CT Critics Give “All is Calm” and “A Chorus Line” Top Honors at 34th Awards Ceremony

   

Hartford — The compelling drama, “All is Calm,” a moving, captivating play about the Christmas Truce of 1914, which was staged at Playhouse on Park, and the 50^th Anniversary of the Pulitzer Prize winning musical, “A Chorus Line” at Goodspeed Musicals, took top honors at the 34th annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards (ctcritics.org) held on Monday, June 22, 2026.

 

The event, which celebrates the work from the state’s professional theaters during the 2025 – 2026 season, was held at Hartford Stage in downtown Hartford.  The ceremony was emceed by Stuart Brown, President of the CT Critics Circle.

 

“A Chorus Line” was also honored for Best Director of a Musical (Rob Ruggiero), Best Featured Actor in a Musical (Diego Guevara), and Best Choreography (Parker Esse and Baayork Lee).  Ryan Mac from the Goodspeed Musical “All Shook Up” received Best Actor in a Musical.

 

Hartford Stage received three awards. The chilling, highly theatrical production of “Rope” was recognized for Costume Design (Risa Ando), and Best Direction of a Play (Melia Bensussen).  Their gripping staging of “Death of a Salesman” won for Outstanding Lighting Design.

 

Theaterwork Hartford’s world premiere of “Circus Fire,” staged in the round at the historic First Company Governor’s Foot Guard, won for Best Ensemble.

 

Two productions from A.C.T. of CT garnered three awards.  The musical “Waitress” received Best Featured Actress (Shaylen Harger) and Best Actress in a Musical (Abigail Sparrow).  Camilla Tassi was honored for Outstanding Projections for “Dear Evan Hansen.”

 

The Yale Repertory Theatre’s production of the 1959 absurdist classic, “Rhinoceros” by Eugène Ionesco, won for Best Actor in a Play (Reg Rogers) and Best Sound Design for Xi (Zoey) Lin.

 

Other winners were Christina Acosta Robinson for Best Actress in a Play for the Ivoryton Playhouse’s production of “Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill;” Missy Drowse in the Ken Ludwig comedy, “Fox on the Fairway” at Music Theatre of Connecticut, for Best Featured Actress in a Play; Terrence Riggins received the Best Featured Actor in a Play for his powerful performance in August Wilson’s “Gem of the Ocean” at Long Wharf Theatre; and Christopher & Justin Swader received Outstanding Set Design for the Sharon Playhouse production of “The Mousetrap.”

 

James Bundy, who is retiring as the Elizabeth Parker Ware Dean of the David Geffen School of Drama and Artistic Director of Yale Repertory Theatre received a special award.  Rebecka Jones and Noble Shropshire were also recognized for their 25 years of continuous performance in the Hartford Stage production of “A Christmas Carol.”  Donna Lynn Hilton of Goodspeed Musicals was honored with the Tom Killen Award for lifetime service to the theater. 

 

The Annual Awards Ceremony was live streamed.  The recording will be posted to the CT Critics Circle website (ctcritics.org) the week of June 29.

 

Helping to present the awards were Connecticut Critic Circle members Karen Isaacs, Nancy Sasso Janis, and Tim Leininger.

 

The Connecticut Critics Circle was founded in 1990. The statewide organization is comprised of reviewers, writers, and broadcasters that cover the professional theaters throughout the entire state. The annual awards honor the actors, directors, designers and others who help make our professional theater so highly regarded in and outside the state.

 

 

 

“A Chorus Line,” “All Shook Up,” and “Rope” Top 2026 Connecticut Critics Circle Nominations

 

Goodspeed Musicals’ one singular sensation of  “A Chorus Line” and their high-energy jukebox musical “All Shook Up” lead the musical nominations for the 34^th annual Connecticut Critics Circle Awards.  The Hartford Stage production of the thriller “Rope” is the top-nominated play.

 

The awards event, which celebrates the best in professional theater in the state, will be held Monday, June 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Hartford Stage in downtown Hartford.  The event is free and open to the public.  Click here to reserve a ticket to the ceremony.

 

Both “A Chorus Line” and “All Shook Up” received 8 nods, including outstanding musical production and director.  “Rope” earned seven nominations, including outstanding play production and director.

 

Other outstanding play nominees are “All is Calm” – Playhouse on Park, “Circus Fire” – Theaterworks Hartford, “Death of a Salesman” – Hartford Stage, and “Rhinoceros” – Yale Repertory Theatre.

 

Also earning outstanding musical nods are “Annie “– Sharon Playhouse, “Waitress” – A.C.T. of CT, and “Irving Berlin’s White Christmas” - Goodspeed Musicals.

 

Receiving the annual Tom Killen Award for lifetime achievement in Connecticut theater is Donna Lynn Hilton of Goodspeed Musicals..  She is the current Artistic Director and has been with the theater since 1988, where she has a significant record of developing and producing new musicals.

 

Receiving a special award is James Bundy, who is retiring as Artistic Director at the Yale Repertory Theatre.  Also receiving special awards are Rebecka Jones and Noble Shropshire for their continuous involvement with the Hartford Stage’s production of A Christmas Carol.

 

The complete nominees are:

 

Outstanding Production – Musical

A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Annie – Sharon Playhouse

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Goodspeed Musicals

Waitress – A.C.T. of CT

 

Outstanding Production - Play

All is Calm – Playhouse on Park

Circus Fire – Theaterworks Hartford

Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Rhinoceros – Yale Repertory Theatre

Rope – Hartford Stage

 

Outstanding Actor in a play:

Peter Jacobson - Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Tim DeKay  – The Counter – Theaterworks Hartford

Reg Rogers  – Rhinoceros – Yale Repertory Theatre

Daniel Neale – Rope - Hartford Stage

J. Quinton Johnson – Spunk - Yale Repertory Theatre

 

Outstanding Actress in a play:

Justis Bolding – The Counter – Theaterworks Hartford

Marianna Gailus - Hedda Gabler - Yale Repertory Theatre

Bernadette Sefic – Hurricane Diane – Hartford Stage

Christina Acosta Robinson – Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar & Grill – Ivoryton Playhouse

Sara Koviak – Your Name Means Dream – TheaterWorks Hartford

 

Outstanding Actor in a musical:

Trevor Martin – My Fair Lady – Ivoryton Playhouse

Ryan Mac – All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Clyde Alves – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Goodspeed Musicals

Justin Matthew Sargent – Jesus Christ Superstar – Goodspeed Musicals

Omar Lopez-Cepero – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Goodspeed Musicals

 

Outstanding Actress in a musical:

Kerstin Anderson – All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Avery Hope - Annie – Sharon Playhouse

Laura Renee Mehl - Little Mermaid – STONC

Abigail Sparrow – Waitress – A.C.T. of CT

 

Outstanding Director of a play:

Sasha Bratt - All is Calm – Playhouse on Park

Jared Mezzocchi – Circus Fire – Theaterworks Hartford

Rob Ruggiero – The Counter – Theaterworks Hartford

Liz Diamond – Rhinoceros – Yale Repertory Theatre

Melia Bensussen – Rope - Hartford Stage

 

Outstanding Director of a musical:

Rob Ruggiero - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Daniel Goldstein – All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Arbender J. Robinson - Little Mermaid – STONC

Brian Feehan – My Fair Lady – Ivoryton Playhouse

Sara Brians – Waitress – A.C.T. of CT

 

Outstanding Choreography:

Parker Esse and Baayork Lee - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Byron Easley – All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Robert Mintz - Singin’ in the Rain – Playhouse on Park

nicHi douglas – Spunk - Yale Repertory Theatre

Kelli Barclay – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Goodspeed Musicals

 

Outstanding Featured actor in a play:

Samuel H. Levine  – Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Terrence Riggins  – Gem of the Ocean – Long Wharf Theatre

Kurt Fuller - Noises Off – Legacy Theatre

Jimmy Johansmeyer – Noises Off – Legacy Theatre

Alaman Diadhiou – Spunk - Yale Repertory Theatre

 

Outstanding Featured actress in a play:

Adrianne Krstansky – Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Missy Dowse – Fox on the Fairway – Music Theatre of CT

Grace Porter – Gem of the Ocean – Long Wharf Theatre

Felicity Jones Latta – Hedda Gabler – Yale Repertory Theatre

Jeannette Baryardelle – Spunk - Yale Repertory Theatre

 

Outstanding Featured actor in a musical:

Diego Guevara - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Jack Rasmussen – Almost Famous - A.C.T. of CT

Cory Candelet - Joseph & the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Ivoryton Playhouse

Scott Mikita – My Fair Lady – Ivoryton Playhouse

John Alejandro Jeffords – Waitress – A.C.T. of CT

 

Outstanding Featured actress in a musical:

Karli Dinardo - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Mikaela Secada - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Tess Marshall – Almost Famous – A.C.T. of CT

Jessica Crouch - All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Shaylen Harger – Waitress – A.C.T. of CT

 

Outstanding Ensemble – Casts of:

All is Calm – Playhouse on Park

Circus Fire - TheaterWorks Hartford

English – TheaterWorks Hartford

The Great Emu War – Goodspeed Musicals

The Mousetrap – Sharon Playhouse

 

Outstanding Set design:

Beowulf Boritt – All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Tijana Bjelajac – The Counter – Theaterworks Hartford

Christopher & Justin Swader – The Mousetrap – Sharon Playhouse

Riw Rakkulchon – Rope - Hartford Stage

David L. Arsenault – Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - Goodspeed Musicals

 

Outstanding Costume design:

Tilly Grimes - All Shook Up – Goodspeed Musicals

Jimmy Johansmeyer - The Baroness – Playhouse on Park

Risa Ando – Rope - Hartford Stage

Lyle Laize Qin - Hedda Gabler - Yale Repertory Theatre

Elizabeth Saylor – My Fair Lady – Ivoryton Playhouse

 

Outstanding Lighting design:

John Lasiter - A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Matthew Richards – Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Mary Louise Geiger – Rope - Hartford Stage

Dalton Hamilton - Waitress - A.C.T. of CT

Kirk Bookman & Nathan W. Scheuer - Irving Berlin’s White Christmas – Goodspeed Musicals

 

Sound design:

Jay Hilton – A Chorus Line – Goodspeed Musicals

Darron L. West – Death of a Salesman – Hartford Stage

Joyce Ciesil - Hurricane Diane – Hartford Stage

Xi (Zoey) Lin – Rhinoceros – Yale Repertory Theatre

Jane Shaw - Rope – Hartford Stage

 

Projections:

Doaa Ouf – All is Calm – Playhouse on Park

Camilla Tassi – Almost Famous – A.C.T. of CT

Jared Mezzocchi - Circus Fire - TheaterWorks Hartford

Camilla Tassi – Dear Evan Hansen – A.C.T. of CT

Ke Xu – Rhinoceros – Yale Repertory Theatre

 

PLAYS (Number of Nominations)

Rope – 7

Death of a Salesman – 6

Rhinoceros – 5

All is Calm – 4

Circus Fire - 4

The Counter – 4

Spunk – 4

Hedda Gabler – 3

Gem of the Ocean – 2

Hurricane Diane – 2

The Mousetrap – 2

Noises Off - 2

The Baroness – 1

English – 1

Fox on the Fairway – 1

The Great Emu War – 1

Lady Day in Emerson’s Bar & Grill – 1

Your Name Means Dream – 1

 

MUSICALS (Number of Nominations)

A Chorus Line – 8

All Shook Up - 8

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas - 6

Waitress - 6

My Fair Lady – 4

Almost Famous – 3

Annie – 2

Little Mermaid – 2

Dear Evan Hansen – 1

Jesus Christ Superstar – 1

Joseph and the Amazing – 1

Singin’ in the Rain - 1