The Kevin Kline Awards were started in 2006, to recognize outstanding achievement in professional theatre in the Greater St. Louis area. The awards are sponsored by PTAC, the Professional Theatre Awards Council, and were named in honor of Kevin Kline, a St. Louis native who has been the recipient of both Tony and Academy Awards.
Eligibility and judging
In order for a play to be considered for a Kevin Kline Award, it must:
Be produced within the St. Louis metro area
Include at least six performances
Have paid those who work on the show, including both actors and crew
Each nominee is reviewed by seven judges, who are drawn randomly from a pool of 49. Judges then give each production a numerical rating on each of the available categories (acting, directing, lighting, etc.) and submit their ballot within 24 hours of seeing the production. At the end of each year, the five productions with the highest score in each category are listed as the nominees, and the award goes to the one with the best score:
The first award ceremony was held on March 20, 2006, in the Roberts Orpheum Theatre, and hosted by St. Louis-native Broadway actor Jason Danieley. Presenters included Kline, and St. Louis-born Broadway actor Ken Page. Kline received the first-ever Kevin Kline Award to be created, and was also told at the performance about the creation of the Kevin Kline Theater Ticket Fund, which will provide free tickets to area high school students.
The Kevin Kline Awards were suspended in June 2012 due to financial concerns.
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Footloose, Stages St. Louis
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
West Side Story, The Muny
Outstanding Production of a Play
Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
The Merchant of Venice, New Jewish Theatre
Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
Valhalla, HotCity Theatre
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Kevin Backstrom, West Side Story, The Muny
Ron Gibbs, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Muny
Michael Hamilton, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
Michael Hamilton, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Michael Hamilton, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Edward Stern, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Director of a Play
Deanna Jent, Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Tom Martin, Lobby Hero, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Rob Ruggiero, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Wayne Salomon, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Spotlight Theatre
Russell Treyz, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
Outstanding Musical Direction
Lisa Campbell Albert, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Tim Carpenter, Crowns, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Al Fischer, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Kelsey Halbert, West Side Story, The Muny
Ben Whiteley, Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Outstanding Choreography
Kevin Backstrom, West Side Story, The Muny
Dana Lewis, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
Dana Lewis, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Janet Watson, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Vivian Anderson-Watt and Theodore Jamison, Dancing on Air, Historyonics
Outstanding Costume Design
Lou Bird, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Jennifer "JC" Carter, Dangerous Liaisons, St. Louis Shakespeare
Michael J. McDonald, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Reggie Ray, Crowns, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Austin Sanderson, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
Outstanding Lighting Design
Christopher Edwards, Valhalla, HotCity Theatre
Don Guy, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
John Lasiter, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Matthew McCarthy, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Matthew McCarthy, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Peter Sargent, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Set Design
John Ezell, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Mark Halpin, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Adrian W. Jones, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Christopher Pickart, Lobby Hero, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Christopher Pickart, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
Outstanding Sound Design
Janet Kalas, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jason Krueger, West Side Story, The Muny
Nathan Ruyle, Adult Entertainment, HotCity Theatre
Ann Slayton & Robin Weatherall, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis
John Taylor, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, Spotlight Theatre
Outstanding New Play or Musical
Lee Patton Chiles, Dancing on Air, Historyonics
The Ensemble, So to Speak, Washington Avenue Players Project
Margeau Steinau, B. Weller and Rachel Jackson, Famous Monsters, HotCity Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble in a Play
Adult Entertainment, HotCity Theatre
Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Lobby Hero, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
This Is Our Youth, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Crowns, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Footloose, Stages St. Louis
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
West Side Story, The Muny
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
Bill Lynch, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
Ben Nordstrom, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
David Schmittou, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Matthew Scott, West Side Story, The Muny
Bob Walton, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Play
Philip Anthony-Rodriguez, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jim Butz, Lobby Hero, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Nat DeWolf, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Norman McGowan, I'm Not Rappaport, New Jewish Theatre
Andrew Michael Neiman, The Elephant Man, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical
Kate Baldwin, The Sound of Music, The Muny
Andrea Burns, West Side Story, The Muny
Kari Ely, Footloose, Stages St. Louis
Sarah Litzsinger, Beauty and the Beast, The Muny
Zoe Vonder Haar, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play
Michelle Hand, Separate Tables, Act Inc.
Michelle Hand, A Streetcar Named Desire, Stray Dog Theatre
Darrie Lawrence, The Retreat from Moscow, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Nancy Lewis, Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Meghan Maguire, Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
Nat Chandler, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Thomas E. O'Brien, Man of La Mancha, Stages St. Louis
Ken Page, Jesus Christ Superstar, The Muny
Jeffrey Pruett, The Robber Bridegroom, New Line Theatre
John Seidman, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Play
Michael Balsley, Take Me Out, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Gary Wayne Barker, Driving Miss Daisy, New Jewish Theatre
Drew Bell, Glen or Glenda: Live!, Magic Smoking Monkey Theatre
Jim Butz, The Merchant of Venice, New Jewish Theatre
John Kinney, Unexpected Tenderness, New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Musical
Melissa Bohon, Hello, Dolly!, Stages St. Louis
Natascia Diaz, West Side Story, The Muny
Lynn Eldredge, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Georgia Engel, Mame, The Muny
Lynette Knapp, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Jamie McKittrick, The Robber Bridegroom, New Line Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Play
Teresa Doggett, Separate Tables, Act Inc.
Brooke Edwards, Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Michelle Hand, Going to See the Elephant, Orange Girls
Liz Hopefl, Separate Tables, Act Inc.
Rory Lipede, Valhalla, HotCity Theatre
Magan Wiles, The Tempest, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
Outstanding Production for Young Audiences
Bah! Humbug!, The Imaginary Theatre Company/The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Free to Be... You and Me, Stages St. Louis
Honk!, DramaRama
Salt & Pepper, Metro Theatre Company
The Tempest in a Flash, Shakespeare Festival of St. Louis
