THE 2008 BARRYMORE AWARDS PHOTOS – Philadelphia, Pa

The 14th Annual Barrymore Awards were unveiled amid plenty of glitz and glamour in Philadelphia last night. I was so excited to attend my first one having covered NYC’s Broadway scene for the past 3 years and shooting the Tony’s for the 2nd year in a row, I really wanted to see my hometown theatre award shows. Hopefully from here on out I will get a chance to cover this vibrant scene and bring it to you (OK theater Companies email me to come out and cover your opening nights to appear on Philly Chit Chat, the photo will also be sent nationally to my agency, and to media outlets in Philly.)

The statuettes take their name from a moniker for the famed Philadelphia-Based first family of theatre, The Barrymore Awards are the region’s only comprehensive theatre awards. Part of the glitz glamour starts here with Julie Craig and Demetrios Kalkamis

Continuing with best actress nominee Lee Ann Etzold and Bill Irwin



I hear this was the 2nd year of the Red Carpet at the event (and it was sponsored by Macy’s – Thanks Macy’s!!), and if you are a long time reader of this blog you know I welcome a Red Carpet, it just brings that extra pizazz to the event. Next year I might move the step up and repeat about 6 feet forward next to the Red Carpet as to leave room for pedestrians to walk by, at 6:30PM there are still plenty of people on the sidewalk compared to 7:45PM when I took this shot. even the MC Perez Hilton, er I mean Alastair Spatz brought a little more excitement to Philly. It’s always fun to get interviewed on the Red Carpet, pose on it and have the paparazzi and TV camera’s there. In fact I tipped off my friends over at www.Streettalkin.com off of the event , and they should have video up in the next few days.The classy Sally Mercer

Broadway’s Spring Awakenings Philadelphia born, Gideon Glick made an appearance

as did this youngster, and I may have gotten this last name wrong, Gianna Bruzzese; she played young Cosette in Les Mis at the Walnut Street Theatre. She’s also the voice of Tasha in Nick Jr.’s Backyardigans. Very poised and fashionable on the red carpet. You go girl!!

Isn’t it great running into old friends, former coworkers, people you don’t get to see all the time. The woman on the left is Cathy Simpson…the man on the right is Larry Loebell.

TV’s Grease contestant, Steven Calakos with Jaimie Standish; both are appearing in My Fair Lady at the Media Theatre for the Performing Arts.

Bill Irwin, best actress nominee in “In The Happiness Lecture” Lee Ann Etzold and Doug Daub, chatting with Sara Garonzik, “The Suzanne Roberts Theatre, home of Philadelphia Theatre Company”company’s producing artistic director where the play was staged. Mr. Irwin tells me that he’s in a movie Rachel Getting Married starring Anne Hathaway. He plays her father.

Opening the show with this rousing number from State Fair, The Walnut Street Theatre celebrated its landmark bicentennial season with this Rogers and Hammerstein classic.

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical – The World Goes Round

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical The World Goes ‘Round, 11th Hour Theatre Company Michael Philip O’Brien, Marybeth Gorman, Dan Kazemi, Steve Pacek, Billy Bustamante, Melina Bass, Alex Keiper, and Megan Nicole O’Brien (The O’Brien’s are related, brother & sister)

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play Suburban Love Songs, 1812 Productions Ensemble in a Play – Jennifer Childs, Mary Carpenter, Amy Smith, Mario Fabroni, Dawn Falato, Karen Getz, Fred Siegel.

Lisa Nutter and the winners of:

Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Philadelphia Theatre Company’s PASSPORT Theater Residency Program

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play Lee Ann Etzold, The Happiness Lecture; Philadelphia Theatre CompanyOutstanding Costume Design Richard St. Clair, Sleeping Beauty; Arden Theatre Company

Who had to run back to the Academy to prepare for Friday nights opening of The Philadelphia Opera and FIDELIO (I bet he is glad he stopped by the Barrymores last night)I was planning to cover this event, but there are at least a 6 other events on my radar, but I do hope to cover it at some point. I hear it is just amazing with the art direction of World-Renowned Artist Jun Kaneko and FIDELIO Designer. I’ve heard from more than one source that the set design is really something to behold, I think it will be the talk of the theater going City after Friday night.

An 1812 Production: Cherry Bomb, by 1812 Productions, is their holiday show this year; an excellent listing of all the theatre productions can be found on the Theatre Alliance website here.

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist awarded to

actor-director Matt Pfeiffer, 31, who has received both acting and directing Barrymore nominations, won the $10,000 F. Otto Haas award for an emerging artist. Trained in theater at DeSales University near Allentown, the site of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, Pfeiffer has worked with many professional companies in Philadelphia and last summer returned to the festival for his first directing stint at that venue. Matt Pfeiffer on the right, with last year’s winner Matt Saunders and the founder of the award named for her husband, Carole Haas Gravagno.

Special Thanks to their Sponsors…

and

Winner of Outstanding Sound Design Christopher Colucci and winner of Outstanding Choreography/Movement Karen Getz, both from Suburban Love Songs; 1812 Productions (her energy is so refreshing)

Hello new friend, ok Hello Gorgeous!



Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play Geneviève Perrier as Kyra, Skylight; Lantern Theater Company; Geneviève told me she kicked off her shoes right before she went up on stage, she had no idea where they landed, me thinks she has seen too many Patti Labelle concerts as Patti always kicks her shoes off, sometimes flying into the audience when she gets excited.

Outstanding Choreography/Movement Suburban Love Songs; 1812 Productions with Karen Getz, Robert Smythe, with Bug actress Mt. Airy actress Grace Gonglewski and winner of Outstanding Music Direction Eric Ebbenga, Assassins; Arden Theatre Company “Eric finally won because he deserved it, I am so excited for him” said my new favorite person.

more sponsors…thanks and I am sure I am missing a bunch

Karen DiLossi, Theatre Alliance, Joshua Schulman, Art; Delaware Theatre Company for Lighting, Jeff Gordon, PECO and Margie Salvante, Executive Director of Theatre Alliance



Last but not least,

New Approaches to CollaborationsAbigail Adams and Louis Lippa were on stage in that photo accepting the award for Outstanding Overall Production of a Play for Six Characters in Search of an Author at The People’s Light & Theatre Company.

As a gift to you click on the link below, find your photo right click and save to your computer:

The Barrymore Awards Photo Album

Update: There’s a really great article in the Phila Inquirer about last nights events. I wish I had been so educated in all the people I covered. Next year will be better as I will know who I am talking to.