2006 Elly Awards (aka Chelsea Baldree's Big Night)

Left: Chelsea Baldree on her big night! Chelsea won in the Child: Young People's Musicals category, for both Leading Actress (in "Crazy for You") as well as for Supporting Actress (in "Godspell"), both at Magic Circle Theatre.


(just as a technical aside, it's interesting how colors are rendered by a digital camera - Chelsea's dress was turquoise, but with so much gold in the background, the color came out here as lime-green.)


Courtesy of MikeMac, here is the link to the full list of nominees and winners.

The Crest Theater was filled to overflowing with the various theater groups, with the seating turf informally divided - El Dorado Musical Theater here, Woodland Opera House there, etc. When favorites won, the screaming girls carried the pitch to 'Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show' levels. I sat with the DMTC crowd. Monique McKisson was in fine fettle. After letting out a big whoop during applause, she said, "I am so NOT vocal! (was that my outside voice?)"

The show got off to a good start, with Sonny Sorrels from Lambda Players, discussing his utter surprise at winning. "I hated my character," he said. "The challenge grew every night." He also described his performance as 'shitty.' Everyone loved it!

Strange things happened. Paul Tomei won for Costume Design for "Much Ado About Nothing" at El Dorado High School, but apparently he had rented his costumes from a theater in Ashland, Oregon. Kelly Daniells won an Elly Award for Supporting Actress in "Nunsense" at the Woodland Opera House, but since no one from there leaped to grab it, RSP's Bob Baxter grabbed it instead, and plugged for "Mamma Mia" in Las Vegas. The Solano Community College representative mused aloud about the irony of getting a nomination for Lighting Design for a show entitled "Wait Until Dark." Cathy Rasmussen, who won for RSP's "King Arthur," talked about her previous two Elly Awards, one for playing a mole and another for playing a mouse.

Many friends won. Hail Ketchum-Wiggins. Emily Jo Seminoff (twice), on her 18th birthday. Denise Miles, Stephen Hatcher, Michael R.J. Campbell, etc., etc.

DMTC got only two awards (Robert Coverdell, for Supporting Actor in 'DMTC's "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat" and Emily Jo Seminoff for Supporting Actress, Child: Young People's Musicals, in "Fiddler on the Roof, Jr."), but SARTA handed out many others Sunday night.

There were three musical presentations: the Prologue and Epilogue to The Acting Company's "I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change," 'Snuff That Girl,' from San Joaquin Delta College's "Urinetown," and 'Beautiful Candy,' from City College's "Carnival." Very good presentations!

Buffee Ann Gillihan and Kaitlin Flint both glittered as they did the plaque tote thing. There were several groups of co-presenters, including a girl from St. Francis I took a dance class with just the other day: Karissa Meagher. Michael R.J. Campbell and Stacy Johnson were very funny as they 're-enacted' a supposed brawl from when they both won the Elly Award for Set Design last year.

At intermission, I started wandering the Crest Theater with my bucket of popcorn, engaging others in conversation. S. & B. from Magic Circle expressed a common complaint, one frequently-expressed at DMTC, that the educational awards category made the evening too long. 'They should schedule it at a different night, or a different time, like they do with the technical awards at the Academy Awards. Also, colleges shouldn't be included - they have huge budgets compared to community theater, and are really in a different league altogether.' I heartily agreed, and expressed my best wishes.

Then, I wandered over to the Natomas Charter School area with my popcorn, and talked to Chloe Condon and friend. I congratulated her on her nomination for 'View from The Bridge,' and expressed the opinion that I was glad the educational category was being so well-represented tonight, and how supportive SARTA was of schools in general.

Afterwards, I felt a gnawing uncertainty about my statements, which, to the disinterested observer, might seem to be - contradictory? - but the feeling soon subsided. You learn many things in theater - the importance of consistency, hard work, emotional expression - but the most important thing you learn is: the importance of principles.

There were disappointments too, as there always will be on a night like this. Dave Lack didn't win for Set Design for RSP's "Sherlock Holmes and the Mystery of the Dark Castle" - Juan Ramos deserved Set Design and Leading Actor awards for "The King and I" - etc., etc. *Sigh* What can you do? Sometimes the Ellys seem like a roulette wheel. Next year, I place all my bets on 'Red.'

Monique McKisson, Juan Ramos, and John Hancock. Both Juan Ramos and Marguerite Morris were nominated for "The King and I" (as well as Steve Isaacson for direction). I'm happy that John Hancock was out and about, though - his road has been a long one, and his mending continues.

Sacramento City College presents 'Beautiful Candy', from "Carnival." I really like that show, and I was happy that City College had such a large, colorful cast. Nevertheless, Monique chastised me: "it's not 'CAR-ni-val,' it's 'Car-ni-VAL!" Then she did that guttural French thing, that "cho-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o."

El Dorado Musical Theater wins big. Debbie Wilson, Jeanette Caruso, and the gang.

Walking to the Crest Theater, I met Jeanette Caruso for the first time, and we talked about theater. She occasionally ushers for DMTC, and, disoriented by the bright lights of downtown Sacramento, she first mistook me for Steve Isaacson. I laughed and said that was because Steve and I have nearly-exactly the same eyeglass prescription. A fun, involved person, with a talented daughter (Lauryn). I will have to get up to see an EMT show soon!