B. Iden Payne Awards – Changes and Nominees Announced

September 30th, 2011

The B. Iden Payne Awards organizers and Austin Creative Alliance Monday evening jointly announced that—after 37 years as a special event of the Alliance—the B. Iden Payne Awards Council (BIPAC), has become a separate, sponsored nonprofit project of the Austin Creative Alliance.

The Council is comprised of a group of volunteers who remain focused on recognizing artistic excellence within the Austin theatre community, and will continue with creation and distribution of the nomination ballot for voting community members.

Marcy Hoen, Interim Executive Director of Austin Creative Alliance says, “We are so proud that this venerable Austin tradition, which has been woven into our own history as an organization, has now grown to the point where it can spin off into its own, distinct organization.” She adds, “We look forward to many years of collaboration with the Council.”

BIPAC on Monday also announced the nominees and details for the October 24th Awards ceremony, which will be held at the State Theatre. List of nominees—on which members of the newly formed BIPAC can vote—are listed in full below.

Voting members will pay a small membership fee to BIPAC.  100% of membership fees will be used to fund the annual B. Iden Payne Awards ceremony, as well as cover administrative costs associated with creation and distribution of the nomination ballot each season.

To purchase tickets click here or  call 512.474.1221

The Nominees Are:

PLAYS FOR YOUTH

Outstanding Production

Here Comes Gosling! Pollyanna Theatre Company

Just So ZACH Performing Arts School

Monsters! kidsActing

The Physicists VORTEX Summer Youth Theatre

A Year With Frog and Toad Summer Stock Austin

Outstanding Direction

Dede Clark            Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Judy Matetzschk-Campbell            Here Comes Gosling!

Michael McKelvey            A Year With Frog and Toad

Rudy Ramirez            The Physicists

Adam Roberts            Just So

Outstanding Performer

Sophia Franzella (Mouse, Young Frog, Squirrel, Stumpy Tree)            A Year With Frog and Toad

Dylan Kittleman (Maurice)            Disney’s Beauty and the Beast

Julie Linnard (Chunk, Admiral Pekin Duck)            Ducks vs. Squirrels: Battle for the Park

David Meissner (Momo, Henry, Man, Watch Seller, Jean-Paul)

The Adventures of Iris and Momo

MUSIC THEATER

Outstanding Production

Hairspray ZACH Theatre

Hillcountry Underbelly: A Pilgrimage on the Outskirts paper chairs

I Love You Because Penfold Theatre Company

I’ve Never Been So Happy Rude Mechanicals and Center Theatre Group

Urinetown: The Musical Summer Stock Austin

Outstanding Direction

Bonnie Cullum            The Elementals: AIR

Thomas Graves and Lana Lesley            I’ve Never Been So Happy

Michael McKelvey            I Love You Because

Michael McKelvey            Urinetown: The Musical

Dustin Wills            Baal

Outstanding Lead Actor

Andrew Cannata (Austin)            I Love You Because

Arthur DiBianca (Ko-Ko)            The Mikado

Zach Green (Leo Bloom)            The Producers

Tyler King (Officer Lockstock)            Urinetown: The Musical

Trevor McGinnis (Max Bialystock)            The Producers

Outstanding Lead Actress

Kylie Baker (Housewife)            di[verge]: an original play with songs

Elizabeth Newchurch (Julie Jordan)            Carousel

Brooke Shapiro (Tracy Turnblad)            Hairspray

Haley Smith (Marcy)            I Love You Because

Outstanding Featured Actor

Aaron D. Alexander (FunkBot)            Mighty Five’s Infinite Funk Odyssey

Brian Coughlin (Edna Turnblad)            Hairspray

Joey Hood (Ekart)            Baal

Tyler Mount (Roger Debris)            The Producers

Alejandro Rodriguez (Woof)            Hair

Outstanding Featured Actress

Chase Crossno (Svettka, Luise, Older Sister, Young Lady)            Baal

Amy Downing (Velma Von Tussle) [June 29-Aug. 28]            Hairspray

Amy Downing (Diana)            I Love You Because

Sophia Franzella (Little Sally)            Urinetown: The Musical

Janis Stinson (Motormouth Maybelle)            Hairspray

COMEDIES

Outstanding Production

August: Osage County ZACH Theatre

The Dudleys!: A Family Game TUTTO Theatre Company

Hunter Gatherers Capital T Theatre

An Englishwoman Abroad: Tea in Tripoli Austin Phoenix Productions & Bernadette Nason

Vigil Hyde Park Theatre

Outstanding Direction

Gary Jaffe            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Mark Pickell            Hunter Gatherers

Dave Steakley            August: Osage County

Don Toner            Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps

Estevan J. “Chuy” Zarate            Dos Pocitos

Outstanding Lead Actor

Shelby Davenport (Jack Tanner)            Man and Superman

Owen Egerton (everyone)            The Other Side of Sleep

Robert Pierson (Ibsen)            Heddatron

Charles P. Stites (Kerr)            Chesapeake

Xaq Webb (Emory)            MilkMilkLemonade

Outstanding Lead Actress

Elizabeth Bigger (Janice)            Crumble (Lay Me Down, Justin Timberlake)

Lana Dieterich (Violet Weston)            August: Osage County

Lauren Lane (Barbara Fordham)            August: Osage County

Bernadette Nason (herself)            An Englishwoman Abroad: Tea in Tripoli

Martina Ohlhauser (Victoria)            Too Many Husbands

Outstanding Featured Actor

Jon Wayne Martin (the men)            On the Verge

Rupert Reyes (Uile)            Dos Pocitos

Michael Stuart (Charlie Aiken)            August: Osage County

Jericho Thorp (Elliot)            MilkMilkLemonade

Mical Trejo (Mervyn)            A Behanding in Spokane

Outstanding Featured Actress

Jennifer Coy (Mary)            Cardigan

Jenny Gravenstein (Mac)            “The Thief of Tears”, Three Viewings

Chris Humphrey (Nanna)            MilkMilkLemonade

Breanna Stogner (women)            Down the Drain

Irene White (Ivy Weston)            August: Osage County

DRAMAS

Outstanding Production

Frankenstein: The Trouble Puppet Show Trouble Puppet Theater Company

Hedda Gabler Palindrome Theatre

A Lie of the Mind Capital T Theatre

Paradise Key a chick and a dude productions

Topdog/Underdog City Theatre Company

Outstanding Direction

Connor Hopkins            Frankenstein: The Trouble Puppet Show

Lisa Jordan            Topdog/Underdog

Melissa Livingston            Paradise Key

Christina J. Moore            Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Don Toner            The Trip to Bountiful

Outstanding Lead Actor

Collin Bjork (Equality 7-2521)            Anthem

Tom Green (Dr. Halb)            Paradise Key

Joey Hood (Jerry)            The Zoo Story

Ev Lunning, Jr. (George)            Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Justin Scalise (Hamlet)            Hamlet [Scottish Rite Theatre and Black Swan Events]

Outstanding Lead Actress

Mary Agen Cox (Carrie Watts)            The Trip to Bountiful

Dawn Erin (Ann Martin)            Defiant

Babs George (Martha)            Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Meredith McCall (Linda Waterman)            Fiction

Rebecca Robinson (Hannah Jelkes)            The Night of the Iguana

Outstanding Featured Actor

Aaron D. Alexander (Papi)            Fight

Travis Dean (Baylor)            A Lie of the Mind

Micah Goodding (Aaron McKinney, Stephen Belber)            The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later

Daniel Sawtelle (Slim)            Of Mice and Men

Jacob Trussell (DJ Snowstorm)            Flying

Outstanding Featured Actress

Shannon Grounds (Fool)            Lear

Sadé Jones (Lady in Green)

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf

Julia Lorenz-Olsen (Ophelia)            Hamlet [Scottish Rite Theatre and Black Swan Events]

Rebecca Robinson (Beth)            A Lie of the Mind

Gricelda Silva (Bushy Tail)            Flying

GENERAL CATEGORIES

Outstanding Set Design

Ia Ensterä            Here Comes Gosling!

Lisa Laratta            Baal

Lisa Laratta            Heddatron

Anne McMeeking            Fight

Michael Raiford            August: Osage County

Outstanding Lighting Design

Kathryn Eader            Eurydice

Natalie George            Baal

Stephen Pruitt            Frankenstein: The Trouble Puppet Show

Stephen Pruitt            I’ve Never Been So Happy

Steven Shirey            Flying

Steven Shirey            Uncle Vanya

Outstanding Sound Design

the company            Baal

the Gunn Brothers            Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps

Buzz Moran            Heddatron

Justin Sherburn            Flying

Leegrid Stevens            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Outstanding Costume Design

Dawn Allee, Pam Martin and Jennifer Davis

A Midsummer Night’s Dream [The Baron’s Men]

Glenda Barnes            Urinetown: The Musical

Ia Ensterä             Here Comes Gosling!

Pam Friday            MilkMilkLemonade

Susan Branch Towne            Hairspray

Outstanding Music Direction

Chris Humphrey            The Elementals: AIR

Michael McKelvey            I Love You Because

Michael McKelvey            Urinetown: The Musical

Allen Robertson            Hairspray

Michael “Thuso” Stevens            Ti-Jean and His Brothers

Outstanding Dance Choreography

Danny Herman and Rocker Verastique            Carousel

Robin Lewis            Hairspray

Ananda Mayi Moss and Sadé Jones

for colored girls who have considered suicide / when the rainbow is enuf

Melinda Rebman and Zenobia Taylor            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Adam Roberts and Jennifer Young            Just So

Outstanding Fight Choreography

Travis Dean            Hunter Gatherers

Toby Minor            Lear

Outstanding Original Script

Trey Deason            Cardigan

Raul Garza            Dos Pocitos

Kirk Lynn            I’ve Never Been So Happy

Bernadette Nason            An Englishwoman Abroad: Tea in Tripoli

Leegrid Stevens            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Outstanding Original Score

Adam Glasseye Beckley and Reverend Glasseye            Woyzeck

Rob Greenfield and Andy Tindall            Baal

Jerry Hagins, Jesse Gregg and Chris Peterson            A Lie of the Mind

Chris Humphrey            The Elementals: AIR

Peter Stopschinski            I’ve Never Been So Happy

Leegrid Stevens            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Outstanding Media Design

Owen Egerton and Les McGehee            The Other Side of Sleep

Lettuce Turnip Media and Robert Jacques            Frankenstein: The Trouble Puppet Show

Miwa Matreyek            I’ve Never Been So Happy

Dan Monceaux, Angela Hill, David Bengali, Jordan Rein, Josh Lampman,

David Mauro, Camilo Munar and Jake Witlen            The Dudleys!: A Family Game

Will Hollis Snider            di[verge]: an original play with songs

Outstanding Puppetry

Frankenstein: The Trouble Puppet Show Trouble Puppet Theater Company

Heddatron Salvage Vanguard Theater

Outstanding Cast Performance

The Dudleys!: A Family Game TUTTO Theatre Company

Hunter Gatherers Capital T Theatre

I’ve Never Been So Happy Rude Mechanicals

Morning’s at Seven Different Stages

Topdog/Underdog City Theatre Company

Outstanding Ensemble Performance

David Stahl and Michael Stuart (Clown 1 and Clown 2)            Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps

Angelica Faye Davis, Kia Dawn Fulton and Tiffany Mann (the Dynamites)            Hairspray

David Meissner and Toby Minor (Rabbit and Froggie)            Here Comes Gosling!

Alejandro McDonald-Villarreal, Aaron Niemuth, Eva McQuade, Heath Thompson,

Gene Storie and Samantha Smith (the mechanicals)

A Midsummer Night’s Dream [The Baron’s Men]

Roderick Sanford and Joshua Denning (Tom Collins and Angel Dumont Schunard)            RENT

Outstanding Young Performer

Ryan Borses (Toad)            A Year With Frog and Toad

Joshua Michael Braun (Newton)            The Physicists

Keith Gruber (Kolokolo Bird)            Just So

Ben Roberts (Bobby Lazenbee)            Monsters!

Xander Slay-Tamkin (Möbius)            The Physicists

Rudy Kloptik Award for Outstanding Work in Improvisational Theatre

Austin Secrets            The Hideout Theatre

Confidence Men            The Institution Theater

Get Up            Gnap! Theater Projects

The Megaphone Show            The New Movement Theater

Midnight Society            ColdTowne Theater

ATX List Cooperative Info Sessions on Sept. 22

September 13th, 2011

Come Learn about ATX List Cooperative: a new, Austin Creative Alliance -organized, web-based patron community database that securely puts YOU in charge of using, understanding, and – only if you choose – selectively trading aspects of your patron database.

Info Sessions will be held Thursday, September 22.

Afternoon Session – 1pm-3pm in the AT&T Room at the Long Center
Evening Session – 6pm-8pm (Location TBD)

What is ATX List Cooperative?

The ATX List Cooperative is the Austin Creative Alliance’s collaborative, web-based patron database, built and operated by TRG Arts (www.trgarts.com), which is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. While a new initiative for Austin, this is hardly the first co-op of its kind: TRG is managing and developing data communities in Denver, Philadelphia, Houston, Los Angeles, the state of New Jersey, Washington DC, and Seattle with several new programs in development.

What does ATX List Cooperative do?

Several exciting things:

  • “Blind trades” of lists for direct mail campaigns is made simple and easy. Rather than having to manually track requests, compile, and e-mail the lists, you can use the on-line functionality (TRG’s eMerge software system) to request and execute trades. And since the system is permission-based, you can suppress certain records (your donors for example) and only trade with organizations you choose when you choose to trade with them.
  • Automated updates: In order to ensure that you have the most up-to-date information for your patrons, the Community Patron Database goes through quarterly National Change of Address (NCOA) data hygiene; FOR FREE! Information on your patrons comes back to you yearly so that you can keep your in-house records just as current. (Upgrades for more frequent cleanings are available)
  • Research and analysis of the area cultural patron will help us identify trends, bust myths, and make our audience retention and development efforts more robust and effective. The Community Patron Database will teach us about our community-wide patrons – and allow each organization to learn more about the people coming through their doors.

For more information, upload the attached document:  ATX List Info Sheet

Link to RSVP for Information Sessions: http://app.fluidsurveys.com/surveys/austincreativealliance/atx-list-info-session-rsvp/

Link to Participate: http://app.fluidsurveys.com/s/ATXListCooperative/

Link to TRG Arts: trgarts.com



Crisis & Opportunity 2.1 tonight at the Dougherty!

September 13th, 2011

A free event open to all who seek to understand and strengthen their cultural endeavor.

First, we addressed critical issues at several arts institutions, then engaging with audiences
in a recession. In its third installment, ACA is having a look at the numbers. Because earlier
discussions touched on a recurring theme of understanding and strengthening organizations, we’re bringing in representatives from the Cultural Data Project operated by The Pew Charitable Trusts to help the city’s creatives make sense of their own institutional and community information. Neville Vakharia—the Director of the Cultural Data Project—and Senior Associate Flo Gardner are traveling from Philadelphia to facilitate.

What is the Cultural Data Project?

The Cultural Data Project (CDP) is a powerful online management tool designed to strengthen the arts
and cultural sector. Now operating in 11 states, the CDP is a unique system that enables arts and cultural
organizations to enter financial, programmatic and operational data into a standardized online form.

Organizations can subsequently quickly and easily generate reports to use as part of the application process for
participating funders. They can also use the CDP as a tool to track their own trends over time or to benchmark
key components of their operations against others in aggregate by discipline, budget size, geographic location
and many other criteria. This knowledge is power: organizations have leveraged increased board support or
lowered their rental costs thanks to their findings.

“As cultural organizations navigate a challenging economic climate with limited resources, the Cultural
Data Project provides the information they need to track programmatic, operational and financial trends,”
says Vakharia. “Arts and cultural organizations in Vermont will be better able to understand their financial
condition, improve management practices and plan for the future.”

More About the Cultural Data Project

With more than 11,500 arts and cultural organizations now entering data into the Cultural Data Project each
year, the CDP’s database has become an important resource for arts advocacy organizations and researchers
seeking to report on the value and needs of the cultural sector. The first resource of its kind for those involved
in arts policy, the CDP can provide standardized, high-quality, comprehensive data to help arts advocates
illustrate how many jobs are supported or how much earned income is generated by the cultural sector in a
particular city or region. As a result, when public support for the arts is on the chopping block, the CDP helps
decision makers to be informed by solid facts.

Who, What, When, Where

Who: ACA with the Pew Charitable Trusts’ Cultural Data Project

What: Crisis & Opportunity 2.0

Where: Dougherty Arts Center – 1110 Barton Springs Road, 78704

When: Tuesday, September 13 from 6:00 – 8:00 pm

Cost: FREE to all!

Web: www.austincreativealliance.org

Media: Details and interviews via david@wyattbrands.com or

512-450-4395