October 25, 2022
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, many of which are Theatre and Dance affiliates, were announced at the B. Iden Payne Awards Ceremony on October 24, 2022.
View the full list of nominees and winners here. Congratulations to all!
Digital Productions
Outstanding Digital Production
Pet Dick, Jarrott Productions - WINNER
Featuring Will Douglas (attended) as "Colin Westler"
Theatre for Young Audiences
Outstanding Production
Alice’s Wonderland, Summer Stock Austin
Directed and co-written by J. Quinton Johnson (attended) and featuring Khali Sykes (B.A. 2021) as associate director/choreographer, Ezra Rose (current student) as stage manager - deck, Clarissa Garcia (current student) as assistant stage manager, Rachel Ernat (current student) as “Wonderlander," David Hernandez (B.F.A. 2020) as technical director, Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013) as lighting designer, Libby Jantz (B.A. 2022) as programmer and electrician, Rachel Gomez (B.F.A. 1986) as assistant scenic designer/head props artisan, Trinity Gordon (current student) and Valeria Najera-Zavala as arts administration interns and Rylee Vines (current student) as assistant production manager.
Rap Unzel, VORTEX Repertory Company & Brown Boy Productions - WINNER
Under producing artistic director Bonnie Cullum (M.F.A. 1989), featuring costume design by Pam Fletcher Friday (B.F.A. 1979) and actor Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as "Kenzee"
Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, ZACH Theatre
Written and directed by Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992)
Outstanding Direction
J. Quinton Johnson (attended), Alice’s Wonderland, Summer Stock Austin
Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992), Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, ZACH Theatre - WINNER
Outstanding Performer
Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as "Kenzee," Rap Unzel, VORTEX Repertory Company & Brown Boy Productions
Improvisational Theatre
Outstanding Production
American Brass, Hideout Theatre
Featuring Cat Drago (attended), Jordan T. Maxwell (B.A. 2005) and Suzanne Link (B.F.A. 1996) among the cast
The Sound of Made-Up Music, Hideout Theatre
Featuring Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005) among the cast
Speak No More: Golden Age, La Fenice and Golden: Silent Improvised Stories - WINNER
Featuring Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005) among the cast
Outstanding Cast
American Brass, Hideout Theatre
Featuring Cat Drago (attended), Jordan T. Maxwell (B.A. 2005) and Suzanne Link (B.F.A. 1996)
The Sound of Made-Up Music, Hideout Theatre - WINNER
Featuring Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005)
Speak No More: Golden Age, La Fenice and Golden: Silent Improvised Stories
Featuring Kelly Hasandras (B.A. 2005)
Drama
Outstanding Production
Anna in the Tropics, Ground Floor Theatre - WINNER
Featuring Cherry Mendoza (B.A. 2014) as "Marela," Briana Garcia (B.A. 2014) as "Conchita" and Ben G. Bazán (B.A. 2012) as "Juan Julian," with intimacy direction by Andy Grapko (faculty/staff) and costume design by Desireé Humphries (staff)
Bright Mother: An Invitation to Being, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Featuring actor Allen Porterie (M.A. candidate), scenic designer Lisa Laratta (faculty) and technical director Thomas Graves (M.F.A. 2008)
Judith, Hyde Park Theatre
Written by Katie Bender (M.F.A. 2014) and directed by Madge Darlington (faculty)
A War of the Worlds, Penfold Theatre Company
Directed by Marcus McQuirter (Ph.D. 2012), featuring Yunina Barbour-Payne (Ph.D. candidate) as "Edna Thomas," Marc Pouhé (attended) as "Orson Welles" and costume design by Desireé Humphries (staff)
Outstanding Direction
Madge Darlington (faculty), Judith, Hyde Park Theatre
Sadé M. Jones, Rachel Long and the ensemble (including actor Allen Porterie (M.A. candidate)), Bright Mother: An Invitation to Being, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Marcus McQuirter (Ph.D. 2012), A War of the Worlds, Penfold Theatre Company
Outstanding Lead Performance
Mahagany Adair (B.F.A. 2022) as "Elyse," The Tasters, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Macy Butler (current student) as "Emily," Running Bear, Hyde Park Theatre
Madison Palomo (B.F.A. 2017) as "Ria," Lifted, Filigree Theatre
Marc Pouhé (attended) as "Orson Welles," A War of the Worlds, Penfold Theatre Company
Outstanding Featured Performance
Yunina Barbour-Payne (Ph.D. candidate) as "Edna Thomas," A War of the Worlds, Penfold Theatre Company
Ben G. Bazán (B.A. 2012) as "Juan Julian," Anna in the Tropics, Ground Floor Theatre - WINNER
Jeremy Canales (current student) as "Fidel," Dot, Ground Floor Theatre
Oktavea LaToi (B.A. 2017) as "Averie," Dot, Ground Floor Theatre
Musical Theatre
Outstanding Production
In the Heights, Summer Stock Austin - WINNER
Co-directed by Michael Ávila (faculty) and Ginger Morris (B.F.A. 2000), featuring music director J. Quinton Johnson (attended), ensemble members Jayla Ball (B.A. 2021) and Sydnie Brown (current student), David Hernandez (B.F.A. 2020) as technical director, Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013) as lighting designer, Libby Jantz (B.A. 2022) as programmer and electrician, Rachel Gomez (B.F.A. 1986) as assistant scenic designer/head props artisan, Trinity Gordon (current student) and Valeria Najera-Zavala as arts administration interns and Rylee Vines (current student) as assistant production manager.
Into the Woods, ZACH Theatre
Featuring music director Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992), video designer Stephanie Busing (M.F.A. 2014) and Nicolas Garza (B.F.A. 2018) as “Rapunzel’s Prince/Florinda”
Lardo Weeping, Local Opera Local Artists
Featuring lighting designer Kendra Wiley (M.F.A. 2020) and Alexa Capareda (B.A. in English (2015) with a minor in Theatre and Dance) as choreographer and "Dodo Bird"
Mack & Mabel, Alchemy Theatre
Featuring Eli Mendenhall (current student) in the cast
Newsies: The Musical, Zilker Theatre Productions
Featuring lighting designer Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013), production stage manager Aly Redland (B.A. 2020), Jackson Froelich (current student) as “Mush” and Evan Carlson (current student) as “Albert”
Outstanding Direction
Michael Ávila (faculty) and Ginger Morris (B.F.A. 2000), In the Heights, Summer Stock Austin - WINNER
Outstanding Featured Performer
Susannah Crowell (B.A. 2018) as Yitzhak, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stage Austin - WINNER
Comedy
Outstanding Production
Heartbreak House, Different Stages
Directed by Will Douglas (attended) and featuring actors Norman Blumensaadt (M.F.A. 1979) and Michael Lucas (B.F.A. 1985) in the cast
The Lifespan of a Fact, Jarrott Productions
Featuring Janelle Buchanan (B.F.A. 1974) as "Emily Penrose" and Will Gibson Douglas (attended) as "Jim Fingal"
Strange, But Perfect, Street Corner Arts
Featuring stage manager Ashton Bennett Murphy (faculty/staff; B.A. 2018)
Outstanding Direction
Will Douglas (attended), Heartbreak House, Different Stages
Outstanding Lead Performer
Will Gibson Douglas (attended) as "Jim Fingal," The Lifespan of a Fact, Jarrott Productions
Performances and Composition
Original Script
Katie Bender (M.F.A. 2014), Judith, Hyde Park Theatre - WINNER
Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992), Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, ZACH Theatre
Dramaturgy
R.J. Munguia (current student), The Tasters, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Music Direction
J. Quinton Johnson (attended), In the Heights, Summer Stock Austin - WINNER
Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992), Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, ZACH Theatre
Original Score
Allen Robertson (M.F.A. 1992), Somebody Loves You, Mr. Hatch, ZACH Theatre - WINNER
Movement Performance
Cast, Bright Mother: An Invitation to Being, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Featuring Allen Porterie (M.A. candidate)
Dance Ensemble, In the Heights, Summer Stock Austin
Featuring Jayla Ball (B.A. 2021) and Sydnie Brown (current student) in the ensemble
Newsies, Newsies: The Musical, Zilker Theatre Productions - WINNER
Featuring Jackson Froelich (current student) as “Mush” and Evan Carlson (current student) as “Albert.”
Wonderlanders, Alice’s Wonderland, Summer Stock Austin
Featuring Rachel Ernat (current student) as "Wonderlander," with associate director/choreographer Khali Sykes (B.A. 2021)
Ensemble
Ali Meier, Stephanie Slayton, Eli Mendenhall (current student) and Lucia McMahon as "Bathing Beauties," Mack & Mabel, Alchemy Theatre
Small Cast
Running Bear, Hyde Park Theatre
Featuring Macy Butler (current student) as “Emily”
The Tasters, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Featuring Vivian Gonzalez (B.A. 2021) as "Bianca," Avery Brooks (current student) as "Lt. Sawyer," Chloe Whitehead (current student) as "Corrine," Mahagany Adair (B.F.A. 2022) as "Elyse" and Dominic Gross (current student) as "The General"
Large Cast
Bright Mother: An Invitation to Being, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Featuring Allen Porterie (M.A. candidate)
In the Heights, Summer Stock Austin
Featuring Jayla Ball (B.A. 2021) and Sydnie Brown (current student) in the ensemble
Into the Woods, ZACH Theatre
Featuring Nicolas Garza (B.F.A. 2018) as “Rapunzel’s Prince/Florinda”
Mack & Mabel, Alchemy Theatre
Featuring Eli Mendenhall (current student)
A War of the Worlds, Penfold Theatre Company - WINNER
Featuring Yunina Barbour-Payne (Ph.D. candidate) as "Edna Thomas" and Marc Pouhé (attended) as "Orson Welles"
Puppetry
kin • song: ode to disability ancestors, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
With shadow puppet designer Cay Schaefer (current student) and shadow puppet technicians Robert Dobbs (Studio Art student) and Rolandus Sentosa
Fight Choreography
Tobie Minor, The Tasters, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Movement Design
Corey Allen (faculty), Sonnets for an Old Century, UT Department of Theatre and Dance - WINNER
Molly Roy (Ph.D. candidate), Love and Information, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Dance Choreography
Matt Kennedy and Khali Sykes (B.A. 2021), Alice’s Wonderland, Summer Stock Austin
Editing
Alexis Riley (Ph.D. 2022) and Ali Pappa (music student), kin • song: ode to disability ancestors, UT Department of Theatre and Dance - WINNER
Design
Set Design
Katie Hamilton, Dow Zabolio, Frederick Demps, Caren Sausmikat and Alex Cogburn (B.A. 2007), Peckin the Crown, Bottle Alley Theatre Company & VORTEX Repertory Company
Lisa Laratta (faculty, M.F.A. 2008), Bright Mother: An Invitation to Being, Salvage Vanguard Theater
Lighting Design
Rachel Atkinson (M.F.A. 2013), Alice’s Wonderland, Summer Stock Austin
Kendra Wiley (M.F.A. 2020), Lardo Weeping, Local Opera Local Artists
Costume Design
Desireé Humphries (staff), Anna in the Tropics, Ground Floor Theatre - WINNER
Media Design
Jackson Cobb (M.F.A. candidate), Sonnets for an Old Century, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
John Erickson (M.F.A. candidate), Love and Information, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Stage Management
Lauren Mural (current student), Love and Information, UT Department of Theatre and Dance
Aly Redland (B.A. 2020), Newsies: The Musical, Zilker Theatre Productions - WINNER