Theatre Philadelphia is excited to announce the 2025/26 season's Barrymore Award nominees! The Barrymore Awards recognize professional theatre in the Greater Philadelphia region, honoring local artists and theatre companies while increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of our city's thriving theatre community.
The 2026 Barrymore Awards Ceremony will take place on Monday, November 16th at the Suzanne Roberts Theatre, 480 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146. The ceremony will begin at 7pm. Ticket sales will be available to the public beginning Wednesday, September 16th.
For the categories of Outstanding Overall Production of a Play and Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical, Theatre Philadelphia has included the names of the phenomenal stage managers of these productions. As the shepherds of these creative teams, the stage managers facilitate and encourage the smooth cohesion of all the incredible artists, technicians and administrators from all corners of the theater that make these Overall Productions so outstanding.
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play
The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington - The Wilma Theater, stage managed by Patreshettarlini Adams
Same Team - Inis Nua Theatre Company, staged managed by Celia HuttonJohns
La Otra - 1812 Productions, stage managed by Alexis Wells
Walden - InterAct Theatre Company, stage managed by Abby Sturgis
The Garbologists - Montgomery Theatre, stage managed by Brian Goldblatt
Primary Trust - Philadelphia Theatre Company, stage managed by Jamel Baker
The Mountaintop - Arden Theatre Company, stage managed by Matthew Ryan Melchior
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical
Little Shop of Horrors - People’s Light, stage managed by Jess McPhillips
GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical - Bearded Ladies Cabaret, stage managed by CD Kincade
Wishing To Grow Up Brightly - Theatre Horizon, stage managed by Alec E Ferrell
Spring Awakening - Relic Theatre Company, stage managed by Asher Vaglica
Falsettos - Arden Theatre Company, stage managed by Tom Shotkin
Outstanding Direction of a Play
Kittson O'Neill - Same Team, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Kimille Howard - Plantation Black, InterAct Theatre Company
Brett Ashley Robinson - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Tanaquil Márquez - La Otra, 1812 Productions
Amina Robinson - Primary Trust - Philadelphia Theatre Company
Rebecca Wright - Class C, Azuka Theatre and Simpatico Theatre
Kathryn MacMillan - Can't Forget About You, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
FIRE!!, Quintessence Theatre
Plantation Black, InterAct Theatre Company
Little Women, Hedgerow Theatre Company
Same Team, Inis Nua Theatre Company
La Otra, 1812 Productions
The Woman Question, People's Light
Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play
Ebony Pullum - Blues For an Alabama Sky, Lantern Theater Company
Adam Howard - Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Arse For England, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Noelle Diane Johnson - The Garbologists, Montgomery Theater
David Pica - Class C, Azuka Theatre and Simpatico Theatre
Leo Mock - Little Women, Hedgerow Theatre Company
Travoye Joyner - Romeo and Juliet, Arden Theatre Company
Kishia Nixon -The Mountaintop, Arden Theatre Company
Newton Buchanan - Primary Trust, Philadelphia Theatre Company
V. Sterling - Same Team, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Phillip Brown - Dutchman and The Slave, Passage Theatre Company
Page Whitman - Same Team, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Brett Ashley Robinson - The Greatest Play in the History of the World, Inis Nua Theatre Company & Tiny Dynamite
Matthew Pfeiffer - The Garbologists, Montgomery Theater
Olive Gallagher - Little Women, Hedgerow Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play
Megan Bellwoar - Can't Forget About You, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Jared Delaney - Romeo and Juliet, Arden Theatre Company
Minou Pourshariati - Little Women, Hedgerow Theatre Company
David Ingram - Primary Trust, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Taylor J. Mitchell - Blues For an Alabama Sky, Lantern Theater Company
Jered McLenigan - The Hypochondriac, Quintessence Theatre
Unissa Cruise - Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston Write a Play, Passage Theatre Company
Frank Jimenez - Romeo and Juliet, Arden Theatre Company
David M. Raine - La Otra, 1812 Productions
Daniel Burgess - A Wrinkle in Time, Arden Theatre Company
Walter DeShields – Good Bones, Arden Theatre Company
Dave Johnson - Spinner, Delaware Theatre Company
Brandon J. Pierce - The America Play, The Wilma Theater
Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Play
Kittson O'Neill & Lane LaVonne - Same Team, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Polanco Jones Jr., Quinton J. Alexander, and Bess Rowan - FIRE!!, Quintessence Theatre
K. O'Rourke - Can't Forget About You, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Dominic Moore-Dunson - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Fatima Sowe - The Woman Question, People's Light
MK Tuomanen - The Presented, Chris Davis
Ryk Lewis - Coloring Book, Fusion Performing Arts Center
Outstanding Lighting Design
Shannon Zura - The Greatest Play in the History of the World, Inis Nua Theatre Company & Tiny Dynamite
Lindsay Stevens - Walden, InterAct Theatre Company
Shannon Zura - Good Bones, Arden Theatre Company
Maria Shaplin - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Christopher Ash - Caesar, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Lily Fossner - The Garbologists, Montgomery Theater
Cat Tate Starmer - The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, People’s Light
Outstanding Scenic Design
Chris Haig - Walden, InterAct Theatre Company
Colin McIlvane - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Meghan Jones - The Garbologists, Montgomery Theater
Reiko Huffman -The Mountaintop, Arden Theatre Company
Nick Embree - Can't Forget About You, Inis Nua Theatre Company
Nina Ball - The Unexpected 3rd: A Radical, Rollicking Rumination on the Optimism of Staying Alive, People’s Light
Andrew Robinson - Gemini, EgoPo Classic Theater
Outstanding Costume Design
Nikki Delhomme - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Rebecca Kanach - Twelfth Night, People’s Light
Tiffany Bacon - Muleheaded, or Zora and Langston Write a Play, Passage Theatre Company
Ivania Stack & Bailey Hammett-Colwell - The Snow Queen, The Wilma Theater
Camilla Dely - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Nikki Delhomme - A Wrinkle in Time, Arden Theatre Company
Tracy Christensen - Steel Magnolias, People’s Light
Outstanding Sound Design
Larry Fowler - The America Play, The Wilma Theater
Jordan McCree - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Natali Merrill - Walden, InterAct Theatre Company
Carsen Joenk - Steel Magnolias, People’s Light
Andrew Nelson - JOB, Theatre Exile
Jordan McCree - Caesar, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Mel Hsu - A Wrinkle in Time, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Media Design
Jorge Cousineau -The Mountaintop, Arden Theatre Company
Taj Rauch - Wilderness Generation, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Taj Rauch and Nia Benjamin - GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, Bearded Ladies Cabaret
Michael Long - La Otra, 1812 Productions
Christopher Ash - Caesar, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Outstanding Original Music
Pax Ressler and Jackie Soro - GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, Bearded Ladies Cabaret
Amanda Morton and Josh Totora - Wishing to Grow Up Brightly, Theatre Horizon
Jordan McCree - The Most Spectacularly Lamentable Trial of Miz Martha Washington, The Wilma Theater
Liz Filios - Twelfth Night, People’s Light
Selena Seballo and Jack Denman - The Chequerboard Watch: A New Musical, Delaware Theatre Company
Adam Faulk - FIRE!!, Quintessence Theatre
Outstanding Props or Puppetry Design
Anton Volovsek and Camilla Dely - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Paul Kuhn and Ren Bailey - Sacco & Vanzetti: A Tragedia Dell' Arte, Curio Theatre Company
Clare Wislar - Marsha Blovotnick and the Marvelous Magical Chicken Soup, Theatre Ariel
Kelly McLaughlan - The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, Arden Theatre Company
Jen Burkhart - Wishing to Grow Up Brightly, Theatre Horizon
Ryan Canney - The Garbologists, Montgomery Theatre
Colleen Murray - Lions, Lightning Rod Special
Outstanding Direction of a Musical
Robi Hager - Spring Awakening, Relic Theatre Company
MK Tuomanen - GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, Bearded Ladies Cabaret
Amina Robinson - Ain’t Misbehavin’, Theatre Horizon
Molly Rosa Hulahan - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Falsettos - Arden Theatre Company
Little Shop of Horrors - People’s Light
Spring Awakening - Relic Theatre Company
Jelly’s Last Jam - Bristol Riverside Theatre
Ain’t Misbehavin’ - Theatre Horizon
Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical
Anna Faye Lieberman - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Jessica Money - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Felicity Mundy - Spring Awakening, Relic Theatre Company
Evan Kaushesh - Dear Evan Hansen, Arden Theatre Company
Steve Pacek - Falsettos, Arden Theatre Company
Stanley Martin - Jelly’s Last Jam, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Francesca Marchese - Fun Home, Media Theatre
Sami Ma - Wishing to Grow Up Brightly, Theatre Horizon
Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical
Allison Ansorg - Fun Home, Media Theatre
Katie Boren - Wishing to Grow Up Brightly, Theatre Horizon
Katherine Fried - Falsettos, Arden Theatre Company
Will Stephan Connell - Falsettos, Arden Theatre Company
Mary Elizabeth Scallen - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Andrew Kane - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Dana Orange - Jelly’s Last Jam, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Charlie Barney - Annie, Media Theatre
Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Musical
Julianna Babb, Noelle Diane Johnson, & J. Oliver Donahue - Spring Awakening, Relic Theatre Company
Melanie Cotton & Eli Lynn - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
yaTande Whitney V. Hunter & DeWitt Fleming Jr. - Jelly's Last Jam, Bristol Riverside Theatre
Eliana Pinckney - Ain’t Misbehavin’, Theatre Horizon
Outstanding Music Direction of a Musical
Pax Ressler - GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, Bearded Ladies Cabaret
Brigitte Rottman - Little Shop of Horrors, People’s Light
Brigitte Rottman - Wishing to Grow Up Brightly, Theatre Horizon
Gina Giachero - Falsettos, Arden Theatre Company
Outstanding Outdoor Production
A Bottom’s Dream - Shakespeare in Clark Park
Twelfth Night, O Lo Que Quieras - Delaware Shakespeare
Fraternity - Theatre in the X
Outstanding Original Production
Jackie Soro & Pax Ressler - GIRL DOLLS: The American Musical, Bearded Ladies
Chaz T. Martin - Class C, Azuka Theatre and Simpatico Theatre
Alice Yorke & Scott R. Sheppard - Lions, Lightning Rod Special
John Bellomo - Sacco & Vanzetti: A Tragedia Dell' Arte, Curio Theatre Company
Chris Davis - The Presented, Chris Davis
Dan Kitrosser - Marsha Blovotnik and the Marvelous Magical Chicken Soup, Theatre Ariel
Saymoukda Duangphouxay Vongsay - Seng's Hair Salon, InterAct Theatre Company
The Philadelphia Award for Social Insight
The Philadelphia Award for Social Insight seeks to honor the spirit of Philadelphia by acknowledging a production from any period or genre that demonstrates the ability of theatre to illuminate the way we live and interact with others as we seek to build community. The award recognizes a production that leaves its audience with a deeper appreciation of the people we interact with, and a more focused understanding of the conditions and complexities of our social world. The goal is to celebrate productions that shed light on customs, cultures, histories, and traditions that are too frequently overlooked.
Generously funded by the Virginia Brown Martin Fund of the Philadelphia Foundation, this special Barrymore Award includes a $25,000 cash prize for one recipient and, on occasion, $2,500 for any finalist(s) the committee selects.
NOMINEES:
Inheritors - Philadelphia Artists' Collective
Draw the Circle - Hedgerow Theatre Company
Good Bones - Arden Theatre Company
The White Chip - New Light Theatre
Sacco & Vanzetti: A Tragedia dell'Arte - Curio Theatre Company
Ain't Misbehavin' - Theatre Horizon
The Woman Question - People's Light
The America Play - Wilma Theater
Franklinland - Lantern Theater Company
Same Team - Inis Nua Theatre Company
The Great Privation - Theatre Exile
1 Pound 4 Ounces - Azuka Theatre & Simpatico Theatre
