*The Cleveland Critics Circle each year honors local theaters, performances, performers and technicians of plays staged by Cleveland area professional theaters during the January 1-December 31 year.* *Awards Committee: Bob Abelman, Roy Berko, Kerry Clawson, Howard Gollop, Mark Horning, Christine Howey, and Andrea Simakis. * *Following is a list of “Best” in each category. To see the whole list go to http://www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com/ <http://www.clevelandtheaterreviews.com/>* *Best Musical Production: * *Newsies**, Porthouse Theatre* *Best Non-Musical Production**: **The Flick**, Dobama Theatre* *Best Actor **– **Musical**: Alex Sylerk, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Great Lakes* * Theater* *Best Actor **– **Non-Musical**: Christopher M. Bohan, The Flick, Dobama Theatre* *Best Actress **–** Musical:** Keri Rene Fuller, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, Great Lakes Theater* *Best Actress **– **Non-Musical**: Lara Mielcarek, Well, Ensemble Theatre* *Rising Star Award * * Male--Jabri Little, brownsville song (b-side for tray), Dobama Theatre,* * Female: Logan Dior Williams, brownsville song (b-side for tray), * *Dobama Theatre* *Best Director **– **Musical**: Terri Kent, Newsies, Porthouse Theatre* *Best Director **– **Non-Musical**: Nathan Motta, The Flick, Dobama Theatre* *Best Choreographer: Mary Ann Black, Newsies, Porthouse Theatre* *Best Musical Direction:** Jonathan Swoboda, Newsies, Porthouse Theatre* *Best Scenic Design: Walter Boswell, The Hairy Ape, Ensemble Theatre* *Best Lighting Design: Russell H. Champa, Shakespeare in Love, Cleveland Play * * House* *Best Projection Design: **T. Paul Lowry, Things as They Are, Playwrights* * Local* *Best Costume Design: **Lex Liang, Shakespeare in Love, Cleveland* * Play House* *Best Sound Design: ** Cyrus O. Taylor, brownsville song (b-side for tray), Dobama Theatre* *Best Full-Production Premiere of a Script by a Local Writer: How to Be a * * Respectable Junkie** by Greg Vovos, Dobama* *Best Touring Production: Waitress, Playhouse Square * *Special Mention: * *Bill Rudman, for his outstanding advocacy of the American musical. Through his Musical Theatre Project**’**s concerts, in-school residency programs and radio broadcasts, he and his staff c**reate personal connections with the art form, document the lives of musical theater artists, and reinforce the relevancy of musical theater in contemporary society.* *Gina Vernaci, for enhancing the national profile of Cleveland and Playhouse Square through the launching of Broadway tours and expanding the runs of touring productions from two to three weeks. * *Christine McBurney and Bernadette Clemens, for their five-year run offering productions at Mamai Theatre, dedicated to producing women**’**s plays from a classical canon.* *Cleveland Shakespeare Festival and director Lisa Ortenzi for innovative cross-gender casting in **The Taming of the Shrew.* *Cleveland Public Theatre, for their continuing commitment to Teatro Publico de Cleveland, the Cleveland-based Latin American theatre ensemble.*