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Playhouse sweeps TATE awards.
Published: 6/26/2011 11:06 PM
Last Modified: 6/26/2011 11:06 PM

In this case, two out of three is pretty darn amazing.

Playhouse Tulsa won the top two prizes at the 2011 Tulsa Awards for Theatre Excellence, taking home three quarters of the $20,000 in prize money provided by the George Kaiser Family Foundation.

The company won first place and $10,000 for its production of Shakespeare's "Macbeth," updated with modern costumes, firearms rather than swords, some truly blood-curdling special effects, and an ending that implied the horror and madness just played out before us was simply part of a never-ending cycle of violence.

Playhouse also took the second place award of $5,000 for "Shining City," a modern-day story of fear and faith, ghosts and Gods and the uniquely Irish ability to tell a story.

Heller Theatre won third prize for the second consecutive year for its production of "Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde," which was anchored by a bravura performance in the title role by T. J. Bowlin.

Clark Theatre continued its domination of the Outstanding Youth Production, winning $2,500 for "Annie."

What makes Playhouse's double victory so impressive is the entrants in this year's TATE awards were particularly varied and strong.

Odeum Theatre, for example, created a masterful production of "Bug," Tracy Letts' drama about how paranoia can almost literally creep under one's skin, while the American Theatre Company's "Speech and Debate" dug into some very dark territory with an uncommon mix of wicked humor and sensitivity.

Theatre North's one woman show "No Child..." showcased the fine talents of actress Whitney Davis, while Theatre Tulsa's "Life with Father" showed how an antique can be buffed and polished and made to shine as good as new.

Even the shows that -- in our estimation, at least -- were outside chances at best contained elements that were very good, even first-rate.

It just underscores what this year's TATE Distinguished Artist Joe Sears said in the question-and-answer session prior to the awards ceremony. "You never know," he said, "where you are going to see great theater."

All you have to do, is go looking for it. And there is plenty of theater to be found right here in Tulsa.


Reader Comments 2 Total
Jayhawk Ken (last year)
I fail to understand why adults in Tulsa throw their money away on junk movies like "The Green Lantern" and "Hangover 2" when live theater costs only a little more and fills one with powerful feelings and lasting memories.

Tulsans are fortunate to have several theater companies dedicated to producing a top quality entertainment experience, but they must step up and show up for the presentations or the options will shrink.

My congratulations to Playhouse Tulsa for its established record of excellence and to Heller Theatre as well. I hope Tulsans will do a better job of supporting this sort of live theater and will discover the incredible talent on display just feet away.
23638 (last year)
congrats to Playhouse! Jayhawk Ken.... you are my new hero. you are right. theatre in Tulsa can be pretty impressive. here is hoping more people give it a chance!
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ARTS

James D. Watts Jr. has lived in Oklahoma for most his life, even though he still has people saying to him, "Don't sound like you're from around these parts." A University of Oklahoma Phi Beta Kappa graduate, Watts has received the Governor Arts Award, Harwelden Award and the National Conference of Christians and Jews Beth Macklin Award for his writing. Before coming to the Tulsa World, Watts worked for the Tulsa Tribune.

Contact him at (918) 581-8478.

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