Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance announces NEPTA Award winners in online ceremony
From a press release:
While the coronavirus pandemic continues to prevent new shows from being staged across the area this year, the Northeastern Pennsylvania Theatrical Alliance was still able to host its 23rd annual NEPTA Awards for 2019 productions online on Sunday, June 7.
The NEPTA Awards is usually held as an elegant dress-up event in the spring that highlights and honors the best of the best in community theatre the previous year. The categories mirror those of the Tony Awards, including Best Actor and Actress in a Comedy, Drama, and Musical. Other awards include Supporting Actors, Child Actors, Directors, Technical Work and, of course, awards for Best Comedy, Best Drama, and Best Musical.
Members of the NEPTA nonprofit organization include Actors Circle in Scranton, the Actors Guild of Schuylkill County in Schuylkill Haven, Center Stage Theatre in Tamaqua, Diva Productions in Scranton, Drama in Motion Performance Works Factory Theatre in Nuremberg, the Endless Mountains Theatre Company in New Milford, the Gaslight Theatre Company in Wilkes-Barre, the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, the Music Box Dinner Playhouse in Swoyersville, the Pennsylvania Theatre of Performing Arts in Hazleton, Theatrical Gems in Cresco, and the Worthington Players at the Shawnee Playhouse in Shawnee on Delaware. Members at large include Regina Lanzo and Marty Courtney.
This year, due to all the issues with COVID-19, the event was streamed live to the alliance’s Facebook group and on NEPTA’s new YouTube channel:
Those at the helm who painstaking organized this event and hosted the live stream were Jacob Shoesmith-Fox and Claudia Stuart Shoesmith-Fox of Theatrical Gems, Scott Colin Woolnough of the Little Theater of Wilkes-Barre serving as emcee, NEPTA President Paige Balitski of Diva Productions, and Bob DeLuca of the Endless Mountains Theater Company, who created the program for the event. Past NEPTA Award recipients Dane Bower and Mike Wawrzynek performed an innovative opening for the show. NEPTA representatives voted on over 60 shows to come up with nominations and recipients of various categories.
Graduating seniors who received $500 scholarships from NEPTA were also acknowledged at the event: Bryna Soriano of Wilkes-Barre, attending Wilkes University in the fall for a BFA in musical theatre, and Olivia Stettler of Tamaqua, attending Kent State University in the fall for a BA in theater studies with a concentration in performance.
NEPTA’s prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Joe Sheridan for his many dedicated years of talent and creative services to the local theatre community. For over 35 years, Sheridan has been consistently involved in all aspects of theatre, both on stage and behind the scenes with nearly every theater in the Wyoming Valley, including the Little Theatre of Wilkes-Barre, Showcase Theatre, the Music Box Dinner Playhouse, Genetti’s Dinner Theatre, and the KISS Theatre Company.
2020 NEPTA Award recipients for 2019 productions
Best Sound Design
Jacob Shoesmith-Fox (“The Secret Garden”) – Theatrical Gems
Best Lighting Design
Jon Vojtko (“Jekyll and Hyde”) – LTWB
Best Set
Dave Reynolds and Mike Wawrzynek (“August: Osage County”) – LTWB
Best Costume Design
Eyanna Gruver (“Jekyll and Hyde”) – LTWB
Best Youth Actress (12 and under)
Lauren Maula (Colin Craven, “The Secret Garden”) – Theatrical Gems
Best Youth Actor (12 and under)
Max Reynolds (Winthrop Paroo, “The Music Man”) – Music Box
Best Teen Actress (13-18)
Milana Daiute (Matilda Wormwood, “Matilda”) – DMPW
Best Teen Actor (13-18)
Derek “DJ” Elliot (Jack Kelly, “Newsies”) – PTPA
Best Youth Production (75 percent of principals 12 or under)
“Aladdin Jr.” – Worthington
Best Teen Production (75 percent of principals 13 -18)
“School House Rock Jr.” (teen cast) – PTPA
Best One-Act
“Ripped” – Diva
Best Family Show
“Newsies” – PTPA
Best Original One-Act (Writing)
“The Yellow Leaf” by David Parmelee – LTWB
Best Original Full-Length Production (Writing)
“Mona Lisa and the Cross” by K.K. Gordon – Diva
Best Ancillary Ensemble
“Playroom: Home for the Holidays” – Gaslight
Best Supporting Actress in a Drama
Kimmie Leff (Ivy, “August: Osage County”) – LTWB
Best Supporting Actor in a Drama
Tim McDermott (Little Charlie, “August: Osage County”) – LTWB
Best Lead Actress in a Drama
Maddie Giardina (Mona Lisa, “Mona Lisa and the Cross”) – Diva
Best Lead Actor in a Drama
Christopher Alu (Phillip, “Orphans”) – Diva
Best Director of a Drama
Casey Thomas (“Orphans”) – Diva
Best Drama
“August: Osage County” – LTWB
Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy
Marcie Herman Riebe (Suzanne Turpin, “Dearly Departed”) – Actors Circle
Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy
Eric Lutz (Spike, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”) – Diva
Best Lead Actress in a Comedy
Alicia Nordstrom (Glory/Waitress/Rhonda, “Almost, Maine”) – PTPA
Best Lead Actor in a Comedy
Bob Balitski (Vanya, “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”) – Diva
Best Director of a Comedy
Paige Balitski (“Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike”) – Diva
Best Comedy
“Dearly Departed” – Actors Circle
Best Choreographer
Samantha Schugardt (“Newsies”) – PTPA
Best Music Director
Jennifer Hunter (“Next to Normal”) – Gaslight
Best Supporting Actress in a Musical
Katie Owens (Amy, “Company”) – Music Box
Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Christopher Pavlick (John Dickinson, “1776”) – PTPA
Best Lead Actress in a Musical
Alice Y. Lyons (Diana, “Next to Normal”) – Gaslight
Best Lead Actor in a Musical
Dane Bower (Dan, “Next to Normal”) – Gaslight
Best Director of a Musical
Alexandra Liguori (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder”) – Music Box
Best Musical
“Next to Normal” – Gaslight
Lifetime Achievement Award
Joe Sheridan
