CL Theater Award Nominations 

Our Charlotte Theater Awards have become a cornerstone of the local arts scene, picking up the highest of compliments: They've been emulated by the Metrolina Theatre Association, now in the midst of their third season. There are good reasons to accord the MTA awards the credibility they have quickly earned. Each award is decided by a consensus of panelists.

And there are more than enough to go around. Sixty-seven awards were given at the most recent MTA ceremonies at Spirit Square last September -- the best cast party in town.

So have we become obsolete? No way. We're totally immune to the vagaries of an organization that provides recognition to its members.

Below, you will find the highlights of our roll call of excellence, the finalists in most of our glamour categories. A full list of personally certified CL nominees appears on our Web site. Yes, I saw all of those shows and events.

I'll further winnow down the best of the best when I announce CL's 19th Annual Charlotte Theater Awards next week. Meanwhile, gaze at the bounty of quality theater performances, productions and craft that local theatergoers witnessed last year.

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Chris Donoghue -- Our Town (George Gibbs)

George Gray -- Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (Cardinal Bernard Law)

Jim Greenwood -- Our Town (Stage Manager)

Michael Simmons -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Great-Michael)

Mykel Chambers -- God's Country (Denver Permenter)

Scott Ripley -- Bug (Peter Evans)

Terrell Dulin -- A Lesson Before Dying (Grant Wiggins)

Tom Scott -- Orphans (Harold)

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

April Jones -- Amazing Grace (Nana)

Catherine Smith -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (The White Witch)

Heather Leanna -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Trilby)

Jocelyn Rose -- The Blue Room (Girl-Au Pair-Married Woman-Model-Actress)

Lane Morris -- Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (Mary Margaret Krieger)

Meagan Douglas -- Our Town (Emily Webb)

Nikki Adkins -- A Thousand Cranes (Sadako), The Velveteen Rabbit (The Velveteen Rabbit)

Pam Galle -- The Exonerated (Sunny)

BEST DIRECTOR, DRAMA

Alan Poindexter -- Fahrenheit 451, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Dave Mowers -- The Exonerated

George Brown -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary

Jill Bloede -- The Velveteen Rabbit

Mark Sutton -- Amazing Grace

Michael Simmons -- Orphans

Nicia Carla -- A Thousand Cranes

Pamela Nichols Galle -- Sin: A Cardinal Deposed

BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL

Billy Sharpe -- Forever Plaid (Sparky)

Corey Mitchell -- Cats (Old Deuteronomy)

Jerry Colbert -- Johnny Guitar (Johnny Guitar)

Jim Kidd -- Fiddler on the Roof (Tevye)

Justin Packard -- Forever Plaid (Frankie)

Marc G. Dalio -- Beauty and The Beast (The Beast)

Tommy Foster -- tick, tick ... BOOM! (Jon), The METHod to My MADness

BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL

Danyelle Bossardet -- Beauty and the Beast (Belle)

Kelly Cusimano -- The Story of Hansel and Gretel (The Witch)

Lisa Smith -- Kiss Me, Kate (Lilli Vanessi/Katharine)

Liz Hyde -- Menopause the Musical (Iowa Housewife)

Lynne Morris -- Menopause the Musical (Earth Mother)

Olivia Edge -- Cats (Grizabella)

Susan Roberts Knowlson -- Miss Nelson Is Missing (Miss Nelson-Viola Swamp), Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Millie Pontipee), The Sound of Music (Maria Rainer)

BEST DIRECTOR, MUSICAL

Craig Spradley -- tick, tick ... BOOM!, Johnny Guitar

Guy Stroman -- Forever Plaid

Jill Bloede -- Miss Nelson Is Missing

Kathryn Conte & Patty Bender -- Menopause The Musical

Tom Hollis -- The Sound of Music

Tom Hollis and Eddie Mabry -- Cats

Tom Vance -- Beauty and the Beast

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

David Holland -- The Tempest (Prospero)

Hugh Loomis -- An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf (Victor)

James Yost -- Coyote Ugly (Dowd Pewsey)

Lee Thomas -- Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance (Lyle)

Matt Cosper -- Crazyface (Tyl Eulenspiegel)

Michael Simmons -- I'm Not Rappaport (Nat)

Tim Ross -- Polish Joke (Jasiu)

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Andrea King -- Crazyface (The Angel-Zeller-Allegro)

Beth Pierce -- Coyote Ugly (Penny Pewsey)

Carrie Anne Hunt -- The Tempest (Miranda)

Corlis Hayes -- Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge (The Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future)

Greta Marie Zandstra -- Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance (Jen)

Nikki Adkins -- The Commedia Princess & the Pea (Columbine), The Littlest Angel (The Littlest Angel)

Tanya McClellan -- Matt & Ben (Ben Affleck)

BEST DIRECTOR, COMEDY

Allison Modafferi -- Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance

Chad Calvert -- An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf

Chip Decker -- Polish Joke

Julie Janorschke -- Intim@te E-pistles

Matt Cosper -- Coyote Ugly

Nicia Carla -- A Christmas Story

Tony Wright -- The Tempest

BEST ORIGINAL SHOW

Intim@te E-pistles by Glenn T. Griffin -- Off Tryon Theatre Company

The Body Chronicles -- Donna Scott Productions

The METHod to My MADness by Tommy Foster -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

THEATER EVENT OF THE YEAR

City Stage Fringe Theatre Fest -- NC Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

Iago Reading -- Moving Poets Theatre of Dance

Opening Night Panel Discussion @ Sin: A Cardinal Deposed -- Pi Productions

Royal Shakespeare Residency @ Davidson College

Saturday Night Panel Discussion @ The Exonerated -- Charlotte Repertory Theatre

The Body Chronicles -- Donna Scott Productions

Thinking in Pictures Festival -- The Light Factory/Playworks

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Allison Whitmeyer -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Lucy)

Austin York -- Amazing Grace (Felix)

Caroline Kasay -- Gypsy (Baby June)

Carrie Anne Hunt -- The Tempest (Miranda)

Chris Donoghue -- Noises Off (Tim Allgood), Our Town (George Gibbs), Coyote Ugly (Fight Choreography), The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Fenris Ulf-Fight Choreography)

Corey Cray -- Nine (Guido at 9), Beauty and the Beast (Chip)

Joseph Klosek -- tick, tick ... BOOM! (Michael), Johnny Guitar (The Dancin' Kid)

Kimberlee Robinson -- Amazing Grace (Grace)

Leigh Fresina -- Fiddler on the Roof (Fruma-Sarah), The Tempest (Iris-Spirit-Mariner-Choreographer)

Meagan Douglas -- Our Town (Emily Webb)

Robert Haulbrook -- Our Town (Simon Stinson), A Few Good Men (Cmdr. Walter Stone, M.D., USN), Crazyface (Wormwood-Alfonso-Barty), Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge (Bob Crachit)

Stephen Friedrich -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Edmund), A Christmas Story (Flick)

BEST DRAMA

Amazing Grace -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

Fahrenheit 451 -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

Orange Lemon Egg Canary -- Carolina Actors Studio Theatre

Orphans -- Carolina Actors Studio Theatre

Our Town -- Theatre Charlotte

Sin: A Cardinal Deposed -- Pi Productions

The Exonerated -- Charlotte Repertory Theatre

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

BEST MUSICAL

Beauty and the Beast -- Charlotte Summer Theatre

Forever Plaid -- Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

Johnny Guitar -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

Menopause The Musical -- Capri Productions--TOC Entertainment

Miss Nelson Is Missing -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

The Sound of Music -- CPCC Theatre

tick, tick... BOOM! -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

BEST COMEDY

A Christmas Story -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf -- BareBones Theatre Group

Coyote Ugly -- BareBones Theatre Group

Crazyface -- BareBones Theatre Group

Polish Joke -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance -- BareBones Theatre Group

The Tempest -- The Actor's Gym

THEATERPERSON OF THE YEAR

Alan Poindexter, Anne Lambert, Craig Spradley, Jill Bloede, Johann Stegmeir, Julie Janorschke, Matt Cosper, Mark Sutton, Michael Simmons, Nicia Carla, Pamela Nichols Galle, Sandra Gray, Tom Gabbard, Tony Wright

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Austin J. Murphy -- Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (Man)

Brett Gentile -- A Lesson Before Dying (Sheriff Guidry)

Chris Donoghue -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Fenris Ulf)

Dennis Delamar -- Fahrenheit 451 (C.R. Faber)

George Cole -- God's Country (Robert Matthews-Skinhead)

Jonathan Ewart -- Orphans (Phillip)

Michael Nesbitt -- A Lesson Before Dying (Reverend Ambrose)

Scott Helm -- Fahrenheit 451 (Beatty)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Adrienne Nixon -- A Thousand Cranes (Mom and Others)

Adyana de la Torre -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Egypt-China-Ellen)

Annette Saunders -- Our Town (Mrs. Webb)

Claire Whitworth Helm -- Fahrenheit 451 (Mildred)

Gretchen McGinty -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Mr. Tumnus)

Joanna Gerdy -- Our Town (Mrs. Gibbs)

Kim Watson Brooks -- A Lesson Before Dying (Vivian Baptiste), Bug (R.C.)

Polly Adkins -- Sin: A Cardinal Deposed (Woman)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, MUSICAL

Ashby Blakely -- Fiddler on the Roof (Motel)

Brian Charles Rooney -- Forever Plaid (Jinx)

Joseph Klosek -- tick, tick ... BOOM! (Michael), Johnny Guitar (The Dancin' Kid)

Kevin Vortmann -- Forever Plaid (Smudge)

Stan Peal -- Johnny Guitar (Bart-Tom-Carl)

Steven Bryan -- Beauty and The Beast (Lumiere)

Ted Weiner -- Kiss Me, Kate (General Howell)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, MUSICAL

Darryl Wood Gerber -- Nine (Liliane La Fleur)

Deborah Rhodes -- Beauty and the Beast (Mrs. Potts)

Kate Flaherty -- tick, tick... BOOM! (Susan)

Linda Booth -- Kiss Me, Kate (Lois Lane-Bianca)

Polly Adkins -- Nine (Sarraghina), Johnny Guitar (Emma)

Rebecca Cook-Carter -- The Sound of Music (The Mother Abbess)

Susan Roberts Knowlson -- Cats (Grindlebone)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Aaron Moore -- Crazyface (Lenny Eulenspiegel)

Craig Spradley -- Polish Joke (Woytek-Mr. O'Flanagan-Priest-Policeman-Leon-Doctor)

Hank West -- Coyote Ugly (Red Pewsey), Caught in the Net (Stanley Gardner)

Joe Falocco -- Polish Joke (Uncle Roman-Ladislaw-Sanitation Worker-Kosciuszko)

Patrick Ratchford -- Noises Off (Frederick Fellowes)

Robert Haulbrook -- Crazyface (Wormwood-Alfonso-Barty), Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge (Bob Crachit)

Steven Ivey -- A Christmas Story (The Old Man)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Anne Lambert -- Coyote Ugly (Andreas Pewsey)

Daryl Wood Gerber -- Caught In the Net (Barbara Smith)

Elyse Williams -- The Tale of the Allergist's Wife (Lee)

Jill Bloede -- A Christmas Story (Miss Shields)

Joanna Gerdy -- Crazyface (Ella-King of Spain-Mary Toller)

Jorja Ursin -- Torch Song Trilogy (Mrs. Beckoff), Polish Joke (Helen-Portia-Enid-Nurse-Mrs. O'Flanagan-Olga)

Susan Roberts Knowlson -- Noises Off (Brooke Ashton)

BEST CAMEO APPEARANCE, MALE

Alan Nelson -- Harvey (E.F. Lofgren)

Bryan Forrest -- Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge (George Bailey)

Chip Decker -- Bug (Dr. Sweet)

Chris Bateson -- Caught in the Net (Dad)

Michael Nester -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Mr. Beaver)

Peter Okkerse -- Amazing Grace (Romeo-Carnival Director)

Phil Taylor -- God's Country (Father)

Robert Haulbrook -- Crazyface (Wormwood), Our Town (Simon Stimson)

BEST CAMEO APPEARANCE, FEMALE

Annette Saunders -- An Empty Plate in the Café du Grand Boeuf (Miss Berger)

Caroline Kasay -- Gyspy (Baby June)

Corlis Hayes -- Harvey (Betty Chumley)

Leigh Fresina -- Fiddler on the Roof (Fruma-Sarah), The Tempest (Iris-Spirit-Mariner)

Margaret Lynn Scoggins -- Beauty and The Beast (Madame de la Grande Bouche)

Megan Douglass -- Our Town (Mrs. Soames)

Nicia Carla -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Mrs. Beaver)

Susan Roberts Knowlson -- Gypsy (Tessie Tura)

BEST CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR

C.T. Hollis -- Menopause the Musical

Darren Lael -- Forever Plaid

Don Hite -- Beauty and the Beast

Drina Keen -- Cats, The Sound of Music

Marty Gregory -- tick, tick ... BOOM! The METHod to My MADness, Johnny Guitar

Ryan Michael Blake -- Nine, Kiss Me, Kate

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER

Delia Neil -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Eddie Mabry -- Beauty and The Beast, Cats

Guy Stroman -- Forever Plaid

Leigh Fresina -- The Tempest

Linda Booth -- Gypsy, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, The Sound of Music

Rebecca Tomaszewski -- A Thousand Cranes

Ron Chisholm -- Miss Nelson Is Missing, Fiddler On The Roof, Kiss Me, Kate

Sunny Yarborough -- Amazing Grace

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER

Amy Akerblom -- Coyote Ugly

Bob Croghan -- Miss Nelson Is Missing, A Christmas Story

Dawn Shamburger -- Cats

Donna Conrad -- Polish Joke, Johnny Guitar

Jennifer Matthews -- Seven Brides for Seven Brothers

Johann Stegmeir -- Fahrenheit 451, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

Kimberly Millar -- Crazyface

Mindy Bass -- Our Town

Suzy Hartness -- Fiddler on the Roof, Anna Karenina, The Sound of Music

BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER

Andrew David Ostrowski -- Forever Plaid

Barbara Berry -- Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance, Blue Room

Biff Edge -- Our Town

Eric Winkenwerder -- Fahrenheit 451, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Sound of Music

Hallie Gray -- tick, tick... BOOM! Bug, Johnny Guitar

John Hartness -- Anna Karenina, Crazyface, God's Country

Michael Simmons -- Sans-Culottes in the Promised Land, Orange Lemon Egg Canary, Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge

The Friendly Operatives -- Coyote Ugly

Tony Wright -- Tempest, Orphans

BEST SET DESIGNER

Chip Decker -- A Lesson Before Dying, tick, tick... BOOM!, The METHod to My MADness

Chris Timmons -- Suitcase, or Those That Resemble Flies From a Distance, Coyote Ugly

Freshteh Rostampour -- The Sound of Music

Joe Gardner -- Beauty and the Beast

Johann Stegmeir -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

John Shamburger -- Cats

Ken Ellis -- I'm Not Rappaport

Nikodemus -- Orphans, Vampire Love

Sandra Gray -- A Christmas Story, Johnny Guitar

BEST SOUND DESIGNER-COMPOSER

Chip Decker -- Johnny Guitar

Christopher Evans -- Forever Plaid

Dean Kluesner -- I'm Not Rappaport

Gary Sivak -- The Commedia Princess & the Pea, Coyote Ugly, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, A Christmas Story

Karl Shymanovitz -- The METHod to My MADness

Mike Eld -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary, Mrs. Bob Crachit's Wild Christmas Binge

Robert Lazenby -- Sans-Culottes in the Promised Land

Tony Wright -- Tempest

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

Christopher Donoghue -- Coyote Ugly, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Crazyface (Fight Choreography)

Gary Sivak -- Cats (Pyrotechnical Effects)

Grey Seal Puppets -- Crazyface (Puppet Design & Construction)

Michael Simmons-Thomas Clark -- Orange Lemon Egg Canary (Magic)

Peter Smeal -- Amazing Grace (Crocodile)

Ryan Fischer -- Cats (Hair, Wigs and Make Up), The Tempest (Caliban Makeup)

Sandra Gray -- Amazing Grace (Hannibal's Elephant, Pirate Ship)

Tim Weathersby -- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Mask Artisan)

Tony Wright -- Orphans (Fight Choreography-Blood)

ZFX Flying Illusions -- Beauty and the Beast