'Camelot' reigns at Stage West's annual HAMI awards
Barbara L. Fredricksen, Times Arts and Entertainment Writer
In Print: Monday, July 21, 2008
Favorite Main Stage Show: Sarah Coit starred as Guenevere and Charles DePalo was King Arthur in Camelot. The two also won individual awards for their performances.
The lavish musical Camelot was the big winner in the 2007-08 Stage West Community Playhouse HAMI awards presentations made Saturday before a crowd of dressed-to-the-nines actors and supporters of the theater.
The HAMIs are Stage West's version of the Tonys given for Broadway productions. Most winners are chosen by popular vote of theater members, the only exceptions being the "Rising Star" category, which is chosen by last season's directors.
Camelot won eight of the little statues, including Favorite Show and Favorite Director/Music Director for Barbara Everest and Roberta Moger, both of whom have won multiple HAMIs for previous work.
Its nearest competitors were the comedy Noises Off and the drama A Few Good Men, each of which won three awards.
Three awards also were made to shows presented in the Forum, Stage West's 159-seat theater, which usually presents edgier or more serious plays than the larger venue.
The Forum's Favorite Show was the Ira Levin horror tale Veronica's Room, which bested the Pulitzer Prize-winning classic Death of a Salesman and the comedy/drama Steel Magnolias for that honor.
The prestigious Founders' Choice Award went to Mollie Lutz, who has won HAMI Awards for acting (45 Seconds from Broadway; I Hate Hamlet; Agnes of God; Come Blow Your Horn; Lost in Yonkers) and costumes and has been worked behind the scenes for many shows. The award was presented by the 2005-06 winner, Madeline Child, who also picked up the HAMI for best costumes in Camelot, one of many she has won in past years (My Fair Lady, Funny/Forum, Cabaret, Mame, among others).
There were three multiwinners this year: Dan Brijbag for designing the difficult, turn-around set for Noises Off and for performing the role of Mordred in Camelot; Toni Berlinger as Poppy in Noises Off and choreographer for Camelot; and Jeanine Martin as Belinda in Noises Off and the Lady in Veronica's Room.
It was a good night for the Berlinger family, as Toni's husband, Mark Berlinger, picked up a HAMI for his role as the uptight Jonathan James Kendrick in A Few Good Men and their son, tiny Noah Berlinger, was chosen as a presenter in the choreography division.
Many of the night's winners were repeaters, including Charles DePalo (Arthur in Camelot), who has won HAMIs nearly every year since 1994's Gaslight up to Higgins in 2005's My Fair Lady.
2007-08 HAMI winners
Favorite Main Stage Show: Camelot
Favorite Forum Show: Veronica's Room
Favorite Director/Music Director: Barbara Everest/Roberta Moger, Camelot
Lead Actor, musical: Charles DePalo as King Arthur, Camelot
Lead Actress, musical: Sarah Coit as Guenevere, Camelot
Supporting Actor, musical: George Dwyer as Sir Lancelot, Camelot
Supporting Actress, musical: Linda Benson as Widow Corney, Oliver
Featured Actor, musical: Dan Brijbag as Mordred, Camelot
Featured Actress, musical: Tie, Patty Villegas as Mrs. Sowerberry, Oliver; Gwendolyn Battle as Nimue, Camelot
Choreographer: Toni Berlinger, Camelot
Set Design: Dan Brijbag, Noises Off
Costumes: Madeline Child, Camelot
Favorite Actor, Forum: Allen Magnus as Willy Loman, Death of a Salesman
Favorite Actress Forum: Jeanine Martin as the Woman, Veronica's Room
Lead Actor, play: Seth Travaligno as Dan Kaffee, A Few Good Men
Lead Actress, play: Jennifer Vilardi as Jacqueline de Severac, Murder on the Nile
Supporting Actor, play: William Myers as Nathan Jessup, A Few Good Men
Supporting Actress, play: Jeanine Martin as Belinda Blair, Noises Off
Featured Actor, play: Mark Berlinger as Jonathan James Kendrick, A Few Good Men
Featured Actress, play: Tie, Toni Berlinger as Poppy Norton-Taylor, Noises Off; and Linda Clapsis as Louise, Murder on the Nile
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