The third annual Las Vegas Valley Theatre Awards took place this past Monday at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
Jacob Coakley is the executive director of The Las Vegas Valley Theatre Awards and the editor of Stage Directions magazine
He told KNPR's State of Nevada that the purpose of the awards was not just to recognize the great work of Southern Nevada's theaters but to promote theataer throughout the year.
Throughout the year, judges from the awards organization go to productions. If they like them, they will be 'recommended' by the organization, which is like a seal of approval.
At the end of the theater season, the productions that were recommended will be considered for nomination.
Will Adamson is the president of The Cockroach Theatre Company, which won Best Play for its production of “The Nether."
He said getting the recommendation and the award helps all theater.
“We’re vetting the work so our audiences have some barometer to go by and hopefully avoid the deadly theater," Adamson said.
He said the awards help build excitement around a play.
“For me, what the valley awards allows us to do is rally that excitement around a focused intention, which is to celebrate the work that has just been produced throughout the year,” Adamson said.
Coakley believes that word of mouth is some of the most valuable marketing.
“The biggest ticket seller around is word of mouth,” he said, “If we can let people know about it and get them in to see it, we can turn them into fans and they can come again and again.”
2016 Valley Theatre Awards
*winner
Best Play
Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Grounded - Cockroach Theatre
In the Next Room - Las Vegas Little Theatre
*The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
A Summons from the Tinker to Assemble the Membership in Secret at the Usual Place - A Public Fit
Best Musical
Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
*Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Best Director - Play
Gillen Brey - In the Next Room - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Walter Niejadlik - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Andrew Paul - Grounded - Cockroach Theatre
Ann Marie Pereth and Joseph Kucan - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
*Bryan Todd - The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
Best Director - Musical
Will Adamson - Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
Leslie Fotheringham - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Steve Huntsman - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatrewith Huntsman Entertainment
Troy Heard - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
*Walter Niejadlik & Gillen Brey - Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Play
Christopher Brown - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
*Glenn Heath - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Joe Kucan - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
Scott McAdam - The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
Jakob Sauter - The Whale - Cockroach Theatre
Best Actor in a Leading Role - Musical
Maverick Hiu - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Cory Lloyd - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Aron Shanley - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
*Jake Taylor - Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Bob Torti - Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Play
Kelli Andino - Becky Shaw - A Public Fit
Gillen Brey - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Aviana Glover - The Whale - Cockroach Theatre
Natalie Senecal - Veils - Off-Strip Productions
*Mindy Woodhead - Grounded - Cockroach Theatre
Best Actress in a Leading Role - Musical
Amanda Campos - Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Brenna Folger - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Emma Harmon - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
*Amanda Kraft - Bye Bye Birdie - Super Summer Theatre with Table 8 Productions
Victoria Matlock - Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
Best Actor in a Supporting Role - Play
Mark Gorman - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
Rob Kastil - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Mike Rasmussen - Becky Shaw - A Public Fit
*Troy Tinker - Lend Me a Tenor - Super Summer Theatre with United Production Works
E. Wayne Worley - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Best Actor Supporting Role - Musical
Carnell Johnson - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Jordan Mazzocato - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
*Brian Scott - Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Ricky Susie - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Marcus Weiss - Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Play
Jillian Austin - Reservoir Dolls - Off-Strip Productions
Anita Bean - Lend Me a Tenor - Super Summer Theatre with United Production Works
Valerie Carpenter Bernstein - Sordid Lives - Off-Strip Productions
Rebecca Reyes - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
*Shambrion Treadwell - In the Next Room - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Best Actress in a Supporting Role - Musical
Andee Gibbs - Bye Bye Birdie - Super Summer Theatre with Table 8 Productions
Charity Harchis - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Kady Heard - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Jessica Jones-Tannan - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
*Taylor Ann Powers - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Best Ensemble - Play
Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
Reservoir Dolls - Off-Strip Productions
*A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
The Whale - Cockroach Theatre
Best Ensemble - Musical
Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
*Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Best Choreography
Lysander Abadia - Avenue Q - Las Vegas Little Theatre
*Afton Garret - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Kady Heard - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Teresa Isgriggs - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Greg Kata - Bye Bye Birdie - Super Summer Theatre with Table 8 Productions
Best Scenic Design Sponsored by Stage Directions
Steve Huntsman - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Eric Koger - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
Ron Lindblom - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Roxy Mojica - Bright Side - Cockroach Theatre
*Frank Strebel - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Best Lighting Design
Ginny Adams - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
*Erika Courtney - Tarzan - Super Summer Theatre with Huntsman Entertainment
Erika Courtney - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Liz Kline - The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
TODD+BRYAN - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Best Costume Design Sponsored by Stage Directions
Cari Byers - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
*Kim Glover - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Mariya Radeva-Nedyalkova - A Summons from the Tinker… - A Public Fit
Rose Scarborough - The Whale - Cockroach Theatre
Dennis Wright - The Secret Garden - Signature Productions
Best Sound Design
Will Adamson and Amanda Peterson - The Whale - Cockroach Theatre
James Boldt and Will Adamson - Grounded - Cockroach Theatre
*Aaron Guidry and Benton Corder - The Nether - Cockroach Theatre
Don Parnall - Heathers - Off-Strip Productions
Sandy Stein - Casa Valentina - Las Vegas Little Theatre
Jacob Coakley, executive director, The Las Vegas Valley Theatre Awards and the editor of Stage Directions magazine; Will Adamson, President of Cockroach Theatre Company, Las Vegas
