Decades of direction 

Yes, it's truly amazing. We have been glad-handing the Charlotte theater community since 1987, making this our 20th annual review of all things theatrical in the Queen City. A wealth of acting, directing and design talent still creates wonders across the breadth of fair Mecklenburg, and nobody has celebrated it more diligently and authoritatively than the Loaf.

What follows is a listing of the nominations that shower forth every year from this grateful greasepaint addict.

I'll further winnow down the best of the best when I announce CL's 20th Annual Charlotte Theater Awards. Meanwhile, gaze at the bounty of quality performances, productions and theatercraft that Charlotte theatergoers witnessed last year.

Congratulations to all the nominees.

BEST ACTRESS, MUSICAL

Elizabeth Ann Stacey -- 42nd Street, (Peggy Sawyer)

Gretha Boston -- Cookin' at the Cookery (Alberta Hunter)

Kathryn Stamas -- A Little Night Music (Desiree Armfeldt),42nd Street (Dorothy Brock)

Laura Hix -- The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale)

Lisa Smith -- The Spitfire Grill (Percy Talbott)

Olivia Edge -- Jesus Christ Superstar (Mary Magdalene )

Susan Roberts Knowlson -- The Christmas Bus (Mrs. Frump)

BEST ACTOR, MUSICAL

Billy Ensley -- Jesus Christ Superstar (Judas), Parade (Leo Frank)

Hal Houston -- A Chorus Line (Zach)

Jason Barney -- Jesus Christ Superstar (Jesus), Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Alexander)

Lou Dalessandro -- A Little Night Music (Fredrik Egerman), The Expanding Sky (Milton Humason/Louie)

Matthew Keffer -- The Jungle Book (Mowgli)

Mike Collins -- 42nd Street (Julian Marsh), Rodgers & Hart: A Celebration

Robby Fulton -- Ferdinand the Bull (Duquito Danilo)

BEST DIRECTOR, MUSICAL

Carey Kugler -- 42nd Street

Dennis Delamar -- The Wizard of Oz

Eddie Mabry -- A Chorus Line

Jen Band and Alan Poindexter -- The Christmas Bus

Melissa Ohlman-Roberge -- The Spitfire Grill

Nicia Carla -- Ferdinand the Bull

Ron Chisholm -- The Jungle Book

BEST CONDUCTOR/MUSIC DIRECTOR

Drina Keen -- 42nd Street, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Wizard of Oz, The Christmas Bus

George Caldwell -- Cookin' at the Cookery

Jean Colgan Phillips -- The Jungle Book

John Stafford -- A Chorus Line

Virginia Wagner -- The Spitfire Grill

BEST CHOREOGRAPHER

Annette Saunders -- The Expanding Sky

Delia Neil -- The Magician's Nephew, The Christmas Bus

Eddie Mabry -- The Jungle Book, 42nd Street, A Chorus Line

Linda Booth -- The Wizard of Oz

Ron Chisholm -- Jesus Christ Superstar

BEST ACTOR, COMEDY

Brian Lafontaine -- I Hate Hamlet (Andrew Rally)

Gregory McGrath -- All the Great Books (Abridged) (Professor)

James K. Flynn -- I'm Not Rappapor (Nat)

Matt Cosper -- A Midsummer Night's Dream (Theseus, Oberon)

Spencer Lee -- I Hate Hamlet (John Barrymore)

Tom Scott -- Rembrandt's Gift (Rembrandt Van Rijn)

Tom Wahl -- Shear Madness (Tony Whitcomb)

BEST ACTRESS, COMEDY

Beth Yost -- A Midsummer Night's Dream (Hermia)

Chandler McIntyre -- Carrie Ann's Kiss (Marcie Mason)

Donna Scott -- Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Georgeanne)

Emily Van Dyke -- Relationships (& other natural disasters) (Fran)

Ginger Heath -- The Oldest Profession (Vera)

Meghan Lowther -- Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Meredith)

Polly Adkins -- The Oldest Profession (Edna)

Zilla Glory -- On the Verge (Alexandra Cafuffle), Shear Madness (Barbara de Marco)

BEST DIRECTOR, COMEDY

Anne Lambert -- Five Women Wearing the Same Dress

Chip Decker -- The Oldest Profession

Elise Wilkinson -- A Midsummer Night's Dream

Jim Gloster -- Carrie Ann's Kiss

Lon Bumgarner -- I Hate Hamlet

Michael Fennimore -- Shear Madness

Robert Tolan -- On the Verge

BEST ACTRESS, DRAMA

April Jones -- Charlotte's Web (Charlotte)

Carrie Anne Hunt -- King Lear (Cordelia)

Catherine Smith -- The Magician's Nephew (Jadis)

Gloria King -- On Golden Pond (Ethel Thayer)

Kim Cozort -- The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Stevie)

Nicia Carla -- Charlotte's Web (Fern/Goose)

Tara MacMullen -- The Shakespeare Stealer (Julian)

BEST ACTOR, DRAMA

Alan England -- On Golden Pond (Norman Thayer)

Carver Johns -- Charlotte's Web (Wilbur)

David Holland -- King Lear (King Lear)

Hank West -- Amadeus (Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart)

Jerry Colbert -- The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Martin)

Lee Thomas -- Orange Flower Water (David)

Stephen Friedrich -- The Shakespeare Stealer (Widge)

BEST DIRECTOR, DRAMA

Alan Poindexter -- The Yellow Boat, The Shakespeare Stealer, The Magician's Nephew

Anne Marie Costa -- The Goat or Who is Sylvia?

Frank Dominguez -- On Golden Pond

Jim Yost -- Orange Flower Water

Mark Sutton -- Charlotte's Web

Michael Simmons -- The Late Henry Moss

BEST ONE-PERSON SHOW

Hank West in The Santaland Diaries

Laurie Riffe in Bad Dates

Scott Ripley in I Am My Own Wife

BEST ORIGINAL SHOW

Carrie Ann's Kiss by Tonya Shuffler

The Christmas Bus by Robert Inman

The Expanding Sky by Stan Peal

Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters) by Terri Collin

THEATER EVENT OF THE YEAR

Bad Dates -- Collaborative Arts

BlackOut 2006 -- Carolinas Black Pride Movement

Shakespeare on The Green -- Collaborative Arts

Torches -- BareBones Theatre Group

What the F#&%$TIVAL -- BareBones Theatre Group

BEST DRAMA

Charlotte's Web -- Children's Theatre

On Golden Pond -- Theatre Charlotte

Orange Flower Water -- BareBones Theatre Group

The Goat or Who is Sylvia? -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

The Late Henry Moss -- Carolina Actors Studio Theatre

The Magician's Nephew -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

The Shakespeare Stealer -- Children's Theatre of Charlotte

BEST MUSICAL

42nd Street -- CPCC Summer Theatre

A Chorus Line -- Theatre Charlotte

Cookin' at the Cookery -- Blumenthal Performing Arts Center

Jesus Christ Superstar -- CPCC Theatre

The Spitfire Grill -- Davidson Community Players/Mooresville Community Theatre

The Wizard of Oz -- CPCC Summer Theatre

BEST COMEDY

A Midsummer Night's Dream -- Collaborative Arts

Five Women Wearing the Same Dress -- BareBones Theatre Group

I Hate Hamlet -- Davidson Community Players

On the Verge -- Generations Theatre

Rembrandt's Gift -- CAST

Shear Madness -- Blumenthal PAC

The Oldest Profession -- Actor's Theatre of Charlotte

THEATERPERSON OF THE YEAR

Alan Poindexter, Anne Lambert, Chip Decker, Donna Scott, Elise Wilkinson, Jim Gloster, Johann Stegmeir, Mark Sutton, Matt Cosper, Michael Simmons, Nicia Carla, Ron Law, Scott Ripley, Stan Peal, Tom Gabbard

ADDITIONAL NOMINATIONS

BEST LIGHTING DESIGNER

Barbara Berry — Orange Flower Water

David M Fillmore, Jr. — The Magicianís Nephew

Eric Winkenwerder — The Christmas Bus

Fereshteh Rostampour — Jesus Christ Superstar

Gary Sivak — 42nd Street, The Wizard of Oz

Hallie Gray — A Little Night Music; The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? The Oldest Profession

John Hartness — A Chorus Line

Michael R. Simmons — Neon Mirage

BEST SET DESIGNER

Biff Edge — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters), I Hate Hamlet, On Golden Pond

Chip Decker — All the Great Books (Abridged); The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?

Chris Timmons — Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, True West

Fereshteh Rostampour — The Wizard of Oz

Jim Gloster — Carrie Annís Kiss

Johann Stegmeir — The Shakespeare Stealer, The Magicianís Nephew

Kat Conley — Shear Madness

Michael R. Simmons — On the Verge

BEST SOUND DESIGNER-COMPOSER

Anthony Proctor — Five Women Wearing the Same Dress

Emily Eudy — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters)

Jeff Murdock — The Wizard of Oz

Michael R. Simmons and Natasha Parnian — Rembrandt's Gift

Mike Eld — The Late Henry Moss

Neil Lerner — I Hate Hamlet

Total Event Productions — A Midsummer Night's Dream

Van Coble Jr. & Alan Poindexter — The Magician's Nephew

BEST COSTUME DESIGNER

Connie Furr-Solomon — Charlotte's Web

Donna Conrad — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters), The Oldest Profession

Elizabeth Steinfels — Carrie Ann's Kiss

Jamey Varnadore — The Wizard of Oz

Johann Stegmeir — The Shakespeare Stealer, The Magicianís Nephew

Julie O'Toole — Rembrandt's Gift

Robert Croghan — 42nd Street, The Christmas Bus

Suzy Hartness — Amadeus

BEST SPECIAL EFFECTS

Barbara Howie — Crowns (Hats, set dressing, and wardrobe)

Christopher Donoghue — I'm Not Rappaport (Fight choreography)

Robert Croghan — Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Australia postcard tableau)

Robert Simmons — Neon Mirage (Revolving Stage)

Ryan Fischer — The Jungle Book (Makeup & wig design)

Sandra Gray — The Christmas Bus (The Bus)

Tim Weathersby — Charlotte's Web (Masks)

Tony Wright — Rembrandt's Gift (Fight choreography)

ZFX — The Wizard of Oz (Aerial/flying effects)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, MUSICAL

Alyson Lowe — A Chorus Line (Val)

Courtney Johnson — A Chorus Line (Sheila)

Janice Lorraine — Cookin' at the Cookery (Young Alberta Hunter)

Meghan Lowther — The Expanding Sky (Carmen Allen/Others)

Morgan Rose — 42nd Street (Anytime Annie Reilly)

Olivia Edge — A Little Night Music (Petra), 42nd Street (Maggie Jones)

Susan Roberts Knowlson — Parade (Mrs. Phagan)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, MUSICAL

Craig Estep — The Wizard of Oz (Zeke/Cowardly Lion)

Jeremy DeCarlos — Crowns (Man)

John Fortson — Jesus Christ Superstar (Caiaphas)

Kevin Campbell — The Wizard of Oz (Professor Marvel/Wizard of Oz)

Mark Sutton — The Christmas Bus (Traveling Troubadour)

Maurice Whitfield — The Jungle Book (Shere Khan)

Stan Peal — The Expanding Sky (Edwin Hubble/Others)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, COMEDY

Annette Gill — The Oldest Profession (Mae)

Dana Childs — I Hate Hamlet (Deidre)

Donna Scott — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Jacklyn Dabadie)

Joanna Long — A Midsummer Night's Dream (Puck)

Jorja Ursin — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters) (Harriett, Dottie)

Kristen Jones — Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Frances)

Pat Heiss — The Oldest Profession (Ursula)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, COMEDY

Alan Martin — Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Tripp)

David Holland — I'm Not Rappaport (Cowboy)

Mark Scarboro — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Jason, Larry, Deedleworth, Bobby Joe), I Hate Hamlet (Gary)

Martin Thompson — Shear Madness (Eddie Lawrence)

Tim Ross — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Chef, Nick, Dan, Buck, Winston)

Tony Wright — Lost in Yonkers (Louie), Musical Comedy Murders (Roger Hopewell)

Vito Abate — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters) (Dominick)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA

Annette Gill — To Kill a Mockingbird (Maudie Atkinson)

Elise Wilkinson — Orange Flower Water (Cathy)

Gina Stewart — The Shakespeare Stealer (Libby/Queen Elizabeth)

Hannah Hoyt — The Magician's Nephew (Polly)

Heather Wilson — Amadeus (Constanza Weber)

Jill Bloede — Charlotte's Web (Mrs. Arable/Gander/Carter/Uncle)

Nicia Carla — Charlotte's Web (Fern/Goose)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA

Brian Jones — The Goat or Who is Sylvia? (Billy)

Dean Biasucci — Orange Flower Water (Brad)

Duke Ernsberger — The Magician's Nephew (Uncle Andrew)

Hank West — To Kill a Mockingbird (Bob Ewell), King Lear (King of France/Oswald)

Hugh Loomis — The Late Henry Moss (Henry Moss)

Matt Cosper – Charlotte's Web (Old Sheep/Avery Arable/Zuckerman), The Shakespeare Stealer (Nick Tooley)

Scott Helm — The Shakespeare Stealer (Dr. Bright/Thomas Pope)

BEST FEMALE CAMEO

Allison Nock — The Jungle Book (Cobra)

Amanda Roberge — A Little Night Music (Fredrika Armfeldt)

Darlene Black — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Michelle, Zarzuela)

Jill Bloede — I Hate Hamlet (Lillian Troy)

XiaoSong He — Neon Mirage (Mother)

BEST MALE CAMEO

Benjamin Brian McCarthy — The Spitfire Grill (Visitor/Guard/Bus Driver)

Glenn T. Griffin — Amadeus (Emperor Joseph II)

J. Michael Haithcock — Relationships (& Other Natural Disasters) (Roach)

Kyle Whitford — The Late Henry Moss (Taxi)

Marc Bastos — Parade (Young Confederate Soldier)

Maurice Whitfield — Parade (Jim Conley)

Tony Wright — The Shakespeare Stealer (Shakespeare)

Willie Stratford — To Kill a Mockingbird (Reverend Sykes)

NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR

Amanda Roberge — A Little Night Music (Fredrika Armfeldt)

Blake Edwards — Torches (Michael)

Elizabeth Stacey — 42nd Street (Peggy Sawyer)

Hannah Hoyt — The Magician's Nephew (Polly)

Jonathan "JC" Moore — Yellowman (Eugene)

Laura Hix – The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale)

Luke Pizatto — The Magician's Nephew (Digory)

Matthew Keffer — Parade (Frankie Epps), The Jungle Book (Mowgli)

Robby Fulton — Ferdinand the Bull (Duquito Danilo)

Stacey J. Aswad — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Lisa, Bailey, Janette, Colby, Amy Lee, Bartender, Seminar Director 1 & 3), Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Trisha)

XiaoSong He — Neon Mirage (Mother)