Two Columbia University School of the Arts Theatre Arts Program alumni have been nominated for 2011 New York Innovative Theatre Awards.
Daniel Irizarry (‘04SOA) is nominated for Outstanding Choreography/Movement for The Orphans, which was produced by La MaMa Experimental Theater Club and presented by La Criatura Theater.
“The Orphans was a collaboration between La Criatura and me. We decided to join forces and the end result was a great success,” said Irizarry. “Showing the world premiere at La MaMa was a great experience and the right venue for us.”
Matt Wilson (‘10SOA) is nominated for Outstanding Original Full-Length Script for Play America (Life is Short, Wear Your Party Pants), which was produced by Sister Sylvester.
“Play America was the first play I stopped working on because it was finished, and I think it is a production that has come to define what Sister Sylvester is very good at: epic, experimental, challenging work that is a lot of fun for audiences and artists to be a part of,” said Wilson. “Play America was developed and performed on all four floors of St. Cecelia's Convent in Greenpoint. The building was the play embodied as physical structure--desanctified but still holy, adrift and forgotten, but still living.”
The nominees were announced at a sold-out event August 1 attended by nearly 500 artists and guests. The awards will be presented at a ceremony September 19.
The IT Awards are given annually to individuals and organizations that have achieved artistic excellence in Off-Off-Broadway theatre. IT Awards recognize the unique and essential role of Off-Off-Broadway in American and global culture, and seek to promote public recognition of Off-Off-Broadway excellence to expand audience appreciation of the New York theatre world.