The Austin Critics’ Table presented its 2015-2016 awards Monday night at the Cap City Comedy Club.
In its 24th year, the informal group of arts critics from the American-Statesman and the Austin Chronicle, again recognized outstanding each achievement in a host of categories across arts disciplines. (See the list of nominees for the 2015-2016 awards.)
Also honored at the ceremony were Austin Symphony Orchestra conductor Peter Bay, Ballet Austin artistic director Stephen Mills and Ballet Austin executive director Cookie Ruiz, all of whom were formally inducted to the Austin Arts Hall of Fame.
Roger Hiorns’ “A Retrospective View of the Pathway” at the Contemporary Austin, part of the “Strange Pilgrims” exhibit.
VISUAL ART
Museum Exhibition: “Strange Pilgrims,” The Contemporary Austin
Solo Gallery Exhibition: “Seth Orion Schwaiger: Complex I,” Pump Project and “Jade Walker: Four Cornered,” Galleries I & II, Texas State University
Group Gallery Exhibition: “The Contemporary Print,” Print Austin
Work of Art, Independent or Public Project: Field Constructs Design Competition, Rachel Adams, Catherine Gavin, and Igor Siddiqui
Work of Art, Installation: “Hurly Burly,” Orly Genger, Waller Creek Conservancy/The Contemporary Austin
Gallery, Body of Work: Grayduck Gallery
Jacques Colimon as Jaybo Freeman and Jennifer Underwood as Eller Freeman in “Terminus”
THEATER
Production, Drama: “Terminus,” Vortex Repertory Company
Production, Comedy: “Year of the Rooster,” Capital T Theatre
Production, Musical: (tie) “She Loves Me,” Mary Moody Northen Theatre and “Tortoise & Hare,” Summer Stock Austin
Direction: David Long, “Mr. Burns, a post-electric play”
Acting in a Leading Role: Franchelle Dorn, “Medea“: Jason Liebrecht, “Year of the Rooster“; Jennifer Underwood, “Terminus“; Ben Wolfe, “Disgraced“
Acting in a Supporting Role: Crystal Bird Caviel, “Disgraced”; Tom Green, “The Night Alive“; Afra Hines, “Sophisticated Ladies“; Amber Quick, “A Streetcar Named Desire“; Michael Stuart, “The Norwegians“
Ensemble Performance: “Mr. Burns, a post-electric play,” Mary Moody Northen Theatre
Music Direction: Austin Haller, “Sunday in the Park With George”
Movement: Natasha Davison, “The Wild Party”
David Mark Cohen New Play Award: “Hunger,” Ebony Stewart and “Tender Rough Rough Tender,” Sarah Saltwick
KDH Dance Company’s “True Stories.” Photo by Stephen Pruitt.
DANCE
Dance Concert: “True Story,” Kathy Dunn Hamrick Dance Company
Short Work: “Motherwell Amor,” Erick Hawkins Dance Company/Shay Ishii Dance Company
Choreographer: Charles O. Anderson/Kathy Dunn Hamrick/Lisa Nicks/Kate Warren, “More Than One Complication”
Dancer: Michael Love, “In Your Shoes”; D. Poet Powell, “True Story”; Ashley Lynn Sherman, “Desire”/Hamlet
Duet: Matt Shields & Tony Merriwether, “Sophisticated Ladies”
Ensemble: Tapestry Dance Company, “In Your Shoes”
Ken Bradley and Jason Liebrecht in “Year of the Rooster,” Capital T Theater
DESIGN
Scenic Design: David Molina-Garza, “The Diary of Anne Frank”
Costume Design: Jenny McNee & Jennifer Rose Davis, “The History of King Lear”
Lighting Design: Patrick Anthony, “Year of the Rooster”/”Hunger”/”Terminus”/”Medea”/”Marie Antoinette”
Sound Design: Robert S. Fisher, “The Night Alive”/”Gusev”/”The Realistic Joneses”
Video/Projection Design: Eliot Gray Fisher, “The Warriors”
Steve Parker’s “Traffic Jam,” for ensembles of 80 car horns, bicycles, pedicabs and automobiles.
CLASSICAL MUSIC
Symphonic Performance: Compassion, Austin Symphony Orchestra with Lior
Chamber Performance: “Traffic Jam,” Steve Parker
Choral Performance: “Considering Matthew Shepard”, Craig Hella Johnson et al.
Opera: “At the Statue of Venus”/”Three Decembers,” Butler Opera Center
Singer: Karen Slack, Aida; Julia Taylor, “Three Decembers”
Original Composition/Score: “In the Face of Trouble,” Graham Reynolds
Instrumentalist: Keith Womer, “Start the New Year With Bach”
Ensemble: La Follia
“Mr. Burns, a post-electric play.” Mary Moody Northen Theater, St. Edward’s Univ.
SPECIAL CITATIONS
John Bustin Award for Conspicuous Versatility: Marc Pouhé
“Deacon” Crain Award for Outstanding Student Work: Cheyenne Barton, Matt Buzonas, Maureen Fenninger, St. Edward’s University
Outside the Box (and String) Award: Physical Plant & Parallelogramophonograph for their pioneering collaboration in improvisational drama
Site for Sore Eyes Award: “Illusory Impressions” and “Lumen,” for their invigorating collaborations of dance and music in site-specific performance
Best Face on It Award: Tara Cooper, for her exquisite masks of the Simpsons characters in “Mr. Burns, a post-electric play”
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