In Theater News: Seattle Theater Artists Honor Its Own Scene With Gregory Awards

Tonight, a large portion of Seattle's Theater community, dressed in their finest regalia, will gather inside the Allen Theater at ACT in order to celebrate the 2011 Gregory Awards. The Gregorys, as they are colloquially known, serves to recognize outstanding achievements in the theatrical realm within the state of Washington; though, naturally, they usually end up focusing on productions within the greater Seattle metropolitan area, while highlighting featured work throughout the rest of the state.

The awards are an extension of the Gregory A. Falls Sustained Achievement award, which was created in 1998, as a way to honor individuals whose contributions to the local theater scene have helped to strengthen the community and the work done within. Beginning in 2009, the awards expanded to include six annual categories, from Outstanding Actor/Actress, Director and Production to the various Design elements. The event is produced by Theater Puget Sound, in conjunction with their Arts Crush festival.

In essence, the Gregorys are the Seattle version of the Tonys and Obies, the New York City centric industry awards for productions taking place on Broadway and Off-Broadway; except these awards do not divide between professional and non-professional productions -- nominees come from both the Union and Fringe theaters, it's meant as a recognition of the entire scene. The awards committee also makes room for artists to be nominated by the theater going public, with "People's Choice" nominees in each category.

At its roots, however, the Gregorys also provide an opportunity for the community to gather together, hob nob, and be among each other. This is a group that is largely busy throughout the year, and it is rare to be able to gather the majority of them in one room at the same time; as a result, the evening allows the Seattle Theater community to indulge in a bit of glamour.

This year's recipient of the Sustained Achievement award is Seattle Scenic Designer Bill Forrester, recognized for his 42 years of contributions not just locally, but on the national scale.

Congratulations to Mr. Forrester and nominees for tonight's various awards. (See a full list of nominees here.)