Kevin Kline Awards

The Kevin Kline Awards were started in 2006, to recognize outstanding achievement in professional theatre in the Greater St. Louis area. The awards are sponsored by PTAC, the Professional Theatre Awards Council, and were named in honor of Kevin Kline, a St. Louis native who has been the recipient of both Tony and Academy Awards.

Eligibility and judging

In order for a play to be considered for a Kevin Kline Award, it must:
* Be produced within the St. Louis metro area
* Include at least six performances
* Have paid those who work on the show, including both actors and crew

Each nominee is reviewed by seven judges, who are drawn randomly from a pool of 49. Judges then give each production a numerical rating on each of the available categories (acting, directing, lighting, etc.) and submit their ballot within 24 hours of seeing the production. At the end of each year, the five productions with the highest score in each category are listed as the nominees, and the award goes to the one with the best score: [Kara Krekeler, http://www.westendword.com/moxie/ae/perform/rep-cleans-up-at-kevin-kl.shtml "Rep cleans up at Kevin Kline Awards"] , April 4, 2007, "West End Word"]

The first award ceremony was held on March 20, 2006, in the Robert's Orpheum Theatre, and hosted by St. Louis-native Broadway actor Jason Danieley. Presenters included Kline, and St. Louis-born Broadway actor Ken Page. [cite web| url=http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=8388 |title=Diaz and Page Among Winners of First Annual Kevin Kline Awards for St. Louis Theatre | date=2007-03-26| publisher=broadwayworld.com |accessdate=2007-05-19] Kline received the first-ever Kevin Kline Award to be created, and was also told at the performance about the creation of the Kevin Kline Theater Ticket Fund, which will provide free tickets to area high school students.

2006 Awards

Outstanding Production of a Musical

* "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "Hello, Dolly!", Stages St. Louis
* "Man of La Mancha", Stages St. Louis
* "West Side Story", The Muny

Outstanding Production of a Play

* "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* "The Merchant of Venice", New Jewish Theatre
* "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
* "Valhalla", HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Musical

* Kevin Backstrom, West Side Story, The Muny
* Ron Gibbs, "Jesus Christ Superstar", The Muny
* Michael Hamilton, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
* Michael Hamilton, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
* Michael Hamilton, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
* Edward Stern, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Director of a Play

* Deanna Jent, "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* Tom Martin, "Lobby Hero", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Rob Ruggiero, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Wayne Salomon, "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune," Spotlight Theatre
* Russell Treyz, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Outstanding Musical Direction

* Lisa Campbell Albert, "Man of La Mancha", Stages St. Louis
* Tim Carpenter, "Crowns," The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Al Fischer, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Kelsey Halbert, "West Side Story", The Muny
* Ben Whiteley, "Beauty and the Beast," The Muny

Outstanding Choreography

* Kevin Backstrom, "West Side Story", The Muny
* Dana Lewis, "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* Dana Lewis, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Janet Watson, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Vivian Anderson-Watt and Theodore Jamison, "Dancing on Air", Historyonics

Outstanding Costume Design

* Lou Bird, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Jennifer "JC" Carter, "Dangerous Liaisons", St. Louis Shakespeare
* Michael J. McDonald, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Reggie Ray, "Crowns", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Austin Sanderson, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Outstanding Lighting Design

* Christopher Edwards, "Valhalla", HotCity Theatre
* Don Guy, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
* John Lasiter, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Matthew McCarthy, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Matthew McCarthy, "Man of La Mancha", Stages St. Louis
* Peter Sargent, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Set Design

* John Ezell, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Mark Halpin, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Adrian W. Jones, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Christopher Pickart, "Lobby Hero", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Christopher Pickart, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Outstanding Sound Design

* Janet Kalas, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Jason Krueger, "West Side Story", The Muny
* Nathan Ruyle, "Adult Entertainment," HotCity Theatre
* Ann Slayton & Robin Weatherall, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
* John Taylor, "Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune", Spotlight Theatre

Outstanding New Play or Musical

* Lee Patton Chiles, "Dancing on Air", Historyonics
* The Ensemble, "So to Speak," Washington Avenue Players Project
* Margeau Steinau, B. Weller and Rachel Jackson, "Famous Monsters," HotCity Theatre

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

* "Adult Entertainment", HotCity Theatre
* "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* "Lobby Hero", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
* "This Is Our Youth," The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

* "Crowns", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* "Man of La Mancha", Stages St. Louis
* "West Side Story", The Muny

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical

* Bill Lynch, "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* Ben Nordstrom, "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* David Schmittou, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Matthew Scott, "West Side Story", The Muny
* Bob Walton, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play

* Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Jim Butz, "Lobby Hero", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Nat DeWolf, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Norman McGowan, "I'm Not Rappaport," New Jewish Theatre
* Andrew Michael Neiman, "The Elephant Man", Stray Dog Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical

* Kate Baldwin, "The Sound of Music", The Muny
* Andrea Burns, "West Side Story", The Muny
* Kari Ely, "Footloose", Stages St. Louis
* Sarah Litzsinger, "Beauty and the Beast", The Muny
* Zoe Vonder Haar, "Hello, Dolly"!, Stages St. Louis

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play

* Michelle Hand, "Separate Tables", Act Inc.
* Michelle Hand, "A Streetcar Named Desire", Stray Dog Theatre
* Darrie Lawrence, "The Retreat from Moscow", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Nancy Lewis, "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* Meghan Maguire, "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical

* Nat Chandler, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Thomas E. O'Brien, "Man of La Mancha", Stages St. Louis
* Ken Page, "Jesus Christ Superstar", The Muny
* Jeffrey Pruett, "The Robber Bridegroom", New Line Theatre
* John Seidman, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play

* Michael Balsley, "Take Me Out", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Gary Wayne Barker, "Driving Miss Daisy," New Jewish Theatre
* Drew Bell, "", Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre
* Jim Butz, "The Merchant of Venice", New Jewish Theatre
* John Kinney, "Unexpected Tenderness", New Jewish Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical

* Melissa Bohon, "Hello, Dolly!," Stages St. Louis
* Natascia Diaz, "West Side Story," The Muny
* Lynn Eldredge, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Georgia Engel, "Mame", The Muny
* Lynette Knapp, "A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum", The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* Jamie McKittrick, "The Robber Bridegroom", New Line Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play

* Teresa Doggett, "Separate Tables", Act Inc.
* Brooke Edwards, "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* Michelle Hand, "Going to See the Elephant", Orange Girls
* Liz Hopefl, "Separate Tables", Act Inc.
* Rory Lipede, "Valhalla", HotCity Theatre
* Magan Wiles, "The Tempest", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Outstanding Production for Young Audiences

* "Bah! Humbug!", The Imaginary Theatre Company/The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
* "Free to Be" … You and Me, Stages St. Louis
* "Honk!", DramaRama
* "Salt & Pepper", Metro Theatre Company
* "The Tempest in a Flash", Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis

Notes

References

* [http://www.kevinklineawards.org Official website]
* [http://www.kevinklineawards.org/files/KKA%20release%20March%2026.doc 2007 nominees and recipients] (.doc file)
* [http://www.kevinklineawards.org/nominees.html 2006 nominees and recipients]
* [http://www.playbill.com/news/article/98546.html "Best of St. Louis Theatre Honored at March 20 Kevin Kline Awards"] , March 17, 2006, "Playbill"
* Jim Campbell, [http://www.playbackstl.com/content/view/1874/175/ "Kevin Kline Awards"] , March 20, 2006, PLAYBACK:stl
* http://www.broadwayworld.com/viewcolumn.cfm?colid=8388
* http://www.hollywood.com/celebrity/Kevin_Kline/195578
* http://www.riverfronttimes.com/2005-12-14/culture/great-expectations/