MONTI Nominees Set For 2013 Community Theater Awards Show

This story originally posted Aug. 5, 2013.

Founded by community theater veteran Carlton M. Jones, the annual MONTI Awards are given in recognition of the best of community theater efforts, with this year's eighth annual celebration scheduled to be held Aug. 23 at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon.

This year, 113 nominees have been named in 23 categories, including 10 for actors and actresses alone. Overall, the nominees represent 13 shows, with Xanadu and A Catered Affair receiving the most attention, with 20 and 18 nominees, respectively. Brighton Beach Memoirs, Jesus Christ Superstar and Godspell came in with 12, 11 and 10 nominees, respectively.

Rounding out the shows with nominees are 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage; The Odd Couple; Night at the Popera; Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class; The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood; Miracle on 34th Street; Risque: The 5th Rendezvous; and Best of Broadway.

MONTI is an acronym; it stands for: Monumental, Outstanding, Notable Talent with Integrity. As the effort now stands, it involves members of the MONTI community (and anybody can join) coming together to first nominate a slate of potential winners and then to cast ballots selecting the top choices in each of those categories. The catch is that to be a part of the nominating and voting MONTI community, a person is required to attend a certain number of shows, which in turn helps to boost attendance at all shows.

According to Jones, the award show's founder, the MONTI awards "started as an outgrowth of going to the shows and wanting to recognize outstanding acting, shows and technical talent, but also as a way to bring us all together on one night to celebrate what we do as a family of community theater interests."

The celebration this year recognizes the efforts of four community theater troupes: The Frenzie Life Theatre (now known as The Frenzie Performance Factory); MDHF Productions; Plant City Entertainment; and The Village Players.

The Eighth Annual MONTI Awards Ceremony is set to begin 7:15 p.m. Aug. 23 at the Center Place Fine Arts & Civic Association in Brandon. Center Place shares space with the Brandon Regional Library in the Sandy Rodriguez Center, at 619 Vonderburg Drive. Admission is free, and tickets can be printed at the MONTI Awards website. Attendees are asked to, "Dress up, this is an awards show!"

And the nominees are:

BEST ACTRESS — MUSICAL

• Mollie Anderson as "Aggie Hurley" | A Catered Affair
• Brycie Gauthier as "Clio/Kira" | Xanadu
• Brianna Manley as "Mary Magdalene" | Jesus Christ Superstar
• Kim Mitchell as "Sister Robert Anne" | Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class
• Jolanda Nell as herself | Night At The Popera
  
  

BEST ACTOR — MUSICAL

• Brian Beach as "Jesus" | Godspell
• Brian Beach & Oliver Sprague as "Jesus Christ" | Jesus Christ Superstar
• Randy Magruder as "Tom Hurley" | A Catered Affair
• Justin Martin as "Sonny Malone" | Xanadu
• Chris Romeo as himself | Night At The Popera
• Clint Shepherd as himself | Night At The Popera

BEST ACTRESS — PLAY

• Kim Davis as Various | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Amber McCollum as Various | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Theresa Miller as "Kate Jerome" | Brighton Beach Memoirs

BEST ACTOR — PLAY

• Derek Abbott as "Townsguy" | The Somewhat True Tale Of Robin Hood
• Pedro Amaral as Various | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Justin Batten as Various | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Vince Evangelista as "Eugene Morris Jerome" | Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Dave Friedman as "Felix Unger" | The Odd Couple
• Randy Magruder as "Oscar Madison" | The Odd Couple
• Donald Speirs as "Kris Kringle" | Miracle On 34th Street

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR - MUSICAL

• Maurice Cecchini as "Winston" | A Catered Affair
• Alex Dyles & Todd DuPriest as "Judas Iscariot" | Jesus Christ Superstar
• John Harrer as "Sam/Mr. Halloran" | A Catered Affair
• Oliver Sprague as "Ralph Halloran" | A Catered Affair
• Greg Summerall as "Danny Maguire" | Xanadu

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS - MUSICAL

• Ashley Allen as "Disciple" | Godspell
• Sharyn Beach as "Disciple" | Godspell
• Tracey Magruder as "Jane Hurley" | A Catered Affair
• Amber McCollum as "Calliope" | Xanadu
• Cindy Miller-Ray as "Melpomene" | Xanadu
• Lisa Westcott as "Disciple" | Godspell

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR — PLAY

• Tim Dionne as "Roy" | The Odd Couple
• Hal Granholm as "Jack Jerome" | Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Tom Guerre as "Murray" | The Odd Couple
• Jonathan Hogsett as "Stanley Jerome" | Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Ben Rawnsley as "Prince John" | The Somewhat True Tale Of Robin Hood
• Buzz Van Dyke as "Speed" | The Odd Couple

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS — PLAY

• Mollie Anderson as "Cicely Pigeon" | The Odd Couple
• Isabella Fraraccio as "Laurie Morton" | Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Sara Horrocks as "Nora Morton" | Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Tracey Magruder as "Gwendolyn Pigeon" | The Odd Couple
• Denise Mesina as "Blanche Morton" | Brighton Beach Memoirs

BEST FEATURED/ENSEMBLE ACTOR — PLAY OR MUSICAL

• Kevin Barta as Himself | Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class
• Justin Batten as "Terpsicore/Hermes" | Xanadu
• Hal Granholm as "Zeus" | Xanadu
• Mikey Reichert as "Thalia/Young Danny" | Xanadu
• Larry Sprinkle as "Mr. Gimble/Finley" | Miracle On 34th Street

BEST FEATURED/ENSEMBLE ACTRESS — PLAY OR MUSICAL

• Alysia Cruz as "Myra/Mrs. Halloran" | A Catered Affair
• Kim Davis as "Euterpe" | Xanadu
• Jennifer Jackson as "Delores/Caterer" | A Catered Affair
• Kris Sethi as "Thetis" | Xanadu
• Holly Turcich as "Alice/Army Sergeant" | A Catered Affair

BEST STAGE MANAGEMENT

• Derek Abbott | The Somewhat True Tale Of Robin Hood
• Kristen Holloway | Jesus Christ Superstar
• Keith Holmes | A Catered Affair
• Ty Humphrey | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Erin Odziemski & Corey Wade | Xanadu

BEST DIRECTOR — PLAY

• Angela Hollis & Tyler Hollis | The Somewhat True Tale Of Robin Hood
• Michael M. Mercer | 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Gail Pierce | Miracle On 34th Street
• G. Todd Siverling | The Odd Couple
• Oliver Sprague | Brighton Beach Memoirs

BEST DIRECTOR — MUSICAL

• Pedro Amaral | Xanadu
• Lois Green & Gail Pierce | Godspell
• Tom Mitchell | Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class
• Domin Pazo | Jesus Christ Superstar
• Greg Summerall | A Catered Affair
  

BEST VOCAL DIRECTOR

• Tracey Magruder | A Catered Affair
• Michael M. Mercer | Xanadu
• Gary Ward | Jesus Christ Superstar

BEST CHOREOGRAPHY

• Pedro Amaral & Clara Amaral | Xanadu
• Heather Cazzola | Jesus Christ Superstar
• Lois Green | Godspell
• Teala Longoria & Amanda Holland | Risque: The 5th Rendezvous

BEST SET DESIGN

• Brighton Beach Memoirs (Oliver Sprague, Allen Richardson)
• A Catered Affair (Corey Wade)
• Godspell (Lois Green)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (Tom Mitchell)
• A Night At The Popera (Clint Shepherd, Corey Wade, Jolanda Nel)
• Xanadu (Katrina Ross, Michael M. Mercer, Pedro Amaral, Corey Wade)

BEST SOUND DESIGN

• 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage (Jody Roberts)
• A Catered Affair (Jeff Moranville)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (Dylan Billmaier)
• A Night At The Popera (Erik Hann)
• Xanadu (John Ray)

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN

• Brighton Beach Memoirs (Mark Alba, Katie Miller & Oliver Sprague)
• A Catered Affair (Jeff Moranville)
• Godspell (Oliver Sprague)
• A Night At The Popera (Jeff Moranville & Corey Wade)
• Xanadu (Chris Benoit)

BEST COSTUME DESIGN

• 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage (Beverly Mercer)
• Brighton Beach Memoirs (Carlton Jones & Paula Spangler Klein)
• A Catered Affair (Betty Roney)
• Jesus Christ Superstar (Christine Barton & Paula Spangler Klein)
• Xanadu (Jennifer Poppenhagen, Beverly Mercer & Carlton Jones)
  

BEST MUSICAL ACCOMPANIMENT

• A Catered Affair (Shanna Holland, Conductor)
• Godspell (Miguel Oquendo, Conductor)
• Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class (Kevin Barta, Conductor)
• Xanadu (Clara Amaral, Conductor)

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR — PLAY

• 2 Guys, 2 Girls, 1 Stage
• Brighton Beach Memoirs
• Miracle On 34th Street
• The Odd Couple
• The Somewhat True Tale Of Robin Hood

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR — MUSICAL

• A Catered Affair
• Godspell
• Jesus Christ Superstar
• Xanadu

PRODUCTION OF THE YEAR — VARIETY/REVUE/SPECIAL EVENT

• Best Of Broadway
• A Night At The Popera
• Risque: The 5th Rendezvous
• Sister Robert Anne's Cabaret Class

• MONTI Nominees Set For Community Theater Awards Show In August  (2012 coverage)
  

• And The MONTI Goes To These Community Theater Troupes, Thespians (2012 coverage)