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The nominations for the 2008 WATCH Awards were read at The Birchmere on the evening of Sunday, January 18, 2009 (Time: 7:30pm). Nominees are:

114 productions (30 musicals, 84 plays) were adjudicated in 2008. Twenty-nine community theater companies participated in WATCH adjudication.

• 2nd Flight Productions
• Aldersgate Church Community Theatre
• The Arlington Players
• Bowie Community Theatre
• Castaways Repertory Theatre
• Chevy Chase Players
• Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Dominion Stage
• Elden Street Players
• Fauquier Community Theatre
• The Foundry Players
• Greenbelt Arts Center
• Hard Bargain Players
• Kensington Arts Theatre
• Laurel Mill Playhouse
• Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Montgomery Playhouse
• Port City Playhouse
• Port Tobacco Players
• Prince William Little Theatre
• Providence Players of Fairfax
• Reston Community Players
• Rockville Little Theatre
• Rockville Musical Theatre
• Rooftop Productions
• St. Mark’s Players
• Silver Spring Stage
• Tantallon Community Players
• Vienna Theatre Company

And now for the Nominations… In each of the twenty-eight categories, five nominees were selected based on the average scores of eight judges. In some categories, due to score ties, more than five nominees are announced. Nominations are provided in alphabetical order by nominee.

Nominations for outstanding technical achievements

Outstanding Set Design (6)

• Sarah Ann Carlson & Jason Carlson – Hotbed Hotel – Port Tobacco Players
• Michael deBlois – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• Howard Vincent Kurtz – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• John Merritt – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• John Merritt & Joe Stine – Disney’s Beauty & the Beast – Port Tobacco Players
• Maggie Modig – Bus Stop – Reston Community Players

Outstanding Set Construction (5)

• John Bilton & John Merritt – Hotbed Hotel – Port Tobacco Players
• Michael deBlois – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• John Merritt – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• John Reckeweg – Noises Off – Port Tobacco Players
• Jack Schaeffer & Jerry Wolfe – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding Set Painting (5)

• Amanda Acker, Candice Bolton, Karinn Cologne, Sandy Kozel, Ellie Lockwood & John Segota – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Arlington Players
• Sarah Ann Carlson & John Merritt – Hotbed Hotel – Port Tobacco Players
• Nancy Daugherty & Martha Lynch – The Sound of Music – Fauquier Community Theatre
• John Merritt – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• De Nicholson-Lamb & Kevin O’Dowd – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding Set Decoration and Set Dressing (5)

• Kim Moore Bessler & Lynne O’Meara – Hotbed Hotel – Port Tobacco Players
• Brandon R. McWilliams, Michael Sandner, Will Sweeney, & Sonya Okin – Come Back to the Five and Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean – Silver Spring Stage
• Jerry & Bea Morse, Mike Smith – Bus Stop – Reston Community Players
• Michael Smith – Hedda Gabler – Elden Street Players
• (no names listed) – Meet Me in St. Louis – Tantallon Community Players

Outstanding Properties (7)

• Janice Bean & Yvonne Epps-Giddings – Meet Me in St. Louis – Tantallon
  Community Players
• Kim Moore Bessler & Lynne O’Meara – Hotbed Hotel – Port Tobacco Players
• Karen Kleyle – Noises Off – Port Tobacco Players
• Sonya Okin – The Cripple of Inishmaan – Silver Spring Stage
• Donna Reynolds – The Dresser – Port City Playhouse
• Michael Smith – Hedda Gabler – Elden Street Players
• Mike Smith, Jerry & Bea Morse – Bus Stop – Reston Community Players

Outstanding Lighting Design (5)

• AnnMarie Castrigno – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• Franklin Coleman – An Experiment with an Air Pump – Reston Community
  Players
• Ken & Patti Crowley – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Ken & Patti Crowley – The Secret Garden – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Leslie Wanko – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players

Outstanding Sound Design (6)

• Wes Bedsworth – Hauptmann – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• William Chrapcynski – An Experiment with an Air Pump – Reston Community
  Players
• Anna Hawkins – Dearly Departed – Aldersgate Church Community Theatre
• David Standish & Jeff Hitaffer – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port
  Tobacco Players
• Brian Vargas – And Then There Were None – Arlington Players
• Alan Wray – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding Costume Design (5)

• Mary Ayala-Bush & Lori Levitt – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• Jean Beall & Donna Soraparu – Enchanted April – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Pat Brennan – Disney’s Beauty & the Beast – Port Tobacco Players
• Jo Rake – Meet Me in St. Louis – Tantallon Community Players
• Eric Scerbo – Seascape – Silver Spring Stage

Outstanding Makeup Design (5)

• Susan Braun – Scrooge – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• The Cast – Seascape – Silver Spring Stage
• Jen Durham – The Wiz – St. Mark’s Players
• Sheila Hyman – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• Eric Jones & Denise A. Levien – The Rocky Horror Show – Greenbelt Arts Center

Outstanding Hair Design (6)

• Sheila Hyman – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• Eric Jones & Denise A. Levien – The Rocky Horror Show – Greenbelt Arts Center
• Paul Morton – Scrooge – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Sue Pinkman, Mark Bartyczak & Anna Michelle Jackson – Forbidden Broadway – Reston Community Players
• Sue Pinkman & Anna Michelle Jackson – An Experiment with an Air Pump – Reston Community Players
• Bette Williams – The Secret Garden – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding Special Effects (5)

• John Decker – 110 in the Shade – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Todd Fleming & Andrew S. Greenleaf – Dinner with Friends – Silver Spring Stage
• Keith Linville – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• Tel Monks, Jerry Skene, Robb Hunter & Rick Schneider – An Experiment with an Air Pump – Reston Community Players
• Russell M. Wyland – Scrooge – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Nominations for outstanding performances by an actor or actress.

Outstanding cameo in a musical (5)

• Cathy Arnold as “Claire” – bare, a pop opera – 2nd Flight Productions
• Albert Coia as “Erronius” – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Arlington Players
• Malinda Ellerman as “Loretta” – Zanna Don’t – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Ryan Manning as “Bronco” – Zanna Don’t – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Sam Nystrom as “Bobo” – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players

Outstanding cameo in a play (6)

• Sally Cusenza as “Abbess Agatha” – Incorruptible – Silver Spring Stage
• R. Anne Hull as “Olga” – You Can’t Take it With You – Laurel Mill Playhouse
• Lolita-Marie as “Mrs. Muller” – Doubt, a Parable – Elden Street Players
• Gavin Tameris as “Delivery Man” – Barefoot in the Park – Castaways Repertory Theatre
• Jonas Ventimiglia as “Bert” – All My Sons – Rockville Little Theatre
• Robin Zerbe as “Miss Sandwich” – The Elephant Man – 2nd Flight Productions

Outstanding featured actor in a musical (7)

• Tim Adams as “Steve” – Zanna Don’t – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Rafael Cuesta, Jr. as “The Wiz” – The Wiz – St. Mark’s Players
• Josh Doyle as “Michael” – Tick, Tick, Boom! – Elden Street Players
• Ryan Khatcheressian as “Roger Delli-Bovi” – A New Brain – Kensington Arts
  Theatre
• Ryan Manning as “Jim” – 110 in the Shade – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Ryan Manning as “Buck” – Zanna Don’t – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Jay Tilley as “Officer Lockstock” – Urinetown – Reston Community Players

Outstanding featured actress in a musical (6)

• Lisa Anne Bailey as “Mimi Schwinn” – A New Brain – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Kristen Garaffo as “Susan” – Tick, Tick, Boom! – Elden Street Players
• Katie McManus as “Penelope Pennywise” – Urinetown – Reston Community Players
• June Schreiner as “Little Sally” – Urinetown – Reston Community Players
• Shelly Schubert as “The Mother Abbess” – The Sound of Music – Fauquier Community Theatre
• Laura Wehrmeyer as “Lily” – The Secret Garden – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding featured actor in a play (5)

• Kevin Dykstra as “Arnold” – The Boys Next Door – Montgomery Playhouse
• Joshua Greenwald as “Jason” – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• David Jones as “Norman” – The Boys Next Door – Montgomery Playhouse
• Jim Reiter as “Dr. Condon, Alexander Woolcott, HL Mencken, Albert Osborne,Arthur Koehler, Guard & Policeman” – Hauptmann – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Nader Tavangar as “Eilert Lovborg” – Hedda Gabler – Elden Street Players

Outstanding featured actress in a play (5)

• Robin Covington as “Sarah” – Seascape – Silver Spring Stage
• Millie Ferrara as “Nat” – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Rebecca Lenehan as “Rosemary Sydney” – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Jamie Miller as “Izzy” – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Karen Schlumpf as “Isobel” – An Experiment with an Air Pump – Reston Community Players

Outstanding lead actor in a musical (5)

• Matt Garcia as “Fred & Petruchio” – Kiss Me, Kate – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Andy Izquierdo as “Gordon Michael Schwinn” – A New Brain – Kensington Arts Theatre
• John Loughney as “Bobby Strong” – Urinetown – Reston Community Players
• John Loughney as “Jon” – Tick, Tick, Boom! – Elden Street Players
• Mick Tinder as “John Adams” – 1776 – Little Theatre of Alexandria

Outstanding lead actress in a musical (5)

• Margaret (Maggie) Allman as “Desiree Armfeldt” – A Little Night Music – St. Mark’s Players
• Allison Block as “Maria Rainer” – The Sound of Music – Rockville Musical Theatre
• Katie McManus as “Lizzie” – 110 in the Shade – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Brittany O’Grady & Whitney Turner as “Mary ” – The Secret Garden – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Elizabeth Yeats as “Queenie” – The Wild Party – Dominion Stage

Outstanding lead actor in a play (6)

• Patrick David as “George/Cyrano” – Moon Over Buffalo – Providence Players
• Hans Dettmar as “John Merrick” – The Elephant Man – 2nd Flight Productions
• Jim Gallagher as “Howie” – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Ryan Manning as “Cripple Billy” – The Cripple of Inishmaan – Silver Spring Stage
• Matthew Randall as “Norman” – The Dresser – Port City Playhouse
• Pat Reynolds as “Bruno Richard Hauptmann” – Hauptmann – Colonial Players of Annapolis

Outstanding lead actress in a play (5)

• Darice Clewell as “Lotty Wilton” – Enchanted April – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Jane MacFarlane as “Sister Aloysius” – Doubt, a Parable – Elden Street Players
• Lorraine Magee as “Heidi Holland” – The Heidi Chronicles – Foundry Players
• Karen Jadlos Shotts as “Hedda Gabler” – Hedda Gabler – Elden Street Players
• Kris Valerio as “Becca” – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis

Nominations for outstanding achievement in overall production.

Outstanding Stage Combat Choreography (5)

• Jamie Hannah – The Cripple of Inishmaan – Silver Spring Stage
• Craig Hower – Dracula: The Case of the Silver Scream – Port Tobacco Players
• Steve Lada – The House of Blue Leaves – Dominion Stage
• David Timmermann & Randy Tusing – Noises Off – Port Tobacco Players
• Beth Whitehead – Moon Over Buffalo – Providence Players

Outstanding Choreography (5)

• Matt Anderson & Catherine Oh – Urinetown – Reston Community Players
• Kay Casstevens – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Arlington Players
• Shannon Khatcheressian – A New Brain – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Aurelia Michael – Zanna Don’t – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Andrew JM Regiec – Forbidden Broadway – Reston Community Players

Outstanding Music Direction (5)

• Mark V. Deal – A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Arlington Players
• John-Michael d’Haviland – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• David Rohde – A New Brain – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Elisa Rosman – Urinetown – Reston Community Players
• Meredyth Stirling – The All Night Strut – Prince William Little Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Musical (5)

• Jeffrey R. Breslow – A New Brain – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Todd C. Huse – Tick, Tick, Boom! – Elden Street Players
• Michael Kharfen – 110 in the Shade – Kensington Arts Theatre
• John K. Monnett – Sweet Smell of Success – Arlington Players
• Andrew JM Regiec – Forbidden Broadway – Reston Community Players

Outstanding Direction of a Play (5)

• Gloria DuGan – Doubt, a Parable – Elden Street Players
• Howard Vincent Kurtz – Picnic – Little Theatre of Alexandria
• Tom Newbrough – Rabbit Hole – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Beth Terranova – Hauptmann – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Mary Fawcett Watko – Enchanted April – Colonial Players of Annapolis

Outstanding Musical (5)

• Sweet Smell of Success – Produced by Irene Molnar & Stage Managed by Terri Carnahan – Arlington Players
• Tick, Tick, Boom! – Produced by Rich Klare & Stage Managed by Jessica Armstrong Carrington – Elden Street Players
• A New Brain – Produced by Malca Giblin & Stage Managed by Patty Hackett – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Zanna Don’t – Produced by Brian Campbell & Matt Karner – Kensington Arts Theatre
• Urinetown – Produced by Eileen Mullee & Stage Managed by Kaiti Parish – Reston Community Players

Outstanding Play (5)

• Hauptmann – Produced by Tom Stuckey & Stage Managed by Bridgette Marchand & Josh Riffle – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Enchanted April – Produced by Herb Elkin & Stage Managed by Mary Koster – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Rabbit Hole – Produced by Charlotte Robinson & Stage Managed by Judi Hilton- Hyde – Colonial Players of Annapolis
• Doubt, a Parable – Produced by Nanette Reynolds & Stage Managed by Leslie Peterson – Elden Street Players
• Picnic – Produced by Margaret Evans-Joyce & Richard Scwab & Stage Managed by Heather Franklin and Sheila Price – Little Theatre of Alexandria