The 2014 Rice Sammys

By Sophie Newman and Kaylen Strench     5/11/14 1:59pm

Ever since 1980, the Thresher has scouted the finest of the Rice theater scene to present its annual Sammy’s awards. From talking vaginas to man-eating plants to enchanted fairies, there was certainly a wealth of creativity, ingenuity and raw talent in this year’s crop of productions. This year, the Sammy’s were selected by a special group of students involved in Rice theater: McMurtry College sophomore Rachel Landsman, Duncan College freshman Yena Han, Wiess College senior Ian Bott and Hanszen College freshman Rachel Buissereth. These panelists have each carefully selected the winners according to their own respective judgements:

List of productions:

Hanszen/McMurtry: [title of show]

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VADA/Rice Players: Little Shop of Horrors

Lovett Theater: And Then There Were None

BakerShake: Romeo and Juliet

Sid/WRC: The Vagina Monologues

VADA: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Tabletop: Into the Woods

Tabletop: Freshman One Acts

Rice Players: Rabbit Hole

Wiess: Glengarry Glen Ross

Sid Rich - Star Geeks

For Plays:

Best Play:

Ian: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (VADA)

Rachel B: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (VADA)

Yena: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (VADA)

Rachel L: Rabbit Hole (Players)

Best Director of a Play:

Ian: Christina Keefe (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Rachel B: Rob Kimbro (Romeo and Juliet)

Yena: Rob Kimbro (Romeo and Juliet)

Rachel L: Rob Kimbro (Romeo and Juliet)

Best Leading Actor in a Play:

Ian: Daniel Burns as Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Rachel B: Jake Hassel as Demetrius (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Yena: Jake LaViola as Howie (Rabbit Hole)

Rachel L: Juan Sebastian Cruz as Romeo (Romeo and Juliet)

Best Leading Actress in a Play:

Ian: Vicky Comesanas as Juliet (Romeo and Juliet)

Rachel B: Yena Han as Helena (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Yena: Haley Jones as Becca (Rabbit Hole)

Rachel L: Haley Jones as Becca (Rabbit Hole)

Best Supporting Actor in a Play:

Ian: Malik Wilson as Blore (And Then There Were None)

Rachel B: Daniel Burns as Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Yena: Daniel Burns as Puck (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

Rachel L: Jake Hassell as Philip Lombard (And Then There Were None)

Best Supporting Actress in a Play:

Ian: Katherine Gunn as Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet)

Rachel B: Katherine Gunn as Mercutio (Romeo and Juliet)

Yena: Sara Nydick as The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy (The Vagina Monologues)

Rachel L: Susannah Eig as Titania (A Midsummer Night’s Dream)

For Musicals:

Best Musical:

Ian: Little Shop of Horrors (VADA/Players)

Rachel B: Little Shop of Horrors (VADA/Players)

Yena: Little Shop of Horrors (VADA/Players)

Rachel L: Little Shop of Horrors (VADA/Players)

Best Director of a Musical

Ian: Audrey Chao ([title of show])

Rachel B: George Brock (LSH)

Yena: Audrey Chao ([title of show])

Rachel L: Audrey Chao ([title of show])

Best Leading Actor in a Musical:

Ian: Cory Gross as Jeff ([title of show])

Rachel B: Bryce Wiley as Seymour (LSH)

Yena: Bryce Wiley as Seymour (LSH)

Rachel L: Bryce Wiley as Seymour (LSH)

Best Leading Actress in a Musical:

Ian: Helen Hoover as Cinderella (Into the Woods)

Rachel B: Ariana Morgan as Audrey (LSH)

Yena: Laura Bingman as Mary Sue (Star Geeks)

Rachel L: Emily Higgs as Baker’s Wife (Into the Woods)

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical:

Ian: Curtis Barber as Mr. Mushnik (LSH)

Rachel B: Roby Johnson as Orin (LSH)

Yena:  Roby Johnson as Orin (LSH)

Rachel L:  Roby Johnson as Orin (LSH)

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical:

Ian: Emily Statham as Heidi ([title of show])

Rachel B: Megan Troxell as Little Red Riding Hood (Into the Woods)

Yena: Tasneem Islam, Rachel Buissereth, Tristina Bryant as doo-wop girls (LSH)

Rachel L: Rachel Buissereth as Chiffon (LSH)

Best Music/Orchestra:

Ian: Into the Woods

Rachel B: LSH

Yena: [title of show]

Rachel L: LSH

For Both:

Best Lighting Design:

Ian: LSH

Rachel B: LSH

Yena: A Midsummer NIght’s Dream

Rachel L: Romeo and Juliet

Best Set Design:

Ian: A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Rachel B: Rabbit Hole

Yena: A Midsummer NIght’s Dream

Rachel L: Rabbit Hole

Best Costume Design:

Ian: A Midsummer NIght’s Dream

Rachel B: Romeo and Juliet

Yena: Romeo and Juliet

Rachel L: LSH

Best Sound Design:

Ian: A Midsummer NIght’s Dream

Rachel B: And Then There Were None

Yena: LSH

Rachel L: [title of show]

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