The First Annual “Vee-Cee” Awards for Top Performances in Ventura County Theater

BY CARY GINELL

As we close 2013, many theater critics not unexpectedly take stock of performances seen during the past twelve months. I am no different, and although many critics rank individual performances against one another, I can do no such thing. I find it unfair to compare a performance of Jean Valjean in Les Miserables with one of Leaf Coneybear in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. What I can do, however, is list the performances that had the most effect on me emotionally. Emotion is what drives me when I visit the theater. Does the performer make me cry or laugh? Does the performer disappear into his or her character? Can I see this performance as being one that is worthy of Broadway itself? There were many outstanding performances in the more than 75 shows that I saw in 2013, both musicals as well as plays. Thus, I have listed below what I consider the most exceptional performances of the year, divided into two groups: Community/professional theater and high school/youth group/college theater. If you did not make either of these lists, I still applaud you for all your hard work this year and look forward to seeing you on the stage in 2014. (Since VC On Stage only started in July, I must recuse myself from judging performances in stage plays prior to July as well as areas not covered by my reviews in the Acorn.) Congratulations, Vee-Cee Award Winners!!

MEMORABLE HIGH SCHOOL/YOUTH GROUP/COLLEGE PERFORMANCES
(In alphabetical order)

Reilly Anspaugh – Rusty (Footloose – Oaks Christian High School)

Francesca Barletta – The Witch (Into the Woods – YA4ever)

Ryan Brodsky – Leaf Coneybear (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)

Nia Colemon – Maggie (42nd Street – Young Artists Ensemble)

Brett Crockett –  Ren (Footloose – Newbury Park High School)

Kevin Gilmond  – Barfee (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)

Alex Karukas – Leaf Coneybear (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Thousand Oaks High School)

Mack Keane – Tony (West Side Story – Calabasas High School)

Austin Miller – Julian Marsh (42nd Street – Young Artists Ensemble) / Poe (Dark Heart of Poe – Elite Theatre Company)

Ryan Palmer – Vice Principal Panch (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Moorpark College)

Ryan Rosenheim – Jesus (Godspell – Agoura High School)

Michael Seltzer – Barfee (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee – Thousand Oaks High School)

Evan Smith – Officer Lockstock (Urinetown – YA4ever)

Kathy Steele – Christine (Phantom of the Opera – Agoura High School)

Mariah Tobin – Dotty Otley (Noises Off – Newbury Park High School)

 

MEMORABLE COMMUNITY THEATER/PROFESSIONAL PERFORMANCES

(In alphabetical order)

Arryck Adams – The Emcee (Cabaret – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Matt Bauer – Emmett (Legally Blonde – Cabrillo Music Theatre)

Michael Beck – Buddy (The Diviners – Elite Theatre Company)

Silas Benjamin – Pseudolus (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)

Jeff Berg – Dick Dauntless (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Sydney Bowling – Dame Hannah (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Alex Britton – De Becque (South Pacific – High Street Arts Center)

Reba Buhr – Lois Lane (Kiss Me, Kate – Cabrillo Music Theatre)

Larry Craig – Joe Boyd (Damn Yankees – Conejo Players Theatre)

Emma Degerstedt – Elle (Legally Blonde – Cabrillo Music Theatre)

Kimberly Demmary – Janet (Seatbelts Required – Santa Paula Theater Center)

Ben Deschaine – Javert (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Ryan Driscoll – Marius (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)

Tom Dugan – Robert E. Lee (Robert E. Lee: Shades of Gray – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Jennifer Fogarty – Wednesday (The Addams Family – Theater League)

Davis Gaines – Fred Graham (Kiss Me, Kate  – Cabrillo Music Theatre)

Geoffrey Going – Jean Valjean (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theater of Simi)

Richard Gould – Dedlock/Ebenezer Scrooge (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Kimberly Hessler – Anne Frank (The Diary – Thousand Oaks Repertory Company)

Kellie Holm  – April (Company – Camarillo Skyway Playhouse)

Clynell Jackson III – Sir Roderic (Ruddigore – Ventura County Gilbert & Sullivan Repertoire Company)

Rebecca Ann Johnson – Estella Scrooge (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Elizabeth Kelly – Nellie (South Pacific – High Street Arts Center)

Melissa Martinez – Amneris (Aida – High Street Arts Center)

Carlos Penaranda – Thenardier (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Mischa Pollack – Jean Valjean (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)

Rachael Pugh – Cosette (Les Miserables – High Street Arts Center)

Andrew Samonsky – Philip Nickelby (Little Miss Scrooge – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Jesse Sharp – Gomez (The Addams Family – Theater League)

Cody Slaughter  – Elvis Presley (Million Dollar Quartet – Theater League)

Tucker Smallwood  – Black (The Sunset Limited – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Joe Spano – White (The Sunset Limited – Rubicon Theatre Company)

Natalie Storrs – Lucy (You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown – Cabrillo Music Theatre)

Dave Ulmer – King Arthur (Monty Python’s Spamalot – Conejo Players Theatre)

Amanda Wanamaker – Philia (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)

Mazie Wilson – Eponine (Les Miserables – Actors’ Repertory Theatre of Simi)

Paul Wong – Hysterium (A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum – Panic! Productions)