Suzi Awards honor best local theater productions | Arts & Culture

ATLANTA -- Many of metro Atlanta's most talented performers, directors and theater crew members descended on DeKalb County Monday night for the 2013 Suzi Bass Awards.

Every year, the Suzis honor the best theater productions in the area. Awards are given in two areas -- plays and musicals.

THE SUZI AWARDS | Meet this year's nominees
THE SUZI AWARDS | Who won last year?

The Aurora Theatre's staging of Les Misérables was one of this year's big winners. It took home five Suzi Awards, including Outstanding Musical Production, Outstanding Director of a Musical and Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical.

Time Stands Still, which was produced by Horizon Theatre, received the award for Outstanding Play Production. It also won Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play and Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play.

This was the first year the Suzi Awards honored a theatrical production created for children. The Aurora Theatre's Unnecessary Monsters took home the inaugural Outstanding Theatre for Youth Production prize.

Learn more about the Suzi Bass Awards at suziawards.org.

This year's winners are:

Outstanding Musical Production
Les Misérables, Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Musical
Justin Anderson, Les Misérables, Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Catherine Porter ("Diana"), Next to Normal, Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Craig Waldrip ("Molina"), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Actor's Express

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Musical (tie)
Leslie Bellair ("Éponine"), Les Misérables, Aurora Theatre
Adrienne Reynolds ("Willa"), Shakin' the Rafters, Kenny Leon's True Colors Theatre Company

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Bryant Smith ("Valentin"), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Actor's Express

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
The Ghastly Dreadfuls: The Last Ghast, Center for Puppetry Arts

Outstanding Musical Direction
Ann-Carol Pence, Les Misérables, Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Choreography
Rafael Amargo, Zorro, Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Costume Design of a Musical
Amanda McGee, Tarzan, The Legacy Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Musical
Liz Lee, The Ghastly Dreadfuls: The Last Ghast, Center for Puppetry Arts

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Musical
Phillip Male, Les Misérables, Aurora Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design of a Musical
Bobby Johnston, Hair, Serenbe Playhouse

Outstanding Play Production
Time Stands Still, Horizon Theatre

Outstanding Director of a Play
Patdro Harris, Fly, Theatrical Outfit

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Carolyn Cook ("Sarah"), Time Stands Still, Horizon Theatre

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Allen Edwards ("Andrei"), A Walk in the Woods, Serenbe Playhouse

Outstanding Featured Actress in a Play
Bernardine Mitchell ("Missionary/Tender Meeks"), every tongue confess, Horizon Theatre

Outstanding Featured Actor in a Play
J.C. Long ("Ariel"), The Tempest, The New American Shakespeare Tavern

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
Fly, Theatrical Outfit

Outstanding Costume Design of a Play (tie)
Jamie Bullins, Tales of Edgar Allan Poe, Center for Puppetry Arts
Linda Patterson, Swell Party, Georgia Ensemble Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design of a Play
Liz Lee, The Whipping Man, Alliance Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design of a Play
Isabel A. Curley-Clay and Moriah Curley-Clay, Time Stands Still, Horizon Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design of a Play
Laura Cole, The Tempest, The New American Shakespeare Tavern

Outstanding World Premiere Production
Wolves, Actor's Express

Outstanding Theatre for Youth Production
Unnecessary Monsters, Aurora Theatre