The Sixth Annual Kevin Kline Awards • Loretto-Hilton Center

Woo-hoo, the Kevin Kline Awards!  Or if you'd like, think of them as the Tonys -- St. Louis Edition.  They were held yesterday at the Loretto-Hilton Center, and guess who got to go?  Me!  Actually, they were kind enough to ask that I present an award along with the lovely Greg Johnston (who had the wherewithal and good taste to request that Parliament Funkadelic's "Flashlight" be the last song of the night at the after-party).  I was very honored to be included in the festivities.  I got to hang out with and meet some wonderful people and had a fabulous time.  I also had to fight the urge to gawk and point.

Okay, I'll get to the winners in a minute…

As some of you well know, I love me some theatre people, so I was like a kid in a fancy black-tie and sequined candy store.  I must have approached 5 or 6 people to exclaim, "Oh my God I loved you in so and so".  "Oh my God you were so good!"  I stopped just short of seeing if Ka’ramuu Kush wanted to make out.  He's so handsome…  Along with a few others, but I'll leave that alone, shall I?  Yep.  I was that guy.  Do I care?  No, not really.  I mean hell, I got to take a picture with Kari Ely!!  She's the bomb.  I might frame it.

Here are the winners from this year's Kevin Kline Awards.  The winners are in red.  There was a tie among them, and even a three-way!  Congrats to all!

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Production for Young Audiences
"Delilah's Wish," Metro Theater Company
"A Peter Rabbit Tale," The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company
"Amelia Earhart," The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company
"The Aristocats," Stages St. Louis
"The Nutcracker," The Rep's Imaginary Theatre Company

Outstanding New Play or Musical
Jami Brandli, "The Sinker," HotCity Theatre
Lee Patton Chiles, "Eye on the Sparrow — The World Within St. Louis," Gitana Productions
David Slavitt, translator, from Sophocles, "Oedipus King," Upstream Theater
Sandra Marie Vago, "Treading Backwards Thru Quicksand Without Wearing Your Water Wings," Black Cat Theatre

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Costume Design
JC Krajicek, "Tartuffe," Mustard Seed Theatre
Dorothy Marshall Englis, "Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
John Inchiostro, "The Aristocats," Stages St. Louis
JC Krajicek, "Crumbs from the Table of Joy," Mustard Seed Theatre
Jess Goldstein, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design
Brian Sidney Bembridge, "Crime and Punishment," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Matthew McCarthy, "Big River," Stages St. Louis
Matthew McCarthy, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
John Lasiter, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design
Gianni Downs, "Crime and Punishment," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Christopher M. Waller, "It Had To Be You," Max and Louie Productions
Mark Halpin, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
Michael Heil, "Oedipus King," Upstream Theater
David Gallo, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design
Mic Pool, "The 39 Steps," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Josh Limpert, "Outlying Islands," Upstream Theatre
Ann Slayton and Robin Weatherall, "Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Matthew Koch, "Slasher," HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
"The 39 Steps," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
"Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
"Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
"High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
"The Chosen," Mustard Seed Theatre

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Kari Ely, "Why Torture Is Wrong, and the People Who Love Them," HotCity Theatre
Kimiye Corwin, "Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Colleen Backer, "Our Town," Stray Dog Theatre
Patrese McClain, "Crumbs from the Table of Joy," Mustard Seed Theatre
Kelley Ryan, "Equus," HotCity Theatre
Betsy Bowman, "The Tempest," St. Louis Shakespeare
Susan Greenhill, "Next Fall," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Jerry Vogel, "Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
Bobby Miller, "Laughter on the 23rd Floor," New Jewish Theatre
Evan Jonigkeit, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Richard Lewis, "The Chosen," Mustard Seed Theatre
Aaron Orion Baker, "Long Day's Journey Into Night," Muddy Waters Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Michelle Hand, "Fires in the Mirror," Mustard Seed Theatre
Magan Wiles, "My Name Is Rachel Corrie," Blue Rose Stage Collective
Kathleen Turner, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Kari Ely, "Long Day's Journey Into Night," Muddy Waters Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Jason Cannon, "Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
Scott McMasters, "Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
Jim Butz, "Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Drew Pannebacker, "Equus," HotCity Theatre
Alan Knoll, "This Wonderful Life," Dramatic License Productions

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Director of a Play
Philip Boehm, "Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
Bruce Longworth, "Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Doug Finlayson, "Equus," HotCity Theatre
Philip Boehm, "Oedipus King," Upstream Theater
Rob Ruggiero, "High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Deanna Jent, "The Chosen," Mustard Seed Theatre

Outstanding Production of a Play
"Outlying Islands," Upstream Theater
"Hamlet," Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
"High," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
"The Chosen," Mustard Seed Theatre

Outstanding Choreography
Lazette Rayford-O'Brien, "Five Guys Named Moe," the Black Rep
Heather Beal, "The Me Nobody Knows," the Black Rep
Mary MacLeod, "Damn Yankees," the Muny
Suzanne Viverito, "Cats," the Muny

Outstanding Musical Direction
Charles Creath, "Five Guys Named Moe," the Black Rep
Sallie duMaine, "Pump Boys and Dinettes," Bear Stage
Michael Horsley, "Damn Yankees," the Muny
Lisa Campbell Albert, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
Ben Whiteley, "The Sound of Music," the Muny
Catherine Majetka, "Show Boat," the Muny
Henry Palkes, "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas," New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
"Five Guys Named Moe," the Black Rep
"The Wild Party," New Line Theatre
"Damn Yankees," the Muny
"Cats," the Muny
"The Aristocats," Stages St. Louis
"Show Boat," the Muny
"State Fair," Stages St. Louis
"The Last of the Red Hot Mamas," New Jewish Theatre

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Sharisa Whatley, "The Me Nobody Knows," the Black Rep
Brandi Wooten, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
Jo Ann Hawkins-White, "Show Boat," the Muny
Johanna Elkana-Hale, "The Last of the Red Hot Mamas," New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Joneal Joplin, "The Fantasticks," Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Lara Teeter, "Beauty and the Beast," the Muny
Kevin Loreque, "Cats," the Muny
Michel Bell, "Show Boat," the Muny

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Vanessa Rubin, "Yesterdays: An Evening with Billie Holiday," the Black Rep
Stephanie J. Block, "Cats," the Muny
Ashley Brown, "The Sound of Music," the Muny
Leah Horowitz, "Show Boat," the Muny
Hollie Howard, "State Fair," Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Ben Nordstrom, "Gutenberg! The Musical!," Temporary Theatre
John Sparger, "Pump Boys and Dinettes," Bear Stage
Jeffrey Pruett, "The Wild Party," New Line Theatre
Eric Kunze, "Damn Yankees," the Muny
Ben Nordstrom, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Ron Himes, "Five Guys Named Moe," the Black Rep
Paul Blake, "Damn Yankees," the Muny
Michael Hamilton, "Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
Marc Bruni, "The Sound of Music," the Muny
Edward Coffield, "Man of La Mancha," Insight Theatre Company

Photo credit: Nicole Hollway for the St. Louis Beacon

Outstanding Production of a Musical
"Five Guys Named Moe," the Black Rep
"Big River," Stages St. Louis
"Damn Yankees," the Muny
"Promises, Promises," Stages St. Louis
"The Sound of Music," the Muny
"Show Boat," the Muny
"State Fair," Stages St. Louis

More information about the Klines, and St. Louis theatre in general, can be found here.