Local productions took a lion's share of prizes at the 2018 IRNE's (Independent Reviewers of New England). The 22nd annual awards ceremony Monday night-once again before a theater world full house at the Holiday Inn Brookline-Boston-found plays and musicals staged in Theater District South (this critic's name for the Boston Center for the Arts and surrounding venues) collecting many multiple honors. Huntington Theatre Company led all large troupes with 10 and SpeakEasy Stage Company small ones with nine.
Huntington's revival of the Sondheim musical "Merrily We Roll Along" was the most honored production with seven nods: costumes-Soutra Gilmour, ensemble, music director-Matthew Stern, supporting actress-Aimee Doherty, actress-Eden Espinosa, director-Maria Friedman and musical. The company's other three prizes included two for "A Guide for the Homesick"-new play to dramatist Ken Urban for "a Guide for the Homesick" and actor to Malcolm Beecher III-and projection design to Lucy McKinnon for "Ripcord." Huntington managing director Michael Maso, accepting for Urban, read his announcement about rehearsing a new play in Washington D.C. set in the South End "so that I am there in spirit."
SpeakEasy's biggest winner-the area premiere of the Tony Award play "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time"-took five IRNE's: set design-Christopher and Justin Swader, lighting design-Jeff Adelberg, sound design-David Remedios, director-Paul Daigneault and play. Actor nominee Eliot Purcell paid tribute to the late great actors Thomas Derrah and Larry Coen as mentors in accepting the play prize. In addition to Derrah and Coen, this year's awards were dedicated in memoriam to former IRNE member and Bay Windows editor Rudy Kikel, tech veteran Ben Williams, American Repertory Theatre longtime force Jan Geidt and Stage Source mover and regular IRNE award presenter Jack Welch. The company's other four honors went to SpeakEasy's area premiere of "The Bridges of Madison County": supporting actress-Kerry Dowling, actress-Jennifer Ellis, actor-Christiaan Smith and music director-Matthew Stern.
BCA wins also included seven fringe prizes-three to Moonbox Productions, two to Zeitgeist Stage Company and two to Flat Earth Theatre. Moonbox received two for its revival of the Broadway hit play ''The 39 Steps"-supporting actor to Matthew Zahnzinger and Bob Mussett (who played a slew of roles) and ensemble-and one for the musical ''Barnum''--costume design-Marian Bertone. Zeitgeist artistic director David Miller won two prizes for the area premiere of the play "Faceless"-director and production. Miller, alluding to Trump's Muslim travel ban and noting small audiences for this timely play dealing with divisive perceptions of Muslims and Islam, warned, "It's a matter of Trump Fatigue."
Flat Earth won two fringe acting awards=supporting actress to Juliet Bowler in ''Silent Sky'' and actress to Lindsay Eagle in "Fat Pig." Eagle spoke of the need to "raise up those whose stories we never hear." She also declared, "I choose to be revolutionary and I hope the Boston theater community joins me." Even visiting honors went to BCA fare-prizes for visiting production "American Moor" from O.W.I. (Bureau of Theatre) and Phoenix Theatre and for its electrifying solo performer Keith Hamilton Cobb. Just announced is Cobb's return engagement in April, 2019-this time with Arts Emerson-as the play's African- American actor dealing with both the challenges of the theater and the role of Othello. Lyric Stage's sole prize was given to Dan Whelton for supporting actor-midsize stage in the company's revival of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"
For a full list of the 2018 winners, go to the 2018 IRNE Awards Facebook site or www.theatermirror.net
* * *
Boston Children's Theatre is no conventional young company, as demonstrated by its haunting recent production of "The Diary of Anne Frank." Now this singular troupe is powerfully confronting dystopia in "George Orwell's 1984"at the Calderwood Pavilion. Entering audience members will feel as though they have entered Oceania as they sit before Janie E. Howland's chillingly surreal set and confront backdrop telescreens with Big Brother eyes and such Newspeak slogans as ''War Is Peace" and "Freedom Is Slavery." Under company artistic director Burgess Clark's taut guidance, IRNE Award-winning Zehava Younger (for her moving portrayal of Anne) has the right creepiness as Big Brother Goldstein, and Brendan Callahan as Winston and Alexandra Upton as Julia capture the inner conflicts and pathos of the focal 'thought criminals.' In an age of fake news, escalating governmental lies and increasing invasions of privacy, BCT's riveting staging is alarmingly resonant.
* * * *
Leave it to the song and dance-strong show "On Your Feet: The Emilio and Gloria Estefan Broadway Musical" to show the title Grammy-winning husband and wife team (26 awards between them) beginning a major part of their career performing at a bar mitzvah. Stretching from Gloria's Cuban roots to her stirring comeback from a very severe 1990 bus tour accident, the hit musical (two years on Broadway) features a first act-closing showstopper "Conga." Here the highly talented couple works hard to persuade a major producer that their music is not merely a 'Miami Sound' and deserves a full American launch. Opening night at the Opera House tour, a terrific young performer named Carlos Carreras (Jordan Vergara alternates at some performances) proved a scene-stealer as the bar mitzvah boy and actually displayed his considerable technique and style all through the eye-catching "Conga." Carreras even dancing with a fancy yarmulka at the rousing number's brief Italian wedding and Shriner's convention.
Christie Prades as Gloria and Mauricio Martinez as Emilio sing and act with impressive heart and feeling. Nancy Ticotin proves riveting as Gloria's big-voiced if unfulfilled mother-a kinder variation on "Gypsy"'s Mama Rose. Alexander Dinelaris' book may suffer at times from schmaltz and bio-musical business, but Sergio Trujillo's sharp choreography, a high-energy cast and the show's infectious rhythm and goodwill make "On Your Feet" truly happen. Make sure you stay for the rollicking curtain hoofing of the entire cast.