2013 Column Awards Nominations Announced

Sunday evening (January 27) the official nominations for the 14th annual COLUMN Awards were held with a live telecast. THE COLUMN AWARDS honors excellence in theater within the entire Dallas-Fort Worth Theatre metroplex.

THE COLUMN AWARDS holds the great honor and distinction as being the ONLY Theater awards organization in the United States that serves as a major fundraiser for BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS. They have raised close to $85,000 over the years for BC/EFA.

THE COLUMN AWARDS are voted by the subscribers of the national publication THE COLUMN (which has close to 30,000 subscribers). Practically the entire DFW Theater community are COLUMN subscribers.

This includes actors, directors, artistic directors, Producers, Musical Directors, Choreographers, designers, and so on. But it also includes various media (TV/Newspaper/internet) reporters, local theater critics, Television anchors and reporters, Radio personalities, etc. As well as hundreds of patrons who love, support, and attend theater within the DFW Theater area.

With Sunday's nominations, history was made on several levels:

*For the 4th year in a row Dallas's Uptown Players led the Equity field with 28 nominations.

*For the 4th year in a row Cleburne's Plaza Theatre Company led the Non-Equity field with 44 nominations.

*For the first time in COLUMN awards history, Denton Community Theatre made the final ballot in not only receiving a nomination for their production of HAIRSPRAY, earning BEST MUSICAL (non-equity), but also racked up 20 nominations.

*After an 8 year absence, Theatre Arlington and Runway Theatre returned back strong, making it into the final ballot. Both theater companies received nominations for BEST MUSICAL (Non-Equity). Theatre Arlington's RENT and Runway Theatre's ZOMBIE PROM.

*Theatre Arlington for first the time in COLUMN AWARD history, earned TWO coveted nominations for BEST PLAY (Non-Equity) , those were for THE 39 STEPS and NOISES OFF. This includes their nomination for BEST MUSICAL (RENT).

*For the first time in COLUMN Award history, TEN theater companies made it into the final six nominations. The following theater companies are appearing on the final ballot for the FIRST time:

L.I.P. Service, PFamily Arts, Music Theatre of Denton, Lakeside Community Theatre, DVA Productions Inc., Denton Community Theatre, Fun House Theatre and Film, Trinity Shakespeare Festival, Echo Theatre, and Hip Pocket Theatre.

"I am sincerely thrilled beyond words that the nominations were spread all over the metroplex" stated Executive Director/Producer/Founder of THE COLUMN AWARDS Organization, John Garcia. "To see finally theater companies that have not been on the ballot in some time as well as new theater companies making onto the final ballot means we as an organization are finally achieving the primary goal of our motto. Which is to honor excellence in theatre throughout the entire DFW area, not just Dallas", stated Garcia.

The 14th Annual COLUMN Awards extravaganza Gala, which this year's theme is LA CAGE AUX COLUMN, will be held on Monday February 25, 2013 at the exquisite Carpenter Hall at the Irving Arts Center. Tickets go on sale on February 4th. For the latest info, ticket info, and everything about THE COLUMN Awards, both present and past, go to their website:
www.thecolumnawards.org

14TH COLUMN AWARD NOMINATIONS ARE:

Best Musical - Equity

1776! - Lyric Stage
AVENUE Q - Theatre Too
BLOODY BLOODY Andrew Jackson - Theatre Three
THE PRODUCERS - Uptown Players
RAGTIME - Plaza Theatre Company
SOUTH PACIFIC - Garland Summer Musicals

Best Musical - Non-Equity

BIG RIVER - Artisan Center Theatre
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF - Plaza Theatre Company
HAIRSPRAY - Denton Community Theatre
RENT - Theatre Arlington
URINETOWN: THE MUSICAL - ICT Mainstage
ZOMBIE PROM - Runway Theatre

Best Play - Equity

ANNE OF GREEN GABLES - Dallas Children's Theater
AUGUST: OSAGE COUNTY - WaterTower Theatre
THE DIARY OF Anne Frank - WaterTower Theatre
THE FARNSWORTH INVENTION - Theatre Three
GOD OF CARNAGE - Dallas Theater Center
SUPERIOR DONUTS - Theatre Too
TAKE ME OUT - Uptown Players

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