A Year in Review(s)

*In response to last season’s review of Little Shop of Horrors at the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre, individuals associated with the production indicated that they did not want to be reviewed by this site. The current show at ART, "for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf", shares production team members with Little Shop. In an attempt to respect their wishes from last season and avoid controversy, we will not be writing a full review of the choreopoem and apologize to anyone looking for one. However, the production provides a unique and heart-wrenching look at trauma, community, isolation, and reflection with particularly powerful performances from Jenna Stafford (Lady in Red) and Cristina Palacio (Lady in Blue). As always, we support local arts and culture and hope that everyone takes the time to experience something so poignant. ART’s production of "for colored girls" runs through May 31st and tickets can be found at acrosstown.org.

It has been nearly a year since we started this project and began reviewing local community theater shows in the 352 area. Now, as the current season nears its end, and the upcoming season is being announced, it seems appropriate to reflect on the last year. Each review is written by a member of our team, leading to a (hopefully) well-reasoned analysis of each show, coupled with a numerical rating assigned by the individual reviewer. Now that we have a pool of 20 local productions to choose from, we decided to vote on our collective favorites for a number of categories. As a result, some shows that received a lower numerical score from one writer may ultimately have received the most votes from the group. The top recipients of votes are listed below the category with bold and an asterisk denoting a winner. Best actor categories will have more individuals listed to reflect that there were more choices compared to the number of shows.

Best Choreography

Escape to Margaritaville

Evil Dead: The Musical

Little Shop of Horrors*

Little Shop kicked off with modern interpretative dance, utilizing the full cast to establish an unnerving undercurrent of horror that set the stage for an evening of impressive and unique choreography.

Best Make-up and Costumes

James and the Giant Peach*

Little Shop of Horrors

Old Time Christmas Radio Shows

In Peach, the actors captured the heart of the classic illustrations through the use of make-up and costumes in a way that completely transformed them into lovable bugs, while still retaining their humanity.

Best Lighting Design

The Drowning Girls

Little Shop of Horrors

Rent*

Taking on a well-known and beloved classic is never an easy feat. The lighting design for Rent honored the work and complemented, but did not overshadow, the story.

Best Set Design

Escape to Margaritaville

Little Shop of Horrors*

The Play that Goes Wrong

While there were a number of impressive sets over the last year, the immersion created by Little Shop was unmatched. From the moment the audience stepped behind the curtain, they were transported to Skid Row, with derelict buildings and plants creating something special.

Best Ensemble

Escape to Margaritaville*

Little Shop of Horrors

Rent

The ensemble in this Jimmy Buffett jukebox musical was consistently hilarious, providing a perfect backdrop to the silliness playing out on stage.

Best Actor in a Play

Bradley Hicks - On Clover Road

Emma Grimm - Sylvia

Esteban Alvarez, III - The Play That Goes Wrong

Hayley Platt - The Drowning Girls*

Kamili - Succession

Oliver Fox - One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

This was an incredibly tight contest and the sheer level of talent contained in this relatively small town is something for which we should all be grateful. Ms. Platt created character after character in Drowning Girls, each one compelling in their own right. The use of accents and choreography to create laughs and convey trauma was truly brilliant.

Best Actor in a Musical

Bradley Searles - James and the Giant Peach

Erin Silverman - The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas

Justin Clement - Little Shop of Horrors

Mikayla Uman - Evil Dead: The Musical*

Riley Brack - The Color Purple

Sheyze X - Rent

Another talented pool of actors filled the musical stages this season, but Ms. Uman stands out for how much she was tasked with doing over the course of Evil Dead. She was the scared sister, the lead demon, and the constant comedic relief while still wowing the audience with her voice.

Best Play - Comedy

The Holiday Channel Christmas Movie Wonderthon

The Play That Goes Wrong*

Sylvia

The Play That Goes Wrong packed the Gainesville Community Playhouse nightly and caused so much laughter that it was easy to miss the next lines from the actors. Tossing aside the subtle humor of other shows, The Play That Goes Wrong hit its audiences with joke after joke and enough gags to make the time fly by.

Best Play - Drama

The Drowning Girls*

On Clover Road

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

The Drowning Girls was a special piece of theater from start to finish. Between the unique and refreshing set design, the haunting lights, and the beautiful performances from all three actors, this show was riveting, memorable, and overall incredible.

Best Musical

Evil Dead: The Musical*

James and the Giant Peach

Little Shop of Horrors

Part comedy, part horror, all camp. Evil Dead provided one of the most fun-filled nights of theater of the season, with a ridiculous story, amazing talent, and impressive technical feats to capture the magic of a demon-filled cabin in the woods.