November 9, 2021
Every year, the B. Iden Payne Council, a volunteer organization sponsored by the Austin Creative Alliance, is tasked with viewing and nominating outstanding production elements in Austin. The Department of Theatre and Dance, as well as its students, faculty, alumni and staff, were nominated for many awards in a broad range of categories. The winners were announced at the B. Iden Payne Awards Ceremony on November 8, 2021, many of which are Theatre and Dance affiliates.
View the full list of nominees and winners here. Congratulations to all!
2020-2021 B. Iden Payne Award Winners
Digital Theatre - Edited
Outstanding Production
The Mysterious Affair at Styles (Austin Playhouse)
Featuring Ben Bazán (B.A. 2012) as “Alfred Inglethorp” and Marc Pouhé (attended) as "Sir Ernest Heavywether"
Our Lady of the Sacred Part: Vulva Pope (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Featuring Erica Patricia Saucedo (M.F.A. 2021) as part of the “Cunty Congregation”
Stygian Crossing: Season 2 (La Fenice)
Featuring Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) as part of the cast
The VORTEX Odyssey: Underworld, (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Under Artistic Director, creator and director Bonnie Cullum (M.F.A. 1989) with directors Clarissa Smith (staff) and Will Douglas (attended), among others. Writers/composers included Reina Hardy (M.F.A. 2014), Malyssa Quiles (B.A. 2019) and Sarah Saltwick (M.F.A. 2013), among others. The virtual edition was co-created and directed by Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012). Performers included Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017), Alex Cogburn (B.A. 2007) and Marliza Mendez (B.F.A. 2018), with Toni Bravo (M.A. 1987) serving as co-choreographer and Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013) serving as co-lighting designer. The costume design team included Pam Fletcher Friday (B.F.A. 1979) and Aaron Kubacak (M.F.A. 2019, costume design team). Other artistic contributions by Eva Suter (M.F.A. 2015), Key Hole (with Heather Barfield (Ph.D. 2012)), Diana Guizado (B.A. 2019) and Shannon Grounds (B.F.A. 1995).
Trans Lives/Trans Voices (Ground Floor Theatre) - WINNER
Featuring kt shorb (Ph.D. 2021) and siri gurudev (Ph.D. candidate)
Outstanding Direction
Andrea L. Hart (M.F.A. candidate) and Jenny Krick (M.F.A. 2021) - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Melissa Vogt and Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) - The Vortex Odyssey: Underworld (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Outstanding Lead Performer
Sarah Chong Harmer as "Miji Park" - OCD (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Jenny Krick (M.F.A. 2021) as "B" - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Jane Palacios (B.A. 2021) as "J" - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) as "Non-Gender Specific Parent of Lies / Gwyneth Paltrow" - Stygian Crossing: Season 2 (La Fenice)
Rupert Reyes (B.F.A. 1976) as "Thomas" - Maude (Manifest Minifest 2020, New Manifest Theatre Company)
Outstanding Featured Performer
Catherine Grady as "Princess Bari, Penguin 1" - OCD (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Eli Mendenhall (current UTeach Theatre student) as "Judd" - Radiance (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Digital - Audio
Outstanding Production
The Frog Prince (Jarrott Productions) - WINNER
Written by Dan Caffrey (M.F.A. 2020), featuring Rupert Reyes (B.F.A. 1976) as “The King” and Janelle Buchanan (B.F.A. 1974) as “Baba Yaga” with Production Coordinator and Associate Producer Will Douglas (attended)
Letters From Camp Shrewd (Shrewd Productions)
Story by Reina Hardy (M.F.A. 2014), written by Hardy and Briandaniel Oglesby (M.F.A. 2014) (among others) with concept by Shannon Grounds (B.F.A. 1995). Featuring Malyssa Quiles (B.A. 2019) in the cast.
The Speaker Speaks (Jarrott Productions)
Producer Will Douglas (attended)
Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Direction
Malyssa Quiles (B.A. 2019) - Letters from Camp Shrewd (Shrewd Productions)
Anna Pickett (UT student) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Lead Performer
Will Derden (UT student) as "H.S. Crank" - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Emily Watson as "Finley Frankfurter" - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Featured Performer
Jayla Ball (B.A. 2021) as "Princess Kelp, Doctor" - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Janelle Buchanan (B.F.A. 1974) as "Baba Yaga" - The Frog Prince (Jarrott Productions)
Nicole Oglesby (B.A. 2016) as Lieutenant Britt" - Passage (Heartland Theatre Collective)
Rupert Reyes (B.F.A. 1976) as "The King" - The Frog Prince (Jarrott Productions)
Digital - Live
Outstanding Production
Fall the House (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Written by Nicholas Kaidoo; Directed by Braxton Rae
Human Resources: The Musical (Mallory Schlossberg)
Featuring Megan Rabuse (B.A. 2016) as “Emily Silverberg” and Susannah Crowell as “Jenny, Doo-wop Friend, Ensemble,” with choreography by Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005)
A Portrait of My Mother (Jarrott Productions)
Production Assistant - Will Douglas (attended)
La Raza Cósmica (ProyectoTeatro & VORTEX Repertory Company)
With technical support/crew: Alex Cogburn (B.A. 2007), Bonnie Cullum (M.F.A. 1989) and Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012)
Outstanding Direction
Braxton Rae (M.F.A. candidate) - Fall the House (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Oustanding Lead Performer
Megan Rabuse (B.A. 2016) as "Emily Silverberg" - Human Resources: The Musical (Mallory Schlossberg) - WINNER
Outstanding Featured Performer
John R. Christopher as "Ghost" - Fall the House (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance) - WINNER
Susannah Crowell (B.A. 2018) as "Jenny, Doo-Wop Friend, Ensemble" - Human Resources: The Musical (Mallory Schlossberg)
Digital - Improvised
Outstanding Cast of an Improvised Production
¡Ándale, échale ganas! with coach Ben [Come on, give it a try!] (VORTEX Repertory Company & Starr Community Theatre) - WINNER
Hosted by Ben G. Bazán (B.A. 2012)
Live Theatre
Outstanding Production
Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Written by Reina Hardy (M.F.A. 2014), directed by Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) and Marcus McQuirter (Ph.D. 2012) under producing artistic director Bonnie Cullum (M.F.A. 1989). Starring Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as “Annie Jump” and Christina Blake (B.A. 2021) as “Althea" with voice-overs by Yunina Barbour Payne (current Ph.D. candidate). Stage Management by Clarissa Smith (staff) and costume design by Desireé Humphries (staff) with Amber Whatley (M.F.A. 2021) as co-assistant stage manager.
Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin and Texas Performing Arts)
Directed by Ginger Morris (B.F.A. 2000) and Michael Àvila (faculty); Movement Direction by Hunter Regian (B.A. 2017); Music direction by J. Quinton Johnson (attended), Dance Choreography co-created by Khali Sykes (current B.A. student). Co-Stage Manager Davvi Solomon (B.A. 2014) and assistant producer/intern Trinity Gordon (current UTeach Theatre student) with Rachel Ernat (current dance student) in the cast.
rain falls special on me (Ground Floor Theatre)
Written by Lane Michael Stanley (M.F.A. 2020), with intimacy direction by Andy Grapko (faculty/staff), graphic design by Shannon Grounds (B.F.A. 1995), costume design by Laura Gonzalez (B.A. 2019) and featuring Juleeane Villarreal (B.A. 2020) as “Julie.”
Outstanding Direction
Marcus McQuirter (Ph.D. 2012) and Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012) - Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Ginger Morris (B.F.A. 2000) and Michael Ávila (faculty) - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin and Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Outstanding Lead Performer
Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as "Annie Jump" - Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Outstanding Featured Performer
Christina Blake (B.A. 2021) as "Althea" - Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Composition and Other Performances
Outstanding Original Script - Feature Length
Guinevere Govea (B.A. 2021) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance) - WINNER
Jenny Krick (M.F.A. 2021) - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Lane Michael Stanley (M.F.A. 2020) - rain falls special on me (Ground Floor Theatre)
The cast - Trans Lives/Trans Voices (Ground Floor Theatre)
Featuring kt shorb (Ph.D. 2021) and siri gurudev (Ph.D. candidate)
Outstanding Original Script - Short
Eva Suter (M.F.A. 2015) - “Ariadne,” The VORTEX Odyssey: Underworld (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Outstanding Music Direction
Guinevere Govea (B.A. 2021) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
J. Quinton Johnson (attended) - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin & Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Outstanding Movement Performance
The cast - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin & Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Featuring Rachel Ernat (current dance student) and in the cast
The cast - OCD (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
The cast - Radiance (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Ensemble
Simone Alexander, Faith Anderson, Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) and Khali Sykes (current B.A. student) as "coven" - “Covenant,” Manifest Minifest 2020 (New Manifest Theatre Company)
Marissa Angel Barker, Ashley Bowen and Makaila Heath as "Chorus of Furies" - Fall the House (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Catherine Grady, Joseph Yi, Nicole Melendez and Valeria Najera Zavala as "penguins" - OCD (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Rudy Ramirez (M.A. 2012), Kaci Beeler, Roy Janik, Brandin Martin, Toby Minor and JR Zambrano as "Council of Warlocks" - Stygian Crossing: Season 2 (La Fenice) - WINNER
Outstanding Score
Guinevere Govea (B.A. 2021) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Small Cast
Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Featuring Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as “Annie Jump” and Christina Blake (B.A. 2021) as “Althea”
The Frog Prince (Jarrott Productions)
Featuring Rupert Reyes (B.F.A. 1976) as “The King” and Janelle Buchanan (B.F.A. 1974) as “Baba Yaga,”
sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Large Cast
Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin and Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Featuring Rachel Ernat (current dance student) and in the cast
Human Resources: The Musical (Mallory Schlossberg)
Featuring Megan Rabuse (B.A. 2016) as “Emily Silverberg” and Susannah Crowell (B.A. 2018) as “Jenny, Doo-wop Friend, Ensemble,”
Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Trans Lives/Trans Voices (Ground Floor Theatre)
Featuring kt shorb (Ph.D. 2021) and siri gurudev (Ph.D candidate)
Outstanding Dance Choreography
Sandie Donzica, Coco Lectric, Toni Bravo (M.A. 1987) and Kellee Fuller - The VORTEX Odyssey (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005) - Human Resources: the Musical (Mallory Schlossberg)
Matt Kennedy and Khali Sykes (current B.A. student) - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin and Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Outstanding Dramaturgy
Mallory Maybin (B.A. 2021) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Lane Michael Stanley (M.F.A. 2020) - rain falls special on me (Ground Floor Theatre)
The cast - A Tale of Two Citizens: A People’s Struggle with Housing in the Capital City (Gathering Ground Theatre & Tenants Speak Up! Theatre)
Featuring Kate Proietti (M.F.A. 2019) and Anna Joaquin (M.F.A. 2021)
Design
Outstanding Lighting Design
Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013) - The Sightless (ACC Department of Drama)
Ari Jamieson (M.F.A. candidate) - Radiance (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Emily T. Novack (M.F.A. candidate) - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Sound Design
Malyssa Quiles (B.A. 2019) - Letters from Camp Shrewd (Shrewd Productions)
Alex Titsworth (current student) and Kasey Durham (current student) - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Costume Design
Pam Fletcher Friday (B.F.A. 1979), Jessi Rose, Aaron Flynn, Coco Lectric, Connor Hopkins, Melissa Vogt, Luis Ordaz Gutiérrez and Aaron Kubacak (M.F.A. 2019) - The VORTEX Odyssey (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Outstanding Stage Management
Davvi Solomon (B.A. 2014), Hannah Frye Ginsberg, Harriet Butler, Nicole Wilkins and Mikayla Stasny - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin & Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Clarissa Smith (staff) - Annie Jump and the Library of Heaven (VORTEX Repertory Company)
Outstanding Media Design
Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013) - The Sightless (ACC Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Properties Design
Shannon Grounds (B.F.A. 1995) - Letters From Camp Shrewd (Shrewd Productions)
Outstanding Hair and Makeup Design
The cast - The VORTEX Odyssey (VORTEX Repertory Company) - WINNER
Featuring Alex Cogburn (B.A. 2007), Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017), Marliza Mendez (B.F.A. 2018)
Zsofia Otvos, OCD, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Outstanding Movement Design
Giana Blazquez Bultman (M.F.A. candidate) - Radiance (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Hunter Regian (B.A. 2017) - Bring It On: The Musical (Summer Stock Austin & Texas Performing Arts) - WINNER
Mike Steele (M.F.A. candidate) - OCD (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Outstanding Editing
Conner Darnell - Spells of the Sea (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance) - WINNER
Paul William Kruse (M.F.A. 2020) and Davy Sumner - sad women being sad (UTNT (UT New Theatre), UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Nick Saldivar (B.A. 2021) - Talk of Graves (The Cohen New Works Festival, UT Department of Theatre and Dance)
Special Citation for Community Engagement - A Tale of Two Citizens: A People’s Struggle with Housing in the Capital City (Gathering Ground Theatre & Tenants Speak Up! Theatre), featuring Kate Proietti (M.F.A. 2019) and Anna Joaquin (M.F.A. 2021)
Special Citation for Uplifting of Trans Voices - Trans Lives/Trans Voices (Ground Floor Theatre), featuring kt shorb (Ph.D. 2021) and siri gurudev (Ph.D. candidate)