The Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre is an annual, nationally-recognized award program that is sponsored by Theatre Philadelphia for professional theater productions in the Greater Philadelphia area. Each season culminates with an awards ceremony. The Barrymore Awards was founded by the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia (PALP) in 1994 and was named after the

Barrymore family The Barrymore family, and the related Drew family, form a British–American acting dynasty that traces its acting roots to the mid-19th-century London stage. After migrating across the Atlantic Ocean to the United States, members of the family ...

. PALP was renamed the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia in 1997 and presided over the awards until 2012. Theatre Philadelphia has handled the awards since 2012.

History

Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia (1994–2012)

Named in honor of the famed American theatrical family, the

, the Barrymore Awards for Excellence in Theatre have served as Philadelphia's professional theatre awards program since the 1994–1995 season. It was founded by the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia (PALP) in September 1994. PALP was renamed the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia in 1997. The group used the Helen Hayes Awards (

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

) and

Joseph Jefferson Awards The Joseph Jefferson Award, more commonly known informally as the Jeff Award, is given for Theater in Chicago, theatre arts produced in the Chicago area. Founded in 1968, the awards are named in tribute to actor Joseph Jefferson, a 19th-century ...

(

Chicago Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

) as guidelines in devising the structure of the Barrymore Awards. The program cost $95,000 in its first year. In 1995, there were 40 members of the nominating committee. The awards ceremony was held at the Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts for the first two years in 1995 and 1996, the

Walnut Street Theatre Walnut Street Theatre, founded in 1808 at 825 Walnut Street, on the corner of S. 9th Street in the Washington Square West neighborhood of Philadelphia, is the oldest operating theatre in the United States. The venue is operated by Walnut Str ...

in 1997 and 1998. and the Irvine Auditorium starting in 1999. The awards ceremony moved to the Independence Seaport Museum in 2001, and it returned to the Annenberg Center in 2002. The ceremony took place at the Academy of Music in 2004, and the Merriam Theater in 2005. The Barrymore Awards moved to

Wanamaker's Wanamaker's was an American department store chain founded in 1861 by John Wanamaker. It was one of the first department stores in the United States, and peaked at 16 locations along the Delaware Valley in the 20th century. Wanamaker's was pur ...

for the 2007 ceremony. The ceremony was held at the Walnut Street Theatre in 2009 in honor of the theatre's 200th season. In December 1999, the Walnut Street Theatre, the largest theatre in the region, announced it would withdraw from consideration from the Barrymore Awards, in protest for one of their shows being deemed ineligible for an award. By January 2000, the Walnut agreed to rejoin after the Alliance of Greater Philadelphia instituted an appeals process in their system. The appeals process was removed for the 2000–2001 season, and the Walnut again withdrew from consideration from 2003 through 2006, citing a perceived bias against the theatre by nominators. The Media Theatre also withdrew during the 2002–2003 season, its first season submitting shows for consideration, but returned for the 2002–2003 season. The Walnut Street Theatre began submitting again for consideration in 2007. The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia folded on June 30, 2012, due to funding issues. It still announced nominations for the Barrymore Awards for the 2011–2012 season in August 2012. Many of the 2011–2012 awards were announced via

email Electronic mail (usually shortened to email; alternatively hyphenated e-mail) is a method of transmitting and receiving Digital media, digital messages using electronics, electronic devices over a computer network. It was conceived in the ...

in September, with the top three awards (the lifetime achievement award, Brown Martin Philadelphia Award, and F. Otto Haas Award) given at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, at an event called "Theatre Philadelphia: A Celebration" in October 2012.

Theatre Philadelphia (2013–present)

By November 2013, 11 theatre administrators and artistic directors formed Theatre Philadelphia to replace the Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia. The awards with cash prizes attached to them were handed out for the 2012–2013 season, with category-specific awards resuming for the 2013–2014 season. The first full awards ceremony under Theatre Philadelphia in 2014 was held at the Merriam Theater. The awards moved to the Bok Building for 2018. The Media Theatre and Walnut Street Theatre did not submit for consideration starting with the 2014 awards. Media returned and submitted a show for the 2017–2018 season. In June 2018, Theatre Philadelphia announced the removal of gender identifiers from performance categories. In 2018, the awards included an adjudication of twenty-four categories, including five cash awards totaling up to $118,000 for artists and organizations each year. Due to the

COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic (also known as the coronavirus pandemic and COVID pandemic), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), began with an disease outbreak, outbreak of COVID-19 in Wuhan, China, in December ...

, a Barrymore Awards ceremony was not held in 2020.

Notable awardees

Outstanding Production of a New Play

* 1995: ''

Master Class ''Master Class'' is a 1995 play by American playwright Terrence McNally, presented as a fictional master class by opera singer Maria Callas near the end of her life, in the 1970s. The play features incidental vocal music by Giuseppe Verdi, Giac ...

'' ( Philadelphia Theatre Company,

Terrence McNally Terrence McNally (November 3, 1938 – March 24, 2020) was an American playwright, librettist, and screenwriter. Described as "the bard of American theater" and "one of the greatest contemporary playwrights the theater world has yet produced," M ...

) * 1999: '' The Chosen'' (

Arden Theatre Company The Arden Theatre Company is a professional regional theatre company located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The company includes three theatres: the 175-seat Arcadia Stage and the 360-seat F. Otto Haas Stage, located in the main property at 40 ...

) * 2002: '' Yellowman'' ( Wilma Theater) * 2006: ''

Opus Opus (: opera Opera is a form of History of theatre#European theatre, Western theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by Singing, singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera ...

'' (Arden Theatre Company, Michael Hollinger)

Outstanding Direction of a Play

* 1995: Blanka Zizka (''

Road A road is a thoroughfare used primarily for movement of traffic. Roads differ from streets, whose primary use is local access. They also differ from stroads, which combine the features of streets and roads. Most modern roads are paved. Th ...

'', Wilma Theater) * 1998:

Aaron Posner Aaron Posner is an American playwright and theatre director. He was co-founder of the Arden Theatre Company in Philadelphia and was the artistic director of Two River Theater from 2006 to 2010. He has directed over 100 productions at major regio ...

(''

A Midsummer Night's Dream ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a Comedy (drama), comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One s ...

'',

) * 2000: Blanka Zizka (''

The Invention of Love ''The Invention of Love'' is a 1997 British play by Tom Stoppard portraying the life of poet A. E. Housman, focusing specifically on his personal life and love for a college classmate. The play is written from the viewpoint of Housman, dealing w ...

'', Wilma Theater) * 2004: Blanka Zizka ('' Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train'', Wilma Theater) * 2005: Maria Mileaf (''The Story'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2006: Terrence J. Nolen (''

'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2009: Terrence J. Nolen (''Something Intangible'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2010: Anne Kauffman ('' Becky Shaw'', Wilma Theater) * 2011: Blanka Zizka ('' In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play)'', Wilma Theater) * 2012: Anne Kauffman ('' Body Awareness'', Wilma Theater) * 2014:

James Ijames James Ijames () is an American playwright originally from Bessemer City, North Carolina. He received his B.A. in Drama from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia, and earned his MFA in Acting from Temple University in Philadelphia, where he is ...

('' The Brothers Size'', Simpatico Theatre Project) * 2017: Blanka Zizka ('' When the Rain Stops Falling'', Wilma Theater) * 2019: James Ijames ('' Gem of the Ocean'', Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

* 1997: Blanka Zizka (''Avenue X'', Wilma Theater) * 1998:

Patricia Birch Patricia Ann Birch (born October 16, 1934) is an American dancer, choreographer, film director, and theatre director. Early life Born in Englewood, New Jersey, Birch began her career as a dancer in Broadway musicals, including '' Brigadoon'', '' ...

(''Band in Berlin'', American Music Theater Festival) * 1999:

Tina Landau Tina Landau (born May 21, 1962) is an American playwright and theatre director. Known for her large-scale, musical, and ensemble-driven work, Landau's productions have appeared on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regionally, most extensively at the ...

('' Floyd Collins'', Prince Music Theater) * 2001: Terrence J. Nolen ('' The Baker's Wife'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2002: Peter M. Donohue (''

'', Villanova Theatre) * 2003: Rebecca Taichman (''Green Violin'', Prince Music Theater) * 2004:

Tazewell Thompson Tazewell Thompson is an American theatre director, the former artistic director of the Westport Country Playhouse (2006–07) in Westport, Connecticut and the Syracuse Stage (1992–95) in New York state. Prior to that he was an assistant direc ...

('' Constant Star'', Delaware Theatre Company) * 2005: Terrence J. Nolen ('' Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2006: Terrence J. Nolen ('' Winesburg, Ohio'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2008: Terrence J. Nolen ('' Assassins'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2011: Matthew Decker (''

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee ''The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee'' is a musical comedy with music and lyrics by William Finn, with a book written by Rachel Sheinkin, created by Rebecca Feldman with additional material by Jay Reiss. The show centers on a fictional ...

'', Theatre Horizon) * 2015: Matthew Decker (''

Into the Woods ''Into the Woods'' is a 1986 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by James Lapine. The musical intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm fairy tales, exploring the consequences of the characters' wishes and quests. T ...

'', Theatre Horizon) * 2016: Matthew Decker ('' The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2018: Terrence J. Nolen ('' Fun Home'', Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

Leading Actor (1995–2017)

* 1998: Jarlath Conroy ('' The Steward of Christendom'', Lantern Theater Company) * 1999:

Roger Guenveur Smith Roger Guenveur Smith (; born July 27, 1955) is an American actor, director, and writer best known for his collaborations with Spike Lee. Early life Roger Guenveur Smith was born on July 27, 1955, in Berkeley, California, the son of Helen Guen ...

('' A Huey P. Newton Story'', Freedom Repertory Theatre/ Painted Bride Art Center) * 2002: Douglas Campbell (''

The Dresser ''The Dresser'' is a 1980 West End and Broadway play by Ronald Harwood, which tells the story of an aging actor's personal assistant, who struggles to keep his charge's life together. Plot Harwood based the play on his experiences as dress ...

'', Bristol Riverside Theatre) * 2005:

Bill Irwin William Mills Irwin (born April 11, 1950) is an American actor, choreographer, clown, and comedian. He began as a vaudeville-style stage performer and has been noted for his contribution to the renaissance of American circus during the 1970s. ...

(''Trumbo'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2010:

Jeremy Bobb Jeremy Bobb (born May 13, 1981) is an American actor who has appeared on stage, television and in feature films. He had a recurring role in CBS's 2013 drama '' Hostages'' as White House Chief of Staff Quintin Creasy and co-starred as Herman Bar ...

(''Becky Shaw'', Wilma Theater) * 2012: Richard Poe (''The Outgoing Tide'', Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Leading Actress (1995–2017)

* 1995:

Zoe Caldwell Zoe Ada Caldwell (14 September 1933 – 16 February 2020) was an Australian actress. She was a four-time Tony Award winner, winning Best Featured Actress in a Play for '' Slapstick Tragedy'' (1966), and Best Actress in a Play for '' The Prim ...

(''Master Class'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 1996: Scotty Bloch ('' Three Viewings'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 1999: Alma Cuervo (''

The Beauty Queen of Leenane ''The Beauty Queen of Leenane'' is a 1996 dramatic play by Martin McDonagh which was premiered by the Druid Theatre Company in Galway, Ireland. It also enjoyed successful runs at London's West End, Broadway and Off-Broadway. The original Lo ...

'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2002: Dael Orlandersmith ('' Yellowman'', Wilma Theater) * 2004:

Lynn Redgrave Lynn Rachel Redgrave (8 March 1943 – 2 May 2010) was a British and American actress. During a career that spanned five decades, she won two Golden Globe Awards and was nominated for two Academy Awards, four British Academy Film Awards, two Em ...

('' Collected Stories'', Contemporary Stage Company) * 2011:

Anna Deavere Smith Anna Deavere Smith (born September 18, 1950) is an American actress, playwright, and professor. She is known for her roles as National Security Advisor Dr. Nancy McNally in ''The West Wing'' (2000–06), hospital administrator Gloria Akalitus i ...

(''Let Me Down Easy'', Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

Leading Actor (1995–2017)

* 1995: Denis Lawson (''Lust'',

) * 2001:

Brad Little Bradley Jay Little (born February 15, 1954) is an American politician serving as the 33rd governor of Idaho since January 2019. A member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party, he served as the 42nd Lieutenant Governor of Idaho ...

('' Evita'', Bristol Riverside Theatre) * 2003:

Raúl Esparza Raúl Eduardo Esparza is an American actor. Considered one of Broadway's most prominent leading men since the 2000s, he is best known for his Tony Award-nominated performance as Bobby in the 2006 Broadway revival of ''Company'' and for his te ...

(''Green Violin'', Prince Music Theater) * 2007: Rob McClure ('' The Bomb-itty of Errors'', 11th Hour Theatre Company) * 2008: Hugh Panaro (''

Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' (, ) is a 19th-century French literature, French Epic (genre), epic historical fiction, historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published on 31 March 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. '' ...

'', Walnut Street Theatre) * 2010:

Mark Jacoby Mark Jacoby (born May 21, 1947) is an American musical theatre performer who has had leading roles on Broadway in ''Show Boat'', ''The Phantom of the Opera'', ''Sweet Charity'' and ''Ragtime'', among others. He has also performed widely in nat ...

(''

Fiddler on the Roof ''Fiddler on the Roof'' is a musical theatre, musical with music by Jerry Bock, lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, and musical theatre#Book musicals, book by Joseph Stein, set in the Pale of Settlement of Russian Empire, Imperial Russia in or around 19 ...

'', Walnut Street Theatre) * 2011: Rob McClure (''The Flea and the Professor'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2012: Rodney Hicks ('' The Scottsboro Boys'', Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Leading Actress (1995–2017)

* 1995: Alison Fraser (''Gunmetal Blues'', Wilma Theater) * 1999: Ann Crumb ('' Bed and Sofa'', Wilma Theater) * 2003: Christine Andreas ('' Pal Joey'', Prince Music Theater) * 2006: Rachel deBenedet (''Adrift in Macao'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2009: Jennie Eisenhower ('' Forbidden Broadway's Greatest Hits'', Walnut Street Theatre)

Leading Performance (2018–present)

* 2018:

Dulé Hill Karim Dulé Hill (; born May 3, 1975) is an American actor. He is known for his roles as personal presidential aide and Deputy Special Assistant to the Chief of Staff Charlie Young on the NBC drama television series ''The West Wing'', for wh ...

(''Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole'',

People's Light and Theatre Company People's Light and Theatre Company is a professional non-profit theatre company in Malvern, Pennsylvania. History People's Light, a professional non-profit theatre company, was founded in 1973 by Dick Keeler, Ken Marini, and Megan and Danny Fr ...

)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

Supporting Actor (1995–2017)

* 1996: Edward Hibbert ('' Love! Valour! Compassion!'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2002: Tobias Segal ('' Equus'', Mum Puppettheatre) * 2004: John Douglas Thompson (''Jesus Hopped the 'A' Train'', Wilma Theater) * 2011:

(''

Superior Donuts ''Superior Donuts'' is a play by American playwright Tracy Letts. Its world premiere was staged by the Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Chicago in 2008. It premiered on Broadway in 2009. Synopsis The play focuses on the relationship between d ...

'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2012: James Ijames (''

Angels in America ''Angels in America: A Gay Fantasia on National Themes'' is a 1991 American two-part Play (theatre), play by American playwright Tony Kushner. The two parts of the play, ''Millennium Approaches'' and ''Perestroika'', may be presented separate ...

, Part One: Millennium Approaches'', Wilma Theater)

Supporting Actress (1995–2017)

* 1998:

Maggie Siff Maggie Siff (born June 21, 1974) is an American actress. Her most notable television roles have included department store heiress List of Mad Men characters#Rachel Menken, Rachel Menken Katz on the AMC (TV channel), AMC drama ''Mad Men'', Dr. Tar ...

(''

Ghosts In folklore, a ghost is the soul or Spirit (supernatural entity), spirit of a dead Human, person or non-human animal that is believed by some people to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from a ...

'', Lantern Theater Company) * 2005:

Jayne Houdyshell Jayne Houdyshell (born September 25, 1953) is an American actress. Known for being a prolific character actor in theater, film, and television, Houdyshell has received numerous accolades including a Tony Award, two Obie Awards, and a Drama Des ...

('' The Clean House'', Wilma Theater) * 2010:

Brooke Bloom Brooke Bloom is an American actress. She is best known for her starring role as Ronah in the drama film '' She's Lost Control'' (2014). Career Her first on-screen appearance was a role as Grunge Girl in the episode "Team Play" of CBS's medical ...

(''Becky Shaw'', Wilma Theater)

Supporting Performance (2018–present)

* 2019: Brian Anthony Wilson (''Gem of the Ocean'', Arden Theatre Company)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

Supporting Actor (1995–2017)

* 1996: Stephen DeRosa (''

Falsettos ''Falsettos'' is a sung-through musical theatre, musical with a book by William Finn and James Lapine, and music and lyrics by Finn. The musical consists of ''March of the Falsettos'' (1981) and ''Falsettoland'' (1990), the last two installment ...

'', Arden Theatre Company) * 2000: Joel Blum (''

The Tin Pan Alley Rag ''The Tin Pan Alley Rag'' is a 2009 biographical musical play produced by The Roundabout Theatre Company. The play is set in 1915 and is about Irving Berlin and Scott Joplin and their careers at the Tin Pan Alley in New York City, centered on a f ...

'', Wilma Theater) * 2009: Forrest McClendon (''Avenue X'', 11th Hour Theatre Company) * 2012: Forrest McClendon (''The Scottsboro Boys'', Philadelphia Theatre Company)

Supporting Actress (1995–2017)

* 1996: Taina Elg (''

Cabaret Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, casino, hotel, restaurant, or nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or drinking, ...

'', Walnut Street Theatre) * 2004: Jennie Eisenhower ('' The Wild Party'', Media Theatre) * 2006: Michele Ragusa (''Adrift in Macao'', Philadelphia Theatre Company) * 2007: Dee Hoty (''Stormy Weather, Imagining Lena Horne'', Prince Music Theater)

Supporting Performance (2018–present)

* 2018: Daniel J. Watts (''Lights Out: Nat "King" Cole'', People's Light and Theatre Company)

Outstanding Set Design

* 2005: Mimi Lien (''Outrage'', Wilma Theater) * 2008: Beowulf Boritt (''

Art Art is a diverse range of cultural activity centered around ''works'' utilizing creative or imaginative talents, which are expected to evoke a worthwhile experience, generally through an expression of emotional power, conceptual ideas, tec ...

'', Delaware Theatre Company)

Outstanding Original Music

* 1998:

Larry Gatlin Larry Gatlin & the Gatlin Brothers are an American country music vocal group. The group consists of lead singer Larry Gatlin (born May 2, 1948) and his brothers, Rudy and Steve Gatlin. The group achieved considerable success within the country ...

(''Texas Flyer'', Bristol Riverside Theatre) * 2003: Frank London (''Green Violin'', Prince Music Theater) * 2004:

Cy Coleman Cy Coleman (born Seymour Kaufman; June 14, 1929 – November 18, 2004) was an American composer, songwriter, and jazz pianist. Life and career Coleman was born Seymour Kaufman in New York City, to Ashkenazi, Eastern European Jewish parents, an ...

(''The Great Ostrovsky'', Prince Music Theater) * 2005: David Friedman (''Chasing Nicolette'', Prince Music Theater)

Outstanding Lighting Design

* 2001: Howell Binkley (''3hree'', Prince Music Theater)

Outstanding Costume Design

* 2000: Theoni V. Aldredge ('' La Cage aux Folles'', Walnut Street Theatre) * 2011: Oana Botez (''In the Next Room (or The Vibrator Play'', Wilma Theater)

Outstanding Choreography/Movement

* 2003: David Dorfman (''Green Violin'', Prince Music Theater) * 2009: Christopher Gattelli ('' Altar Boyz'', Bristol Riverside Theatre) * 2010:

Tony Stetson Anthony Matteo (born March 21, 1959) is an American professional wrestler, better known by his ring name, "Hitman" Tony Stetson. He is best known for his time in Extreme Championship Wrestling (ECW) during the 1990s. Stetson was one of ECW's i ...

('' The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity'', InterAct Theatre Company)

F. Otto Haas Award

The F. Otto Haas Award, named after philanthropist F. Otto Haas, who died in 1994, is an annual honor acknowledging an emerging theatre artist for artistic excellence and promise. It is given along with a $10,000 prize. * 1996: Michael Hollinger, playwright * 2011:

Distinguished Artist in the Theater

* 2011:

References

External links

* {{official website, http://www.theatrephiladelphia.org/barrymore-awards American theater awards Culture of Philadelphia Awards established in 1994 1994 establishments in Pennsylvania Annual events in Pennsylvania

History

Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia (1994–2012)

Theatre Philadelphia (2013–present)

Notable awardees

Outstanding Production of a New Play

Outstanding Direction of a Play

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

Leading Actor (1995–2017)

Leading Actress (1995–2017)

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

Leading Actor (1995–2017)

Leading Actress (1995–2017)

Leading Performance (2018–present)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

Supporting Actor (1995–2017)

Supporting Actress (1995–2017)

Supporting Performance (2018–present)

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

Supporting Actor (1995–2017)

Supporting Actress (1995–2017)

Supporting Performance (2018–present)

Outstanding Set Design

Outstanding Original Music

Outstanding Lighting Design

Outstanding Costume Design

Outstanding Choreography/Movement

F. Otto Haas Award

Distinguished Artist in the Theater

See also

References

External links