It does seem like we nominate a lot of people for our Charlotte Theater Awards every year, but I've discovered through diligent research that we are every bit as discriminating as the vaunted Tony Awards in our deliberations. Looking at the 2005-06 Broadway season, I find that out of 14 musicals that opened (11 newbies and three revivals), seven received nominations in two separate categories. That compares with the single Best Musical award we'll be announcing after winnowing 16 eligibles down to seven nominees. Yes, we're more selective.

We're even more discriminating in our tech categories, where we typically have a field of eight or nine nominees. The Tonys typically have eight nominees, four for play and four for musical — again producing two winners. We'll have one winner in each category, spanning the full range of 71 comedies, dramas, musicals, and miscellaneous that are candidates for our 2007 verdicts. Compare that with the 39 new shows that opened on Broadway in 2005-06 and we look positively parsimonious.

Our largest field of nominees — the 12 who are nominated for Newcomer of the Year — is actually our most selective. My complete list of auspicious debuts in 2007 includes 75 newcomers who impressed me. For once, I'm rolling out the red carpet, calling out names, and welcoming them all!

Aaron Mitchum — Grease (Kenickie)

Adam Watkins — The Wizard of Oz (Musical Direction)

Aisha O. Dew — Top Dog/Underdog (Director)

Alex Aberman — The Pillowman (Boy)

Alex Brightwell — Brighton Beach Memoirs (Eugene)

Alma Hill — The Wrestling Season (Heather)

Amanda Berkowitz — The Pillowman (Girl)

Andrew Leitch — A Christmas Carol (Lighting Director)

Barbara Pratt — Sorry, Wrong Chimney (Natalie Weldon)

Bob Glahn — American Buffalo (Bobby)

Brittany Morton — Grease (Marty)

Brooke Sorenson — A Christmas Carol (Prop Girl-Tiny Tim)

Carley Howard — Sordid Lives (Dr. Eve Bolinger)

Carmen Schultz — The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Linoleum)

Caroline Bower — Thoroughly Modern Millie (Millie Dillimount), Children of Eden (Snake), The Wizard of Oz (Dorothy Gale), The Christmas Doll (Lucy Wolcott)

Cat Rutledge — Revenge of the 24-Hour Play Festival (Mary Magdalene)

Chelsey Clark — Seussical (Mayzie La Bird)

Chip Brazil — Women Behind Bars (Blanche)

Christian Michelsen — Waiting for Godot (Gogo)

Christopher Hull — The Crucible (Rev. John Hale), My Husband's Wild Desires Almost Drove Me Mad (Mr. Griffith)

Christopher Pressley — The Wrestling Season (Luke)

Christy Edney — Dracula (Lucy Westenra)

Christy Johnson — Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Yitzhak)

Cindy Stonesifer — Women Behind Bars ("Movie Credits" Slideshow)

Clay Smith — Hedwig and the Angry Inch (Makeup)

David Hensley — Goddess and the Magdalene (Justus/Semengelof/Ensemble)

Elijah Allred — The Wrestling Season (Jolt)

Elisheba Ittoop — The Wizard of Oz (Sound)

Emily Hunter — Thoroughly Modern Millie (Miss Flannery)

Emily Zong — Hamlet (Player Queen)

Erin Fogle — Dracula (Mina Murray)

Gwen Edwards — Junie B. Jones and a Little Monkey Business (Junie B. Jones)

Heather Hamby — The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pippi)

Jack Stevenson — Forever Plaid: Plaid Tidings (Sparky), Mouse Tails (Mr. Meanie)

Jamie Glinski — Dearly Beloved (Justin Waverly)

Jason T. Mayfield — Mr. Marmalade (Larry/Fight Choreography), Holes (Zigzag/Policeman 2/Townsperson 1)

Jeffrey Ostermueller — Thoroughly Modern Millie (Trevor Graydon)

Johanna Lloyd — The Great American Trailer Park Musical (Pickles)

John Cunningham — Revenge of the 24-Hour Play Festival (Jesus)

Jonathan Caudill — South Pacific (Lt. Cable)

Joshua Ryan — Autobahn (Mike/Man #2)

JR Jacobs — Thoroughly Modern Millie (Jimmy Smith)

Julia Grigg — The Wrestling Season (Kori)

Kadley Ballard — The Crucible (Mary Warren)

Karina Roberts-Caporino — Autobahn (A Girl)

Kelly Nicholson — Fiction (Lighting Design)

Kelly Ray — Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her (Kathy); Sorry, Wrong Chimney (Sheila)

Lauren Phelps — Brighton Beach Memoirs (Laurie)

Lauren Womack — Mr. Marmalade (Lighting Design)

Leonard Alford — Holes (Zero)

Leslie Flesner — Seussical (Gertrude McFuzz), Thoroughly Modern Millie (Miss Dorothy Brown), Children of Eden (Snake)

L-Jae Levine — Smokey Joe's Café, The Odd Couple (Vinnie)

Lyndsay Cox — Thoroughly Modern Millie (Muzzy), Revenge of the 24-Hour Play Festival (Clock)

Magen Portanova — Carrie Ann's Kiss (Lisa/Bailey/Janette/Colby/Amy Lee/Seminar Directors 1 & 3)

Marcie Moran — A Bad Year for Tomatoes (Cora Gump)

Megan Ruhl — Mr. Marmalade (Makeup Design)

Michelle Busiek — Brighton Beach Memoirs (Nora), The Crucible (Mercy Lewis), As You Like It (Lord 1)

Michelle Presley Harkness — Having a Wonderful Time, Wish You Were Her (Jennifer)

Myrna Key — Having Our Say (Dr. Bessie Delaney)

Nat Kinney — Mr. Marmalade (Props)

Nicolas Bryan — Seussical (The Cat in the Hat)

Patrick Howsare — Orson's Shadow (Sean)

Paula Schmitt — A Mad, Mad Madrigal (Sara of Stonehenge/Fermentia the Wine Witch/Red Robbin of Rottingham/ Sassy Gypsy Dancer)

Peter Engels — Mr. Marmalade (Lighting Design)

Rachel Watkins — Omnium Gatherum (Suzie)

Rebecca Brown — The Taming of the Shrew (Servant), Hamlet (Makeup Artist)

Red Davies — Omnium Gatherum (Sound Design)

Rory Dunn — Holes (Stanley Yelnats)

Scott Brisbon — Women Behind Bars (Ada)

Shawn Van Wallendael — Nouveau (Scott)

Simone White — South Pacific (Liat)

Stephen Seay — The Commedia Pied Piper (Arlequin)

Steven Jepson — South Pacific (Emile de Becque)

Tania Kelly — Mouse Tails (Country Mouse), The Eight: Reindeer Monologues (Vixen)

Thom Stanton — Orson's Shadow, The Heidi Chronicles, Mr. Marmalade (Lighting Design)