Arts & Entertainment
Goodspeed Musicals Wins Five CCC Awards
The CT Critics Circle awarded four regular awards to Goodspeed Musicals; the special Tom Killan Award went to the long-time Music Director

Pictured: Outstanding Actress in a Musical Samantha Massell (Rags at Goodspeed Musicals) accepts her award. Photo by Mara Lavitt
Westport, CT - Jenn Harris and Matthew Wilkas, stars of TheaterWorks' annual holiday comedy "Christmas on the Rocks," shared master of ceremony duties at the 28th annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards June 11, hosted by the Westport Country Playhouse. The event, which was free and open to the public, honors outstanding work by the state's professional theater during the 2017-18 season.

Among the honorees were Michael O'Flaherty (pictured above,) longtime music director for Goodspeed Musicals, who was the recipient of this years's Tom Killen Award , which pays tribute to longtime excellence and service on behalf of Connecticut theater.
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All award winners are listed below:
Special Awards
Musical score by Billy Bivona for Constellations at TheaterWorks
Broadway Method Academy
Flock Theatre
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Tom Killen Award
Michael O’Flaherty
Outstanding Solo Performance
Elizabeth Stahlmann (Grounded) – Westport Country Playhouse
Outstanding Debut
Megan O’Callaghan (The Bridges of Madison County and Fun Home) – Music Theatre of Connecticut
Outstanding Ensemble
Cast of The Wolves – TheaterWorks
Shannon Keegan, Claire Saunders, Dea Julien, Carolyn Cutillo, Emily Murphy, Caitlin Zoz, Rachel Caplan, Olivia Hoffman, Karla Gallegos, Megan Byrne
Outstanding Projections
Yana Birykova (Grounded) – Westport Country Playhouse
Outstanding Sound
Fitz Patton (Appropriate) – Westport Country Playhouse
Outstanding Costume Design
Linda Cho (The Age of Innocence) – Hartford Stage
Outstanding Lighting
Matthew Richards (Appropriate) – Westport Country Playhouse
Outstanding Set Design
David Lewis (The Diary of Anne Frank) – Playhouse on Park
Outstanding Choreography
Kelli Barclay (The Will Rogers Follies) – Goodspeed Musicals
Outstanding Featured Actor – Musical
Matt Faucher (Oklahoma) – Goodspeed Musicals
Cory Candelet (The Fantasticks) – Ivoryton Playhouse
Outstanding Featured Actress – Musical
Jodi Stevens (Singin’ in the Rain) – Summer Theater of New Canaan
Outstanding Featured Actress – Play
Judith Ivy (Fireflies) – Long Wharf Theatre
Outstanding Featured Actor – Play
Peter Francis James (Romeo & Juliet) – Westport Country Playhouse
Outstanding Director – Musical
Terrence Mann (1776 ) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Director – Play
Ezra Barnes (The Diary of Anne Frank)– Playhouse on Park
Outstanding Actor – Musical
Jamie LaVerdiere (1776) – Connecticut Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Actress – Musical
Samantha Massell (Rags) – Goodspeed Musicals
Outstanding Actor – Play
Reg Rogers (An Enemy of the People) – Yale Repertory Theatre
Outstanding Actress – Play
Isabelle Barbier (The Diary of Anne Frank) – Playhouse on Park
Outstanding Production – Musical
Rags – Goodspeed Musicals
Outstanding Production – Play
The Age of Innocence – Hartford Stage

Nancy Sasso Janis has been writing theatre reviews since 2012 as a way to support local theatre venues. She posts reviews of well over 100 productions each year. In 2016, she became a member of the Connecticut Critics Circle. She continues to contribute theatre news, previews, and audition notices to local Patch sites. Reviews of all levels of theatrical productions are posted on Naugatuck Patch and the Patch sites closest to the venue. Follow the reviewer on her Facebook pages Nancy Sasso Janis: Theatre Reviewer and on Twitter @nancysjanis417