蜜柚直播

We here in 蜜柚直播, however, have had a great tool to help us cope: theater that illuminated, provoked, made us laugh, cry, think.

The first play of 2017 was Live Theatre Workshop鈥檚 funny and light 鈥淏uyer & Cellar,鈥� about an out-of-work actor hired by Barbra Streisand to manage her basement-turned-mini-mall featuring a few of her favorite things. (Streisand actually has such a place in her home.) Ending out the year: 蜜柚直播 Theatre Company鈥檚 breathtaking 鈥淢an of La Mancha,鈥� the heartbreaking and hopeful musical inspired by Cervantes鈥� 鈥淒on Quixote.鈥�

In between, there was 蜜柚直播 Onstage鈥檚 knock-out production of 鈥淭he Producers,鈥� 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 powerful 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire,鈥� Something Something Theatre Company鈥檚 very funny 鈥淢rs. Mannerly鈥� 鈥� the list goes on.

And it is from that list that we pull the winners of the 2017 Mac Awards. Now in its 17th year, the award is named for the late Mary MacMurtrie who, through her 蜜柚直播 Children鈥檚 Theatre, spent much of the last century turning local youths into actors, directors and audience members. She taught that excellence was as important as heart, honesty and intent.

There was much of all those elements in our Mac nominees and winners:

Actor, comedy

• Keith Wick fully inhabited the multiple characters he played in Live Theatre Workshop鈥檚 鈥淏uyer & Celler.鈥�
• Also at LTW, Matthew Copley was a hoot as the manipulative boss in 鈥淏elow the Belt.鈥�
• David Weynand was sublime as Johann Christoph Graupner, a neurotic who just wants to be everyone鈥檚 No. 1 in The Rogue鈥檚 鈥淏ach at Leipzig.鈥�
• Josh Parra played multiple characters, from a young teen to a con man to a preacher in Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淭he Voice of the Prairie.鈥� He handled them all with aplomb.
• Alec Michael Coles was a pure delight as the arrogant and foolish Malvolio in 蜜柚直播 Rep鈥檚 鈥淭welfth Night or What You Will.鈥� It鈥檚 a choice role and he made the most of it.
• Christopher Younggren showed deep heart and roots in his role as the storyteller in Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淭he Voice of the Prairie鈥� He takes the Mac.

Actress, comedy

• Carley Preston鈥檚 etiquette teacher was scary and heartbreaking in Something Something鈥檚 鈥淢rs. Mannerly.鈥�
• Lisandra Tena gave us delicious insight into her life as she performed the play she wrote, 鈥淕uera,鈥� at Borderlands.
• Jeanne Torres鈥� Samantha was seductive and funny in Invisible Theatre鈥檚 鈥淚ndoor/Outdoor.鈥�
• Vinessa Vidotto fashioned a cold and haughty, ridiculous and passionate Olivia in 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 鈥淭welfth Night or What You Will.鈥�
• Samantha Cormier wowed with her performance of the blind Frankie in Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淰oice of the Prairie.鈥� The character transforms from a rambunctious teen fleeing a cruel father to an adult keeping the flame of an old love alive, and she owned the role. She takes the Mac.

Director, comedy

• Sabian Trout has an instinct for comedy, and she saw to it that Live Theatre Workshop鈥檚 鈥淏uyer & Cellar鈥� was infused with it.
• Cynthia Meier directed the Rogue鈥檚 鈥淏ach at Leipzig鈥� with a visual eye and an obvious love of the material.
• Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淰oice of the Prairie鈥� could have been a gooey, sentimental piece, but Maryann Green made sure that did not happen.
• Also at LTW: Eva Tessler gave us a fast-paced and very funny 鈥淪eminar.鈥�
• Something Something鈥檚 鈥淢rs. Mannerly鈥� was infused with warmth and rhythm by Joan O鈥橠wyer.
• Laughter flowed freely at 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 production of 鈥淭welfth Night or What You Will,鈥� directed by Brent Gibbs.
• Annette Hillman helmed Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淏elow the Belt鈥� and she made sure the humor punctuated the very dark aspects of the comedy. She takes the Mac.

Best comedy

• Live Theatre Workshop鈥檚 production of Jonathan Tolins鈥� 鈥淏uyer & Cellar鈥� was an evening full of quick wit and frequent laughter.
• Also at LTW: 鈥沦别尘颈苍补谤,鈥� which introduced us to writers hungry to learn and a writing seminar leader hungry for their money.
• Something Something Theatre Company鈥檚 鈥淢rs. Mannerly,鈥� Jeffrey Hatcher鈥檚 comedy about kids taking etiquette classes, was a stitch.
• Lisandra Tena鈥檚 bio-play 鈥淕耻别谤补鈥� at Borderlands Theatre had us laughing one minute, horrified the next. But the laughter won out.
• 尝罢奥鈥檚 鈥淏elow the Belt鈥� by playwright Richard Dresser provided laughter at the foibles of men whose universe is small but whose egos are big and who take a sort of vicious glee in playing the manipulative games that can define corporate life.
• The Mac goes to The Rogue鈥檚 pitch-perfect production of Itamar Moses鈥� frothy, fugue-ish farce, 鈥淏ach at Leipzig.鈥� It was a lightweight piece heavy with laughter.

Actor, drama

• R. Hamilton Wright shaped a Watson with a warmth and a cleverness in ATC鈥檚 鈥淗olmes & Watson.鈥�
• Alec Williams captured the geekiness of a clumsy Romeo in 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 production of 鈥淧roof.鈥�
• The stage became almost electric when David Weynad鈥檚 King Duncan appeared in The Rogue鈥檚 production of 鈥淢acbeth.鈥�
• Bill Epstein impressed as Disney in the Scoundrel & Scamp鈥檚 鈥淎 Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney.鈥�
• Matt Bowdren was cold and cruel and perfect in The Rogue鈥檚 鈥淧enelope.鈥�
• David Alexander Johnston gave distinction, and often gravitas, to his multiple roles in Invisible Theatre鈥� 鈥淟ebensraum鈥�
• Keith Wick wrecked our hearts with his portrayal of the broken, ill man in Live Theatre鈥檚 鈥淎nnapurna.鈥�
• The Mac goes to David Weynand, who was riveting in his often-funny portrayal of a hell-bent-for-destruction monk in The Rogue鈥檚 鈥淭he White Snake.鈥� Weynand fully possessed the character 鈥� a common trait we find in the actor.

Actress, drama

• India Osborne beautifully owned the guilt and determination that defined her social worker in St. Francis鈥� 鈥淟una Gale.
• Alba Jaramillo crawled into the skin of the Mexican human rights lawyer Digna Ochoa in the moving and upsetting 鈥淒igna,鈥� staged by Digna Theater.
• Kelly Hajek handled the officious Clare character like a pro in 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 production of 鈥淧roof.鈥�
• Patty Gallagher breathed full life into to her snake transformed into a woman in The Rogue鈥檚 鈥淲hite Snake.鈥�
• In the same Rogue play, Holly Griffith infused her character with humor and an impishness that was hard to resist.
• Rhonda Halquist was compelling as the woman who returns to help her ill husband after leaving their lousy marriage 20 years prior in 尝罢奥鈥檚 鈥淎nnapurna.鈥�
• Marissa Medina Munter sank into Blanche DuBois鈥� southern belle with rawness and honesty in 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre鈥檚 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire.鈥� She made the character鈥檚 vulnerability, mental instability and deep loneliness palpable. She takes the Mac.

Director, drama

• Hank Stratton鈥檚 insightful direction of 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire鈥� at 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre underscored the tragedy and poignancy of the story.
• Mark Klugheit directed the disturbing 鈥淟una Gale鈥� at St. Francis Theatre鈥檚 with a clarity and a kind of urgency that served the story well.
• David Ira Goldstein finished out his 25 years at 蜜柚直播 Theatre Company with a tense and mysterious production of 鈥淗olmes & Watson.鈥�
• Invisible Theatre鈥檚 鈥淟ebensraum鈥� had three actors playing about 50 characters. Susan Claassen鈥檚 smooth direction meant the audience was never confused.
• Cynthia Meier鈥檚 direction of The Rogue鈥檚 鈥淭he White Snake鈥� was as fantastical as the play.
• Also at The Rogue: Christopher Johnson鈥檚 sharp, smart direction of 鈥淧enelope.鈥�
• The Mac goes to Bryan Rafael Falc贸n for The Scoundrel & Scamp鈥檚 鈥淎 Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney.鈥� It was a simple production that rarely called for an actor to move out of his seat on the stage. Falc贸n made sure the audience鈥檚 attention never wavered and that the word-heavy script sang.

Best drama

• The young Scoundrel & Scamp Theatre staged an intimate production of the dark and delicious Lucas Hnath play, 鈥淎 Public Reading of an Unproduced Screenplay About the Death of Walt Disney.鈥�
• Digna Theater鈥檚 one-woman show, 鈥凄颈驳苍补鈥� by Patricia Davis, powerfully told the story of Mexican lawyer Digna Ochoa, who was assassinated for her human rights work. It is an important story and it was told with grace.
• Little St. Francis Theatre hit it big with its production of the disturbing Rebecca Gilman play, 鈥淟una Gale.鈥�
• Live Theatre Workshop鈥檚 poignant 鈥淎苍苍补辫耻谤苍补鈥� was dark and funny and moving.
• It鈥檚 hard to think of a play that features men in Speedos as a drama, but The Rogue鈥檚 production of 鈥淧别苍别濒辞辫别鈥� was thick with it.
• 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre took on a big project with Tennessee Williams鈥� devastating 鈥淎 Streetcar Named Desire.鈥� The cast of University of 蜜柚直播 students was not intimidated and gave us a powerful theatrical experience.
• The Rogue staged a breathtakingly beautiful production of Mary Zimmerman鈥檚 鈥淭he White Snake.鈥�
• 蜜柚直播 Theatre Company鈥檚 world premiere of Jeffrey Hatcher鈥檚 鈥淗olmes & Watson鈥� was packed with suspense, atmosphere and first-rate acting 鈥� and plenty of surprises. It takes the Mac.

Actor, musical

• Dennis Tamblyn and Matthew Holter as Bialystock and Bloom respectively in 蜜柚直播 Onstage鈥檚 production of 鈥淭he Producers鈥� were a dream team. We loved every minute they were on stage, and they were on stage practically every minute.
• Monte Ralstin made Uncle Fester in 蜜柚直播 Rep鈥檚 鈥淭he Addams Family鈥� silly and vibrant and so much fun.
• Matthew Osvog鈥檚 Che in 蜜柚直播 Rep鈥檚 鈥淓惫颈迟补鈥� was powerful and nuanced. He was hard to turn away from.
• Carlos Lopez was captivating and provided much of the lighter moments as Quixote鈥檚 man servant, Sancho, in ATC鈥檚 鈥淢an of La Mancha.鈥�
• There is no denying the riveting performance Philip Hernandez gave as Cervantes/Quixote in ATC鈥檚 鈥淢an of La Mancha.鈥� He was deeply rooted in the characters, and the audience was deeply invested in him. He takes the Mac.

Actress, musical

• Liz Cracchiolo鈥檚 Ulla, the sexpot who revs up both Max and Leo鈥檚 engines in 蜜柚直播 Onstage鈥檚 鈥淭he Producers,鈥� conveyed the sultriness and innocence of the character with complete honesty.
• Kelli Workman showed her impressive comedic chops 鈥� and voice 鈥� in Roadrunner鈥檚 鈥淭riumph of Love.鈥�
• Flamenco dancer Amelia Moore was Aldonza鈥檚 alter ego in ATC鈥檚 鈥淟a Mancha.鈥� She brought her stately grace to the role, allowing us to see another facet to the woman Quixote loves.
• The Mac goes to Michelle Dawson, who took on the role of Aldonza just before opening when the actress originally cast fell ill. She tightly embraced the character with heartbreaking grace.

Director, musical

• 鈥淭he Addams Family鈥� isn鈥檛 a great musical, but Danny Gurwin, who directed the 蜜柚直播 Repertory Theatre production, made it great fun. Gurwin also directed 蜜柚直播 Rep鈥檚 stellar production of 鈥淓vita.鈥�
• Annette Hillman had a big job directing the 27 cast members of 蜜柚直播 Onstage鈥檚 鈥淭he Producers.鈥� She was up to it, giving us a musical that was smooth and funny and a joy to see.
• Jos茅 鈥淐hach鈥� Snook fashioned a clever production of Roadrunner鈥檚 鈥淭riumph of Love.鈥� That鈥檚 doubly impressive when you consider he had a hefty role in the chamber musical.
• David Bennett gave new life to ATC鈥檚 鈥淢an of La Mancha,鈥� taking creative chances that paid off in a big way. His direction revealed new layers in the play. It is among the best ATC has done. He takes the Mac.

Best musical

• Roadrunner Theatre Company鈥檚 鈥淭riumph of Love,鈥� was seductive, silly, and a giddy evening of theater.
• 蜜柚直播 Rep staged a vivid production of 鈥淓惫颈迟补鈥� in the intimate Tornabene Theater on the UA campus.
• Johnny Cash fans were in heaven with 蜜柚直播 Theatre Company鈥檚 production of 鈥淩ing of Fire: The Music of Johnny Cash.鈥�
• 蜜柚直播 On Stage completely wowed with its rollicking production of 鈥淭he Producers.鈥� It was a huge undertaking and the cast made it look effortless.
• It is 蜜柚直播 Theatre Company鈥檚 profound production of 鈥淢an of La Mancha鈥� that takes the Mac. In a twist on the classic musical, the actors played instruments, sang and danced. This musical never felt dated; in fact, it eloquently spoke to today and the toxic, often dangerous, state of affairs in the world.