There are always a few surprises at the annual Artie Awards. This year, audience members played a theater community version of "Where's Anthony?"
The winners of the 31st annual Artie Awards, which recognized the work of the 2021-2022 Western New York theater season, were announced at a red-carpet style event at Shea’s 710 Theatre Monday evening. However, long-time Co-host and Founder Anthony Chase suffered a last-minute illness that prevented his appearance.
As they say, though, the show must go on.
Director, choreographer and Arties committee member Doug Weyand stepped in as "puppeteer" with a shorter, hand-held version of Chase to join Arties and Theater Talk co-host, Peter Hall. We're told it was the first time in three decades Chase has missed the awards ceremony. He and Hall can still be heard on Theater Talk, aired Friday mornings on WBFO and found online at WBFO.org.
The winners for each of Monday's award categories are:
CAREER ACHIEVEMENT
Tom Loughlin
BLOSSOM COHAN AWARD
Tracie Lane, Stage Kiss
Dave Wantuck, Tribes
KATHARINE CORNELL AWARDS
Dewayne Barrett, director, A Chorus Line
Heather Gervasi, actor, Little Women … Now
Tanika Holmes, actor, American Son
Aaron Mays, director, American Son
Dwayne Stephenson, actor, American Rhapsody
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Ben Michael Moran, Waiting for Godot
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Annette Daniels Taylor, From Honky Tonk to Protest
OUTSTANDING TECHNICAL ACHIEVEMENT
Chris Cavanagh, light and sound, Constellations
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY
Bobby Cooke, Beauty and the Beast
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Melinda Capeles, Tribes
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Steve Copps, Beauty and the Beast
EMANUEL FRIED AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING NEW PLAY
Mark Humphrey, Speed of Dark
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Aimee Walker, Damn Yankees
OUTSTANDING SET DESIGN
Lynne Koscielniak, Tribes
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Josh Wilde, Beauty and the Beast
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Samuel Fesmire, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
OUTSTANDING COSTUME DESIGN
Vivian Del Bello, Stage Kiss
OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN A FEATURED ROLE
Dave Wysocki, Puffs
OUTSTANDING LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Julie Kittsley, Looped
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Susan Drozd, All Is Calm
OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Katie Mallinson, Photograph 51
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE OF A MUSICAL
All Is Calm, MusicalFare
OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE OF A PLAY
Speed of Dark, American Repertory Theatre of WNY
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Beauty and the Beast, Theatre of Youth
OUTSTANDING PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
American Son, Ujima Theatre Company
To be eligible for an Artie, an artist must live and work in the Buffalo area, and a theater must produce work locally, primarily with local artists. Buffalo Toronto Public Media served as presenter of the awards.
The Artie Awards is also an opportunity to raise funds for the HIV/AIDS & Immunodeficiency Clinic at Erie County Medical Center. Over the years, through contributions from theater audiences and proceeds from red ribbon sales, the Arties have raised over $500,000 for AIDS-related charities.
