Originally published in e.press on 10/06/2005

City College wins big at Ellys

Theater students have seven extra reasons to smile this year after awards presentation

Corine Stofle
Assistant Editor

City College had reason to be dramatically proud at the Sept. 15 Elly Award ceremony. Seven excellent reasons in fact.

Out of 12 Elly nominations, City Theatre took away seven, including the coveted Leading Actor in Drama and Leading Actress in Comedy.

Professor Luther Hanson, who has been teaching Theater Arts at City College for 10 years, was glad to be among those who attended the dressy evening at the Crest Theater:

“It is the one time every year when everybody comes together and celebrates theater in Sacramento,” he says. “Every theater is represented there.”

Evan Johnson received the award for his leading role in the drama “Equus,” a play Hanson describes as “very intense, very dramatic.”

Johnson’s character, which was inspired by the true story of a young man who, struggling with the issues of sex and religion, blinded horses with a hoof pick, was naturally challenging.

“People think that to play the part of a crazy man, you have to be crazy,” Hanson says, “when in fact you have to be more stable.”

Hanson also praised Katherine Pappa for her award as the leading character Kate, in Shakespeare’s “Taming of the Shrew.” He commented on the difficulty, in 2005, of having a feminine character surrender to a masculine counterpart.

“You have to go for it and be a very strong woman to make it seem like you’re not giving up everything.”

It was Pappa’s second Elly award. She had won her first one for a City Theatre play directed by Hanson. The evening was particularly special for her as she was also the master of ceremonies for the first time, an important role she says she was glad to do.

“If they ask me, I will probably do it again.”

Pappa has played with several other Sacramento theater companies, including Delta King, Synergy and River Stage, but she says she will always consider City Theatre her “home base.”

“The first show I ever really did was that show with Luther I won the supporting actress award for,” Pappa says. “I learned a lot from him and that production. I am so proud of City Theatre and what they produce!”

Other City College awardees include Professor Shawn Weinshenk for his lighting design in “Equus;” Brooke Wagstaff and Sarah Rowland, who tied as supporting actresses for their respective roles in the dramas “Top Girls” and “Equus;” Jeffrey Frieders and Christine Nicholson both received awards for their supporting roles in the musical “Return to the Forbidden Planet,” directed by Hanson.

The City Theatre is currently performing “Blood Wedding,” a play Hanson calls a “bold choice,” for its dark subject matter, but is also gearing up for a more lighthearted play, “I Remember Mama,” which will open on Nov. 11.

In the Elly Awards, City Theatre’s in direct competition with professional stages and actors. Pappa says although other companies “are all really wonderful in their own right,” the City Theatre has an advantage:

“The directors all seem to have a very strong loyalty to the school philosophy. They really want to encourage and motivate the students. They teach while they direct and I think that is very important,” she says. “I really do applaud City Theatre for doing that.”