Boston's Elliot Norton Awards were presented May 8, honoring both Boston-based productions and touring shows. Held at the Huntington Theatre, the 40th anniversary ceremony is organized by the Boston Theater Critics Association (BTCA). This year's celebration marked the award's return to a live ceremony, following three years of disruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
This year, the Norton Awards removed gender requirements from acting categories and expanded design categories. Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence was given to Bobbie Steinbach, a Boston-based actor, director, and acting coach; and the Elliot Norton Arts Education Award was given to Magic Circle Theater at Tufts University, New England’s oldest summer theatre by and for children. The Arts Education award provides grant funding to the program.
See the full list of winners:
Elliot Norton Prize for Sustained Excellence
Bobbie Steinbach
Outstanding Visiting Play
On Beckett by Octopus Theatricals presented by ArtsEmerson
Outstanding Visiting Musical
Into the Woods presented by Emerson Colonial Theatre
Outstanding Visiting Design
The Orchard produced by Groundswell Theatricals, Arlekin Players Theatre and (zero-G) Virtual Theatre Lab in association with the Cherry Orchard Festival, ShowOne Productions, Valentine Talland & Nagesh Mahapantha, Jenny and David Jadow, Leah Michalos & Jessica Sporn
Outstanding Visiting Performance in a Play
Travis Alabanza, Burgerz, presented by ArtsEmerson
Outstanding Visiting Performance in a Musical
Gavin Creel, Into the Woods, presented by Emerson Colonial Theatre
Outstanding Play, Large Theater
K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Play, Midsize Theater
The Inheritance, SpeakEasy Stage Company
Outstanding Play, Small Theater
Chicken & Biscuits, The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Musical
Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Front Porch Arts Collective, The Nora @ Central Square Theater, and Greater Boston Stage Company
Outstanding Leading Performance, Large Theater
Regan Sims, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Featured Performance, Large Theater
Ivan Cecil Walks, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Leading Performance, Midsize Theater
Anthony T Goss, Seven Guitars, Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Outstanding Featured Performance, Midsize Theater
Mishka Yarovoy, The Inheritance, SpeakEasy Stage Company
Outstanding Leading Performance, Small Theater
Ramona Lisa Alexander, Black Super Hero Magic Mama, Company One Theatre, presented in collaboration with American Repertory Theater, Boston Public Library and Boston Comics in Color Festival
Outstanding Featured Performance, Small Theater
Schanaya Barrows, can i touch it?, Company One Theatre, produced in partnership with the City of Boston’s Office of Arts and Culture
Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical
Neil A. Casey, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder, Lyric Stage Company of Boston
Outstanding Featured Performance in a Musical
Anthony Pires, Jr., Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Front Porch Arts Collective, The Nora @ Central Square Theater and Greater Boston Stage Company
Outstanding Musical Direction
David Freeman Coleman and Dan Rodriguez, Ain’t Misbehavin’, The Front Porch Arts Collective, The Nora @ Central Square Theater and Greater Boston Stage Company
Outstanding Choreography
Misha Shields, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Director, Large Theater
Dawn M. Simmons, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Director, Midsize Theater
Maurice Emmanuel Parent, Seven Guitars, Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Outstanding Director, Small Theater
Mariela López-Ponce, Don’t Eat the Mangos, Apollinaire Theatre Company and Teatro Chelsea
Outstanding Scenic Design, Large Theater
Wilson Chin, Clyde’s, The Huntington in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Scenic Design, Midsize or Small Theater
Jon Savage, Seven Guitars, Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Outstanding Lighting Design, Large Theater
Jorge Arroyo, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Lighting Design, Midsize or Small Theater
Kat C. Zhou, The Chinese Lady, Central Square Theater in partnership with CHUANG Stage
Outstanding Costume Design, Large Theater
Karen Perry, Clyde’s, The Huntington in a co-production with Berkeley Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Costume Design, Midsize or Small Theater
Scott Martino, Little Christmas Tree Shop of Horrors, Gold Dust Orphans
Outstanding Sound Design, Large Theater
Anna Drummond, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Sound Design, Midsize or Small Theater
Abe Joyner-Meyers (soundscape) and Dewey Dellay (music), Seven Guitars, Actors’ Shakespeare Project
Outstanding Solo Performance
Paul Melendy, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Greater Boston Stage Company
Outstanding New Script
Lenelle Moïse, K-I-S-S-I-N-G, The Huntington and The Front Porch Arts Collective
Outstanding Ensemble
The Inheritance, SpeakEasy Stage Company
Visit ElliotNortonAwards.com.
Gavin Creel in Into The Woods
Ta’Nika Gibson, Brooke Ishibashi, and Nancy Opel in Into The Woods
Jason Forbach and Gavin Creel in Into The Woods
Jason Forbach and Gavin Creel in Into The Woods
Cole Thompson in Into The Woods
Jason Forbach in Into The Woods
Kennedy Kanagawa and Cole Thompson in Into The Woods
Montego Glover in Into The Woods
Gavin Creel in Into The Woods
David Patrick Kelly, Kennedy Kanagawa, and Cole Thompson in Into The Woods
Ta’Nika Gibson and Brooke Ishibashi in Into The Woods
Gavin Creel and Stephanie J. Block in Into The Woods
Montego Glover in Into The Woods
Diane Phelan in Into The Woods
Gavin Creel and Katy Geraghty in Into The Woods
