America’s independence, murderesses at odds, family dysfunction upended by a gentleman caller, brave children thriving on creativity to survive the horrors of a concentration camp, and disheartened young adults navigating a post-9/11 world are some of the stories that bolstered Dayton’s 2015-16 theater season.

Looking back, let’s start with the bold, risk-taking Playground Theatre, a millennial-focused troupe changing the landscape of Dayton theater with an edgy off-Broadway vibe. Case in point: An exceptionally acted, up close and personal local premiere of Reasons to Be Pretty, Neil LaBute’s scathing account of image, regret, deception, and disillusionment directed with razor sharp tension and riveting intimacy by David Brush. Fine premieres thrived elsewhere at community theaters thanks to the Dayton Theatre Guild’s lovely Outside Mullingar and Last Gas as well as Young and Heart Players’ kooky, introspective Circle Mirror Transformation. As for musicals, Dayton Playhouse scored with challenging classics 1776 and Carousel while Beavercreek Community Theatre offered highly engaging accounts of The Addams Family and Spring Awakening

Collegiate theaters also hit the mark with a solid slate of musicals. Wright State University’s Chicago, The Music Man and Miss Mayor showcased the superior quality audiences have come to expect while Sinclair Community College notably produced an infectious, playful and soul-stirring Wiz. Drama standouts included University of Dayton’s captivatingly poignant staging of the Holocaust drama And A Child Shall Lead (co-produced by Zoot Theatre Company), Sinclair’s terrifically ensemble-driven One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and Clark State Community College’s commendable Angels in America: Millennium Approaches.

On professional stages, the fantastic return engagement of The Lion King gave the Victoria Theatre Association late-season momentum, but the production was actually one of an assortment of outstanding national tours this season including A Night with Janis Joplin, Once, Pippin, The Book of Mormon, and The Bridges of Madison County. Human Race Theatre Company specifically excelled with a wonderfully haunting and heartfelt Glass Menagerie. Feminine-centric Magnolia Theatre Company produced a splendid local premiere of the engrossing one-woman show K of D, but also greatly entertained with the delightful cabaret Broadway Beveled. Dare to Defy Productions pulled out the stops with American Idiot, but also impressed with the hilarious Great American Trailer Park Musical and snazzy, dance-heavy Wild Party.
Assessing the 65 shows I saw this season, I congratulate the following winners (in bold) and nominees.

Jennifer Joplin, Claire Kennedy and Scott Hunt in the Human Race Theatre Company’s production of “The Glass Menagerie” (Photo by Scott J. Kimmins)

(l to r) Brett Hill, Jenna Burnette, Christopher Hahn, and Kaleigh-Brooke Dillingham in “Reasons to Be Pretty” (Photo by Rachel Katz)

BEST TOURING PRODUCTION
The Book of Mormon, Victoria Theatre Association
The Bridges of Madison County, Victoria Theatre Association
Disney’s The Lion King, Victoria Theatre Association
Once, Victoria Theatre Association
Pippin,Victoria Theatre Association
Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella, Victoria Theatre Association

BEST PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
The Glass Menagerie,Human Race Theatre Company
The K of D, An Urban Legend, Magnolia Theatre Company
Master Class, Human Race Theatre Company
Steel Magnolias, Human Race Theatre Company

BEST LOCALLY-PRODUCED PROFESSIONAL MUSICAL
A Christmas Story: The Musical, La Comedia Dinner Theatre
American Idiot, Dare to Defy Productions
The Full Monty, Human Race Theatre Company
The Great American Trailer Park Musical,Dare to Defy Productions
The Wild Party,Dare to Defy Productions

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
Circle Mirror Transformation, Young at Heart Players
Fools,Undercroft Players
Last Gas,Dayton Theatre Guild
Outside Mullingar, Dayton Theatre Guild
Reasons to Be Pretty, Playground Theatre

BEST COMMUNITY THEATER PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
1776, Dayton Playhouse
The Addams Family,Beavercreek Community Theatre
Carousel, Dayton Playhouse
Spring Awakening, Beavercreek Community Theatre

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A PLAY
A Streetcar Named Desire, Wright State University
And A Child Shall Lead, University of Dayton with Zoot Theatre Company
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches, Clark State Community College
The Great Gatsby, Wright State University
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Sinclair Community College

BEST COLLEGIATE PRODUCTION OF A MUSICAL
Chicago, Wright State University
Miss Mayor, Wright State University
The Music Man, Wright State University
Once Upon a Mattress, University of Dayton
The Wiz, Sinclair Community College

Dayton native and Wright State University grad Annie Pesch Contributed photo

BEST SPECIAL THEATRICAL EVENT
A Night with Janis Joplin, Victoria Theatre Association
American Mosaic, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, Dayton Opera, Dayton Ballet, Human Race Theatre Company, Muse Machine, DCDC, and Bach Society of Dayton
An Evening with Jason Robert Brown, Wright State University Musical Theatre Initiative
Mary Poppins, Muse Machine
Tarzan,Epiphany Lutheran Church

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Mike Beerbower as Anthony Reilly, Outside Mullingar
Saul Caplan as Roy Cohn, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Tommy DiMassimo as Stanley Kowalski, A Streetcar Named Desire
Christopher Hahn as Greg, Reasons to Be Pretty
Scott Hunt as Tom Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie
David Shough as Joseph Alsop, The Columnist (Dayton Theatre Guild)

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Christine Brunner as Truvy, Steel Magnolias
Jenna Burnette as Steph, Reasons to Be Pretty
Teresa Connair as Rosemary Muldoon, Outside Mullingar
Jenna Gomes as Becky, Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Ellie Margolis as Blanche DuBois, A Streetcar Named Desire
Annie Pesch as The Girl, The K of D, An Urban Legend

BEST LEADING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Christian Johnson as Bert, Mary Poppins
Nathan Robert Pecchia as Harold Hill, The Music Man
Layne Roate as Johnny, American Idiot
Andrew Samonsky as Robert Kincaid, The Bridges of Madison County
Jeff Sams as Billy Bigelow, Carousel
Cody Jamison Strand as Elder Cunningham, The Book of Mormon

BEST LEADING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL

Pictured: Carolyn Popp, Christine Brunner, Caitlin Larsen, Patricia Linhart and Maretta Zilic

Kaitlyn Davidson as Ella, Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
Mackenzie Lesser-Roy as Girl, Once
Gabrielle McClinton as Leading Player, Pippin
Bailey Rose as Roxie Hart, Chicago
Brianna Russ as Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins
Elizabeth Stanley as Francesca Johnson, The Bridges of Madison County

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A PLAY
Eric Arntz as Martin Lowy, And A Child Shall Lead
Sean Frost as Louis Ironson, Angels in America: Millennium Approaches
Cody Lewis as Harold “Mitch” Mitchell, A Streetcar Named Desire
Dave Nickel as Tony Reilly, Outside Mullingar
John Spitler as Dr. Zubritsky, Fools
Drew Vidal as Jim O’Connor, The Glass Menagerie

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A PLAY
Megan Cooper as Theresa, Circle Mirror Transformation

The cast of Dayton Playhouse’s production of “1776” (Photo by Art Fabian)

Kaleigh-Brooke Dillingham as Carly, Reasons to Be Pretty
Claire Kennedy as Laura Wingfield, The Glass Menagerie
Caitlin Larsen as Ouiser, Steel Magnolias
Pam McGinnis as Freida, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Dayton Playhouse)
Rachel Wilson as Cherry-Tracy Pulcifer, Last Gas

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Tim Rezash as John Dickinson, 1776
John Rubenstein as Charles, Pippin
Tyler Simms as Amos Hart, Chicago
J. Gary Thompson as Jigger Craigin, Carousel
Malcolm Walker as The Wiz, The Wiz
Richard Young as Benjamin Franklin, 1776

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Cecily Dowd as Winifred  Banks, Mary Poppins
Lisa Glover as Whatsername, American Idiot
Priscilla Lopez as Berthe, Pippin
Krissy McKim-Barker as Carrie Pipperidge, Carousel
Tia R. Seay as Betty, The Great American Trailer Park Musical
Megan Valle as Jacqueline “Jacq” Greer, Miss Mayor

(left to right) Rob Willoughby, Angie Thacker, Tori Kocher, Tia R. Seay, Eric Julian Walker, and Hayley Penchoff appear in Dare to Defy Productions’ presentation of “The Great American Trailer Park Musical.” (Contributed photo; not pictured Lisa Glover)

BREAKTHROUGH MALE PERFORMANCE
Evan Benjamin as Jack, Into the Woods (Dare to Defy Productions)
David E. Brandt as The Lion, The Wiz
Brett Hill as Kent, Reasons to Be Pretty
Dakota Mullins as Tommy Djilas, The Music Man
Thomas Cole Schreier as St. Jimmy, American Idiot
Eric Thompson as Enoch Snow, Carousel

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE PERFORMANCE
Bryana Bentley as Rose, Fences (The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show/Sinclair Community College)
Caroline Chisholm as Velma Kelly, Chicago
Natalie Girard as Evelyn “Evie” Ensler (a.k.a. Helen Hensler), Miss Mayor
Adrienne (Adee) McFarland as Julie Jordan, Carousel
Vanae Pate as Dorothy, The Wiz
Madeline Sensenstein as Myrtle Wilson, The Great Gatsby

BEST DIRECTION OF A PLAY
Kimberly Borst, The K of D, An Urban Legend
David Brush, Reasons to Be Pretty
Greg Hellems, The Glass Menagerie
David Shough, Outside Mullingar
Jerome Yorke, And A Child Shall Lead

BEST DIRECTION OF A MUSICAL
Marya Spring Cordes, The Music Man
Joe Deer, Chicago
Chris Harmon, The Wiz
Megan Wean Sears, Tarzan
Angie Thacker, American Idiot

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY
Lula Elzy, Mary Poppins
Lisa Glover, The Wild Party
Kimberly Isaacs, American Idiot
Teressa Wylie McWilliams, Chicago
Rodney Veal, The Wiz
Dionysia Williams, The Music Man

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A PLAY
Bruce Brown, Last Gas
Matthew J. Evans, And A Child Shall Lead
Chris Newman, The Tale of the Allergist’s Wife (Dayton Playhouse)
Chris Newman and David Shough, Outside Mullingar
Terry Stump, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest

BEST SCENIC DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Dick Block, The Full Monty
Adam Koch, Chicago
Pam Knauert Lavarnway, The Music Man
Terry Stump, The Wiz
Ray Zupp, Tarzan

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PLAY
Donna Beran, And A Child Shall Lead
Carol Finley, The Columnist (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Mary Beth McLaughlin, The Great Gatsby
Janet G. Powell, Steel Magnolias
Emily Sollinger, A Streetcar Named Desire

BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Kathleen Carroll, 1776
Kathleen Hotmer, The Wiz
Maria Klueber and Lori Watamaniuk, Tarzan
Christie Peitzmeier, The Music Man
Michelle Sampson, Chicago

UD’s production of AND A CHILD SHALL LEAD. Photo by: Tony Beran

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PLAY
Jadon Bischoff, Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
Daniel Brunk, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Jessica Ann Drayton, A Streetcar Named Desire
Matthew J. Evans, And A Child Shall Lead
Jessy Henning, The K of D, An Urban Legend

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Matthew Benjamin, American Idiot
Jacob Brown, The Music Man
Sammy Jelinek, Into the Woods (Dare to Defy Productions)
Gina Neuerer, The Wiz
John Rensel, Mary Poppins

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A PLAY
Megan Banfield, And A Child Shall Lead
Jay Brunner, The Glass Menagerie
Emily Hutton, The K of D, An Urban Legend
Alex Koker, A Streetcar Named Desire
K.L. Storer, Last Gas

BEST SOUND DESIGN OF A MUSICAL
Daniel Brunk, The Wiz
James Dunlap, Chicago
Emily Hutton, The Music Man
Chris Pentecost, Tarzan
Ben Selke, A Night with Janis Joplin

BEST ORCHESTRA
A Night with Janis Joplin (Music Director: Mark Berman)
The Bridges of Madison County (Music Director: Keith Levenson)
Chicago (Music Director: Scott Woolley)
Mary Poppins (Music Director: Claude Lucien Thomas)
The Wiz (Music Director: David McKibben; Conductor: Dr. Kenneth Kohlenberg)

BEST PROPERTIES
Jason Hamen and Adrienne Ausdenmoore, Tarzan
Jennifer Kramer, The Wiz
Heather Powell, Steel Magnolias
Shannon Sellars, Mary Poppins
Mo Stinehart, And A Child Shall Lead

ADDITIONAL ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

• David Alfano’s video and projection design for And A Child Shall Lead
• Lynn Baudendistel, Robin Brown, Toni Donato Shade, and Alisa Vukasinovich’s costume coordination for Mary Poppins
• Brad Bishop as Gomez Addams and Becky Barrett-Jones as Morticia Addams in The Addams Family
• Jay Brunner’s incidental music for The Glass Menagerie
• David Brush and Chris Harmon’s respective reconfigurations of the Mathile Theatre and Beavercreek Community Theatre for Reasons to Be Pretty and Spring Awakening
• Steven Burton and Tim Grewe’s wig design for 1776
• The Tony-winning creative team for The Lion King: Director/designer Julie Taymor, scenic designer Richard Hudson, lighting designer Donald Holder, and choreographer Garth Fagan
• The creative team for Miss Mayor: Christian Duhamel (music and lyrics), Ellie Margolis (book) and Greg Hellems (concept/additional book)
• Micah Koverman as Colin in The Secret Garden (Playhouse South)
• Bob Crowley’s Tony-winning scenic design, Natasha Katz’s Tony-winning lighting design, John Tiffany’s Tony-winning direction, and Steven Hoggett’s movement for Once
• Tristan Cupp’s puppet design for And A Child Shall Lead
• Cicily Daniels, Tawny Dolley, Q. Smith, and Jennifer Leigh Warren as the Joplinaries in A Night with Janis Joplin
• Mary Bridget Davies’ Tony-nominated portrayal of Janis Joplin in A Night with Janis Joplin
• Elis Davis, Jordan Adams, Connor Lysholm, and Kyle Krichbaum as The Quartet in The Music Man
• Jonathan Deans and Garth Helm’s Tony-nominated sound design, Paul Kieve’s illusions, Dominique Lemieux’s Tony-nominated costumes, Scott Pask’s Tony-nominated scenic design, Diane Paulus’ Tony-winning direction, Kenneth Posner’s Tony-nominated lighting design, Gypsy Snider’s circus creation, and Chet Walker’s Tony-nominated choreography for Pippin
• Jasmine Easler as Oprah Winfrey in Miss Mayor
• Carol Finley’s costumes for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
• TJ “Tyler” Fortson, Katelyn Gross, Ashlee Ferrell, and Maximillian Santucci in Quid Pro Quo (Sinclair Community College)
• Mierka Girten as Maria Callas, musical director Sean Michael Flowers’ accompaniment and Cassi Mikat as Sharon Graham in Master Class
• Jose Gutierrez del Arroyo as Franklin Shepard in Merrily We Roll Along (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
• Chris Harmon’s scenic design for California Suite, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress and Spring Awakening (Beavercreek Community Theatre)
• William Ivey Long’s Tony-winning costumes and Josh Rhodes’ choreography for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella
• Jeffrey Mack as Tarzan in Tarzan
• Gary Minyard’s fight choreography for She Kills Monsters (Sinclair)
• Wendi Michael’s scenic design for Slowgirl (Dayton Theatre Guild)
• Jared Mola as Nat Paradis and Rick Flynn as Guy Gagnon in Last Gas
• The Murderesses of “Cell Block Tango” in Chicago (Caroline Chisholm, Alex Caldwell, Haylee Dobkins, Alyson Snyder, Megan Valle, and Meredith Zahn)
• Chris Newman’s scenic design for The Diary of Anne Frank (Dayton Playhouse)
• Casey Nicholaw’s Tony-winning choreography of The Book of Mormon
• Annie Pesch and Fran Pesch’s rendition of “No More” in Broadway Beveled: A Feminine Cabaret
• Micah Stock as Tom Wingfield (The Glass Menagerie) in American Mosaic
• Matthew Tabor’s Hungarian dialect coaching for Chicago
• Deborah Thomas’ dialect coaching for The Great Gatsby
• André Tomlinson, Bryana Bentley, Greyson Calvert, and Rebecca Henry as The Yellow Brick Road in The Wiz
• ZFX, Inc.’s flying effects for Tarzan