Herberger College of Fine Arts captures 27 AriZoni nominations

The Herberger College of Fine Arts netted 27 “best of” nominations for the Twelfth Annual AriZoni Awards, to be held Sept. 23 at the Herberger Theater Center in Phoenix. The honors recognize significant artistic achievement in Valley theatre production.

School of Music’s Lyric Opera Theatre nabbed 15 nominations and the Department of Theatre secured 12, while current students and alumni were also featured for their work in theatres around the Valley as well as ASU’s venues.

Theatre faculty receiving “best of” nominations include Connie Furr-Solomon for her costume designs for Childsplay’s and ASU's collaboration on Cyrano; Barbara Acker for her performance in a supporting role for ASU's Ramona; and Marc Riske and Craig Steenerson received nominations for their lighting designs for Black Woman's Blues and Ramona.

ASU productions receiving nominations include: Black Woman's Blues (original music composition, Persephone Dimson), Ramona (costume design, Gail Wolfenden-Steib), ElectroPuss (lighting design, Claude Pensis; sound design, Benjamin Monrad), and Cyrano (actor in a supporting role, Kyle Sorrell; best original script (play), Barry Kornhauser). Black Woman's Blues, Electropuss, and Ramona have also been nominated for Best Overall Production (Original Non-Contracted Play).

In Lyric Opera Theatre, included in the nominations for best overall production are Die Fledermaus, Cosi Fan Tutte and Little Shop of Horrors.
Priya Palekar was nominated for best actress in a major role for Die Fledermaus and Christopher Ayres was nominated for best actor in a major role for Little Shop of Horrors.

Jeanne Shubitz was nominated for best actress in a supporting role for Cosi Fan Tutte, while three LOT students nabbed nominations for best actor in a supporting role: Christopher Ayres (Grease), Matthew Paustian (Cosi Fan Tutte) and Larry Ray (Little Shop of Horrors).

Dale Dreyfoos was nominated for best stage director for Cosi Fan Tutte. For best musical direction, LOT’s William Reber was nominated twice (Die Fledermaus and Cosi Fan Tutte) and Elizabeth Nantais was nominated for Little Shop of Horrors.

Esther Turner’s costume design was nominated in the “best of” category, for Cosi Fan Tutte; and the hair and make-up design of Sharon Jones was nominated for Cosi Fan Tutte as well.

For more information on attending the awards, call 602-252-8497. 

Media Contact:
Megan Krause
480-965-8795
megan.krause@asu.edu