theaters and artists. The evening will also include musical performances from the shows nominated for outstanding musical this year.

The nominees are as follows, along with the recipient of a special citation for an Outstanding Theatrical Experience. In the design categories, the award will be given to the entire design team of a production.

OUTSTANDING VISITING PRODUCTION
“Gatz,” Elevator Repair Service at American Repertory Theater
“Spring Awakening,” Broadway Across America
“Waiting for Godot,” Classical Theatre of Harlem at Institute of Contemporary Art
 
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PRODUCTION
“Adding Machine: A Musical,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“Best of Both Worlds,” American Repertory Theater
“Phantom of the Oprah,” Gold Dust Orphans

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION BY A LARGE COMPANY
"All My Sons,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Fences,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Stick Fly,” Huntington Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION BY A MIDSIZE COMPANY
“Much Ado About Nothing,” Actors’ Shakespeare Project
“Reckless,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“The Savannah Disputation,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
 
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION BY A SMALL COMPANY
“Entertaining Mr. Sloane,” Publick Theatre Boston
“4:48 Psychosis,” Gamm Theatre Company
“The Life of Galileo,” Catalyst Collaborative@MIT and Underground Railway Theater
 
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION BY A FRINGE COMPANY
“After the Quake,” Company One
“The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged),” Orfeo Group
“The Overwhelming,” Company One
 
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR, LARGE COMPANY
John Collins, “Gatz,” Elevator Repair Service at American Repertory Theater
Kenny Leon, “Stick Fly,” Huntington Theatre Company
Diane Paulus, “The Donkey Show,” American Repertory Theater

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR, MIDSIZE COMPANY
Paul Daigneault, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Scott Edmiston, “Reckless,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Paul Melone, “Adding Machine: A Musical,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
 
OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR, SMALL OR FRINGE COMPANY
Steven Barkhimer, “Complete Works of Wm Shakespeare (Abridged),” Orfeo Group
Larry Coen, “Phantom of the Oprah,” Gold Dust Orphans
Eric C. Engel, “Entertaining Mr. Sloane,” Publick Theatre Boston
 
OUTSTANDING DESIGN, LARGE COMPANY
“The Comedy of Errors,” Commonwealth Shakespeare Company
“Gatz,” Elevator Repair Service at American Repertory Theater
“Stick Fly,” Huntington Theatre Company

OUTSTANDING DESIGN, MIDSIZE, SMALL, OR FRINGE COMPANY
“Adding Machine: A Musical,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“Island of Slaves,” Orfeo Group
“Phantom of the Oprah,” Gold Dust Orphans
 
OUTSTANDING NEW SCRIPT
Lydia R. Diamond, “Harriet Jacobs”
John Kuntz, “The Salt Girl”
Ryan Landry, “Phantom of the Oprah”
 
OUTSTANDING ACTOR, LARGE COMPANY
Seth Fisher, “Becky Shaw,” Huntington Theatre Company
Will Lyman, “All My Sons,” Huntington Theatre Company
Scott Shepherd, “Gatz,” Elevator Repair Service at American Repertory Theater

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS, LARGE COMPANY
Crystal Fox, “Fences,” Huntington Theatre Company
Amber Iman, “Stick Fly,” Huntington Theatre Company
Karen MacDonald, “All My Sons,” Huntington Theatre Company
 
OUTSTANDING ACTOR, SMALL, MIDSIZE, OR FRINGE COMPANY
Ross Bennett Hurwitz, “The Taming of the Shrew,” Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Jack Cutmore-Scott, “Entertaining Mr. Sloane,” Publick Theatre Boston
Nigel Gore, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Publick Theatre Boston

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS, SMALL, MIDSIZE, OR FRINGE COMPANY
Anne Gottlieb, “Not Enough Air,” Nora Theatre Company
Angie Jepson, “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?,” Publick Theatre Boston
Sandra Shipley, “Entertaining Mr. Sloane,” Publick Theatre Boston
 
OUTSTANDING MUSICAL PERFORMANCE
Luke Grooms, “Jerry Springer: The Opera,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Liz Hayes, “Adding Machine: A Musical,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
Jeffery Roberson, “Phantom of the Oprah,” Gold Dust Orphans
 
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE
“The Savannah Disputation,” SpeakEasy Stage Company
“Stick Fly,” Huntington Theatre Company
“Gatz,” Elevator Repair Service at American Repertory Theater
 
SPECIAL CITATION FOR AN OUTSTANDING THEATRICAL EXPERIENCE
“Sleep No More,” Punchdrunk and American Repertory Theater

Tickets for the event, which will be followed by a reception, are priced at $20 and are available by calling 866-811-4111 or online at Ovationtix.