MTA Awards: Nominees and Winners

The 13th Annual MTA Awards October 15, 2023 Le Meridien Hotel Award recipients in boldface

Musical Category

Outstanding Musical

Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Matilda - Showtime Theatre Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical - Male

Jesse Ramirez (The Emcee) - Cabaret - Theatre Statesville Michael Fargas (Lola) - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Nick Culp (Charlie) - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Paul Reeves Leopard (Dan Goodman) - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Robert "Tatum" Terry (Lola/Simon) - Kinky Boots - Hickory Community Theatre Robert Bevilacqua (Bobby Childs) - Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre Tom Ollis (Sweeney Todd) - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor - Female

Amy McKay (Diana Goodman) - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Cornelia Barnwell (Mary Poppins) - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players K. Alana Jones (herself) - An Evening of Jacques Brel Songs, inspired by Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Leslie Roberts (Rose Alvarez) - Bye Bye Birdie - Piedmont Players Theatre Lisa Bradley (Dolly Gallagher Levi) - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Melanie Dennis (Dolly Levi) - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Sophie Heffernan (Matilda) - Matilda - Showtime Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Male

Aaron Andrews (Judge Turpin) - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Mason Livers (Grandmaster Chad/Dewey/Kyle) - Legally Blonde - Lee Street Theatre Matt Howie (Dr. Maden/Dr. Fine) - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Matthew White (Herr Schultz) - Cabaret - Theatre Statesville Parker Syler (Bella Zangler) - Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre Peter Liuzzo (Gabe) - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Tyler Wills (Jack) - Into the Woods - Ansonia Theatre

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female

Allison Rhinehardt (Mrs. Banks) - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Allison Odom (Miss Honey) - Matilda - Showtime Theatre Ally Teeples (Natalie Goodman) - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Ana Carnes (Irene Malloy) - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Dior Scott (Fraulein Schneider) - Cabaret - Theatre Statesville Jessica Jax (Paulette) - Legally Blonde - Lee Street Theatre Jordan Smith (Tobias Ragg) - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Kimberly Smith (Little Red) - Into the Woods - Ansonia Theatre Taylor Kroop (Lauren) - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre

Outstanding Director

Bradley Moore - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Chris O'Neill - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Hannah Nuhfer - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Jennifer Read - Matilda - Showtime Theatre Rod Oden - Legally Blonde - Lee Street Theatre Scott Albert - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Tod Kubo - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players

Outstanding Set Design

Bradley Moore and Jennifer O'Kelly - Bye Bye Birdie - Piedmont Players Theatre Bradley Moore and Jennifer O'Kelly - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Josh Myers - The Sound of Music - Center Stage Alliance Marty Wolf - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Rachel and Matt Morris - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Rachel and Matt Morris - Once on this Island - Green Room Community Theatre River Rumsey, Emily Smith, and Jack Blankenship - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Robert Read and Jan Porter (with some pieces inspired by Rodney Savkis) - Matilda - Showtime Theatre Scott Albert, Bob Edwards, Rick Diak - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Teri Brown and Donald Perkins - Into the Woods - Ansonia Theatre

Outstanding Costuming

Chelsea Retalic - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Colleen Smiley - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Debbie Scheu and Emily McCurdy - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Jen Read, Jan Porter, and Linda Schalberg - Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre John David Brown and Andy Lominac - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Keely Simpson and Kalaylah Chisolm - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Lisa Brown - The Sound of Music - Center Stage Alliance

Outstanding Lighting Design

Alexandra Corbett - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Josh Myers - The Sound of Music - Center Stage Alliance Kelly Sandoval - Legally Blonde - Lee Street Theatre Rick Diak - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Robert Read - Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre Robert Read - Matilda - Showtime Theatre Rose Goodrich - Kinky Boots - Hickory Community Theatre Shannon O'Connor - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Bradley Moore - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Brandon Kincaid - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Evan Kinsley and Neifert Enrique - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Jeff and Coble Hartman - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre John Nipe - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Josh Myers - The Sound of Music - Center Stage Alliance Ryan Certo - Matilda - Showtime Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction/Vocal Direction

Ellen Robison - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Joey Nuhfer - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Joey Nuhfer - Kinky Boots - Hickory Community Theatre John Coffey and Marty Gregory - An Evening of Jacques Brel Songs, inspired by Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris - Charlotte's Off-Broadway John Nipe - Sweeney Todd - Rock Hill Theatre Vicki Harvell - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Vicki Harvell - Next to Normal - Fort Mill Community Playhouse

Outstanding Choreography

David T. Loudermilk - Kinky Boots - Piedmont Players Theatre Debbie Lauder - Mary Poppins - Davidson Community Players Gina Duckworth and Holley Dagenhardt - Hello, Dolly! - Green Room Community Theatre Jennifer Read - Crazy for You - Showtime Theatre Jennifer Read - Matilda - Showtime Theatre Ron Chisholm - Hello, Dolly! - Matthews Playhouse Tod Kubo - Bye Bye Birdie - Piedmont Players Theatre

Non Musical Category

Outstanding Production (3-way tie)

A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Cadillac Crew - Hickory Community Theatre Clue - Matthews Playhouse Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Proof - Old Courthouse Theatre Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway

Outstanding Lead Actor - Male

Allen Andrews (Wadsworth) - Clue - Matthews Playhouse Christian Williams (Dr. Jekyll) - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Free Reign Theatre Company Jason Loughlin (Todd Monroe) - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Jeff Powell (Charles Condomine) - Blithe Spirit - Union County Playmakers Jonavan Adams (Captain Richard Davenport) - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Mark Scarboro (Deputy Wilton Dekes) - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Michael Mallozzi (Christopher) - Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time - Union County Playmakers

Outstanding Lead Actor - Female

Anne Lambert (Sheriff Jane Morton) - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Erica Owens (Ruth Condomine) - Blithe Spirit - Union County Playmakers Ginger Heath (Virginia Butley) - Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Jennifer Adams (Jean) - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Kellee Stall (Nora Helmer) - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Sarah Ganddini (Catherine) - Proof - Old Courthouse Theatre Stephanie DiPaolo (Marla Dunhill) - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Male

Dominic Weaver (C. J. Memphis) - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Justin Peoples (Sergeant Vernon C. Waters) - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Shawn Halliday (Torvald) - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Ted Patterson (Edward Hyde) - Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - Free Reign Theatre Company Tim Bradley (Percy) - Speakeasy - BNS Productions Will Lampe (Robert) - Proof - Old Courthouse Theatre Zach Humphrey (The Signal-ManMan) - Christmas Spirits - Post Mortem Players

Outstanding Supporting Actor - Female

Gina Stewart (Anne Marie) - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Iesha Nyree (Margaret) - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre K Alana Jones (Marge) - Speakeasy - BNS Productions Katy Shepherd (Stephanie) - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Laura Scott Cary (Emmy) - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Paulie Sales (Abby) - Cadillac Crew - Hickory Community Theatre Sarah Molloy (Dusty) - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Shelby Annas (Edith) - Blithe Spirit - Union County Playmakers

Outstanding Direction

Brian Lafontaine - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Dr. Corlis Hayes - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Dr. Corlis Hayes - Cadillac Crew - Hickory Community Theatre Jill Bloede - Clue - Matthews Playhouse Matt Cosper - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Polly Adkins - Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Stephen Kaliski - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre

Outstanding Set Design

Anna Montgomerie and Brian Lafontaine - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway James Duke - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Marty Wolff - Clue - Matthews Playhouse Rick Diak and Polly Adkins - Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse Roger Watson - Proof - Old Courthouse Theatre Ryan DeBord and Kenneth Greene - Blithe Spirit - Union County Playmakers Teri Brown - The Mousetrap - Ansonia Theatre

Outstanding Costuming

Ashleigh Poteat - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Beth Bentley - Wait Until Dark - Lee Street Theatre Beth Killion - A Doll's House, Part 2 - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Beth Killion - The Explorers Club - Davidson Community Players Chip Long - The Mousetrap - Ansonia Theatre Dee Abdullah - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Emma Lee Kurts - Cadillac Crew - Hickory Community Theatre Yvette Moten - Clue - Matthews Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

Alejo Gomez - Thumbs - Charlotte's Off-Broadway Chris Stonnell - Christmas Spirits - Post Mortem Players Jeff Childs - Lost Girl - Central Piedmont Community College Jennifer O’Kelly - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Joe Blocker - The Mousetrap - Ansonia Theatre John Harris - Proof - Old Courthouse Theatre Rick Diak - Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse

Outstanding Sound Design

Carver Johns - Cadillac Crew - Hickory Community Theatre David Hensley - A Soldier's Play - Free Reign Theatre Company Joe Blocker - The Mousetrap - Ansonia Theatre Matt Sherwin - POTUS - Charlotte Conservatory Theatre Neifert Enrique - Clue - Matthews Playhouse Raquel Oden and Rod Oden - Wait Until Dark - Lee Street Theatre Rick Diak - Native Gardens - Fort Mill Community Playhouse

SPECIAL AWARDS

Emerging Artist of the Year

Aaron Andrews Ethan Fite Jennifer Grant Michael Mallozzi Nonye Obichere Ella Wood Chuck Wright

William E Rackley Award

Cooper Beck Lisa Griffin Brown John Harris Megan Hirschy Rachael and Matthew Morris Chiletta Wells Elyse Williams

Theatre Person of the Year

Iris DeWitt Vickie L. Evans Caity Gordan Bradley Moore Josh Myers John Nipe Andrea Rassler Jennifer Read

Theatre Company of the Year

Ansonia Theatre Center Stage Alliance Hickory Community Theatre Old Courthouse Theatre Piedmont Players Rock Hill Theatre Showtime Theatre Company Three Bone Theatre Theatre Statesville Union County Playmakers Lifetime Achievement Dee Abdullah Lifetime Achievement Anne and Trent Wilson