{"id":348117,"date":"2023-12-21T10:07:15","date_gmt":"2023-12-21T15:07:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/?p=348117"},"modified":"2023-12-21T10:07:15","modified_gmt":"2023-12-21T15:07:15","slug":"dcta-2023-staff-favorites-outstanding-creative-components-professional","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dctheaterarts.org\/2023\/12\/21\/dcta-2023-staff-favorites-outstanding-creative-components-professional\/","title":{"rendered":"DCTA 2023 Staff Favorites: Outstanding Creative Components (Professional)"},"content":{"rendered":"

M<\/span>uch of the work of theater designers is done before a show opens. Sets are conceived and built, costumes sewn with care. Even directors, whose vision for a production determines its look and feel, largely step aside once the curtain rises. But the work of designers, choreographers, playwrights, and directors takes a play from blank canvas to a whole new world, inducing wows and sighs when done right.<\/p>\n

Today we celebrate some of the designers, choreographers, directors, and playwrights who caught our writers\u2019 attention this year. As always, this list is subjective and there is sure to be fabulous work that didn\u2019t make our list. Share your favorites in the comments and join us in a big high five to all the artists who created art this year. You truly make our community a better place.<\/p>\n

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Designers and Directors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Includes set, sound, lighting, projection, and costume designers and choreographers and music directors)<\/em><\/p>\n

Agreste (Drylands)<\/em> at Spooky Action Theater<\/strong>
\nColin K. Bills, lighting design
\nDanilo Gambini, direction
\nDanielle Preston, costume design
\nGiorgos Tsappas, scenic design
\nAria Velz, sound design<\/p>\n

Angel Number Nine<\/em> at Rorschach Theatre<\/strong>
\nNadir Bey, set design
\nKylos Brannon, video design
\nAshlynne Ludwig, costume design
\nMarianne Meadows, lighting design
\nIan Vespermann, sound design<\/p>\n

Angels in America<\/em> at Arena Stage<\/strong>
\nMaruti Evans, set design
\nJ\u00e1nos Sz\u00e1sz, direction<\/p>\n

Arms and the Man<\/em> at Washington Stage Guild
\n<\/em><\/strong>Cheryl Yancey, costume design<\/p>\n

As You Like It<\/em> at Shakespeare Theatre Company<\/strong>
\nCarmen Alatorre, costume design<\/p>\n

\"\"
The cast of \u2018As You Like It.\u2019 Photo by Teresa Castracane Photography..<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Ben Butler<\/em> at Washington Stage Guild\u00a0<\/strong>
\nMegan Holden, scenic design<\/p>\n

Chinese Lady <\/em><\/strong>at Everyman Theatre<\/strong>
\nEmma Deane, lighting design
\nMeghan Raham, scenic design<\/p>\n

Evita<\/em> at <\/strong>Shakespeare Theatre Company (in association with the American Repertory Theater)<\/strong>
\nSammi Cannold, direction
\nBradley King, lighting design
\nEmily Maltby and Valeria Solomonoff, choreography
\nJason Sherwood, scenic design
\nAlejo Vietti, costume design<\/p>\n

Fela!<\/i>\u00a0at Olney Theatre Center (co-production with Round House Theatre)<\/strong>
\nMatt Rowe, sound design<\/p>\n

Ghost\/Writer<\/em> at Rep Stage<\/strong>
\nAndrew R. Cohen, scenic design<\/p>\n

Hubba Hubba<\/em> at Baltimore Theatre Project<\/strong>
\nAlex and Olmsted, puppets<\/p>\n

Incendiary<\/em> at Woolly Mammoth Theatre<\/strong>
\nAndrew Boyce, scenic design<\/p>\n

Ink<\/em> at Round House Theatre (co-production with Olney Theatre Center)<\/strong>
\nTony Cisek, scenic design
\nMinjoo Kim, lighting design
\nJason Loewith, direction
\nMatthew M. Nielson, sound design and composer
\nDebra Kim Sivigny, costume design
\nMike Tutaj, projections design<\/p>\n

\"\"
Chris Genebach (Ray Mills), Ryan Rilette (Frank Nicklin), Maboud Ebrahimzadeh (Brian McConnell), Cody Nickell (Larry Lamb), Michael Glenn (Bernard Shrimsley), Sophia Early (Diana), Zion Jang (Beverley Goodway), and Kate Eastwood Norris (Joyce Hopkirk) in \u2018Ink.\u2019 Photo by Margot Schulman Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fiddler on the Roof<\/em> at Olney Theatre Center <\/strong>
\nMax Doolittle, lighting design<\/p>\n

Fitting In<\/em> at Arts on the Horizon<\/strong>
\nEmily Erickson (original music composition) and navi (music production)<\/p>\n

Fun Home<\/em> at Studio Theatre<\/strong>
\nDavid Muse, direction<\/p>\n

Harvey<\/em> at Everyman Theatre<\/strong>
\nDaniel Ettinger and Emily Lotz, set design<\/p>\n

Here There Are Blueberries<\/em> at Shakespeare Theatre Company <\/strong>
\nDavid Lander and David Bengali, lighting and projection design<\/p>\n

How the Light Gets In <\/em>at 1st Stage<\/strong>
\nKathryn Kawecki, set design
\nHelen Garcia-Alton, lighting design<\/p>\n

\"\"
On the set of \u2018How the Light Gets In\u2019 (from left): Joel Ashur as Tommy Z, Tonya Beckman as Ellen, Jacob Yeh as Haruki Sakamoto, and Madeleine Regina as Kat Lane. Photo by Cameron Whitman Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

King Lear<\/em> at Shakespeare Theatre Company<\/strong>
\nSimon Godwin, direction<\/p>\n

Kinky Boots<\/em> at Olney Theatre Center <\/strong>
\nJeanne Vallee, choreography
\nMilagros Ponce de Le\u00f3n, set design<\/p>\n

Last Match<\/em> at 1st Stage<\/strong>
\nJessica Alexandra Cancino, set design<\/p>\n

Monarch<\/em> at Creative Cauldron<\/strong>
\nDaniel Primo, projection design<\/p>\n

My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion<\/em> at Woolly Mammoth Theatre<\/strong>
\nMisha Kachman, set design
\nVenus Gulbranson, lighting design
\nKelly Colburn, projection design
\nMichael Kiley, sound design<\/p>\n

\"\"
Holly Twyford as Mama and Suli Holum as Daughter in \u2018My Mama and the Full-Scale Invasion.\u2019 Photo by Misha Kachman.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Never in Our Image \u2013 ACT III \u2013 Gun Transformation Opera<\/em> presented by CulturalDC at Source Theatre<\/strong>
\nStephanie Mercedes, creation and direction<\/p>\n

Orlando<\/em> at Constellation Theatre\u00a0\u00a0<\/strong>
\nSarah Beth Hall, scenic design
\nKitt Crescenzo, costume design
\nVenus Gulbranson, lighting design<\/p>\n

Out of the Vinyard<\/em> at Joe\u2019s Movement Emporium<\/strong>
\nLuis Garcia, projection design<\/p>\n

Pacific Overtures<\/em> at Signature Theatre<\/strong>
\nEthan Heard, direction<\/p>\n

POTUS: Or, Behind Every Great Dumbass Are Seven Women Trying to Keep Him Alive<\/em><\/strong> at Arena Stage<\/strong>
\nMargot Bordelon, direction<\/p>\n

SHOUT SISTER SHOUT!<\/em> at Ford\u2019s Theatre<\/strong>
\nSheilah V. Walker, music direction<\/p>\n

Snow Maiden<\/em> at Synetic Theater<\/strong>
\nIrina Tsikurishvili, direction<\/p>\n

Sonnets for an Old Century <\/em> at Spooky Action Theater<\/strong>
\nElizabeth Dinkova, direction<\/p>\n

Strong Wind<\/em> at Scena Theatre
\n<\/strong>Roger Doyle and Andrew Bellware, music
\nAndrew Bellware, sound design<\/p>\n

Swept Away<\/em> at Arena Stage <\/strong>
\nRachel Hauck, set design
\nMichael Mayer, direction<\/p>\n

The Cake<\/em> at Prologue Theatre in association with NextStop Theatre<\/strong>
\nJason Tamborini, set design
\nAria Velz, direction<\/p>\n

\"\"
‘The Cake’ set. Design by Jason Tamborini. Photo by DJ Corey Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Honey Trap <\/em> at Solas Nua<\/strong>
\nMatt Torney, direction<\/p>\n

The Jungle at Shakespeare Theatre Company (co-production with Woolly Mammoth Theatre)<\/strong>
\nMiriam Buether, set design
\nStephen Daldry and Justin Martin, direction
\nCatherine Kodicek, costume design
\nJon Clark, lighting design
\nPaul Arditti, sound design
\nJohn Pfumojena, composer
\nTristan Shepherd and Duncan McLean, video design<\/p>\n

The Mortification of Fovea Munson<\/em> at The Kennedy Center<\/strong>
\nJustin Huertas, music and lyrics
\nSteven Tran, arrangements and orchestrations<\/p>\n

The School for Lies<\/em> at Constellation Theatre<\/strong>
\nFrank Labovitz, costume design
\nSarah Reed, scenic design
\nBrittany Shemuga, lighting design<\/p>\n

\"\"
R\u00eda Simpkins (Eliante), Dylan Arredondo (Philinte), Gwen Grastorf (Arsino\u00eb), Matthew Pauli (Dubois), Natalie Cutcher (C\u00e9lim\u00e8ne), Drew Kopas (Frank), Jamil Joseph (Clitander), Ryan Sellers (Acaste), and Jacob Yeh (Oronte) in \u2018The School for Lies.\u2019 Photo by DJ Corey Photography.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Tell-Tale Heart<\/em> at Synetic Theatre<\/strong>
\nErik Teague, costume design
\nPaata Tsikurishvili, direction<\/p>\n

The Winter\u2019s Tale<\/em> at Folger Shakespeare Theatre<\/strong>
\nTamilla Woodard, direction<\/p>\n

Playwrights
\n<\/strong><\/h2>\n

(Sorry, Shakespeare, this category is only for recently written plays and plays making their regional or national debut in the DC region)<\/em><\/p>\n