Anastasia, Indecent Take Top Prizes at CT Critics Circle Awards

Anastasia. Photo: Joan Marcus

Two world premieres -- Hartford Stage's Broadway-bound Anastasia and Yale Repertory Theatre's Indecent, which is currently playing Off-Broadway -- received top honors as outstanding musical and play at the 26th annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards June 13 at Hartford Stage, which co-hosted the event with TheaterWorks.

Tina Fabrique, who starred in the musical Ella in productions in theaters across the country, was master of ceremonies and performed at the show, which honors outstanding achievements in the state's 2015-16 professional theater season.

Awards:

Outstanding director of a play: Rebecca Taichman for Indecent

Outstanding director of a musical: Darko Tresnjak for Anastasia

Outstanding actor in a play: Rajesh Bose for Disgraced at Long Wharf Theatre

Outstanding actor in a musical: Bobby Steggert for My Paris at Long Wharf Theatre

Photo courtesy of Frank Rizzo

Outstanding actress in a play: Erika Rolfsrud for Good People at TheaterWorks

Outstanding actress in a musical: Christy Altomare for Anastasia

Outstanding choreography: Peggy Hickey for Anastasia

Outstanding ensemble: Indecent

Outstanding featured actor in a play: Charles Janasz for Romeo and Juliet at Hartford Stage

Outstanding featured actress in a play: Birgit Huppuch for The Moors  at Yale Repertory Theatre

Outstanding featured actor in a musical: Teren Carter for Memphis at Ivoryton Playhouse

Outstanding featured actress in a musical: Mara Davi for My Paris

Outstanding debut: Mohit Gautman for Disgraced at Long Wharf Theatre

Outsanding set design: Alexander Dodge for Rear Window at Hartford Stage

Oustanding costume design: (a tie) for Linda Cho for Anastasia and Paul Tazewell for My Paris at Long Wharf Theatre

Outstanding lighting design:  Donald Holder for Anastasia

Outstanding sound design: Darron L. West for Body of an American at Hartford Stage.

Outstanding projection design: Aaron Rhyne for Anastasia at Hartford Stage

Anne Keefe, stage manager of New Haven's Long Wharf Theatre and on Broadway for more than 25 years and part of the leadership team that saved and transformed Westport Country Playhouse, received the Connecticut Critics Circle's Tom Killen Award for lifetimes achievement in the theater. Longtime colleague Allison Harris presented the award and read congratulations from former Long Wharf Theatre artistic director Arvin Brown and actor John Lithgow.

Special awards were presented to Lisa Gutkin and Aaron Halva, co-composers and co-music directors, who created the Klezmer music for Yale Rep's world premiere of Indecent.

Among the award presenters were Gov. Dannel F. Malloy and Cathy Malloy, CEO of the Greater Hartford Arts Council, O'Neill Theater Center founder George White, animal trainer Bill Berloni and Tony Award nominee Tony Sheldon.

Also performing was David Pittsinger, who was nominated for his performance in South Pacific at Ivoryton Playhouse.

The Connecticut Critics Circle is comprised of theater critics and writers in the state's print, radio and on-line media. Information: www.ctcritics.org.