10th NH Theatre Awards event recognizes top performances

Friday, February 10, 2012

Staff photo by GRANT MORRIS
Daniel Schwartzberg laughs in amazement that he's just won the award for Best Supporting Youth Actor for a Community Musical during Friday night's New Hampshire Theatre Awards. Moments later, his brother, Nathan Schwartzberg would be named the Best Supporting Youth Actor.

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Mary Selvoski is greeted with a kiss as she approaches the podium to make her acceptance speech after being awarded The Francis Grover Cleveland Award for Lifetime Achievement during Friday night's New Hampshire Theater Awards at the Palace Theater in Manchester.

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John Eckert, of the Peterborough Players accpepts the award for Best Lighting Designer, which he shared with the Winnipisaukee Playhouse's Matt Guminski, during Friday night's New Hampshire Theatre Awards at The Palace Theater in Manchester.

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Side profiles of the New Hampshire Theater Award are seen back stage before the start of Friday night's award show at the Palace Theater in Manchester.

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Jennifer Mallard, left, of Manchester, and Joel Iwaskiewicz, right, of Nashua, look over Eric Skoglund's shoulder as he finalizes his notes for announcing the New Hampshire Theater Awards backstage before the start of the show.

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Jared Mezzocchi pumps his fist over his head after winning Best Originial Playwright - Community during Friday night's New Hampshire Theatre Awards.

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Staff photo by GRANT MORRIS
Daniel Schwartzberg laughs in amazement that he's just won the award for Best Supporting Youth Actor for a Community Musical during Friday night's New Hampshire Theatre Awards. Moments later, his brother, Nathan Schwartzberg would be named the Best Supporting Youth Actor.

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he stretch SUV that pulled up to the curb set the tone perfectly for the 10th annual New Hampshire Theatre Awards on Feb. 3 at the Palace Theatre.

Nominees and other attendees were dressed to rival a Hollywood awards show, turning the audience into a sea of formal gowns, top coats, furs and sequins. Here and there, a tuxedo or white dinner jacket could be glimpsed.

New Hampshire’s theater community wanted to look its best, as no one knew until the winning name was called just who would be walking across the stage to receive one of those coveted glass awards shaped like the state of New Hampshire.

The nervousness and excitement in the air only enhanced the attendees’ wit and sense of timing.

During the opening remarks, New Hampshire Theatre Association Executive Director Joe Vago and board President David Preece revealed that this year, seals would be presented to the top three finalists, including the winner, in each category. Without missing a beat, the audience responded with a symphony of seal sounds.

It was an evening full of surprises. Brothers Daniel and Nathan Schwartzberg, of Bedford, won in their categories, with Daniel winning Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Community Theater) for his portrayal of Mike Costa in StageCoach Productions’ “A Chorus Line,” and Nathan winning Best Supporting Actor (Youth Theater) for his role as the Mayor of Whoville in the Peacock Players’ “Seussical.”

The wins were announced back to back, to the great enthusiasm of the audience.

Although Nathan was too overwhelmed to speak at first, he managed to express his gratitude.

“Youth theater in New Hampshire is so amazing,” he said. “I just want to thank everyone who supported that.”

Daniel recovered from the shock a bit more quickly, thanking their parents for supporting him and letting him do what he loved.

The value of youth theater seems to have been apparent to this year’s adjudicators, who lavished honor upon honor on the Peacock Players, including Best Production (Youth Theater) and Best Director – Musical (Community Theater) for “The Dinosaur Musical.”

While accepting his Best Director award, the Peacock Players’ Keith Weirich took the opportunity to acknowledge a person who spends little time in the spotlight.

“Everyone in Peacock Players knows how I feel about them,” he said, and expressed his gratitude to “Heather, my beautiful, long-suffering wife.”

Weirich thanked her for enduring the challenges of being married to a director and reminded her of the benefits.

“At least I gave you a cute son,” he joked.

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the special awards.

Mary Selvoski, of Bedford, was honored with the Francis Grover Cleveland Lifetime Achievement Award. The owner of Mary’s Closet in Manchester, she has been costuming statewide and beyond since 1963.

Looking every inch a kindly fairy godmother, Selvoski was praised by presenters as someone who “won’t let you out of the house until you look good and you’re comfortable with what you’re wearing.”

“It’s such a humbling feeling, I can’t explain it,” Selvoski said of receiving the award. “Thank you for letting me be part of your dreams. I will continue to costume until I can’t thread the needle anymore.”

A variety of performances interspersed throughout the awards, including “Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat” by the cast of the Actorsingers’ “Guys and Dolls,” rounded out the event nicely, underscoring the fact that this evening is all about the theater, those who live for it and those who love it.

Teresa Santoski can be reached at 594-6466 or tsantoski@nashuatelegraph.com.