NOMINEES – ArtPortNH Best in Seacoast Theater Awards 2023

ArtPort's Awards are a Broader-Seacoast-centric theater recognition, reviewed by former Spotlight Awards jurors and consultants, along with 30-year theater reviewer veteran Jeanne' McCartin.

The six jurors' accomplishments include a mix of current and past theater board members; directors, actors, producers, theater company owners, vocal trainer; and multi award-winning performers.

Thank you to all the area theaters, those participating and abstaining, for an excellent, rich, and diverse year of art. Truly one of the best of the past three decades!

Participating professional theaters and companies are: The Players' Ring and its presenting companies, New Hampshire Theatre Project, Prescott Park Arts Festival, Carpe Diem Inc., Rochester Opera House, Hackmatack Playhouse, Threshold Stage Co., and select shows from the Firehouse Center for the Arts. All other professional, seacoast theaters opted out of the process.

(Neither listing nor photos are an indication of standing.)

Introducing the nominees for the first ArtPortNH's Best in Seacoast Theater Awards:

Best Actor in a Male Role in a Musical

Sam Bennett - Shocker, Gay Bride of Frankenstein, Players’ Ring Theatre

Michelle Faria - SpongeBob Squarepants, The SpongeBob Musical, Rochester Opera House

Kevin Mahaney - Bruce Bechdel, Fun Home, Firehouse Center for the Arts

Jacob J. Zentis - Jonathan, tick, tick… BOOM!, Hackmatack Farm & Playhouse

Sam Bennet in "Gay Bride of Frankenstein"

Best Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Musical

Chris Bradley - Ted, Disaster! & Uncle Fester in Addams Family, Rochester Opera House

Jaimie Bradley - Maury, Disaster!, Rochester Opera House

Fury - Wolfman, Gay Bride of Frankenstein, Players’ Ring Theatre & Gary/Foley, The SpongeBob Musical, Rochester Opera House

William Hartery - Mr. Krabs, The SpongeBob Musical, Rochester Opera House

William Hartery in "The SpongeBob Musical"

Best Actor in a Female Role in a Musical

Amanda Dane - Jackie, Disaster!, Rochester Opera House

Avery Fecteau - Edna, Gay Bride of Frankenstein, Players’ Ring Theatre

Fin Gagnon - Medium Alison, Fun Home, Firehouse Center for the Arts

Ari Schmidt - Alison, Fun Home, Firehouse Center for the Arts

The Cast of "Fun Home"

Best Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Musical

Katie Gall - Alice Beineke, The Addams Family, Rochester Opera House

Mary Jardine - Sister Mary Downey, Disaster!, Rochester Opera House

Linette Miles - Shirley, Disaster!, Rochester Opera House

Erica Skoglund - Grandma, The Addams Family, Rochester Opera House

The Cast of "Disaster"

Best Actor in a Male Role in a Play

Christian Arnold - Chuck, Granite State Proud, Players’ Ring Theatre

Don Goettler - Anthony Reilly, Outside Mullingar, DoGo Productions, Players’ Ring Theatre

David Kaye - Jim Blaine, Mark Twain’s Folley, Hackmatack Farm & Playhouse

Tomer Oz - Rawls, Pain[t], Players’ Ring Theatre

Tomer Oz and Christian Maurice in "Pain[t]"

Best Supporting Actor in a Male Role in a Play

Fury - C34, Ned Carson, C33 The Queer Story of Oscar Wilde’s Undoing, Players’ Ring Theatre

Griffinn Gower - Artemus, Marks Twain’s Folly, Hackmatack Farm & Playhouse

Joshua Moore - Jimmy, The Gingerbread Lady, Players’ Ring Theatre

Jim Sears - Doctor, Pain[t], Players’ Ring Theatre

Fury in "C33 The Queer Story of Oscar Wilde's Undoing"

Best Actor in a Female Role in a Play

Genevieve Aichele – Herself, Gen-erations!, New Hampshire Theatre Project

Sarah Shanahan - Director Elise Marshall, Gobsmacked!, Carpe Diem Inc.

Constance Witman - Rosemary Muldoon, Outside Mullingar & Evy Meara, The Gingerbread Lady, Players’ Ring Theatre

Heather Glenn Wixson - Nora, A Doll’s House, Part 2, Threshold Stage Company, Star Theatre

Genevieve Aichele in "Gen-erations"

Best Supporting Actor in a Female Role in a Play

Carol Davenport - Aoife Muldoon, Outside Mullingar, DoGo Productions, Players’ Ring Theatre

Taryn Herman - The Apron Lady, Granite State Proud, Players’ Ring Theatre

Ashley Risteen - Toby Landau, The Gingerbread Lady, Players’ Ring Theatre

Courtney St. Gelais - Emmy, A Doll’s House, Part 2, Threshold Stage Company, Star Theatre

Phil Adams, Don Goettler, Constance Witman, Carol Davenport, & SM Aisilyn Guivens for "Outside Mullingar"

Best Musical

Disaster! - Rochester Opera House

Fun Home - Firehouse Center for the Arts

The Addams Family - Rochester Opera House

The SpongeBob Musical - Rochester Opera House

Cast of "The Addams Family"

Best Director of a Musical

Billy Butler – The SpongeBob Musical, Rochester Opera House

Taryn Herman – Disaster!, Rochester Opera House

Maddie Roth – Fun Home. Firehouse Center for the Arts

The Cast of "The SpongeBob Musical"

Best Play

A Doll’s House, Part 2 - Threshold Stage Company, Star Theatre

Outside Mullingar -  DoGo Productions, Players’ Ring Theatre

The Gingerbread Lady - Players’ Ring Theatre

Heather Glenn Wixson in "A Doll's House, Part 2"

Best Director of a Play

Tyler Christie - Is Edward Snowden Single?, Players’ Ring Theatre

Matthew Parent - Outside Mullingar & The Gingerbread Lady, Players’ Ring Theatre 

Kate Splaine - A Doll’s House, Part 2, Threshold Stage Company, Star Theatre

Constance Witman in "The Gingerbread Lady"

Best Ensemble

Is Edward Snowden Single? - Bardo Theatre Company, Players’ Ring Theatre

The Stands - Acting Out NBPT, Players’ Ring Theatre

The 39 Steps - New Hampshire Theatre Project

Kari Buckley and Maria Jung in "Is Edward Snowden Single?"

Best Original Play

Gobsmacked! - George Hosker-Bouley - CARPE DIEM Inc.

Granite State Proud - Bretton Reis - Players’ Ring Theatre

Pain[t] - Will Murdock - Players’ Ring Theatre

The Stands - Jack Neary - Acting Out NBPT, Players’ Ring Theatre

Matt Schofield, Christian Arnold, playwright Bretton Reis, and Jacob J. Zentis for "Granite State Proud"