The IVEY Awards are an annual award show, celebrating Twin Cities (Minneapolis/Saint Paul, Minnesota) professional theater. Established in 2004, the non-nomination based awards serve to recognize outstanding achievements within the past theater season in direction, performance, design, etc. The awards were founded by Scott Mayer and are administered by a panel of local theater professionals and theater patrons.
The IVEYs are held each year in September at the historic State Theater, in the theater-district of Minneapolis, MN.
The IVEY awards were created in 2004 in an effort to acknowledge the ever-growing Twin Cities theater community, while providing theater professionals and theater-goers an "annual celebration and recognition ceremony," honoring the previous year's theater season and theatrical accomplishments. The evening of entertainment and awards consists of performances from the past year of theater (ranging from musical theater, dance, scenes), award presentation, and lifetime achievement recognition. Typically, the award presenters, entertainment and hosts are local theater professionals and celebrities. However, the occasional nationally-known celebrity, having recent local theatrical experience, has hosted the event and/or presented an award.
Because of the celebratory nature of the IVEY awards, there is not a pre-determined number of awards nor pre-existing categories. Furthermore, the awards are not meant to be a competition, thus there are no nominees.
However, there are three general categories included in the recognition ceremony:
Awards for lifetimes achievement and an emerging artist(determined by representatives of all theater organizations participating in the project)Awards for theater highlights (determined by the a group of over 100 volunteer evaluators and the theater-going public)Recognition for work in the areas of production, design, direction, performance, and special citations (determined by the group of volunteer evaluators and theater-going public)Note: all information taken from IVEY Theater Eligibility Requirements
Organizations that elect to participate in the project and be considered for Ivey Awards recognition must represent themselves as a professional theater organization.
Professional theater organizations that wish to participate or be considered for an award must:
Be registered in the State of Minnesota as a 501(c)(3) organization or a for-profit business.Have been producing work and in existence for at least one year.Compensate their artists and staff on a regular basis.Be based in and produce in the Twin Cities’ seven county metropolitan area.Provide between six and ten complimentary tickets for each production to be evaluated that are valid for performance dates selected by the assigned evaluators.All work eligible for an award must:
Be produced by an eligible theater organization.Be scripted.Have a run of at least ten days or over two weekends.The awards will not cover touring theater or college and university theater.
The process of evaluation was developed to include many theater perspectives. The opinions of a group of 100 evaluators, who represent many aspects of the theater audience (theater professionals [actors, directors, designers], general theater-goers, donors, etc.), attend performances and evaluate certain aspects of each performance. These opinions are collected and further evaluated by the IVEY Award panel, and awards are then decided upon.
Furthermore, all opinions from any audience member can contribute to the evaluation process by submittal to the IVEY Award panel, via the official website.
The Miser -- Theatre de la Jeune LuneDeath of a Salesman -- Guthrie TheaterLa Bohème—Theater Latte DaA Year with Frog and Toad -- Children's Theatre CompanyPSST!—Off-Leash AreaJoe ChvalaMarcus DilliardSteve HendricksonHelen HuangKimberly Joy MorganStacia RiceNathan Christopher, performer
Lou Bellamy
Sez She, emotional impact—Illusion TheaterThe Talk: An Intercourse of Coming of Age, unique concept -- Youth Performance CompanyI Am Anne Frank, direction (Ben Krywoscz) and musical direction (Mindy Eschedor) -- Nautilus Music TheaterGerry Giouard, choreography -- Crimes and Whispers, Off Leash AreaBarry Kornhauser, playwriting -- Reeling, Children's Theatre CompanyJim Lichtsheidl, creation -- Knock, Theatre Latte DaJoel Sass, set design -- Last of the Boys, Jungle TheaterBradley Greenwald -- I Am My Own Wife, Jungle TheaterDean Holt -- Reeling, Children's Theatre CompanyChristiana Clark, performer
Jack Reuler, Artistic Director
Don Giovanni, musical direction and performances—Theatre de la Jeune LuneLove, Janis, musical direction and performances -- Ordway Center for the Performing ArtsMessy Utopia, innovative concept and idea -- Mixed Blood TheatreJohn Arnone, scenic design -- Private Lives, Guthrie TheaterMichael Matthew Ferrell, choreography—Disney's High School Musical, Children's Theatre CompanyMike Hallenbeck, sound design -- Kid-Simple and Hunger, Emigrant TheaterThomas W. Jones, II -- Yellowman, Mixed Blood TheatreKris Nelson -- Wellstone!, History TheatreEdward Williams, Jr. -- Kiss of the Spider Woman, Minneapolis Musical TheaterSally Wingert -- Woman Before a Glass, Minnesota Jewish TheatreKate Sutton-Johnson, scenic designer
Sheila Livingston
Broken Brain Summit, innovative concept and idea—Interact CenterNight Mother, overall excellence -- Workhouse Theatre CompanyCabaret, costume design, scenic design & choreography—Ordway Center for the Performing ArtsThe Pillowman, emotional impact—Frank TheatreA Prelude to Faust, overall excellence—Open Eye Figure TheatreTamara Kangas, choreography -- 42nd Street, Chanhassen Dinner TheatresKate Eifrig -- 9 Parts of Desire, Guthrie TheaterJairus Abts -- Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Jungle TheaterJames A. Williams -- Fences, Penumbra Theatre CompanyGarry Geiken, Katie Guentzel, John Middleton, Carolyn Pool, Matt Rein, Alan Sorenson -- Orson's Shadow, Gremlin TheatreMatthew Amendt, playwright and performer
Don Stoltz
Little Rock, 1957, Youth Performance CompanyTyrone & Ralph, History TheatreOld Wicked Songs, Theatre Latte DaGreg Banks, Direction -- Romeo and Juliet", by the Children's Theatre CompanyChris Griffith, Props Puppet Design -- Herschel and the Hanukkah Goblins by Minnesota Jewish Theatre CompanyChristina Baldwin and Jennifer Baldwin Peden-- Sister Stories", by Nautilus Music- TheaterLuveme Seifert-- 800 Words: The Transmigration of Phillip Dick", by Workhaus Theatre CollectiveGreta Oglesby -- Caroline or Change" by the Guthrie TheaterSonja Parks-- No Child" by Pillsbury House TheatreEmily Gonyou Halaas, Performer
Dudley Riggs
Mary’s Wedding, the Jungle TheaterRuined, Mixed Blood TheatreOthello, Ten Thousand Things TheaterAaron Gabriel, Music -- "Madame Majesta’s Miracle Medicine Show", Interact TheaterAllison Moore, Playwright -- "My Antonia", Illusion TheaterJoseph Stanley: Scenic Design -- "Mulan, Jr. ", Children’s Theatre CompanyTulle & Dye: Costumes -- "Beauty & The Beast", Ordway Center for the Performing ArtsKatie Guentzel -- "My Antonia", Illusion TheaterRegina Marie Williams -- "Ruined", Mixed Blood TheatreKalere Payton, Costume Designer
Wendy Lehr, Actress
Doubt, Ten Thousand ThingsThe 7-Shot Symphony, Live Action SetCraig Johnson, Director -- "Street Scene" Girl Friday ProductionsGary Rue, Music -- "Buddy– The Buddy Holly Story", History TheatreDavid Bolger, Choreographer -- "H.M.S. Pinafore", Guthrie TheaterPeter Christian Hansen -- "Burn This" Gremlin TheatreDennis Spears -- "I Wish You Love" Penumbra Theatre CompanyBen Bakken -- "Jesus Christ Superstar" Chanhassen Dinner TheatresAnna Sundberg, Actress
Bain Boehlke
Compleat Female Stage Beauty, Walking Shadow Theatre CompanySpring Awakening, Theatre Latte DaBallad of the Pale Fisherman, Illusion TheaterJulius Caesar, Theatre UnboundBarry Browning, Lighting Design --"Dial M for Murder", Jungle TheaterMiriam Monasch, Directing --"Our Class", Minnesota Jewish Theatre CompanyJoe Vass, Musical Direction --"The Soul of Gershwin: The Musical Journey of an American", KlezmeTracie Bennett -- "End of the Rainbow", Guthrie TheaterHugh Kennedy -- Buzzer", Pillsbury House TheatreJody Briskey -- "Beyond the Rainbow: Garland at Carnegie Hall", History TheatreIsabel Nelson, Actress and Artistic Director
Rick Shiomi
In the Next Room, Jungle TheaterMilly & Tillie, Open Eye Figure TheatrePeter Beard & James Napoleon Stone, Directing-- "Hamlet", Theatre Coup d’EtatRaymond Berg, Musical Direction -- "Urinetown: The Musical", Jungle TheaterPeter Brosius, Directing -- "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", Children’s Theatre CompanyMichael Croswell, Sound Design -- "Misterman", Frank TheatreEnsemble, Acting -- "Clybourne Park", Guthrie TheaterEnsemble, Acting -- "Two Sugars, Room for Cream", Hennepin Theatre TrustMichael Matthew Ferrell, Choreography -- "Singin’ in the Rain", Bloomington Civic TheatreKatherine Glover, Alissa M. Shellito & Jeri Weiss, Playwriting -- "Freshwater Theatre Goes Back to High School", Freshwater Theatre CompanyDean Holt, Acting -- "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie", Children’s Theatre CompanyCraig Johnson, Acting -- "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde", Walking Shadow Theatre CompanyRicardo Vázquez, Actor, Director and Playwright
Jeffrey Hatcher, Playwright
Cabaret, Latte Da and Hennepin Theatre TrustOrdinary Days, Nautilus Music-TheaterEnsemble, Intellect and Emotional Intensity -- "Rose", MN Jewish Theatre CompanyAnne Byrd, Directing -- "The 39 Steps", Yellow Tree TheatreEnsemble, Acting -- "Driving Miss Daisy", Jungle TheaterSeraphina Nova, Playwright -- "Dogwood", Candid Theater CompanyEduardo Sicangco, Set Design/Costumes -- "Cinderella", Children's Theatre CompanySandy Spieler and Julie Boada, Properties Design -- "Between the Worlds", Heart of the BeastSally Wingert, Acting -- Four productions in 2013-14Nathan Cousins and Tristan Tifft, Acting -- "The 39 Steps", Yellow Tree TheatreTyler Michaels, Actor
Michael Robins and Bonnie Morris, Co-Producing Directors
