You’ve honored us with a TON of Creative Loafing Tampa Best of the Bay Reader’s Poll Awards in the past. As the area grows, the competition certainly stiffens. We count ourselves lucky just to be among such fine company this (and every) year. Jobsite and our artists once again received a number of nominations for the 2017 Reader’s Poll. Crossing our fingers that at least some of them bring home the Loafie!

Though most categories are only nominating a human, unattached to a show, we wanted to provide you this quick and handy list for you to consider when you cast your A&E votes. Make sure to get it in by Aug. 23!

A special thing to note is that our production of Gloucester Blue comes heavily nominated including nods for the director, set designer, lighting designer, three of the actors PLUS the nomination for Best Local Theater Production (a grand total of seven). We had eight nominated artists involved in our production of As You Like It. Way to go! Congrats to all nominees in all categories!

Best Theater Company: Jobsite Theater

Best Performing Arts Center: Straz Center

Best Local Theater Production:

• Gloucester Blue
• Lizzie

Best Local Choreographer: Alison Burns-Jackson (LIZZIE)

Best Local Lighting Designer (these nominations are not based on a single show, but we list their work with us for reference):

• Ryan Finzelber (As You Like It, A Skull in Connemara, Gloucester Blue)
• Jo Averill-Snell (Cloud Nine)
• Reuben Hirsh (LIZZIE)

Best Local Set Designer (these nominations are not based on a single show, but we list their work with us for reference):

• Brian Smallheer (The Underpants, LIZZIE, As You Like It, A Skull in Connemara, Gloucester Blue)
• Jerid Fox (Cloud Nine)

Best Local Director (these nominations are not based on a single show, but we list their work with us for reference):

• David Jenkins (LIZZIE, As You Like It, Gloucester Blue)
• Karla Hartley (The Underpants)

Best Local Actor (these nominations are not based on a single show, but we list their work with us for reference):

• Brian Shea (A Skull in Connemara)
• David Jenkins (A Skull in Connemara, Cloud Nine)
• Derrick Phillips (The Underpants, As You Like It)
• Giles Davies (Cloud Nine)
• Landon Green (Gloucester Blue)
• Ned Averill-Snell (Gloucester Blue)

Best Local Actress (these nominations are not based on a single show, but we list their work with us for reference):

• Becca McCoy (As You Like It)
• Georgia Mallory Guy (Gloucester Blue)
• Jonelle Meyer (The Underpants)
• Katrina Stevenson (As You Like It, Cloud Nine)
• Lauren Field (As You Like It)
• Nicole Jeannine Smith (The Underpants)
• Roxanne Fay (As You Like It)

And a nod to one of our Artistic Associates who is also an amazing visual artist, Best Local Artist CL Doesn’t Cover: Spencer Meyers.

LIZZIE musicians Jeremy Douglass (music director, keys), Tom Kersey (cello), and Mark Warren (guitar) — all of whom are also returning for The Threepenny Opera — were all nominated for Best Instrumentalist. LIZZIE musician Rebekah Pulley (guitar/keys) was nominated for Best Singer-Songwriter. Warren’s Sara Rose Band and Sarge and the Aeromen also received nominations. Finally, The Florida Björkestra, Douglass’ brainchild, has been nominated for Best Local Band, Pop Band, Cover Band and Concert and TFB singer Colleen Cherry (seen as Lizzie Borden herself, and also returning for Threepenny) has been nominated for Best Vocalist. WHEW!

See The Florida Bjorkestra’s Buffyfest, including a staging of Once More With Feeling that includes several Jobsite members, at the Palladium on Sep. 23.

Please keep us in mind when you vote for all of your local favorites, and please pass this poll on to your other Jobsite-lovin’ pals! We clearly understand that this is a glorified popularity contest, but who doesn’t like to feel popular every now and again?! 🙂