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Barrymore Awards announce 2025 nominees

The Wilma Theater, Pig Iron Company, and People's Light Theatre are among the most nominated companies.

People's Light Theatre's "Peter Panto" received eight Barrymore nominations.
People's Light Theatre's "Peter Panto" received eight Barrymore nominations.Read moreMark Garvin

The annual Barrymore Awards, which honors the best theatrical shows of the past season in the Greater Philadelphia region, announced its nominees Tuesday night.

Pig Iron Theatre Co., whose future was uncertain after the University of the Arts closure, produced Poor Judge, which bagged nine nominations in the musical categories. With its other production, Franklin’s Key, the company received a total of 14 nominations.

People’s Light’s Peter Panto received eight nominations, including outstanding new work and outstanding choreography/movement in a musical.

In the play categories, the Wilma Theater’s Archduke led with eight nominations, includingoutstanding overall production of a play, outstanding costume, set, and lighting design.

Described as “a holiday balm for all ages” by Inquirer critic Frank Schierloh, Peter Panto (book by Jennifer Childs, who is nominated for outstanding new work, and directed by Bill Fennelly) was a reimagining of Peter Pan as a musical.

The Wilma’s production of Pulitzer Prize-winning Rajiv Joseph’s Archduke was directed by Blanka Zizka, who cofounded the theater company and made a triumphant return after a four-year directorial hiatus. It depicts the events that precede the 1914 assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the event that would eventually lead to World War I.

Other productions that received multiple nominations were the Wilma’s The Comeuppance, Jaffe St. Queer Productions’ Gay Mis, and Philadelphia Theatre Co.’s Night Side Songs. They each received seven nominations.

Overseen by Theatre Philadelphia, and named after the famed British American theatrical family, the awards were founded in 1994 by the Performing Arts League of Philadelphia.

With 21 categories — including outstanding direction, overall production, ensemble, leading performances in both plays and musicals — the Barrymores are considered the region’s foremost theater awards.

Starting in 2018, the acting categories have included actors of all genders.

The 2025 award ceremony will be Oct. 20 at the Temple Performing Arts Center.

The full list of nominees is below.

Outstanding Overall Production of a Play

  1. The Comeuppance — The Wilma Theater

  2. Glitter in the Glass — Theatre Exile

  3. Archduke — The Wilma Theater

  4. Rift, or White Lies — InterAct Theatre

  5. Nosejob — Lightning Rod Special

  6. Square Go — Inis Nua Theatre

  7. Intimate Apparel — Arden Theatre

Outstanding Direction of a Play

  1. Amina Robinson — Intimate Apparel, Arden Theatre

  2. Alex Burns — Cyrano de Bergerac, Quintessence Theatre Group

  3. Morgan Green — The Comeuppance, The Wilma Theater

  4. Nell Bang-Jensen — Nosejob, Lightning Rod Special

  5. James Ijames — August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Arden Theatre

  6. Kathryn MacMillan — Square Go, Inis Nua Theatre

  7. Matt Pfeiffer — Red, Theatre Exile

Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

  1. The Comeuppance — The Wilma Theater

  2. Cyrano de Bergerac — Quintessence Theatre Group

  3. Intimate Apparel — Arden Theatre

  4. A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Quintessence Theatre Group

  5. The 39 Steps — Lantern Theater

  6. Nosejob — Lightning Rod Special

  7. Cato (Remixed) — Philadelphia Artists’ Collective

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Play

  1. J Hernandez — Cyrano de Bergerac, Quintessence Theatre Group

  2. Brandi Porter — Intimate Apparel, Arden Theatre

  3. Matteo Scammell — Rift, or White Lies, InterAct Theatre

  4. Jered McLenigan — Rift, or White Lies, InterAct Theatre

  5. Jessica Johnson — The Half-God of Rainfall, The Wilma Theater

  6. Phillip Brown — American Moor, Lantern Theater

  7. Frank Jimenez — Moreno, InterAct Theatre

  8. Jessica Money — Our Town, New Light Theatre

  9. Adam Howard — Tuesdays with Morrie, Delaware Theatre Co.

  10. Karen Peakes — Much Ado About Nothing, Lantern Theater

  11. Tyler Elliot — Square Go, Inis Nua Theatre

  12. Owen Corey — Square Go, Inis Nua Theatre

  13. Suli Holum — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  14. Lee Thomas Cortopassi — A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Quintessence Theatre Group

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play

  1. Kishia Nixon — Glitter in the Glass, Theatre Exile

  2. Jessica Johnson — Intimate Apparel, Arden Theatre

  3. Alice Yorke — Nosejob, Lightning Rod Special

  4. Dax Richardson — August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Arden Theatre

  5. Kash Goins — August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Arden Theatre

  6. Zach Valdez — Red, Theatre Exile

  7. Janis Dardaris — Cyrano de Bergerac, Quintessence Theatre Group

  8. Morgan Charéce Hall — A Raisin in the Sun, People’s Light

  9. David Pica — Intimate Apparel, Arden Theatre

  10. Jaime Maseda as Francisco — The Comeuppance, Wilma Theater

  11. Gabriel Elmore — Moreno, InterAct Theatre

  12. Kimberly S. Fairbanks — August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Arden Theatre

  13. Zoe Nebraska Feldman — The Wanderers, Lantern Theater

  14. Tyler Elliot — It’s a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Play, Hedgerow Theatre Company 1

Outstanding Movement/Choreography in a Play

  1. Ian Rose — Cyrano de Bergerac, Quintessence Theatre Group

  2. J. Alex Cordaro — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  3. Ontaria Kim Wilson & J Paul Nicholas — Moreno, InterAct Theatre

  4. Eli Lynn — The Comeuppance, The Wilma Theater

  5. J. Alex Cordaro — Square Go, Inis Nua Theatre

  6. Matteo Scammell — Nosejob, Lightning Rod Special

  7. Yasmine Lee — Franklin’s Key, Pig Iron Theatre

Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical

  1. Penelope — Theatre Horizon

  2. Poor Judge — Pig Iron Theatre

  3. Gay Mis — Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  4. Night Side Songs — Philadelphia Theatre Co.

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

  1. Kyle Metzger — Drip, Inis Nua Theatre

  2. Eva Steinmetz — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  3. Eric Jaffe — Gay Mis, Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  4. Taibi Magar — Night Side Songs, Philadelphia Theatre Co.

Outstanding Leading Performance in a Musical

  1. Max Gallagher — Drip, Inis Nua Theatre

  2. Cookie Diorio — Kinky Boots, New Light Theatre

  3. Danny Wilfred — Gay Mis, Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  4. Eli Lynn — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  5. Dito van Reigersberg — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  6. Brooke Ishibashi — Night Side Songs, Philadelphia Theatre Co.

  7. Rachel Camp — Penelope, Theatre Horizon

  8. Eric Jaffe — Gay Mis, Jaffe St. Queer Productions

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical

  1. Andrew Burton Kelly — Kiss Me, Kate!, Quintessence Theatre Group

  2. Hannah Truman — Legally Blonde, Media Theatre

  3. Phoebe Gavula — Grease, Media Theatre

  4. Rajeer Alford — Rent, Arden Theatre

  5. Sevon Askew — Rent, Arden Theatre

  6. Jenna Kuerzi — Grease, Media Theatre

  7. Connor McAndrews — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  8. Livvie Hirshfield — Legally Blonde, Media Theatre

Outstanding Choreography/Movement in a Musical

  1. Todd Underwood — Kiss Me, Kate!, Quintessence Theatre Group

  2. Melanie Cotton — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  3. Taylor J. Mitchell — Kinky Boots, New Light Theatre

  4. Christian Ryan — Legally Blonde, Media Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction

  1. Lili St. Queer — Gay Mis, Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  2. Ryan Touhey — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  3. Alex Bechtel — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre and Esperanza Arts Center

  4. Justin Yoder — Penelope, Theatre Horizon

Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical

  1. Poor Judge — Pig Iron Theatre

  2. Gay Mis — Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  3. Night Side Songs — Philadelphia Theatre Co.

  4. Peter Panto: A Musical Panto — People’s Light

Outstanding New Work

  1. Iraisa Ann Reilly — January 6: A Celebration. A Bodega Princess Remembers Tradition, Not Insurrection, Simpatico Theatre 2

  2. Eva Steinmetz & Dito van Reigersberg — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  3. Daniel & Patrick Lazour — Night Side Songs, Philadelphia Theatre Co.

  4. Jennifer Childs — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  5. Tanaquil Márquez — Nichos, Esperanza Arts Center

Outstanding Outdoor Production

  1. All’s Well — Shakespeare in Clark Park

  2. One Monkey Don’t Stop No Show — Theatre in the X

  3. Julius Caesar — Delaware Shakespeare

  4. As You Like It — Shakespeare in Clark Park

Outstanding Set Design

  1. Chris Haig — The Playboy of the Western World, Inis Nua Theatre

  2. Thom Weaver — August Wilson’s King Hedley II, Arden Theatre

  3. Matt Saunders — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  4. April Thomson — Hold These Truths, Montgomery Theater

  5. Anna Kiraly — Franklin’s Key, Pig Iron Theatre

  6. Roman Tartarowicz — Tuesdays with Morrie, Delaware Theatre Co.

  7. Misha Kachman — A Summer Day, The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Costume Design

  1. Nikki DelHomme — The Hobbit, Arden Theatre

  2. Rebecca Kanach — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  3. Marla Jurglanis — Much Ado About Nothing, Lantern Theater

  4. Vasilija Zivanic — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  5. Misha Kachman — A Summer Day, The Wilma Theater

  6. Barbara Erin Delo — The Playboy of the Western World, Inis Nua Theatre

  7. LeVonne Lindsay — The Half-God of Rainfall, The Wilma Theatre

Outstanding Lighting Design

  1. Alyssandra Docherty — Tuesdays with Morrie, Delaware Theatre Co.

  2. Thom Weaver — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  3. Minjoo Kim — The Comeuppance, The Wilma Theater

  4. Thom Weaver — Penelope, Theatre Horizon

  5. Drew Billau — Rift, or White Lies, InterAct Theatre

  6. Maria Shaplin — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  7. Amith Chandrashaker & Stoli Stolnack — Franklin’s Key, Pig Iron Theatre

Outstanding Media Design

  1. Mike Long — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  2. Jorge Cousineau — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

  3. Jorge Cousineau — Rent, Arden Theatre Company

  4. David Tennent & Joshua Higgason — Franklin’s Key, Pig Iron

  5. Kelly Colburn & Ksenya Litvak — A Summer Day, The Wilma Theater

  6. Michael Long & Kate Coots — The 39 Steps, Lantern Theater

  7. Damien Figueras — Topdog/Underdog, Passage Theatre Co.

Outstanding Sound Design

  1. Chris Sannino — Poor Judge, Pig Iron Theatre

  2. Christopher Colucci — Red, Theatre Exile

  3. Jordan McCree — The Half-God of Rainfall, The Wilma Theatre

  4. Jordan McCree — The Comeuppance, The Wilma Theater

  5. Chris Sannino — Franklin’s Key, Pig Iron Theatre

  6. Michael Kiley — A Summer Day, The Wilma Theater

  7. Yaim Chong Chia — Archduke, The Wilma Theater

Outstanding Original Music

  1. Daniel & Patrick Lazour — Night Side Songs, Philadelphia Theatre Co.

  2. Alex Bechtel — Peter Panto: A Musical Panto, People’s Light

  3. Jordan McCree — The Hobbit, Arden Theatre

  4. Lili St. Queer — Gay Mis, Jaffe St. Queer Productions

  5. Ximena Violante & Ampersan (Zindu Cano and Kevin García) — Nichos, Esperanza Arts Center

  6. Jakeya L. Sanders — Fallawayinto: Corridors of Rememory, Ninth Planet

The Philadelphia Award for Social Insight

  1. Rift, or White Lies — InterAct Theatre

  2. Young Americans — Theatre Horizon

  3. The Drag — EgoPo Classic Theater

  4. Night Side Songs — Philadelphia Theatre Co.

  5. The Half-God of Rainfall — The Wilma Theater

  6. January 6: A Celebration. A Bodega Princess Remembers Tradition, Not Insurrection — Simpatico Theatre

  7. Glitter in the Glass — Theatre Exile

  8. Nichos — Esperanza Arts Center

  9. The Playboy of the Western World — Inis Nua Theatre