‘Cabaret,’ ‘Odd Couple’ top Playhouse awards list

Tom Titus, For the Independent

The Huntington Beach Playhouse passed out its annual “Bobbi Awards”

Sunday night, with “Cabaret” taking the lion’s share of the trophies and

the versatile Kerri Vickers capturing honors in two separate categories.

“Cabaret,” directed by Kysa Cohen, walked off with no fewer than 10

awards -- but failed to capture the big one, best show of the year. That

laurel was bestowed on the comedy “The Odd Couple” -- directed by Kysa’s

husband, Gregory Cohen. “Cabaret,” however, did win the Patrons’ Choice

award, voted on by audience members, so both Cohens took home a

“bestproduction” Bobbi.

Vickers left the ceremony with a Bobbi in each hand, winning one for

best actress in a comedy or musical for her Cherie in “Bus Stop” and

another for best choreography for her work on “Joseph and the Amazing

Technicolor Dreamcoat.” The latter show also earned a best director of a

musical award for Phyllis Gitlin.

Kurt Jarrard and Wendy Michaels were named best actor and actress,

respectively, in a musical, both for “Cabaret.” Best actor in a comedy or

drama was Bill Peters for “The Odd Couple.”

Gregory Cohen won a second Bobbi as best supporting actor in a musical

for “Cabaret,”while Adam Clark copped the same award for a comedy or

drama for his work in “The Merry Wives of Windsor.” The supporting

actress honors went to Elizabeth Bouton and Ana Maria Gedneyfor the

musical “Joseph” and Teri Ciranna for the comedy “Blithe Spirit.”

Other acting awards went to Gina Lederman for best first time

performance in “Joseph,” Valorie Curry for best juvenile performance in

“The Philadelphia Story” and Kelly Todd for best cameo in “Cabaret.”

Bill Wolfe won the best musical director Bobbi for his work on

“Cabaret,” while Heather Grindstaff earned the best lighting design award

for the same show. Lisa Heath was voted best stage manager for both

“Cabaret” and “The Odd Couple.”

The award for best properties management went to Terri Miller Schmidt

for “Bus Stop,” which she also directed. Catherine Ann Stip was named

best set decorator for “The Philadelphia Story,” while Mickey England

took the Bobbi for best set design for his work on both “The Odd Couple”

and “The Philadelphia Story.”

Sound design and special effects honors went to Ron Wyand for

“Cabaret,” a show that also won best costuming recognition for Andrew

Otero.

Other accolades handed out Sunday night included the Roberta Lehman

Encore Award for Volunteer Services to Betty Pitinger, the playhouse

president’s award to Don Stanton and Lloyd Skaggs and the award for

outstanding contributions to the playhouse, shared by Erin Mullenbergand

Thom Gilbert.

Finally, the Lavern Pilkerton scholarships to deserving young students

of theater, dance or music were presented. These went to Kyle Orosz,

Kirby Killam and Steven Chavez, all members of the Huntington Beach

Academy for the Performing Arts, and Sara Manson of Golden West College.

The Bobbi Awards are named for Bobbi Murphy, one of the co-founders of

the Huntington Beach Playhouse when it was organized back in 1963. They

are awarded to actors, directors and backstage volunteers who excelled

during the theater’s 2001 season.

* TOM TITUS reviews local theater for the Independent.