Helen Hayes Award winners Sherri L. Edelen and Joe Calarco Receive Barrymore Awards for their work in Philadelphia Theatre Company’s The Light in Piazza
The 16th annual Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre in Philadelphia were presented by Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia, on Monday, October 4th at the Walnut Street Theatre.
Sherri L. Edelen and Joe Calarco stepped away from rehearsals for Walter Cronkite is Dead at Signature Theatre, which opens October 26th, to return to Philadelphia last night and walked away with Barrymore Awards for Outstanding Leading Actress in a musical, (playing Margaret Johnson), and for Outstanding Direction of a Musical, for their work in Philadelphia Theatre Company’s critically acclaimed production of The Light in the Piazza, which was also named Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical.
The musical also won Outstanding Supporting Actor and Supporting Actress in a Musical which were awarded to Matthew Scott, playing Fabrizio Naccarelli, and to Whitney Bashor, who played Clara Johnson. Matthew was seen in Signature Theatre’s 2009 production of First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb, and most recently as part of the ensemble of Sondheim on Sondheim on Broadway. The Light in the Piazza also won Barrymores for its Music Direction (Eric Ebbenga), and Lighting Design (R. Lee Kennedy).
Veteran Broadway actor Mark Jacoby was awarded the Barrymore Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical for his heart-warming performance as Tevye in Walnut Theatre Company’s production of Fiddler on the Roof. Mark was seen as The Mayor in Signature Theatre’s production of The Visit in 2008.
The Wilma Theater’s Becky Shaw by Gina Gionfriddo won five awards: Outstanding Overall Production of a Play, Outstanding Ensemble in a Play, Outstanding Director of a Play for Anne Kauffman, Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play for Jeremy Bobb, and Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play for Brooke Bloom.
Black Pearl Sings! which had a run at Ford’s Theatre in September and October 2009, earned InterAct Theatre Company a $25,000 cash prize with the Brown Martin Philadelphia Award. Actress Sarah Sanford, was the recipient of the F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, and with it – a $10,000 cash award.
Philadelphia philanthropists Ted and Stevie Wolf received the Lifetime Achievement Award, given in recognition of an artist or patron who has devoted his or her time, talent and energy to making a significant impact on the cultural landscape of Greater Philadelphia.
Read the complete list of winners of the 2010 Barrymore Awards here.
Related:
Joel’s podcast with Sherri L. Edelen and Matthew Scott at The Light in the Piazza here.
Joel’s interview with The Light in the Piazza’s director Joe Calarco here.
Joel’s interview with Mark Jacoby, who played Tevye in Walnut Street Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof .
Side note: Charles Pistone (pictured with Sherri above) was also nominated for a Barrymore award for his portrayal of Sr. Narccarelli in Light in the Piazza!!