Shakespeare and Rep's 'Follies' win big at St. Louis Theater Circle Awards

Tales based on the Bard and a Stephen Sondheim musical about the glory days of show business were the top winners at the 2017 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards.

The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis took home nine awards for work associated with the company, seven of them for the musical “Follies," including outstanding production of a musical and outstanding director. The wins topped off a year of celebrating the company's 50th season.

Artistic director Steve Woolf said The Rep's production of "Follies" was more than two years in the making.

"I think the work of the entire creative team and the cast made it unique. It was all connected; it wasn't just a bunch of dramatic scenes and then some numbers," Woolf said. "It was simply magical."

Productions of Shakespeare plays and unique takes on the iconic playwright earned nine awards Monday. They include Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis’ “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Slightly Askew Theatre Ensembles’ “As You Like It” and Equally Represented Arts’ “Trash Macbeth.”

Woolf said that collection illustrates the brilliance of Shakespeare — and local theater professionals.

"That speaks to a specific kind of creativity in the St. Louis theater community," he said.

A highlight of the event, held at the Skip Viragh Center at Chaminade College Preparatory, was a standing ovation for the late B. (Barry) Weller, who died this past May. Weller won the award for outstanding supporting actor in a drama for "Ivanov" at St. Louis Actors' Studio.

Here’s a complete list of the winners and nominees. Winners' names are bolded, and marked with an asterisk, with two names indicating a tie.

Katie Donnelly, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

*Rachel Hanks, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Shannon Nara, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Stray Dog Theatre

Nancy Nigh, boom, R-S Theatrics

Margeau Steinau, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

Will Bonfiglio, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Isaiah DiLorenzo, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

Evan Fornachon, Brighton Beach Memoirs, ACT INC.

*Stephen Pilkington, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Shane Signorino, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

Nancy Anderson, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Cara Barresi, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Lindsay Gingrich, Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, Stray Dog Theatre

Elizabeth Van Pelt, boom, R-S Theatrics

*Maggie Wininger, Educating Rita, West End Players Guild

*Will Bonfiglio, Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre

Joe Hanrahan, Thom Pain (based on nothing), Midnight Company

Tom Kopp, Educating Rita, West End Players Guild

Andrew Kuhlman, boom, R-S Theatrics

Zac O’Keefe, Brighton Beach Memoirs, ACT INC.

Rob Denton, A Christmas Carol, The Rep

*Patrick Huber, Ivanov, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Kathy Perkins, Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep

Nathan Schroeder, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare

John Wylie, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Ted Drury, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare

Tom Mardikes, Satchel Paige and the Kansas City Swing, The Rep

*Rick Sims, Twisted Melodies, The Black Rep

Rusty Wandall, A Christmas Carol, The Rep

Rusty Wandall, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Dorothy Marshall Englis, A Christmas Carol, The Rep

Dorothy Marshall Englis, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare

*Meredith LaBounty, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts

Michele Friedman Siler, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

*Kristin Cassidy, Burrow, Young Liars

Kristin Cassidy, Wilson Webel, and Lucy Cashion, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts

Christie Johnston, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Robert Mark Morgan, A Christmas Carol, The Rep

Peter and Margery Spack, Golda’s Balcony, New Jewish Theatre

Kirsten De Broux, Kindertransport, Mustard Seed Theatre

Sydney Frasure, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater

Anita Jackson, The St. Louis Rooming House Plays, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

*Alicia Revé Like, Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep

Kristin Rion, Arcadia, West End Players Guild

Will Bonfiglio, Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre

Jason Contini, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater

Leo Ramsey, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

*B. Weller, Ivanov, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Eric Dean White, Driving Miss Daisy, New Jewish Theatre

*Lavonne Byers, Golda’s Balcony, New Jewish Theatre

Michelle Hand, Macbeth, St. Louis Shakespeare

Linda Kennedy, The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater

Dael Orlandersmith, Until the Flood, The Rep

Rachel Tibbetts, Cuddles, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

*Charlie Barron, Richard III, St. Louis Shakespeare

J. Samuel Davis, Driving Miss Daisy, New Jewish Theatre

John Pasha, Disgraced, The Rep

Michael James Reed, I’m Gonna Pray for You So Hard, Blue Rose Stage Collective

Kelvin Roston, Jr., Twisted Melodies, The Black Rep

Nancy Bell, Remember Me, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

West Hyler, Matt Schatz, and Jack Herrick, Georama, The Rep

*Dael Orlandersmith, Until the Flood, The Rep

Tammy Ryan, Molly’s Hammer, The Rep

Maya Arad Yasur, Suspended, Upstream Theater

Christine Brewer, Doubt, Union Avenue Opera

*Andriana Chuchman, Shalimar the Clown, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Stephen Lord, Macbeth, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Neil Nelson, Tosca, Union Avenue Opera

Melody Wilson, Doubt, Union Avenue Opera

Ariadne on Naxos, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Doubt, Union Avenue Opera

*Macbeth, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

The Merry Widow, Winter Opera Saint Louis

Shalimar the Clown, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis

Sue Goldford, American Idiot, New Line Theatre

Brad Haak, Fiddler on the Roof, The Muny

*Brad Haak, Follies, The Rep

Neal Richardson, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Ben Whiteley, 42nd Street, The Muny

Stephen Bourneuf, Sister Act, Stages St. Louis

*Denis Jones, 42nd Street, The Muny

Dana Lewis, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Ralph Perkins, Follies, The Rep

Lara Teeter, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, Variety Children’s Theatre

Taylor Louderman, Aida, The Muny

*Laurie McConnell, Company, Insight Theatre Company

Corinne Melançon, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Anna Skidis Vargas, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stray Dog Theatre

Donna Weinsting, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Will Bonfiglio, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Zachary Allen Farmer, Celebration, New Line Theatre

*Edward Juvier, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Terry Meddows, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Luke Steingruby, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, Stray Dog Theatre

Rob Denton, 42nd Street, The Muny

Tyler Duenow, Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show, Stray Dog Theatre

*John Lasiter, Follies, The Rep

Sean M. Savoie, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Michael Sullivan, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

*Luke Cantarella, Follies, The Rep

Dunsi Dai, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Robert Mark Morgan, The Wizard of Oz, The Muny

*Scott C. Neale, Georama, The Rep

Peter and Margery Spack, Yentl, New Jewish Theatre

*Amy Clark, Follies, The Rep

Jennifer “JC” Krajicek, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Andrea Lauer, 42nd Street, The Muny

Brad Musgrove, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Margaret E. Weedon, Georama, The Rep

Shanara Gabrielle, Yentl, New Jewish Theatre

*Debby Lennon, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Sarah Porter, Tell Me on a Sunday, New Line Theatre

Jonalyn Saxer, 42nd Street, The Muny

Emily Skinner, Follies, The Rep

Michael Baird, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Stray Dog Theatre

Zachary Allen Farmer, Atomic, New Line Theatre

*Corey Fraine, Bat Boy: The Musical, Stray Dog Theatre

Adam Heller, Follies, The Rep

David Schmittou, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

*The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars

The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Remember Me, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

*Arcadia, West End Players Guild

Manifest|Destiny, West End Players Guild

Miss Julie, Clarissa and John, The Black Rep

The St. Louis Rooming House Plays, Tennessee Williams Festival St. Louis

Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts

42nd Street, The Muny

The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

*Follies, The Rep

Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Sister Act, Stages St. Louis

Gary F. Bell, Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre

*Rick Dildine, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

Chuck Harper, The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars

Donna Northcott, The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

*Ellie Schwetye, As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

*Lucy Cashion, Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts

John Contini, American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Joe Hanrahan, Cuddles, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Tim Ocel, Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre

Wayne Salomon, Three Tall Women, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Justin Been, Bat Boy: The Musical, Stray Dog Theatre

Michael Hamilton, The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

Denis Jones, 42nd Street, The Muny

Annamaria Pileggi, Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

*Rob Ruggiero, Follies, The Rep

*As You Like It, Slightly Askew Theatre Ensemble

Buyer & Cellar, Stray Dog Theatre

The Dispute: A Spectacle for Lovers and Fighters, Young Liars

The Heir Apparent, St. Louis Shakespeare

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis

American Buffalo, St. Louis Actors’ Studio

Disgraced, The Rep

The Glass Menagerie, Upstream Theater

*Old Wicked Songs, New Jewish Theatre

Trash Macbeth, Equally Represented Arts

42nd Street, The Muny

The Drowsy Chaperone, Stages St. Louis

*Follies, The Rep

Georama, The Rep

Grey Gardens, Max & Louie Productions

Follow Nancy on Twitter: @NancyFowlerSTL