Herald & Review (Decatur, IL)
January 1, 1993
Section: Life
Page: B5
Heralds
The Best of 1992
A World War II boot-camp comedy and the modern day ghetto version of “Romeoand Juliet” are double winners of the seventh annual Herald & Review theater awards.
Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues,” presented by Millikin University, and “West Side Story” from Sullivan’s Little Theatre-On the Square each won two Heralds for 1992 accomplishments. It was a year in which the theatrical wealth was spread, with 10 shows from Millikin, Little Theatre and Decatur’s Theatre 7 sharing the dozen honors.
Eighteen shows from the three groups were presented in 1992 and reviewed by H&R theater critics David Burke and Theresa Churchill:
Theatre 7 produced “Brigadoon,” “The Nerd,” “Bleacher Bums” and “Nunsense.”
Millikin’s stage work included “On the Town,” “Ghost Sonata,” “Medea,” “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking,” “A ... My Name is Alice,” “Biloxi Blues,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “6 RMS. RIV VU” and “Macbeth.”
Little Theatre put on “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Big River,” “Sweet Charity,” “West Side Story” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
BEST SHOW:
“West Side Story,” Little Theatre. The music and dancing were on the mark, and the acting was first rate in this production of the Leonard Bernstein classic. The romantic, dramatic interaction of Chicago actors Jeff Pierce and Marie Jagger didn’t leave many dry eyes in the house.
Runners-up: “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin; “Nunsense,” Theatre 7.
BEST ACTRESS:
Marie Jagger, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre. Jagger sparkled as Maria. Her wide, innocent smile and haunting eyes, matched with her superb singing voice, made her a natural for the role.
Runners-up: Jacqui Noble, “Medea,” Millikin. Kathy Kirby Zientara, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
BEST ACTOR:
Scott Rueter, “The Nerd,” Theatre 7. Rueter was appropriately obnoxious as the visitor from hell in the title role. He had a lock on the part: The character had the appropriate juvenile whine, taped glasses, white shirt, dirty sneakers and skinny tie.
Runners-up: Thomas Quintas, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin; James Anthony, “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” Little Theatre.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Maryanne Jenner, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7. Her Scottish accent was perfect in the part of the lusty Meg Brockie, and her timing was one of the funniest parts of the show.
Runners-up: Melinda Meyer, “A ... My Name is Alice,” Millikin; Christine Brooks, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Brendan McNab, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin. It would be easy to play the role of the tyrant Army sergeant at full throttle, but the understated, Southern-gentleman power of McNab proved to be a powerful, memorable character.
Runners-up: Rick Smith, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; David Stewart, “West Side Story,” Theatre 7.
BEST DIRECTOR:
Barry Pearson, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin. Although a newcomer at Millikin, Pearson shone with this summer performance. The action kept
moving, and the actors spoke at a rate about as evenly as playwright Neil Simon surely intended.
Runners-up: M. Seth Reines, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre; Paul Whobrey, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7.
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION:
Maria Klott, “A ... My Name is Alice,” Millikin. Klott was a one-woman show for the feminist revue. Her piano playing, in a variety of styles, was complementary to the singers and never overpowering.
Runners-up: David Fehr, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre; Barbara Keagle, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Lynne Snyder, “On the Town,” Millikin. Snyder’s work stood out in this dance-heavy musical, but what was really impressive was her
attention to detail, such as small, in-sync hand movements.
Runners-up: Marc Robin, “Singin’ in the Rain,” Little Theatre; Nancy McReynolds, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
SET DESIGN:
Robert Olson, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7. His version of a Catholic school gymnasium decorated for a production of “Grease” was on the money,
including a juke box, soda fountain and stools, tile-looking backdrop and a breathtaking lighted sign at the finale.
Runners-up: Doug Molash, “Ghost Sonata,” Millikin; Wayne Martin Wass, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
COSTUMES:
Cherie Bloodworth, “Best Little Whorehouse,” Little Theatre. From powder blue tuxedos for the watchdog back-up singers to sexy, frilly lingerie
for the ladies of the house, her choices were outstanding. Also: white duds for the governor and the shiny, elegant outfits for Miss Mona.
Runners-up: Delia Larkins, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; “On the Town,” Millikin.
LIGHTING:
Tom Fleming, “Big River,” Little Theatre. The lighting in the musical wonderfully represented different times of the day, made Huck and Jim
look as if they were traveling a river and gave the appearance of a cave.
Runners-up: Anne Thompson and Paul Whobrey, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7; Doug Molash, “Macbeth,” Millikin.
MAKEUP AND HAIR:
Tamara Walker, “Ghost Sonata,” Millikin. She created a collection of scary characters to add an edge to the avant-garde production.
Runners-up: Carrie Jackson and Penny Williams, makeup, Chuck Landram Sr., hair, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; Cast, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
January 1, 1993
Section: Life
Page: B5
Heralds
The Best of 1992
A World War II boot-camp comedy and the modern day ghetto version of “Romeoand Juliet” are double winners of the seventh annual Herald & Review theater awards.
Neil Simon’s “Biloxi Blues,” presented by Millikin University, and “West Side Story” from Sullivan’s Little Theatre-On the Square each won two Heralds for 1992 accomplishments. It was a year in which the theatrical wealth was spread, with 10 shows from Millikin, Little Theatre and Decatur’s Theatre 7 sharing the dozen honors.
Eighteen shows from the three groups were presented in 1992 and reviewed by H&R theater critics David Burke and Theresa Churchill:
Theatre 7 produced “Brigadoon,” “The Nerd,” “Bleacher Bums” and “Nunsense.”
Millikin’s stage work included “On the Town,” “Ghost Sonata,” “Medea,” “A Coupla White Chicks Sitting Around Talking,” “A ... My Name is Alice,” “Biloxi Blues,” “Kiss Me Kate,” “6 RMS. RIV VU” and “Macbeth.”
Little Theatre put on “Singin’ in the Rain,” “Big River,” “Sweet Charity,” “West Side Story” and “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.”
BEST SHOW:
“West Side Story,” Little Theatre. The music and dancing were on the mark, and the acting was first rate in this production of the Leonard Bernstein classic. The romantic, dramatic interaction of Chicago actors Jeff Pierce and Marie Jagger didn’t leave many dry eyes in the house.
Runners-up: “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin; “Nunsense,” Theatre 7.
BEST ACTRESS:
Marie Jagger, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre. Jagger sparkled as Maria. Her wide, innocent smile and haunting eyes, matched with her superb singing voice, made her a natural for the role.
Runners-up: Jacqui Noble, “Medea,” Millikin. Kathy Kirby Zientara, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
BEST ACTOR:
Scott Rueter, “The Nerd,” Theatre 7. Rueter was appropriately obnoxious as the visitor from hell in the title role. He had a lock on the part: The character had the appropriate juvenile whine, taped glasses, white shirt, dirty sneakers and skinny tie.
Runners-up: Thomas Quintas, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin; James Anthony, “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” Little Theatre.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS:
Maryanne Jenner, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7. Her Scottish accent was perfect in the part of the lusty Meg Brockie, and her timing was one of the funniest parts of the show.
Runners-up: Melinda Meyer, “A ... My Name is Alice,” Millikin; Christine Brooks, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR:
Brendan McNab, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin. It would be easy to play the role of the tyrant Army sergeant at full throttle, but the understated, Southern-gentleman power of McNab proved to be a powerful, memorable character.
Runners-up: Rick Smith, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; David Stewart, “West Side Story,” Theatre 7.
BEST DIRECTOR:
Barry Pearson, “Biloxi Blues,” Millikin. Although a newcomer at Millikin, Pearson shone with this summer performance. The action kept
moving, and the actors spoke at a rate about as evenly as playwright Neil Simon surely intended.
Runners-up: M. Seth Reines, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre; Paul Whobrey, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7.
BEST MUSICAL DIRECTION:
Maria Klott, “A ... My Name is Alice,” Millikin. Klott was a one-woman show for the feminist revue. Her piano playing, in a variety of styles, was complementary to the singers and never overpowering.
Runners-up: David Fehr, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre; Barbara Keagle, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
BEST CHOREOGRAPHY:
Lynne Snyder, “On the Town,” Millikin. Snyder’s work stood out in this dance-heavy musical, but what was really impressive was her
attention to detail, such as small, in-sync hand movements.
Runners-up: Marc Robin, “Singin’ in the Rain,” Little Theatre; Nancy McReynolds, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7.
SET DESIGN:
Robert Olson, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7. His version of a Catholic school gymnasium decorated for a production of “Grease” was on the money,
including a juke box, soda fountain and stools, tile-looking backdrop and a breathtaking lighted sign at the finale.
Runners-up: Doug Molash, “Ghost Sonata,” Millikin; Wayne Martin Wass, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
COSTUMES:
Cherie Bloodworth, “Best Little Whorehouse,” Little Theatre. From powder blue tuxedos for the watchdog back-up singers to sexy, frilly lingerie
for the ladies of the house, her choices were outstanding. Also: white duds for the governor and the shiny, elegant outfits for Miss Mona.
Runners-up: Delia Larkins, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; “On the Town,” Millikin.
LIGHTING:
Tom Fleming, “Big River,” Little Theatre. The lighting in the musical wonderfully represented different times of the day, made Huck and Jim
look as if they were traveling a river and gave the appearance of a cave.
Runners-up: Anne Thompson and Paul Whobrey, “Nunsense,” Theatre 7; Doug Molash, “Macbeth,” Millikin.
MAKEUP AND HAIR:
Tamara Walker, “Ghost Sonata,” Millikin. She created a collection of scary characters to add an edge to the avant-garde production.
Runners-up: Carrie Jackson and Penny Williams, makeup, Chuck Landram Sr., hair, “Brigadoon,” Theatre 7; Cast, “West Side Story,” Little Theatre.
Copyright, 1993, Herald & Review, Decatur, IL