(via Katie Rosin, Kampfire PR, 9/17/19)

New York, NY: On Monday, September 16, 2019, The New York Innovative Theatre Foundation announced the 2019 recipients at the annual Off-Off-Broadway IT Awards. For the past 15 years, the It Awards have celebrated the vibrant and creative indie theatre community under the dedicated leadership of Executive Directors Shay Gines and Nick Micozzi who are stepping down and at the ceremony introduced new leadership for the organization: Cat Parker, Artistic Director of Articulate Theatre Company; Ariel Estrada, Producing Artistic Director of Leviathan Lab Projects; and Jazmyn Arroyo, Co-Founding Artistic Director of Step 1 Theatre Project will join Akia Squiteri, Artistic Director of Rising Sun Performance Company as Directors of the organization.

Gines gushes, “We are excited to welcome new leadership with new ideas and energy to the organization. I am truly inspired by Akia, Cat, Ariel, and Jazmyn. I know that they are committed to the Indie Theatre community and are going to do bold and amazing things.”

The ceremony took place at the Centennial Memorial Theatre at 120 West 14th Street, NYC. 

2019 Recipients (winners in CAPS) 


OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE 

ALEX & EUGENE

ISLE OF SHOALS PRODUCTIONS, INC.

AJA DOWNING, REGGIE HEROLD, KATHERINE LEIDLEIN, JOSEPH M. MACE, RORI NOGEE, NOAH PYZIK, JAE SHIN, ANNA STEFANIC, BRITTANY ZEINSTRA 

(Photo: Isle of Shoals)

Hamlet (What Dreams May Come)

Ript Theater Company in association with The Secret Theatre 

Lindsay Alexandra Carter, Ade Otukoya, Chauncy Thomas, Nathan Winkelstein 

 

The Maids

The Seeing Place Theater

Erin Cronican, Christine Redhead, Gaia Visnar 

 

Plan G

Randomly Specific Theatre

Allan Hayhurst, Lauren LeBeouf, Tiffany May McRae, Sarah Misch, Larry Phillips, Forrest Weber 

 

Spring Awakening

Gallery Players

Taylor Bloom, Aaron Braden, Harrison Bryan, Jacob Anthony Cain, Brendan Charles, Osborn Focht, Nick Godfrey, Gaby Greenwald, Nathaniel Gregory, Mikaela Kafka, Raquel Kahn, Isabella King, Thomas Kuklenski, Nicole Lopez, Gaby Mank, Tyler Moscaritola, Mariela Flor Olivo, Amanda Starr 

 

Who Am I This Time? (And Other Conundrums Of Love)

Wise Fish Theater Collective in association with Martina Bonolis & Meghan Ginley 

Zach Gamble, Meghan Ginley, Robin Johnson, Kent Koren, Franco Pedicini, Isabel Shill, Stephen Zuccaro 

 

OUTSTANDING SOLO PERFORMANCE

KIM KATZBERG 

DAD IN A BOX

EAT A RADISH PRODUCTION

(Photo: Exeuntnyc.com)

 

Amie Cazel 

Pregnant Pause

Good Pilgrim 

 

Larry Phillips 

The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear

Larry Phillips 

 

Laura Sisskin Fernandez 

You Hold a Pole Everday

Playful Substance 

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A FEATURED ROLE

FEDERICO MALLET 

EIGHT TALES OF PEDRO

THE SECRET THEATRE 

(Photo: Eighttalesofpedro.com)

Bruce Barton

Hamlet

Hudson Warehouse in association with Susane Lee

 

Daniel Burns

She Calls Me Firefly

Parity Productions in association with New Perspectives Theatre Company

 

Connor Chaney

The Harrowing of Hell

American Theatre of Actors in association with Collectio Musicorum, Inc.

 

Desmond Dutcher

Mary, Mary

Retro Productions

 

David Leeper

Stupid Fucking Bird

Stripped Scripts

 

Jacob Lewis Lovendahl

Experimenting with Katz

New Ambassadors Theatre Company in association with Julia Botero

 

Scott McCord

The Head Hunter

One Shot Deal

OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A FEATURED ROLE

MEGHAN E. JONES 

MARY, MARY

RETRO PRODUCTIONS 

 

Maybe Burke

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme

 

Adiagha Faizah 

You Wouldn’t Expect

American Bard Theater Company 

 

Melissa Glasgow 

A Chorus Line

Gallery Players 

 

Meredith M. Sweeney 

Catch the Sparrow

Isle of Shoals Productions, Inc. 

 

Jo Vetter 

The Poor of New York

Metropolitan Playhouse 

 

Yokko 

Shinka

Ren Gyo Soh 

OUTSTANDING ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE

HARRISON BRYAN 

SPRING AWAKENING

GALLERY PLAYERS 

Photo: Abouthteartists.com

 

Adam Belvo 

The Brutes

spit&vigor in association with Jay Michaels Arts & Entertainment 

 

Braeson Herold 

Worse Than Tigers

The Mill in association with New Ohio Theatre 

 

Milo Longenecker 

The Fantastical Dangerous Journey of Q

Rebel Playhouse in association with 14th Street Y 

 

Vinnie Penna 

Twelfth Night

Boomerang Theatre Company 

 

Olivier Renaud 

Stupid Fucking Bird

Stripped Scripts 

 

Evan Teich 

Assassins

The Secret Theatre 

 

Ronnie Williams 

Man Frog and Other People

Necessary I. T. E. M. S. Project 

 

 


OUTSTANDING ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE
LORI ELIZABETH PARQUET OPERATING SYSTEMSFLUX THEATRE ENSEMBLE  

Heather E. Cunningham 

Mary, Mary

Retro Productions 

 

Naomi Lorrain 

Entangled

The Amoralists 

 

Mahima Saigal 

Queen

Astoria Performing Arts Center 

 

Lisa Strum 

whatdoesfreemean?

Nora’s Playhouse in association with The Tank 

 

Shannon Marie Sullivan 

Worse Than Tigers

The Mill in association with New Ohio Theatre 

 

Gaia Visnar 

The Maids

The Seeing Place Theater 

 

 

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY/MOVEMENT

YOSHIKO USAMI 

SHINKA

REN GYO SOH 

 

Shiloh Goodin 

Spring Awakening

Gallery Players 

 

Eddie Gutierrez 

A Chorus Line

Gallery Players 

 

Alex Johnson 

Alex & Eugene

Isle of Shoals Productions, Inc. 

 

Joey McKneely 

Shadows, a dance musical

Go Joe Enterprises

 

Shoko Tamal 

The Tempest

The Secret Theatre 

 

OUTSTANDING DIRECTOR

SARA THIGPEN 

TWELFTH NIGHT

BOOMERANG THEATRE COMPANY 

 

Adam Knight 

Stupid Fucking Bird

Stripped Scripts 

 

Katie Lindsay 

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme 

 

Lauren A Shields 

Assassins

The Secret Theatre 

 

Owen Thompson 

The Tempest

The Secret Theatre 

 

Yoshiko Usami 

Shinka

Ren Gyo Soh 

 

OUTSTANDING LIGHTING DESIGN

KIA ROGERS 

REAL

RODRIGO NOGUEIRA IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE TANK 

 

Annie Garrett-Larsen 

And Then There Were None

The Secret Theatre 

 

Asa Lipton 

Alex & Eugene

Isle of Shoals Productions, Inc. 

 

Anthony Logan Cole 

The Tempest

The Secret Theatre 

 

Kia Rogers 

Operating Systems

Flux Theatre Ensemble 

 

Cha See 

Honors Students

Tavine Productions 

 

OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN

MICHELLE BESHAW 

DUKE OLDŘICH & WASHERWOMAN BOŽENA, THE TRUE STORY

GOH PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH CZECHOSLOVAK AMERICAN MARIONETTE THEATRE 

 

Sarah Marie Dixey 

Hamlet (What Dreams May Come)

Ript Theater Company in association with The Secret Theatre 

 

Julia Kulaya 

Experimenting with Katz

New Ambassadors Theatre Company in association with Julia Botero 

 

Marissa L. Menezes 

Once Upon a Mattress

Gallery Players 

 

Ben Philipp 

Mary, Mary

Retro Productions 

 

Yunzhu Zeng 

Where Is My Maple Town

MapleTown Production Company

 

 

OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN

GABRIEL FIRESTONE 

WHIRLWIND

JORDAN’S PLAY LAB IN ASSOCIATION WITH REBECCA CRIGLER & BARN OWL, LLC 

 

Matthew Carlin 

Worse Than Tigers

The Mill in association with New Ohio Theatre 

 

Jack Cunningham & Rebecca Cunningham

Mary, Mary

Retro Productions 

 

Lily Guerin 

The Year of the Solar Eclipse

Kyoko & Ezra 

 

Daniel Hogan 

Friendly’s Fire

The Rising Sun Performance Company in association with the Theatre at the 14th Street Y 

 

Matthew D. McCarren 

Goodbody

The Crook Theater Company 

 

Tim McMath 

Cannibal Galaxy: a love story

Between Two Boroughs Productions

 

OUTSTANDING SOUND DESIGN

AJ SURASKY-YSASI

WORSE THAN TIGERS

THE MILL IN ASSOCIATION WITH NEW OHIO THEATRE 

 

Beata Bocek 

Duke Oldřich & Washerwoman Božena, the True Story

GOH Productions in association with Czechoslovak American Marionette Theatre 

 

Margaret Montagna 

Queen

Astoria Performing Arts Center 

 

John Salutz 

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme 

 

Jeanne Travis 

Honors Students

Tavine Productions 

 

Fan Zhang 

Cannibal Galaxy: a love story

Between Two Boroughs Productions

 

OUTSTANDING INNOVATIVE DESIGN

HAO BAI, ERIC MARCIANO & ILDIKO NEMETH – FOR PROJECTION DESIGN

ELECTRONIC CITY, THE NEW STAGE THEATRE COMPANY 

 

Yana Birykova – for Projection Design

Cannibal Galaxy: a love story, Between Two Boroughs Productions 

 

Magnus Pind Bjerre – for Video Design

The Neurology of the Soul, Untitled Theater Co. No. 61 

 

Raquel Cion, Maia Cruz Palileo, & Kim Katzberg – for Video Design

Dad in a Box, Eat a Radish Productions 

 

Sarah George & Sonya Plenefisch – for Properties Design

Whirlwind

Jordan’s Play Lab in association with Rebecca Crigler & Barn Owl, LLC 

 

John J.A. Jannone – for Video Design

The Female Role Model Project, Transforma Theatre, Inc. 

 

Keo X-Men – for Graffiti Design

This Is Modern Art, Blessed Unrest 

 

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL MUSIC

LUIS D’ELIAS 

EIGHT TALES OF PEDRO

THE SECRET THEATRE 

 

Karen Bishko, Maxim Moston, & Edison Woods 

Shadows, a dance musical

Go Joe Enterprises

 

Beata Bocek 

Duke Oldřich & Washerwoman Božena, the True Story

GOH Productions in association with Czechoslovak American Marionette Theatre 

 

Joe Jung 

A Midsummer Nights Dream

Smith Street Stage 

 

Teresa Lotz 

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme

 

Francesco Santalucia 

MacBeth

First Maria Ensemble

 

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL SHORT SCRIPT

TERESA LOTZ 

SHE CALLS ME FIREFLY

PARITY PRODUCTIONS IN ASSOCIATION WITH NEW PERSPECTIVES THEATRE COMPANY 

 

Eliza Bent 

The Beyoncé

Adjusted Realists 

 

Kathleen Jones 

Pregnant Pause

Good Pilgrim

 

Kim Katzberg 

Dad in a Box

Eat a Radish Productions 

 

Larry Phillips 

The Art of Acting: A Master Class with Fozzie Bear

Larry Phillips 

 

Carrie Robbins 

The Dragon Griswynd

Days of the Giants LLC 

 

OUTSTANDING ORIGINAL FULL-LENGTH SCRIPT

MADHURI SHEKAR 

QUEEN

ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER 

 

Emily J Daly 

#yourmemorial

Pigeonholed 

 

Gabriel Jason Dean & Charly Evon Simpson 

Entangled

The Amoralists 

 

Tori Keenan-Zelt 

Truth/Dare

Project Y Theatre Company 

 

Dorothy Lyman 

In The Bleak Midwinter

Stuffed Olive, Inc.

 

Alexis Roblan 

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme

 

OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE ART PRODUCTION

ELECTRONIC CITY

THE NEW STAGE THEATRE COMPANY

 

The 11th Dimension

ETdC Projects’ Lab in association with Roi Escudero & Valentin Ewan

 

Arkham

Part of the 10th Annual H.P.Lovecraft Festival

Radiotheatre in association with Theatre At St.John’s 

 

Befuddled 101

Amnesia Wars Productions 

 

The Harrowing of Hell

American Theatre of Actors in association with Collectio Musicorum, Inc. 

 

Nicky Paraiso’s now my hand is ready for my heart: intimate histories

LaMaMa Experimental Theater Club In Association with Mount Tremper Arts 

 

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL

SPRING AWAKENING

GALLERY PLAYERS 

 

Assassins

The Secret Theatre 

 

Caroline, or Change

Astoria Performing Arts Center 

 

A Chorus Line

Gallery Players 

 

Into The Woods

Theater 2020 

 

Red Emma and the Mad Monk

The Tank & Emma Orme 

 

OUTSTANDING PREMIERE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY

SHINKA

REN GYO SOH  

 

36 Juniper

Wrong House Productions 

 

In The Bleak Midwinter

Stuffed Olive, Inc.

 

Queen

Astoria Performing Arts Center 

 

Whirlwind

Jordan’s Play Lab in association with Rebecca Crigler & Barn Owl, LLC 

 

Worse Than Tigers

The Mill in association with New Ohio Theatre 

 

OUTSTANDING REVIVAL OF A PLAY

STUPID FUCKING BIRD

STRIPPED SCRIPTS 

 

And Then There Were None

The Secret Theatre 

 

Hamlet (What Dreams May Come)

Ript Theater Company in association with The Secret Theatre 

 

The Maids

The Seeing Place Theater

 

Mary, Mary

Retro Productions 

 

The Tempest

The Secret Theatre 

 

Artistic Achievement Award

MAGIE DOMINIC

 

Ellen Stewart Award

NICKY PARAISO

 

Caffe Cino Fellowship Award

TOSOS – THE OTHER SIDE OF SILENCE

 

Doric Wilson Independent Playwright Award

BARBARA KAHN

 

 

 

The Innovative Theatre Foundation is a not-for-profit organization recognizing the great work of New York City’s Off-Off-Broadway, honoring its artistic heritage, and providing a meeting ground for this extensive and richly varied community. The organization advocates for Off-Off-Broadway and recognizes the unique and essential role it plays in contributing to American and global culture. They believe that publicly recognizing excellence in Off-Off-Broadway will expand audience awareness and foster greater appreciation of the New York theatre experience. www.nyitawards.com 

 

Sponsors: Kampfire Films PR www.kampfirefilmspr.com; Theatre Development Fund (TDF) www.tdf.org; Kyden Machine Inc.  www.kydeninc.com; and contributions by Donn Russell www.donnrussellnantucketprints.com

 

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