The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia announced the nominations in 26 categories for the 2009 Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre at a press conference held today at The University of the Arts’ new Ellen and Ronald Caplan Center for the Performing Arts. The organization also announced plans for this year’s Gala Barrymore Awards Ceremony, the premier annual event in Philadelphia theatre, to be held on Monday, October 5th at 7:00 p.m. at the Walnut Street Theatre, with a reception following at the Ballroom at the Ben in the Benjamin Franklin House.

The evening of October 5th will kick off with a red carpet event beginning at 6:00 p.m. as local theatre celebrities and nominees gather. This year’s ceremony, directed by Karen DiLossi, celebrates the work of our local theatre artists and companies as they continue the legacy of the Barrymore family.

In its 15th year, The Barrymore Awards program is produced by the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia and is the only comprehensive awards program in the region, recognizing artistic excellence in theatre. Each year, over 100 productions, produced by local professional theatres, are reviewed by the Barrymore voting committee. More than 140 actors, directors, and designers representing 25 companies over 33 productions became nominees for the 2009 Barrymore Awards. They stand as the newest generation in the continuous legacy of theatrical excellence initiated by the Barrymores as the first-family of American theatre and represented by the past 14 years of awards given in their honor. Since 1995, the Barrymore Awards have recognized 58 organizations, 526 productions, and 750 artists for the excellence and vitality that they have brought to Greater Philadelphia.

Theatre Alliance Executive Director, Margie Salvante, spoke of her excitement that this year’s nominees represent the full spectrum of theatrical excellence present in the Greater Philadelphia region. “We are pleased to see that, along with the nominations of our Center City theatre institutions, a number of our key suburban theatres have also been recognized this year for the exemplary work they contribute to the Greater Philadelphia theatre community. From Delaware Theatre Company in Wilmington, up through Media Theatre Company and People’s Light & Theatre Company in Malvern, around to Act II Playhouse in Ambler and then Bristol Riverside Theatre, the full geographic spectrum of the Theatre Alliance membership is represented. So too is there strong representation from all sizes of theatres in our community – from newer theatres (11th Hour Theatre Company and Gas & Electric Arts), to smaller ones (Luna Theater and Flashpoint Theatre Company), to the ever-growing mid-sized theatres (Lantern Theater and InterAct Theatre Company) - this year’s Barrymore Awards nominations truly reflect the full scope and vitality of great theatre in Philadelphia.”

In addition to the nominations, this year’s recipients of the Brown Martin Philadelphia Award were announced. In keeping with Philadelphia’s reputation as the City of Brotherly Love, the Brown Martin Philadelphia Award was established in 2007 to honor those plays that best lead audiences to a better understanding of the unique experiences that make up our diverse global community. For the 2007-08 theatre season, Bristol Riverside Theatre was recognized for its production of Welcome Home, Marian Anderson and InterAct Theatre Company was recognized forHouse Divided. This year’s recipients are Arden Theatre Company for their production of My Name Is Asher Lev and InterAct Theatre Company for their production of Little Lamb. Named in honor of Virginia Brown Martin, a lover and supporter of theatre in her own lifetime, the Brown Martin Philadelphia Award carries with it a significant monetary prize to support a continued focus on producing plays that help us better appreciate unique points of view, and heal the divisiveness that springs from intolerance and fear.

The Theatre Alliance also presented a Special Recognition Barrymore Award to Deen Kogan, and posthumously, to her husband, Jay. They were recognized this year in honor of the 50th Anniversary Season of the Society Hill Playhouse. Deen Kogan founded Society Hill Playhouse with her husband Jay, in 1960. Together they created the first professionally operated theatre in Philadelphia to showcase the contemporary repertoire, and were instrumental in creating Philadelphia’s first street theatre and first art/education program, The Philadelphia Youth Theatre, which had a 25 year run. After Jay’s death in 1993, Mrs. Kogan continued her commitment to the theatre and the community in co-producing Menopause, The Musical, which entertained and introduced thousands of patrons to the South Street area during its four year run. She currently mentors, and provides a home for the emerging company, BCKSEET Productions.

The Philadelphia theatre community is also recognized with three unique awards each year. The first of these special awards, Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service, recognizes the work of theatres and theatre artists who provide innovative theatre and educational experiences as a vehicle for betterment within the community. The 2009 nominees are B. Someday Production’s Of Mythic Proportions, Enchantment Theatre Company’s The Magic of Masks, Lantern Theater Company’s Classroom Connections, Montgomery Theater’s Access Education, and Philadelphia Young Playwright’s Annual Playwriting Festival.

The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations celebrates unique collaborations between theatre companies and other non-theatre organizations. These collaborations each result in a public event and have an importance or impact both on the participating organizations and the Greater Philadelphia community. The nominees for this year’s award are Arden Theatre Company & The Philadelphia Museum of Art for Gee’s Bend; Delaware Theatre Company & The Ferris School for Boys for No Child…; EgoPo Productions & Orchestra 2001 for Bluebird; Theatre Horizon & Montgomery County Workers for Our Community Works Project; Walnut Street Theatre & Please Touch Museum for Berenstain Bears’ Family Matters: The Junk Food Edition; and The Wilma Theater & Moore College of Art and Design for Scorched: an exhibition.

The F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist, which includes a $10,000 cash prize, is given to a Philadelphia theatre artist who shows outstanding promise in his or her field and is dedicated to working in the Philadelphia theatre community. Named after the late F. Otto Haas, noted philanthropist, civic leader, and former Chairman of Rohm & Haas, the award is sponsored through the generosity of Carole Haas Gravagno and is specifically designed to help cover the artist’s living expenses for one year to allow the individual to focus solely on his or her craft. The runners-up each receive a $1,000 cash award. This year’s nominees are Kala Moses Baxter, Troy Herion, Sarah Sanford, Nicholas Wardigo, and Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind.

THE BARRYMORE AWARD NOMINEES FOR 2009 ARE:

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play: Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; No Child… – Delaware Theatre Company; The Hothouse – Lantern Theater Company; Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Wilma Theater; Scorched – The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre; Cinderella– The People’s Light & Theatre Company; The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre

Harmelin Media Award for Outstanding Direction of a Play: Anne Marie Cammarato – No Child… – Delaware Theatre Company; Kathryn MacMillan – The Hothouse – Lantern Theater Company; Terrence J. Nolen – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Blanka Zizka – Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Wilma Theater; Blanka Zizka – Scorched – The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Musical: Christopher Gattelli– Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre; Terrence J. Nolen – Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Megan Nicole O’Brien – Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; Pete Pryor – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Patricia Raines – Thoroughly Modern Millie – The Media Theatre; Marc Robin – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction: Gary Adler – Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre; Eric Ebbenga – Grey Gardens – Philadelphia Theatre Company; Dan Kazemi– Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; Douglass G. Lutz – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Collin Maier – It’s a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play – Prince Music Theater

Ark Media Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Play: Walter Charles as Doc Bartelli/Gustav Von Meyerhoff – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Keith Conallen as Dave – Jump/Cut – Flashpoint Theatre Company; Scott Greer as Dale Wiston – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Paul L. Nolan as Roote – The Hothouse – Lantern Theater Company; Ian Merrill Peakes as Tony Wiston – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Kevin Ramsey as Man – No Child… – Delaware Theatre Company

Charlotte Cushman Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Play: Elena Bossler as Anna Bella – Anna Bella Eema – Gas & Electric Arts; Edwina Findley as Sadie – Gee’s Bend – Arden Theatre Company; Sally Mercer as Sonia Feldman – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Kate Eastwood Norris as Eleanor/Adult Esme – Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Wilma Theater; Chandra Thomas as Woman – No Child… – Delaware Theatre Company

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actor in a Musical: Ben Dibble as Candide – Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Ben Dibble as Leo Bloom – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Scott Greer as Voltaire/Pangloss – Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Michael Philip O’Brien as Pasquale – Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; John Pinto, Jr. as Mark, The Sensitive One – Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre

Garfield Refining Company Award for Outstanding Leading Actress in a Musical: Kim Carson as Ella Opfinder (Cinderella) – Cinderlla – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Jennie Eisenhower – Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits – Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3; Danielle G. Herbert – Respect: A Musical Journey of Women – Act II Playhouse; Ellie Mooney – Forbidden Broadway’s Greatest Hits – Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3; Courtney Romano as Millie Dillmont – Thoroughly Modern Millie – The Media Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play: Damon Bonetti as David – Orange Flower Water – Luna Theater Company; Doug Hara as Leo Baxter – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; David Ingram as Alexander Stern – The Rant – InterAct Theatre Company; Jered McLenigan as Freddie Filmore – It’s a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play – Prince Music Theater; Pete Pryor as Jake Laurents – It’s a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play – Prince Music Theater Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play: Jolly Abraham as Elhame/Sawda – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Jacqueline Antaramianas Jihane/Nawal 40-45 – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Kala Moses Baxter as Nella – Gee’s Bend – Arden Theatre Company; Aadya Bedi as Nawal 14-19 – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Janis Dardaris as Nazira/Nawal 60-65 – Scorched – The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical: Jeffrey Coon as Franz Liebkind – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Andrew Kane as Tom Cat – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Forrest McClendon as Roscoe – Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; Robert McClure as Carmen Ghia – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Christopher Patrick Mullen as Barnaby, The Valet – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical: Amy Bodnar as Ulla – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Elena Bossler as Sudsy Squirrel – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Maggie Fitzgerald as Flea – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Mary Martello as Old Woman – Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Erin Weaver as Invasia Loosestrife – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company

Outstanding Set Design: James Kronzer – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Ola Maslik – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; James F. Pyne, Jr. – Le Dindon (An Absolute Turkey) – Villanova Theatre; Matt Saunders – American Buffalo –Theatre Exile; Glen Sears – O Captain, My Captain: Whitman's Lincoln – Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3

PECO Award for Outstanding Lighting Design: Paul Black – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; F. Mitchell Dana – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Joshua L. Schulman – Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Wilma Theater; Thom Weaver – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Thom Weaver – American Buffalo –Theatre Exile

Earl Girls Award for Outstanding Costume Design: Oana Botez-Ban – Rock ‘n’ Roll – The Wilma Theater; Colleen Grady – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Marla J. Jurglanis – A Tale of Two Cities – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Rosemarie E. McKelvey – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Rosemarie E. McKelvey – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind – Le Dindon (An Absolute Turkey) – Villanova Theatre

Clear Sound Award for Outstanding Sound Design: Christopher Colucci – The Hothouse – Lantern Theater Company; Jorge Cousineau – Something Intangible – Arden Theatre Company; Jorge Cousineau – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Nick Kourtides – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Jeff Lorenz – It’s a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play – Prince Music Theater

Outstanding Original Music: Amir ElSaffar – Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Michael Keck – Doubt: A Parable – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Daniel Kluger – The Persians – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Michael Ogborn – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Nick Rye – Hysteria – The Wilma Theater Outstanding Choreography/Movement: Samantha Bellomo – Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; Karen Cleighton – Thoroughly Modern Millie – The Media Theatre; Christopher Gattelli – Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre; Marc Robin – The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre; Jenn Rose – Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company

Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play: Cinderella – By Kathryn Petersen, Music & Lyrics by Michael Ogborn – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; My Name is Asher Lev – By Aaron Posner – Arden Theatre Company; The Rant – By Andrew Case – InterAct Theatre Company; Something Intangible – By Bruce Graham – Arden Theatre Company; This is the Week That Is: The Election Special! – By Tony Braithwaite, Jennifer Childs, Dave Jadico, Anthony Lawton, Don Montrey, Thomas E. Shotkin, Susan Riley Stevens & Steven Wright – 1812 Productions

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play: Anna Bella Eema – Gas & Electric Arts; It’s a Wonderful Life! A Live Radio Play – Prince Music Theater; No Child…– Delaware Theatre Company; Scorched – The Wilma Theater; Something Intangible– Arden Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical: Altar Boyz – Bristol Riverside Theatre; Avenue X – 11th Hour Theatre Company; Candide – Arden Theatre Company; Cinderella – The People’s Light & Theatre Company; The Producers – Walnut Street Theatre

The Ted and Stevie Wolf Award for New Approaches to Collaborations: b>Arden Theatre Company & The Philadelphia Museum of Art for Gee’s Bend; Delaware Theatre Company & The Ferris School for Boys for No Child…; EgoPo Productions & Orchestra 2001 for Bluebird; Theatre Horizon & Montgomery County Workers for Our Community Works Project; Walnut Street Theatre & Please Touch Museum for Berenstain Bears’ Family Matters: The Junk Food Edition; and The Wilma Theater & Moore College of Art and Design for Scorched: an exhibition.

Excellence in Theatre Education and Community Service Award: B. Someday Productions – Of Mythic Proportions; Enchantment Theatre Company – The Magic of Masks; Lantern Theater Company – Classroom Connections; Montgomery Theater– Access Education; Philadelphia Young Playwrights – Annual Playwriting Festival

F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist: Kala Moses Baxter; Troy Herion; Sarah Sanford; Nicholas Wardigo; Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind

SPECIAL RECOGNITION AWARD: Deen & Jay Kogan

Major support for the Barrymore Awards is provided by Actors’ Equity Association, Ark Media, The Charlotte Cushman Foundation, Clear Sound, CRW Graphics, Drucker & Scaccetti, P.C., Earl Girls Theatrical Equipment, Garfield Refining Company, Harmelin Media, Independence Foundation, PECO, The Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust A as recommended by Carole Haas Gravagno, The Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust B as recommended by Leonard C. Haas, William Penn Foundation, and Ted & Stevie Wolf.

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia strengthens and leads the region’s richly diverse theatre community, by promoting awareness and serving as a resource for information, professional development and advocacy. Tickets for the Barrymore Awards Ceremony and more information are available online at www.theatrealliance.org or by calling (215) 413-7150.