Family theater family

Photo: Ted and Jen Ryle, selfie by Ted Ryle

Ted and Jen Ryle, Olympia Family Theater

by Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, Jan. 9, 2020

The Ryle family at the awarding of the Achievement in the Arts Award, from left to right: Alexa, Jen, Mandy, Ted and Lu.

Olympia Family Theater is a family affair in every possible meaning of the phrase. The company was co-founded by Jen Ryle, along with Samantha Chandler, in 2006, and Ryle is the company’s artistic director. Her husband, Ted, has written and co-written many OFT shows, including the original adaptation of Cinder Edna with music by Ted, Rich Sikorski, Miriam Sterlin and Ryle’s daughter Mandy. He directed the world premiere of 3 Impossible Questions by local playwright Christian Carvajal and directed for the first Tales Told in Ten festival in 2016, and he has acted in more than 20 OFT productions.

“I grew up a theater kid,” Jen Ryle says. She met Ted at an audition at Shoreline Community College. “After grad school, Ted and I moved to Olympia with our daughters where I was a stay-at-home mom and they attended Lincoln Elementary. I enrolled at Evergreen once my kiddos were all in grade school and that is where my vision for creating a theater for young audiences crystallized.”

Ted and Jen Ryle

She graduated in June 2006, and they staged their first show, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, at the Midnight Sun in October of that year. “I directed the production. Samantha and my whole family were in the show (Ted and daughters Lu, Mandy and Alexa). That early, we had to rely on ourselves and our friends and families to fill many of our volunteer roles as actors and for help with costumes, sets, painting, hanging posters, and everything. ‘What a great show! It’s too bad there is no way this can last’ I remember hearing from one audience member who came to see the show with his wife and two children. Many years later, that same audience member's kiddos were enrolled in our education programs, acted on our mainstage, and he even served on our board of directors.”

For eight seasons, OFT performed both in the South Puget Sound Community College and Washington Center Black Boxes, with a few shows at the Midnight Sun. In 2014, they got their own theater space in the old Capital Playhouse on 4th Avenue, downtown Olympia. “It is such a luxury to have costume and prop storage, a shop, and our theater all in one space,” Jen says.

Their first show in their new home was the musical Busytown. They have now produced 63 mainstage shows, 27 at the current location. These include many adaptations of well-known children’s classics with some of the area’s best actors.

Jen was honored by Masterworks Choral Ensemble in their Salute to the Arts Award for outstanding contributions to the arts in our community. In the Summer of 2018, the Washington Center honored Olympia Family Theater with its Achievement in the Arts award. 

“I’ve worked with the Ryles and OFT since 2008 in varied capacities: as an actor, OFT board member (then President), writer, director, and parent,” Andy Gordon says. “I think they do an incredible job in the community, providing a place for families to experience and enjoy theater, and the educational opportunities that go along with that. As a director, I was very impressed with the company’s commitment to collaboration and support of every production. Where I think they go above and beyond is their fostering of original local work. It’s a joy to work with a company that’s so committed to championing new material. As a creator, I couldn’t be more grateful to OFT for their support. Jen’s leadership in this regard has been amazing; new work can be risky, and she manages to both be supportive and maintain the high quality for all productions. Ted’s a fellow creator, and I’ve always appreciated his support and willingness to collaborate.”

Actor John Serembe, seen in The Wind in the Willows, says, “Jen and Ted Ryle have moved and inspired countless Olympia children, as well as those who perform on their stage.”

The next show coming up at OFT is Number the Stars directed by OFT's co-founder Samantha Chandler.

Number the Stars, 7 p.m. Friday and 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 31-Feb. 16, $15-20, Olympia Family Theater, 612 Fourth Ave E., Olympia, olyft.org, 360.570.1638.

Olympia Family Theater’ Award of Excellence

For young audiences and anyone who has ever been a kid

by Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, Aug. 30, 2018

from left: Jill Barnes, Samantha Chandler, Jen Ryle and WCPA Board Chair Alex Bunn, photo by Kathy Strauss Media

At the Washington Center for the Performing Arts’ third annual Center Stage Awards & Gala in July, 232 guests cheered as Olympia Family Theater was presented with an Award of Excellence for “achievement in the arts.” An Award of Excellence was also presented to James L. This for “commitment to the arts.”

"This was an extraordinary evening of generosity and love for the arts," said Washington Center Executive Director Jill Barnes.

Founded a dozen years ago by Samantha Chandler and current Artistic Director Jen Ryle, OFT has produced more than 50 theatrical shows for and by children and adults since their first show in October 2006, and the company continues to offer educational programs for youth from infancy through high school. OFT has also premiered locally written plays such as Cinder Edna, adapted by Ted Ryle; Fishnapped by Amy Fisher and Andrew Gordon with music and lyrics by Daven Tillinghast; and 3 Impossible Questions by Christian Carvajal.

At the awards ceremony, Ryle and Chandler told stories about OFT’s 12 years of theater. Ryle said, “OFT is helping raise a new generation that loves the performing arts by providing quality theatrical productions for young audiences and for anyone who has ever been a kid. It's wonderful to be recognized for something that is so close to my heart. I am truly living my dream, seeing Olympia Family Theater introduce new generations of kids to plays and musicals designed especially with them in mind. So many people have helped us to reach this point; amazing local actors, designers, technicians, musicians, writers, donors, and volunteers. We at OFT are all so proud and honored to be recognized by our friends at the Washington Center.  Some of our early years were spent at the Washington Center's Black Box so it felt a little like going home to be back for this amazing event.”

Barnes said, “For 12 years, Olympia Family Theater has put local performers to work and provided quality theatrical programming to even the youngest of theater patrons. The artists know that some audience members might be wiggly, giggly and rambunctiously responsive, and that is totally okay. They offer an up-close theater experience that is rare, opening the door for a lifetime of artistic appreciation. These are just a few of the reasons that Olympia Family Theater received the Achievement for the Arts Award.”

OFT's 2018-2019 season opens with an adaptation of the popular children's book, Corduroy. Other main stage shows to fill out the season will include Tiny Tim's Christmas, Flora & Ulysses, The Hundred Dresses, and Go, Dog, Go!

James L. This was co-founder of Opus Seventy-One, and through the Capital Area Association of the Performing Arts secured the initial funding for the building of the Washington Center. He produced and directed musicals at Abbey Theater, Olympia Little Theatre and Capital High School, and helped in the founding of Harlequin Productions.

Coyduroy, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 28 to Oct. 21, $20 adults, $16 military, $15 youth, http://olyft.org/tickets, 612 4th Ave E, Olympia, https://olyft.org/, 360-570-1638.

Lisistrata at New Muses

By Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano, June 28, 2018

Cast of Lisistrata, Cassie Jo Fastabend as Lisistrata standing in center, courtesy New Muses Theatre

Well over 2,000 years ago the city of Athens, Greece was treated to a sexy and hilarious anti-war farce called Lisistrata by the writer Aristophanes. Now it is making its way to Tacoma’s Dukesbay Theater in an anonymous adaptation believed to have been by Oscar Wilde, directed by Niclas Olson and produced by New Muses Theatre.

Lisistrata — perhaps the first great feminist activist in history — rallies fellow Greek women to refuse sexual favors until their husbands end the Peloponnesian War. Aiding in her movement is the Spartan woman Lampito.

The title character will be played by Cassie Jo Fastabend, a veteran of many South Sound stages and a longtime teacher of youth arts. She has been seen in Macbeth and Lear at the Slate Theater in Seattle, Hamlet and A Streetcar Named Desire at University of Puget Sound, A Few Good Men, at Lakewood Playhouse.

Lampito is played by LaNita Walters, most recently seen in My Fair Lady at Tacoma Musical Playhouse. Walters is a teaching artist for the Broadway Center and choreographer and director for various plays and children camps. She is also the choreographer for this play.

Amber Sayman (Ismenia) was most recently in Olympia Family Theatre’s Cinder Edna. Kaylie Hussey (Corinna) was in The Servant of Two Masters and Doctor Faustus at New Muses and Macbeth and The Great Gatsby at Tacoma Little Theatre. Mason Quinn (Magistrate) was most recently in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance at Tacoma Little Theatre. Nathaniel Walker (Cinesias) was recently in The Pillowman at TLT.

“Two years ago I was considering Lysistrata as a fun comedy, but fast forward to now, it is an important social piece with immediate cultural relevance. It interests, and saddens me that a 6000-year-old play can still be relevant to our current political and social climate,” Olson says. “Especially now, with women's rights bursting to the forefront of the national consciousness via the Women's March and the #MeToo movement, seeing Lysistrata is to experience a story about a whole lot more than a sex strike. I'm especially fascinated with the journey the women of Greece take as they become leaders of their society through the course of the play. On a lighter note, the play is a whole lot of fun. We have everything including comic fight scenes, witty banter, and anatomically correct prop/costume pieces.The cast keeps coming up with new stuff every day, and it's been a real pleasure for me to see the script take on a life of its own through the actors.”

As a final note, Olson warns: “The play is definitely not family friendly. We are using the traditional phalluses, and the cast spends a good portion of the show in their underwear.

Lisistrata, 8 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, June 29-July 15, $10-$15, Dukesbay Theater, above the Grand Theater, 508 S. 6^th Ave., Tacoma https://www.newmuses.com/

Cinder Edna returns to Olympia Family Theater

Olympia Family Theater brings back a local legend

by Alec Clayton

Published in the Weekly Volcano

from left: Justin Valdez as Prince Rupert and Mandy Ryle as Cinder Edna, photo by Alexis Sarah

Olympia Family Theater premiered Cinder Edna five years ago, almost to the day, and now they’re bringing it back with some revisions and a larger cast. A local actor not involved in either production called it a legend and wondered if it was too soon to bring it back. I think not. I think the time is just right.

Based on the children’s picture book by Ellen Jackson and adapted for the stage by local actor and writer Ted Ryle, with music by Ryle and Miriam Sterlin and arrangements by Mark Thome, Cinder Edna offers a wise modern version of the Cinderella story that, among other delightful twists, points out that marrying a prince might not be the best thing a young maiden can aspire to.

from left: Mark Alford as Prince Randolph and Mandy Ryle as Cinder Edna, photo by Alexis Sarah

Cinder Edna (Mandy Ryle) is Cinderella’s next-door neighbor. Both are poor step children who slave for their heartless step mothers (who, in this modernized version of the fairy tale spend all their time on their cell phones as do their other daughters). That’s where the similarity ends. Unlike her pitiful neighbor, Cinder Edna is a budding young entrepreneur who cooks delicious dishes and sells them, with the cooking and the sales transpiring behind her clueless step mother’s back. While Cinderella (Corissa DeVerse) wears her glass slipper’s and a beautiful gown to the Prince’s ball, transported in the magical pumpkin coach (a sweet nod to magical tradition), Cinder Edna wears a sensible dress and loafers and catches a bus to the ball.

And there are two princes, one for each of the Cinders. Prince Randolph (Mark Alford) is a narcissist in love with his image in the looking glass. Prince Rupert (Justin Valdez) is the practical brother who runs a recycling business.

The arrival of the pumpkin coach — in sections that are danced in by actors — is a magical moment that could rival any big-stage production even though it is simply painted cut cardboard.

There are lines that are hilarious because they are so true, such as when it is pointed out that the glass slipper is just a shoe that would easily fit at least a quarter of the women in the kingdom.

The ensemble cast is great. DeVerse was a great choice for Cinderella. She has an outstanding voice. Valdez is a likeable Prince Rupert. In an amazing range of roles from Johnny in American Idiot at Lakewood Playhouse to Kyle in OFT’s Fishnapped, Alford’s acting ability continues to amaze. He is captivating as Prince Randolph, but this prince is too one-dimensional for an actor of Alford’s statue, and his preening and looking-glass gazing becomes a little too often repeated by the middle of the second act. Other actors in supporting roles stand out, notably Jesse Morrow as Edna’s step sister and Jennifer Cariaso as the fairy godmother. And, of course, there is the title role of Edna, played marvelously by Ryle. She brings this made-up character to life and makes her real, down-to-earth, big-hearted and lovable. And she sings up a storm.

Finally, a big shout-out to director Jen Ryle, choreographer Vanessa Postil, and set designer Jill Carter.

Cinder Edna, 7 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, through June 3, $19 adults, $16 military, $13 youth, http://olyft.org/tickets, 612 4th Ave E, Olympia, 360-570-1638.

A Year with Frog and Toad

Published in the Weekly Volcano, May 19, 2016

Kate Ayers as Toad, Harrison Fry as Frog. Photo by David Nowitz

Olympia Family Theater’s A Year with Frog and Toad is so joyous that watching it should banish all thoughts of election season politicking. For more than an hour all worries about war and poverty and climate change should go away.

It is the show Olympia Family Theater opened its first season with, and has become the company’s every-five-year anniversary show. This year marks the 10^th season for this most enjoyable children’s theater.

Based on the books by Arnold Lobel and directed by Jen Ryle, Frog and Toad is a celebration of friendship, following a year in the life of these best of friends. Kate Ayers is Toad. Toad is neurotic, often fearful and excitable. Harrison Fry is Frog. Frog is as different from Toad as different can be. He is calm and caring, a voice of reason, and he will do anything for his friend Toad.

Ayers and Fry are wonderfully matched. As Ayers has proven in so many performances — Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day; Lyle the Crocodile; Busytown; The Monster Under the Bed; and more — she is among the most expressive of actors on South Sound stages, with broad facial expressions and wonderfully exaggerated physical moves. Plus she sings with a clear and lovely voice. Fry, who has been outstanding in everything from The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee to Prince Rupert in Cinder Edna, is thoroughly loveable as Frog. He is the sweet calm in the storm.

Also a pure delight is Ted Ryle as Snail with the mail. Every time he walks across the stage the kids in the audience go wild. So do a lot of the adults. Who remembers Arte Johnson as the dirty old man on “Laugh In”? Every time Ryle carries the mail with his hurried-slow shuffle it is like Arte Johnson when Ruth Buzzi hits him on the head with her purse. It’s hilarious.

The set, props, and special effects are preciously cheesy-cheap. Admittedly “cheesy” and “cheap” are not usually complimentary terms, but in this show they apply purposefully and perfectly. Everyone knows the seeds in the box are going to sprout into flowers, and kids in the audience stand up and crane their necks in anticipation of seeing it. The snowy slope Frog and Toad sled down is nothing up a white sheet draped over some makeshift construction, but what they do with it is magical and ridiculously funny. And then there’s the puppet Large and Terrible Frog, and Toad’s puppet legs — you have to see it to believe it (credit scenic designer Steve Bylsma, scenic engineer David Nowitz, prop artist Rachel Ikehara-Martin, and puppet artist Sarah Lykins).

Also playing a huge role in the success of this play is the band: keyboardists Stephanie Claire and David Lane, bassist Matt Fearon, and drummer Theresa McKenzieSullivan.

The choreography by Amy Shephard is lot of fun and the costumes by Mishka Navarre are delightful, especially the colorful birds’ dresses, which make the quartet of singing birds look like a psychedelic girl group from 1962.

A Year with Frog and Toad is a show for children of all ages; i.e., parents will love it as well.

A Year with Frog and Toad,  Fri., 7 p.m., Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m.  through June 5, pay what you can June 20, $13-$19,  http://olyft.org/tickets, 612 4th Ave E, Olympia, 360-570-1638

Peter Rabbit and Me

Olympia Family Theater Does Beatrix Potter

Carolyn Willems Van Dijk as Peter Rabbit and Rich Young as Mr. McGregor. Photo by Alexis Sarah.

Peter Rabbit and Me at Olympia Family Theater, written by Aurand Harris, is a delightfully joyful play for young children. It’s also as energetic a show as you’re likely to see anytime soon, with a lot running and jumping (hopping, to be more precise).

In a wonderfully inventive and educational twist on the popular children’s book The Tale of Peter Rabbit, we see unfolding not only the tale of how the irascible Peter Rabbit sneaks in to Mr. McGregor’s garden to eat vegetables until he’s sick, we see acted out in a joyful way the story of how Beatrix Potter wrote and illustrated her stories.

Two tales of Peter Rabbit—his first dangerous venture into the garden in the first act and his daring return in the second act—alternate with scenes of the young Beatrix at home with her brother, Bertum, and their governess, Miss Hammond. As the two scene alternate, actors double up to play two or more characters each.

Carolyn Willems Van Dijk plays Beatrix Potter and Peter Rabbit.
Rich Young plays Beatrix’s father Potter and Mr. McGregor.
Stephanie Kroschel plays Miss Hammond and Mother Rabbit (mother to Flopsy, Mopsy, Cotton-tail and Peter).
Jared Greene is a ton of characters, including Bertum, Cotton-tail, the baker’s boy, and Mr. Mouse (he has to change ears and tails frequently).
Hannah Eklund plays an unnamed girl, a bird, and Flopsy.
And finally, Katrina Groen plays the other girl, bird, and Mopsy.

Naturally, Beatrix or Peter are in every scene. There’s hardly a moment when one or the other is not the center of attention, meaning Van Dijk has to do a lot of quick costume changes and believably and entertainingly portray two very different characters—a lovely and loving girl who adores her many pets and is determined to become a great writer and artist. Her big eyes, huge smile and terrific repertoire of expressions make both Beatrix and Peter characters kids love. Regulars at OFT will remember Van Dijk from her so-fun performance as Cinder Edna in the play of the same name by Ted Ryle, in which she worked with director Kate Ayers, who also directs this play.

Young is ideally cast as Mr. McGregor. He is a retired school teacher who has recently returned to theater after a long absence. He creates the put-upon farmer as a character who is absolutely as we imagine him, meaning the hapless and constantly frustrated target of Peter’s shenanigans and the “bad guy” who is really nice. Good job, Rich Young.

The rest of the cast is equally good in their many roles.

The set design by Jeannie Beirne is effective and decorative, and the lighting by Jill Carter is up to her usual excellent standards.

This one runs three weeks only, so don’t let your chance to bring the kids slip by.

Peter Rabbit and Me, Fridays at 7 p.m., Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m.  through April 3, pay what you can March 25, special 11 a.m. performance March 26, 612 4th Ave E, Olympia, 360-570-1638.

Cinder Edna One-Acts

Cinderella’s (Ingrid Pharris Goebel) coach arrives to take her to the ball. Photo by David Nowitz.

A one-act version of Ted Ryles’ delightful musical “Cinder Edna” will be performed at the Olympia Family Theatre Playspace two nights only, Saturday and Sunday, Aug. 17 and 18.

The play by local playwright Ted Ryles tells the tale of Cinderella’s next door neighbor Cinder Edna, whose life parallels that of her neighbor in many ways but with a few enjoyable twists. It premiered this past May. Now Ryles is trying out a one-act version.

It is not a ticketed event. Donations will be accepted at the door. Folks can call Ryles at 360-481-6538 to reserve seats. The approximate one-hour production starts at 7:30 p.m. with schmoozing and snacking provided before and after. The performance space is at 112 State Ave., Olympia.

Ryles said, “This will be a premier presentation of a one-act version of the play, with minimal props and costumes. It is not an OFT production. We, the writers, are renting the OFT space for this presentation, in part to workshop the one-act, and in part to raise funds for national marketing efforts.” 

Read my review of the original full-length Cinder Edna.

Critic's Choice 2012-2013

Every summer since 2004 I have published my Critic’s Choice, my choices for the best in South Sound theater. This year I am going to do it differently. Since The News Tribune has cut back on the number of my theater reviews they publish, I have not reviewed as many plays in Tacoma and Lakewood as I used to, and I have had to completely stopped reviewing shows in smaller venues in places like Puyallup and Gig Harbor. I live in Olympia and cannot afford the commute for reviewing plays I don’t get paid for. I reviewed only 38 plays this season. In the not too distant past I typically reviewed 50 to 60 plays in a season.

Picking the best actor or best director would not be fair to the theaters whose performances I did not review. So, instead of ranking I am honoring those actors, directors, set designers and so forth whose work is worthy of special recognition.

Jana Tyrrell turned in an award-worthy performance in “Next to Normal” at Capital Playhouse, which was directed by her husband, Brian Tyrrell. This stylized and hard-hitting musical-drama was made surreally beautiful by Bruce Haasl’s set and lighting by Matt Lawrence.

Kristin Burch electrified audiences with her portrayals of Nancy in “Oliver” at Capital Playhouse and as Roxie Hart in “Chicago” at Tacoma Musical Playhouse.

Bruce Haasl as Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin Productions. Set by Linda Whitney

Bruce Haasl knocked my socks off four years ago as Judas in Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at Capital Playhouse, and did it again as Jesus in the same show at Harlequin. Put this guy on stage, any stage, and he owns it.

Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin and Next to Normal at Capital Playhouse both took South Sound musical theater to a higher level. (I’ve heard that the same can be said for Ragtime, now at Tacoma Musical Playhouse, but I did not get to see it.

Deya Ozburn is the South Sound’s Meryl Streep. She grabbed our hearts and wouldn’t let go as Martha in “The Children’s Hour” at Lakewood Playhouse.

The Children’s Hour at Lakewood Playhouse was as riveting and heartfelt as a drama can be. Teen actor Kira Zinck’s portrayal of the hateful Mary Tilford was breathtaking. Zinck is a young actor to watch for.

Kira Zinck and Carol Richmond in The Children's Hour. Photo by Dean Lapin

Joy Luck Club at Tacoma Little Theatre, directed by David Hsieh, was a wonderful show with a large ensemble cast and unique staging.

Ingrid Goebel’s comic stylings in The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood at Olympia Family Theatre clearly puts her in the rank of best comic actors.

Olympia Family Theatre is a new theater company that has taken big risks with world premieres of locally written plays and has blended professional-level adult and children’s theater in the most exciting and entertaining ways. Kudos to OFT for their hilarious The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood and their world premiere of Cinder Edna by playwright and composer Ted Ryle, adapted the play from the children’s picture book by Ellen Jackson, and their world premiere of The Abolitionist’s Wife by Sky Meyers and Barbara Gibson. Ryle, Meyers and Gibson are all local playwrights.

Kate Hayes’ knockout performance as The Artful Dodger in “Oliver” at Capital Playhouse puts her in the ranks of the best youth actors in the South Sound area if not anywhere.

The great Scott C. Brown proves that Fringe Theatre is still alive and vital in his disturbing portrayal a hostage in Lee Blessing's Two Rooms, which was performed in both Seattle and a one-night-only performance at Lakewood Playhouse.

Pug Bujeaud’s originality of vision as a director was something extraordinary in the presentation of not one but two versions of Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs, with separate ensemble casts, one all-male and the other all-female.

Jon Douglas Rake beautifully cloned Bob Fosse’s choreography for Chicago at Tacoma Musical Playhouse.

Brie Yost turned in a masterful job of directing the excellent ensemble cast in a soul stirring The Laramie Project at Tacoma Little Theatre.

(From L to R Michael Cooper, Jeremy Thompson, Martin J. Mackenzie, Mark Peterson, Jefri Peters, Rachel Fitzgerald, Russ Coffey). Photo by Galen Wicks Photography

Linda Whitney is superlative in so many ways. Her set design and direction of Jesus Christ Superstar at Harlequin was phenomenal and was aided by outstanding lighting and video by Amy Chisman. The work of the tech gods on this production was comparable to that of much larger theaters with bigger budgets.

Special recognition goes to director Marilyn Bennett and the cast and crew of The Importance of Being Earnest for outstanding staging and ensemble acting.

Musical reviews, mostly bombastic rock shows have become standard fare at both Centerstage! Theatre in Federal Way and Harlequin in Olympia. This year’s It’s Only Rock and Soul at Centerstage with performances by DeWayne Andrews Jr., Bobby Barnts, Stacie Calkins, Trista Duvall, Jesse Smith, Ashanti Mangum, Meg McLynn and Zack Wheeler was the kind of musical event I wish I could have videotaped to enjoy regularly at home.

OK, I said I wasn’t going to do a “Best Of” this year, but how about the best musical to play at two different theaters. That honor goes to the smashingly delightful Legally Blonde at Tacoma Musical Playhouse and Capital Playhouse, starring Leah Wickstrom at TMP and Bailey Boyd at Capital.

The Israel Horovitz Award for outstanding drama goes to… Israel Horovitz for Gloucester Blue. Credit Scot Whitney for making Horovitz and honorary citizen of Olympia.

Congratulations to all for a stunning season!