Two productions in the Sonoma Arts Live season, which ran January through July, were winners of three Marquee Theater Journalists Association Awards.
“Becky’s New Car,” which ran to critical acclaim in June, took home two awards. Melissa Claire won Outstanding Lead Performance in a Comedy, and Director Carl Jordan took home an award for Outstanding Comedy Production.
“It was an honor to be in these categories with such wonderful companies as Spreckels, Main Stage West, Left Edge Theater and 6th Street Playhouse” said Executive Artistic Director Jaime Love.
Daniela Innocenti-Beem, who wowed audiences last summer as Madame Rose in the Michael Ross-directed “Gypsy” won Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical. The category included entries from Spreckels, Santa Rosa Junior College and Sonoma Arts Lives’ “Evita!,” directed by Lauren Miller.
Now in their second year, the awards were founded by San Francisco Bay Area Theatre Critics Circle members. In a break from standard awards show traditions, the MTJA has eliminated gender distinctions for performances, instead offering awards for Outstanding Lead and Supporting Performance in the three categories of Musical, Drama, and Comedy.
Nominees from 15 Sonoma County companies included theaters in Sonoma, Santa Rosa, Sebastopol, Petaluma, Rohnert Park, Healdsburg, Monte Rio, and Cloverdale.
Sonoma Arts Live received numerous Marquee nominations this season, including Outstanding Musical Production for “Gypsy”: Michael Ross, Director, and John Partridge, Musical Director. Ellen Toscano was nominated for Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical for “Evita!” Bruce Lacovic was nominated for Outstanding Scenic Design for “Becky’s New Car,” and Matt Witthaus for Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Comedy.
Sonoma Arts Live returns to Andrews Hall on November 29 with a three-week run of “Inspecting Carol.”