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Actors' Equity Receives "Spirit of Suzi" Award Honoring Union's Centennial

Nick Wyman, Melissa Robinette, Karen Howell
photo: Casey Callaway

The Suzi Bass Awards, which celebrate excellence in Metro Atlanta's professional theatre community, were held on Monday, November 5 at Sanford Performing Arts Center in DeKalb County. This year, Actors' Equity Association (AEA) received a special "Spirit of Suzi" Award recognizing Equity's Centennial, which was presented to AEA President Nick Wyman by Georgia Shakespeare Producing Artistic Director Richard Garner.

Accepting the award, President Wyman said: "Theatre is collaborative effort, and tonight AEA applauds all of the Suzi Award nominees: theatres, actors, directors, designers, writers, and composers - for their artistic aspirations and achievement. To do what we do, we all need one another -- to write the shows, to raise money, to sell tickets, to build the scenery, to dress the actors, to light the stage, to play the music. Tonight, let us celebrate this magnificent collaboration as we continue to entertain, educate and enlighten our audiences for the next 100 years."

Also representing Actors' Equity Association at the black-tie gala were AEA's Eastern Regional Vice President Melissa Robinette and Atlanta Area Liaison Karen Sue Howell.

The "Spirit of Suzi" Award is given annual to an individual or organization who is "dedicated to increasing the level of professionalism in the Atlanta theatre community" and "consistently strives to better the working conditions of theatre artists."

Other Equity honorees included: Ingrid Cole, Outstanding Lead Actress-Musical (Gypsy); Stephen Mitchell Brown, Outstanding Lead Actor-Musical (Jane Eyre); Karen Howell, Outstanding Featured Actress-Musical (Clyde 'n Bonnie: A Folktale); Bryant Smith, Outstanding Featured Actor-Musical (Clyde 'n Bonnie: A Folktale); Tess Malis Kincaid, Outstanding Lead Actress-Play (Shipwrecked: An Entertainment); Mark Kincaid, Outstanding Lead Actor-Play (Shipwrecked: An Entertainment); Bethany Anne Lind, Outstanding Featured Actress-Play (The Glass Menagerie) and Jimi Kocina, Outstanding Features Actor-Play (RED).

For a complete list of winners, www.suziawards.org