CT/NY Community Theatre's Top 10 of 2016

This past year was exceptionally strong across the board for Connecticut/Westchester NY community theatre scene. We saw the standard of excellence we've come to know from a few theatres and also some standout productions from theatres we don't get to see as much from. 

But even more than that, we saw theatres take bold risks with their show selections. Whether it was more obscure choices or shows that might not get the guaranteed box office success, multiple theatres rolled the dice and it worked for many of them. 

This past year also saw a lot of social consciousness implemented into these shows. Whether obvious or subtle, the effect was noticed and palpable. 

So here are our picks, in no particular order, for the Top 10 of CT/NY Community Theatre for productions, performances, design and direction. Some of these were honored this past June at our OnStage Critics Awards(**) as well. 

The follow are based on the comments, reviews and selections of the OnStage Critics Circle.

Top 10 - Direction (Play)

• Alicia Dempster – Seminar – Theatreworks New Milford  
• Margaret Young – Harvey – Elmwood Playhouse
• Julie Bell Petrak – The Farnsworth Invention – Town Players of New Canaan  
• Tom Holehan - Now or Later - Square One Theatre Company
• Lynn Paulella Beard - Over the River and Through the Woods - Warner Stage Company
• Sherry Asch - Sight Unseen - Town Players of Newtown
• John Atkin - The Best Man - Curtain Call
• Cathy Fitzpatrick Linder - Farragut North - Ridgefield Theatre Barn
• John Schwanke - Speed the Plow - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts
• Claudia Stefany - An American Daughter - Elmwood Playhouse

Top 10 - Direction (Musical)

• Debra Lee Failla – Next to Normal – Elmwood Playhouse 
• Sharon A. Wilcox – Rock of Ages- Warner Stage Company
• Kris McMurray – The Last Five Years – Connecticut Cabaret Theatre 
• Matt Farina - Footloose- Musicals at Richter
• Ian Galligan - Cabaret - Castle Craig Players
• George Croom - Ragtime - Curtain Call
• Todd Santa Maria - bare: A Pop Opera - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts
• Dan Checovetes - Heathers - Landmark Community Theatre
• Eli Newsom - A Chorus Line - Downtown Cabaret Theatre
• Donald Birely - Beauty & the Beast - Warner Stage Company

Top 10 Overall Design(Costumes, Sound, Scenic, Lighting)

• Blithe Spirit – Sherman Players
• Next to Normal – Elmwood Playhouse    
• The Farnsworth Invention - Town Players of New Canaan
• Private Lives - Theatreworks New Milford
• bare: A Pop Opera - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts 
• Dreamgirls - Landmark Community Theatre
• Ragtime - Curtain Call
• An American Daughter- Elmwood Playhouse
• Boeing, Boeing - Elmwood Playhouse
• Beauty & the Beast - Warner Stage Company

Top 10 Female Performances (Play)

• Nicole Thomas - The Glass Menagerie - Backyard Theatre Ensemble/Landmark Community Theatre**
• Jean Marie McCormick – Hollywood Arms – Eastbound Theatre**
• Patricia Michael – Blithe Spirit – Sherman Players
• Maureen Cummings – Other Desert Cities – Town Players of New Canaan
• Kristin Gagliardi - The Farnsworth Invention – Town Players of New Canaan     
• Linda MacCluggage - Doubt - Chestnut Street Playhouse
• Jill Luberto - Sylvia - Hole in the Wall Theater
• Stefanie Woerdeman - Sight Unseen - Town Players of Newtown
• Julie-Thaxter-Gourlay - Glengarry Glenn Ross - Curtain Call
• Elizabeth Scotson - An American Daughter - Elmwood Playhouse

Top 10 Male Performances (Play)

• Larry Gabbard – Other Desert Cities – Town Players of New Canaan** 
• Geoffrey Gilbert - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – The Bijou Theatre**
• Andrew Greenway – Harvey – Elmwood Playhouse
• Eric Regan – The Farnsworth Invention – Town Players of New Canaan
• Jack Tynan - Farragut North - Ridgefield Theatre Barn
• Brian Michael Riley - Fox in the Fairway - Eastbound Theatre
• Christopher Finch - Now or Later - Square One Theatre Company
• Danny Charest - An American Daughter - Elmwood Playhouse
• Christopher Cooney - Sight Unseen - Town Players of Newtown
• Sam Mink - Camping with Henry and Tom - Westport Community Theatre

Top 10 Female Performance (Musical)

• Katie Sondermeyer – Next to Normal – Elmwood Playhouse**    
• Rebecca Zaretzky - The Spitfire Grill - Community Theatre at Woodbury**
• Miran Robarts – Next to Normal - Elmwood Playhouse  
• Kaite Corda - The Last Five Years - Connecticut Cabaret Theatre 
• Sarah Giggar - Ragtime - Curtain Call
• Minuette Griffin - Ragtime Curtain Call
• Jessica Rohe - Cabaret - Castle Craig Players
• Lynette Marshall - Hairspray - Downtown Cabaret Theatre
• Caitlin Mandracchia - Beauty & the Beast - Warner Stage Company
• Lindsay Johnson - A Chorus Line - Downtown Cabaret Theatre

Top 10 Male Performance (Musical)

• Michael King – Rock of Ages – Warner Stage Company** 
• Billy Shubeck – You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – Darien Arts Center            
• Nick D’Angelo – The Last Five Years – Connecticut Cabaret Theatre
• Kevin Thompson - Ragtime - Curtain Call
• Jon Escobar - The Fantasticks - Connecticut Cabaret Theatre
• Ed Bassett - A Man of No Importance - Phoenix Stage Company at Clockwork
• Jason Perry - Cabaret - Castle Craig Players
• Josh Newey - Evil Dead: The Musical - Warner Stage Company
• William Sandercox - bare: A Pop Opera - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts
• Erick Sanchez - Footloose - Musicals at Richter

Top 10 Plays    

• Harvey – Elmwood Playhouse  
• The Foreigner - Two Planks Theater Company 
• The Farnsworth Invention – Town Players of New Canaan     
• The Best Man - Curtain Call
• An American Daughter - Elmwood Playhouse
• Fox in the Fairway - Eastbound Theatre
• Speed the Plow - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts
• Now or Later - Square One Theatre Company
• Farragut North - Ridgefield Theatre Barn
• Sight Unseen - Town Players of Newtown

Top 10 Musicals

• Next to Normal – Elmwood Playhouse**
• The Last Five Years – Connecticut Cabaret Theatre  
• bare: A Pop Opera - The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts
• Ragtime - Curtain Call
• A Chorus Line - Downtown Cabaret Theatre
• You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown – Darien Arts Center
• City of Angels - Curtain Call
• Beauty & the Beast - Warner Stage Company
• Heathers - Landmark Community Theatre
• Footloose- Musicals at Richter