The Best of 2012: Part 10: Designers, Cabarets & Concerts, Dance & University Shows

Here are DCMetroTheaterArts writers’ choices for their favorites designs of production in the the DC Metro Area in 2012. I always felt that Designers never received enough ‘ink’ or credit or respect in reviews and were usually ‘clumped together’ in one sentence. I am very proud to say that the writers of DCMTA give designers ‘equal coverage’ in their reviews. We are also sharing with you our choices for our favorite concerts, cabarets, dance performances and university productions of 2012. Thanks to everyone who were honored by our writers. You can read all of our lists of 2012 honorees here. 

 BEST COSTUME DESIGN OF A PRODUCTION

The cast of ‘Hairspray.’ Photo by Kirstine Christiansen. Costumes by Lawrence B. Munsey.

Judith Bowden for My Fair Lady at Arena Stage.

Maggie Cason for The Comedy of Errors at Annapolis Shakespeare Company.

Candice Donnelly for Into the Woods at CENTERSTAGE.

Kathleen Geldard for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at Imagination Stage.

Frank Labovitz for Dreamgirls at Signature Theatre.

Brandon R. McWilliams for Peter Pan: The Boy who Hated Mothers at No Rules Theatre Company.

Judy Whelihan (Costume Design) for Equus at Taking Flight Theatre Company.

Howard Vincent Kurtz for Into the Woods at George Mason University.

Lawrence B. Munsey for Hairspray at Toby’s Dinner Theatre of Baltimore.

Kendra Rai for Metamorphoses at Constellation Theatre Company.

Denise Umland for A Commedia Christmas Carol at Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

David Van Tieghem for The Normal Heart at Arena Stage.

Jessica Welch and Meghan O’Beirne for A Christmas Carol at Arts Collective@HCC

BEST LIGHTING DESIGN OF A PRODUCTION

Maugrim the Wolf (Dylan Keane – center) and the White Witch’s minions taunt Aslan in ‘The Lion, The Witch, & The Wardrobe.’ Photo by Scott Suchman. Lighting Design by Colin K. Bills.

Colin K. Bills for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at Imagination Stage.

 Paule Constable for Les Misérables at The National Theatre.

Andrew Dorman for Suicide, Incorporated at No Rules Theatre Company.

Mary Louise Geiger for Invisible Man at The Studio Theatre.

Denis Giblin for Frost/Nixon at Greenbelt Arts Center.

Catherine Girardi for Seussical at Imagination Stage.

Andrew F. Griffin for A Commedia Christmas Carol at Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

Andrew F. Griffin for Astro Boy and the God of Comics at The Studio Theatre’s 2nd Stage.

Andrew F. Griffin Home of the Soldier at Synetic Theater.

A.J. Gubin for Metamorphoses at Constellation Theatre Company.

Chris Lee for Dreamgirls at Signature Theatre.

Eric Lund for Bell, Book, and Candle at Colonial Players.

Donald Edmund Thomas for Don Giovanni at Washington National Opera.

David Weiner for The Normal Heart at Arena Stage.

Carrie Wood for Peter Pan: The Boy Who Hated Mothers at No Rules Theatre Company.

BEST SET DESIGN IN A PRODUCTION 

Rendering of the set of ‘Altar Boyz’ at 1st Stage by Steve Royal.

Terry Cobb for A Christmas Carol at Arts Collective @HCC.

Daniel Conway for Dying City at Signature Theatre.

Ryan Haase for Arsenic & Old Lace at StillPointe Theatre Initiative.

Robbie Hayes for A Maze at Rorschach Theatre.

Riccardo Hernandez for Pullman Porter Blues at Arena Stage.

 Matt Kinley for Les Misérables, at The National Theatre.

JD Madsen for The Temperamentals at Rep Stage.

James Noone for Bus Stop at CENTERSTAGE.

David Rockwell for The Normal Heart at Arena Stage.

Steven Royal Almost, Maine at 1st Stage.

Steven Royal for Altar Boyz at 1st Stage.

Ethan Sinnott for A Commedia Christmas Carol at Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

Ethan Sinnott for Hamlecchino: Clown Prince of Denmark at Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

Luciana Stecconi  for Astro Boy and The God of Comics at The Studio Theatre’s 2nd Stage.

Eric Van Wyk for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe at Imagination Stage.

Matt Wolfe for BOOM at Artists’ Initiative.

BEST SOUND DESIGN IN A PRODUCTION

James Long about to be Power-Bombed by Chad Deity (Shawn T. Andrew). Photo by Stan Barouh. And can you hear the bodies slamming? Sound Design by Christopher Baine.

Christopher Baine for The Elaborate Entrance of Chad Deity at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company.

Jonathan Boulden for Cymbeline at Annapolis Shakespeare Company.

 Mick Potter for Les Misérables at The National Theatre.

Evan Rogers for Astro Boy and The God of Comics at The Studio Theatre’s 2nd Stage.

Matt Rowe for Dreamgirls at Signature Theatre.

Thomas Sowers for A Commedia Christmas Carol at Faction of Fools Theatre Company.

Veronika Vorel for Time Stands Still at Everyman Theatre.

BEST CABARETS OR CONCERTS OF 2012

Marvin Hamlisch. Photo courtesy of Wolf Trap.

30th Anniversary Christmas Revels at George Washington University’s Lisner Auditorium.

 A Chanticleer Christmas by Chanticleer Singers at Center for the Arts at George Mason University.

An Evening with Smokey Robinson at The Kennedy Center.

Joshua Bell and Academy of St. Martin in the Fields at The Music Center at Strathmore

Carolyn Cole: Born to Take the BELTway at Signature Theatre.

Cole Porter: You’re the Top! at Creative Cauldron.

Crosby, Stills & Nash at Wolf Trap.

Natascia Diaz: What I See at Signature Theatre.

Linda Eder in Songbirds at The Music Center at Strathmore.

Experience Hendrix 2012 Tribute Tour at The Music Center at Strathmore.

Eileen Ivers at Wolf Trap.

Hamlisch Goes Gershwin with the National Symphony Orchestra at Wolf Trap.

Holiday Follies at Signature Theatre.

The Holiday Guys at Signature Theatre.

Diana Krall at Wolf Trap.

Judy Kuhn at Barbara Cook Spotlight Series at The Kennedy Center.

Linda Lavin at Barbara Cook Spotlight Series at The Kennedy Center.

Emily Skinner at Barbara Cook Spotlight Series at The Kennedy Center.

Mannheim Steamroller Christmas by Mannheim Steamrollers at Strathmore.

Matthew Scott and Kirsten Scott at Signature Theatre.

Voices of Light – The Passion of Joan of Arc at the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra at The Music Center at Strathmore.

BEST DANCE PERFORMANCES OF 2012

The Party Scene in Moscow Ballet’s ‘Great Russian Nutcracker.’ Photo courtesy of the Moscow Ballet.

Bad Boys of Dance at Montgomery College.

Ballet West’s The Nutcracker at The Kennedy Center.

Collision Course – a.k.a. Pillow Talk at George Washington University.

Dana Tai Soon Burgess & Company at George Washington University.

Flamenco: Territorio DeMente at Gala Hispanic Theatre.

Lar Lubovitch Dance Company at The Kennedy Center.

Mark Morris Dance Company at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts.

Paul Taylor Dance Company at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center at U of MD.

The Moscow Ballet’s The Great Russian Nutcracker at The Music Center at Strathmore and Center for the Arts at George Mason University’s Center for the Arts.

BEST OPERA PRODUCTIONS OF 2012

Cast members of Die Zauberflöte. Photo by Cory Weaver.

Die Zauberflöte (The Magic Flute) at U of MD’s Maryland Opera Studio.

Don Giovanni at Washington National Opera.

La Boheme at Lyric Opera House.

Miss Havisham’s Fire at Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center.

 BEST UNIVERSITY PRODUCTIONS OF 2012 

(l to r) Charlie Brown (Conor Scanlan), Linus (Kevin Mori), Lucy (Awa Sal Secka), Snoopy (Jonathan Miot), Schroeder (Michael Mainwaring), and Sally (Mili Diaz). Photo by R. Scott Hengen.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at American University.

Almost, Maine at George Washington University.

Far Away at Georgetown University

Fiddler on the Roof at Montgomery College.

Finian’s Rainbow at Catholic University.

Glengarry Glen Ross at American University.

Guys and Dolls at American University.

In the Red and Brown Water at University of Maryland.

Sweeney Todd at George Washington University.

Venus at Howard University.

You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown at Montgomery College.

LINKS

The Best of 2012: Part 1: Dance Memories, 10 Favorites of 2012 by Carolyn Kelemen. The Best of 2012: Part 2: The Best Musicals of 2012. The Best of 2012: Part 3: The Best Performance by an Actor and Actress in a Musical. The Best of 2012: Part 4: Best Performance by Supporting Actor and Actress in a Musical. The Best of 2012: Part 5: Best Director, Best Musical Direction, and Best Choreography of a Musical. The Best of 2012: Part 6: Best Ensemble of a Play and Best Ensemble of a Musical. The Best of 2012: Part 7: Best Play, Best Actor, and Best Actress in a Play. The Best of 2012: Part 8: Best Director of a Play and Best Supporting Actor and Actress in a Play. Part 9: Solo Performances, Children’s/Young Adult Theatre Shows, Directors, & Performances’ Part 10: Designers, Cabarets & Concerts, Dance & University Shows

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