Reston Community Players Get Nearly Two Dozen Award Nominations

Reston Community Players will have their productions all over the annual Washington Area Theatre Community Honors awards in March.

The troupe’s productions received 23 total nominations for the 2016 season, second-most among the 27 participating theater companies. Only the Little Theatre of Alexandria (26) received more.

Among the nominations are 17 for the Community Players’ performance of “Gypsy” last fall. The group also received five nominations for its performance of “Mary Poppins” (February-March) and one for its staging of “Master Class” (January).

Paul Tonden, artistic director, said the Community Players are humbled by and grateful for the recognition.

“We strive to offer our patrons high-quality productions, which would not be possible without so many talented volunteers,” Tonden said. “We consider ourselves lucky to be part of such a vibrant DC Metro-area theater community and congratulate all the nominees.”

The full list of RCP nominations is as follows:

• Outstanding Musical — “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical — Jennifer Lambert (“Rose”), “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical — Shaina Murphy (“Mary Poppins”), “Mary Poppins”
• Outstanding Lead Actress in a Play — Lisa Anne Bailey (“Mary Callas”), “Master Plan”
• Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical — Erich DiCenzo (“Tulsa”), “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Direction of a Musical — Paul Tonden, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Music Direction — Mitch Bassman, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Choreography — Andrea Heininge, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Choreography — Andrea Heininge, “Mary Poppins”
• Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical — Kathy Dunlap, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical — Charlotte Marson and Judy Whelihan, “Mary Poppins”
• Outstanding Hair Design in a Musical — Chris Dore, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Light Design in a Musical — Ken and Patti Crowley, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Makeup Design in a Musical — Chris Dore, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Properties in a Musical — MaryJo Ford, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Set Construction in a Musical — Dan Widerski, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Set Design in a Musical — Bart Healy, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Set Decoration in a Musical — Jerry and Bea Morse, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Set Painting in a Musical — Cathy Rieder, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Special Effects — Greg Steele, Sara Birkhead and Rich Bird, “Mary Poppins”
• Outstanding Sound Design in a Musical — Joshua Redford, “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Cameo in a Musical — Jaclyn Young (“Electra”), “Gypsy”
• Outstanding Cameo in a Musical — Phillip Scott-Cobbs (“Neleus”), “Mary Poppins”

Last year, Reston Community Players took home four awards on 17 nominations.

The Community Players are currently presenting “Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike” through Feb. 4.

This year’s awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, March 5 at The Birchmere in Alexandria.