It seems every theatre critic and website has listed their choices for the Top Ten (or more) in theatre for 2015. I have never made a top ten list, usually can’t stop at that low a number with all the shows and performances I see every year. Instead, here are the 2015 Robby Award nominations. This will be the 30th presentation (date and venue to be announced soon) and the 42nd anniversary (time off for bad behavior and aborted retirement attempts) since the very first Robby Awards were announced for calendar year 1974. Yes, I know, I was a child prodigy critic.
McCoy Rigby’s production of Billy Elliot The Musical at the La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts led all shows with 12 nominations with Antaeus Theatre Company’s Picnic garnering 11. Cabrillo Music Theatre’s Company was the only other production to pick up double digit nominations with its total of 10. La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts tied with perennial top Robby Award nomination collector South Coast Repertory for a total of 18 each for the year. A Noise Within gathered up 15 nominations.
BEST MUSICAL
Assassins, Red Blanket Productions
Big Fish, Moonlight Stage Productions
Billy Elliot The Musical, McCoy Rigby Entertainment
The Bridges of Madison County, CTG-Ahmanson Theatre
Company, Cabrillo Music Theatre
Fugitive Songs, 2Cents Theatre
I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road, Laguna Playhouse
Inside Out, Grove Theatre Center
Jesus Christ Superstar, DOMA Theatre Co
Side Show, 3D Theatricals
BEST DIRECTOR OF A MUSICAL
Kristen Boule, Fugitive Songs
Gretchen Cryer, I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
T.J. Dawson, Side Show
Nick DeGruccio, Company
Dan Fishbach, Assassins
Steven Glaudini, Big Fish
Marco Gomez, Jesus Christ Superstar
Bruce Kimmel, Inside Out
Brian Kite, Billy Elliot The Musical
Bartlett Sher & Tyne Rafaeli, The Bridges of Madison County
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Josh Adamson, Big Fish
Will Collyer, Road Show
Zachary Ford, The Golden Apple, Musical Theatre Guild
Gregg Hammer, Side Show
Alxander Jon, Company
Craig McEldowney, Road Show
Nate Parker, Jesus Christ Superstar
Andrew Samonsky, The Bridges of Madison County
Mitchell Tobin, Billy Elliot The Musical
Nick Tubbs, Assassins
Robert Yacko, Do I Hear a Waltz?, Musical Theatre Guild
MICHELLE NICASTRO AWARD FOR BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Teri Bibb, The Golden Apple
Misty Cotton, Carrie The Musical, La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts
Cynthia Ferrer, Hello, Dolly!, Welk Resort Theatre
Erica Hanrahan-Ball, I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
Kim Huber, Do I Hear a Waltz?
Vicki Lewis, Billy Elliot The Musical
Emily Lopez, Carrie The Musical
Bets Malone, Big Fish
Afton Quast, Side Show
Sami Staitman, Welcome to My World, Grove Theatre Center
Elizabeth Stanley, The Bridges of Madison County
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Scott Arnold, Hello, Dolly!
Sean Benedict, Assassins
Chad Borden, Serrano The Musical, Matrix Theatre
Kelly Brighton, Jesus Christ Superstar
Patrick Cummings, Big Fish
Chad Doreck, Serrano The Musical
Zachary Ford, Road Show
Jesse Johnson, I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
Jake Kitchin, Billy Elliot The Musical
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Janna Cardia, Assassins
Fran Drescher, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella, CTG-Ahmanson Theatre
Melissa Fahn, The Golden Apple
Chelsea Emma Franko, Company
Carol Kline, The Golden Apple
Charlene Koepf, Hello, Dolly!
Tracy Lore, Company
Jane Papageorge, Company
Valerie Perri, Serrano The Musical
DOM SALINARO AWARD FOR BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Cate Caplin, Company
Ray Limon, Hello, Dolly!
Lee Martino, Carrie The Musical
Dana Solimando, Billy Elliot The Musical
Angela Todaro, Jesus Christ Superstar
Karl Warden, Big Fish
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION
Allan Everman, Side Show
John Glaudini, Billy Elliot The Musical
Joshua Eli Kranz, Fugitive Songs
Julie Lamoureux, Road Show
Kevin Levenson, The Bridges of Madison County
Elan McMahan, Big Fish
Cassie Nickols, Company
Chris Raymond, Jesus Christ Superstar
Gerald Sternbach, Sondheim on Sondheim, ICT
Matthew Wrather, I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
BILLY BARNES AWARD FOR BEST MUSIC & LYRICS
Billie Joe Armstrong, These Paper Bullets!, Geffen Playhouse
Jason Robert Brown, The Bridges of Madison County
Elton John and Lee Hall, Billy Elliot The Musical
Bruce Kimmel, Welcome to My World
Chris Miller and Nathan Tysen, Fugitive Songs
Stephen Sondheim, Road Show
Wayne Moore and Chandler Warren, Adam & Eve and Steve
NAN MARTIN AWARD FOR BEST DRAMA
All My Sons, A Noise Within
La La La Strada, Probiscis Theatre
My Barking Dog, The Theatre @ Boston Court
The Other Place, The Road Theatre Company
Picnic, Antaeus Theatre Company
Reborning, The Fountain Theatre
R&J, Mine is Yours theatre company
Tristan & Yseult, South Coast Repertory
MARTIN BENSON AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A DRAMA
Andre Barron, The Other Place
Abby Craden, R&J
Geoff Elliott, All My Sons
Michael Michetti, My Barking Dog
Jeff Mills, La La La Strada
Emma Rice, Tristan & Yseult
Ken Sawyer, Hit the Wall, LALGBT Center
Cameron Watson, Picnic
BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA
Stephen Caffrey, Henry IV Part One, Antaeus Theatre Company
Joshua Wolf Coleman, Oedipus Machina
Jason Dechert, Picnic
Geoff Elliott, All My Sons
Matthew Hancock, Hit the Wall
Michael Kirby, Henry IV Part One
Rick Marcus, Pocket Universe, Mariner Pictures
Ed F. Martin, My Barking Dog
Dane Oliver, R&J
BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Michelle Azar, My Barking Dog
Taylor Gilbert, The Other Place
Sarah Halford, Picnic
Annika Marks, All American Girl, InterACT Theatre Company
Nan McNamara, Pocket Universe
Ann Noble, Stanley Ann, L.A. LGBT Center
Mary Ellen Schneider, R&J
Deborah Strang, All My Sons
Joanna Strapp, Reborning
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA
San Anderson, The Other Place
Alan Blumenfeld, R&J
Ryan Doucette, Reborning
Matthew Gallenstein, Picnic
Brendan Griffin, The Power of Duff, Geffen Playhouse
Joe Paulik, The Power of Duff, Geffen Playhouse
Jake Shears, Bent, CTG-Mark Taper Forum
Everette Wallin, Disconnection, Skylight Theatre Company
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA
Rhonda Aldrich, Picnic
Kristin Carey, Reborning
Shannon Holt, Picnic
Katherine James, R&J
Jackie Preciado, Picnic
Janellen Steininger, Picnic
CAROLE COOK AWARD FOR BEST COMEDY
Around the World in 80 Days
Figaro, A Noise Within
The Heir Apparent, International City Theatre
The House of Yes, Zephyr Theatre
Murder for Two, Geffen Playhouse
One Man, Two Guvnors, South Coast Repertory
Peter and the Starcatcher, South Coast Repertory
RON LINK AWARD FOR BEST DIRECTOR OF A COMEDY
David Ivers, One Man, Two Guvnors
Rhonda Kohl, Around the World in 80 Days
Art Manke, Peter and the Starcatcher
Michael Michetti, Figaro
Lee Sankowich, The House of Yes
Scott Schwartz, Murder for Two
Matt Walker, The Heir Apparent
BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Jeff Blumenkrantz, Murder for Two
Dan Donohue, One Man, Two Guvnors
Jeremy Guskin, Figaro
Jim Mahoney, Cash on Delivery
Matt McGrath, Peter and the Starcatcher
Sam Meader, Cash on Delivery
Brett Ryback, Murder for Two
Adam J. Smith, The Heir Apparent
LU LEONARD AWARD BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jessica Collins, Outside Mullingar
Kate Maher, The House of Yes
Gabrielle McClinton, Peter and the Starcatcher
Elyse Mirto, Figaro
Angela Sauer, Figaro
Paige Lindsey White, The Heir Apparent
ALBERT LORD AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY
Tony Abatemarco, Peter and the Starcatcher
Brad Culver, One Man, Two Guvnors
Rafael Goldstein, A Flea in Her Ear, A Noise Within
Matthew Henerson, The Heir Apparent
Nicholas McDonald, The House of Yes
Andrew Ross Wynn, Figaro
DEE CROXTON AWARD FOR BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY
Jill Hill, A Flea in Her Ear
Sarah Moser, One Man, Two Guvnors
Irene Roseen, Sons of the Prophet, The Blank Theatre
Jeanne Syquia, The House of Yes
Eileen T’Kaye, The House of Yes
Tamara Zook, Sons of the Prophet
MICHAEL DEVEREAUX AWARD FOR BEST PLAYWRITING
Eric Coble, My Barking Dog
Zayd Dohrn, Reborning
Rick Elice, Peter and the Starcatcher
Carl Grose and Anna Maria Murphy, adapted by Emma Rice, Tristan & Yseult
Lee Hall, Billy Elliot The Musical
Jeff Mills, La La La Strada
Marsha Norman, The Bridges of Madison County
Chandler Warren, Adam & Eve and Steve
Sharr White, The Other Place
BEST SCENIC DESIGN
Tom Buderwitz, Company
Stephen Gifford, Billy Elliot The Musical
Stephen Gifford, Side Show
David Goldstein, Around the World in 80 Days
Fred Kinney, A Flea in Her Ear
Michael B. Raiford, Peter and the Starcatcher
Jeanine A. Ringer, Figaro
Robert Selander, Picnic
BEST PROJECTION DESIGN
Brian Gale, Carrie The Musical
John Infante, Big Fish
Aaron Rhyne, The Power of Duff
BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Brian Gale, Carrie The Musical
Donald Holder, The Bridges of Madison County
Tom Ontiveros, My Barking Dog
Matt Richter, Hit the Wall
Christina Schwinn, Jesus Christ Superstar
Jaymi Lee Smith, Peter and the Starcatcher
Jean-Yves Tessier, Side Show
Steven Young, Billy Elliot The Musical
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Kate Bergh, Side Show
Angela Balogh Calin, Figaro
Angela Balogh Calin, Peter and the Starcatcher
Kim DeShazo, The Heir Apparent
Jessica Ford, These Paper Bullets!
Terri A. Lewis, Picnic
William Ivey Long, Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Lauren Oppelt, Jesus Christ Superstar
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Josh Bessom, Billy Elliot The Musical
Jonathan Burke, Company
Gregory Clarke, Tristan & Yseult
Julie Ferrin, Jesus Christ Superstar
Cricket Myers, Carrie The Musical
Juan Sanson, I’m Still Getting My Act Together and Taking it on the Road
BEST ENSEMBLE PERFORMANCE
Kelley Dorney, William Knight, Jotape Lockwood, Weston Nathanson, Michael Spaziani, Adam & Eve and Steve
Eva Abramian, Andrew Carter, Kevin Coubal, Philip Kreyche, Bruce Ladd, Around the World in 80 Days
Tiffany Asta, Katy Harvey, Jessica J’aime, Michael Noah Levine, Juan Lozano, Reagan Osborne, Fugitive Songs
Sandy Bainum, Jill Marie Burke, Cynthia Ferrer, Stephanie Fredricks, Dana Meller, Adrienne Visnic, Inside Out
Genevieve Anderson, Erica Flor, Blythe Foster, Christina McCarthy, Jeff Mills, Dana Fox Ortner, Dillon Yuhasz, La La La Strada
JOHN RAITT AWARD FOR BEST CABARET PERFORMANCE
Sharon McNight, Alive and Well at the Gardenia, The Gardenia
Kimberly Hessler, Jean Louisa Kelly, Bruce Kimmel, Damon Kirsche, Andrea Marcovicci, Madison Claire Parks and Jeffrey Christopher Todd, All The Things You Are-The Songs of Jerome Kern, Kritzerland, Sterling’s Upstairs at The Federal
Stan Chandler, Kevin Early, Kimberly Hessler, Bruce Kimmel, Valerie Perri, Sue Raney, Bruce Vilanch and Adrienne Visnic, The Birthday Boys, Kritzerland, Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal
Sandy Bainum, It Might Be Fun, Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal
Kevin Earley, On the Record, Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal
Faith Prince and Jason Graae, The Prince and the Showboy, Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal
Tyler Matthew Burk, Jill Marie Burke, Laura Dickinson, Bruce Kimmel, Jeffrey Christopher Todd, Adrienne Visnic, You’re Gonna Hear From Me, Kritzerland, Sterling’s Upstairs at the Federal