The 14th Richmond Theatre Community Circle Awards (Artsies) (formerly, Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards) was back as an in-person black-tie event to recognize excellence in Richmond-area theater. The theme of this year’s event – “We’re Still Here” – speaks to the remarkable tenacity and resilience of the arts and arts organizations throughout the global COVID-19 pandemic.
Not only are the Artsies the community’s recognition of excellence in Richmond-area theater, but they are the primary fundraising event for the Theatre Artist Fund of Greater Richmond (Fund). The Fund provides emergency financial assistance to theater artists who have experienced an exceptional financial need related to a specific crisis beyond their control. Since its inception, the Artsies have raised $89,446.24 for the Fund, which has written 21 grants totaling $30,468 for artists in need.
Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Richmond-area professional theaters staged a number of remarkable productions – and audiences turned out to see them. Swift Creek Mill Theatre came away with an impressive seven wins, including six for its production of “Murder for Two,” which was also the production that won the most Artsies. The production captured the award for Best Musical and both awards in the new Best Lead Performance in a Musical category, which went to Emily Berg-Poff Dandridge and Mark Schenfisch. Anne Michelle Forbes also earned an award for Best Supporting Performance in a Musical for her performance in “Winter Wonderettes.”
Virginia Repertory Theatre (Virginia Rep) took away ten Artsies, most of them for its production of “Mamma Mia!”. “Mamma Mia!” received five awards, including Best Supporting Performance in a Musical, which went to Grey Garrett. The show also picked up awards for Best Choreography for Ashleigh King; Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design in a Musical for Sue Griffin’s and Marcia Miller Hailey’s costumes; Outstanding Achievement in Set Design in a Musical for Josafath Reynoso’s set; and Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design in a Musical for Jacob Mishler’s sound.
Two Artsies went to Virginia Rep partner Cadence Theatre, whose cast won the Ernie McClintock Best Acting Ensemble Award for their performance in “Small Mouth Sounds,” which was also honored for Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design in a Play for Joey Luck’s sound. All three awards for Best Supporting Performance in a Play went to Virginia Rep: one to Laine Satterfield for her performance in “Pipeline,” one to Catherine Schaffner for her role in “A Doll’s House, Part 2,” and one to Joy Williams for her work in “Barefoot in the Park.”
All three of Richmond Triangle Players’ awards recognized its production of “Sugar in Our Wounds,” including Best Play, Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design in a Play for Steven Koehler’s lighting, and Outstanding Achievement in Set Design in a Play for William Luther’s set. Firehouse Theatre’s production of “The Barber of Moville” was honored as Outstanding Original Work. Firehouse also took away awards for Best Lead Performance in a Play for Jamar Jones’ performance in “Fires in the Mirror” and Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design in a play for Margarette Joyner’s costumes for the same show.
The other award for Best Lead Performance in a Play went to Alec Beard for his performance in Quill’s one-man show, “An Iliad.” Although two theatre companies did not survive the pandemic, they each won an award. The Illuminated Stage Theatre Company was honored with Best Direction of a Play for Julie Fulcher-Davis’ work on “Every Brilliant Thing.” Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew was recognized for Breakout Performance for her role in TheatreLAB’s “The Niceties.”
“’I’ve come through the fire. I’ve come through the flood. I’ve made it through, and so have you.’ The words of this old spiritual could have been written to describe the resilience of the Richmond theatre community,” said Julinda Lewis, RTCC President. “We have been through a lot these past two years. We’ve taken some blows, but we’re still here, standing strong, together.”
Best Musical
“Murder for Two”, Swift Creek Mill Theatre
Best Direction, Musical
Tom Width, “Murder for Two”
Best Lead Performances – Musical
Emily Berg-Poff Dandridge, “Murder for Two”
Mark Schenfisch, “Murder for Two”
Best Supporting Performances – Musical
Anne Michelle Forbes, “Winter Wonderettes”
Grey Garrett, “Mamma Mia!”
Best Musical Direction
Mark Schenfisch, “Murder for Two”
Best Choreography
Ashleigh King, “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design, Musical
Sue Griffin and Marcia Miller Hailey, “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design, Musical
Joe Doran, “Murder for Two”
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design, Musical
Josafath Reynoso, “Mamma Mia!”
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, Musical
Jacob Mishler, “Mamma Mia!”
Best Play
“Sugar in Our Wounds”, Richmond Triangle Players
Best Direction, Play
Julie Fulcher-Davis, “Every Brilliant Thing”
Best Lead Performances, Play
Alec Beard, “An Iliad”
Jamar Jones, “Fires in the Mirror”
Best Supporting Performances, Play
Laine Satterfield, “Pipeline”
Catherine Shaffner, “A Doll’s House, Part 2”
Joy Williams, “Barefoot in the Park”
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design, Play
Margarette Joyner, “Fires in the Mirror”
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design, Play
Steven Koehler, “Sugar in Our Wounds”
Outstanding Achievement in Set Design, Play
William Luther, “Sugar in Our Wounds”
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design, Play
Joey Luck, “Small Mouth Sounds”
2022 Ernie McClintock Best Acting Ensemble Award
The cast members of the Cadence Theatre, in partnership with Virginia Repertory Theatre, production of “Small Mouth Sounds” are honored for their notable performance as a cohesive and compelling ensemble:
Larry Cook
Marisa Guida
Jenny Hundley
Lauren Leinhaas-Cook
Maura Mazurowski
Jim Morgan
Evan Nasteff
Adam Valentine
Breakout Performance
Mikayla LaShae Bartholomew, “The Niceties”
Outstanding Original Work
“The Barber of Moville”, Firehouse Theatre
