DaytonDailyNews.com

DAYTON — Local theater's best for the 2006-7 season was honored in the fourth annual DayTony Awards Sunday night at the Dayton Marriott Hotel.

Individual awards for excellence and merit were given in the categories of professional, collegiate and community theater.

Two new members were inducted into the Dayton Theatre Hall of Fame: set designer Terry Stump, a technical theater faculty member at Sinclair Community College; and actor-director Ralph Dennler, a veteran of more than 40 years at the Dayton Theatre Guild. Attending were 186 guests.

Six productions were chosen as the season's best overall: The Human Race Theatre's "Painting Churches" and "Harold and Maude" in the professional category; Sinclair Community College's "The Triumph of Love" in the collegiate category, and the Dayton Theatre Guild's "The Dice House," Dayton Playhouse's "Fiddler on the Roof" and the Young at Heart Players' "The Waverly Galley" in community theater.

2006-7 DayTony Awards went to:

Awards of Excellence in Professional Theater

Acting in a guest role: Evan Thompson, "Painting Churches;" Susan Lehman, "Harold and Maude;" Mark Chmiel, "Big River," and Richard Marlatt, "Moonlight and Magnolias."

Acting in a leading role: Brian McKnight, "Take Me Out," and Bruce Cromer, "I Am My Own Wife."

Acting in a supporting role: Katie Pees, "Harold and Maude," and Kevin Moore, "Big River."

Ensemble Acting: The casts of "Painting Churches" and "Harold and Maude."

Directing: Kevin Moore, "Harold and Maude."

Musical direction: Scot Woolley, "Harold and Maude."

Set design: David A. Centers for set design, "Painting Churches," and Dan Gray, "Moonlight and Magnolias."

All were productions by The Human Race Theatre.

Excellence in Collegiate Theater

Excellence in Community Theater

Acting in a leading role: Blake Senseman and Gil Martin, "The Dice House," Dayton Theatre Guild; Barbara Jorgensen, "The Waverly Gallery," Young at Heart Players; Renee Franck Reed, "Fiddler on the Roof," Dayton Playhouse.

Acting in a supporting role: Mark Diffenderfer and David Sherman, "The Dice House;" Amy Brown, "Fiddler on the Roof."

Ensemble Acting: The Cast of "The Dice House."

Directing: Greg Smith, "The Dice House."

Set Design: Bruce Brown for "The Music Man," Epiphany Lutheran Church, and "The Curious Savage," Beavercreek Community Theatre.

Awards of Merit in Professional Theater

Acting in a leading role: David Dortch, "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow," First Frontier Inc.; and Tim Lile, "Moonlight and Magnolias."

Acting in a Supporting Role: Scott Stoney, "Harold and Maude."

Ensemble Acting: Cast of "Big River."

Directing: Tim Lile and Marsha Hanna, "Take Me Out."

Set Design: Dick Block, "Take Me Out."

Lighting Design: John Rensel, "Painting Churches" and "I Am My Own Wife."

Musical Direction: Gerald Rheault, "Big River."

Properties: D. Tristan Cupp, "Harold and Maude," and Lisa Sadai, "Painting Churches."

Orchestration: J. Thalken, "Harold and Maude."

Awards of Merit in Collegiate Theater

Acting in a Leading Role: Teagan Walsh-Davis, "The Dining Room" and "Triumph of Love," Sinclair Community College; Matt Curry, "Triumph of Love."

Acting in a Supporting Role: Travis Williams, "The Cripple of Inishmaan," Sinclair Community College; Jay Kemper, "Lucky Stiff," University of Dayton.

Ensemble Acting: the casts of "Triumph of Love" and "The Dining Room."

Directing: Nelson Sheeley, "Triumph of Love;" Scott Stoney, "The Dining Room," and Kay Bosse, "Lucky Stiff."

Costume Design: Kathleen Holmer, "Triumph of Love."

Lighting Design: "Gina Neuerer, "Triumph of Love."

Set Design: Terry Stump, "Triumph of Love" and "The Dining Room," Darrell Anderson, "Omnium Gatherum," University of Dayton.

Awards of Merit in Community Theater

Acting in a Leading Role: Amy Brown, "Company," Playhouse South; Marshall Weiss, "Fiddler on the Roof;" Ed Large, "Tick, Tick, Boom," Encore Theater; Steven Joshua Thompson, "The Music Man;" John Johns, "Bat Boy," Beavercreek Community Theatre; Mark Diffenderfer and Barbara Heyde Coriell, "Frozen," Dayton Theatre Guild; David Shough, "The Foreigner," Brookville Community Theatre; Greg Smith, "Brooklyn Boy," Dayton Theatre Guild; Lorri Topping, "Man of La Mancha," Brookville; Kevin Rankin, "A Christmas Story," Beavercreek; Virginia Garcia, "Driving Miss Daisy," Young at Heart Players.

Acting in a Supporting Role: Mike Robinson, "Frankenstein," Playhouse South; David Shough, "Brooklyn Boy;" Monique Kennon, "Company;" Katelyn Yeager, and Charity Farrell, "Fiddler on the Roof;" Elena Monigold, "The Dice House;" Kristen Russell, "The Music Man;" Rob Banks, "Man of La Mancha;" Patrick Wanzer, "The Foreigner."

Ensemble Acting: The casts of "Driving Miss Daisy," "The Waverly Gallery," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Brooklyn Boy."

Directing: Brian Sharp, "Fiddler on the Roof."

Costume Design: Carol Finley, "The Dice House," and Marilyn Johnson, "Fiddler on the Roof."

Lighting Design: Terry Ronald, "The Dice House," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Brooklyn Boy."

Music Direction: Nancy Perrin, "Fiddler on the Roof."

Sound Design: Bob Mills, "The Dice House."

Set Design: Chris Harmon, "Fiddler on the Roof" and "Arsenic and Old Lace," Dayton Playhouse; Greg Smith, "The Dice House," Terry Fasnacht, "The Hitchin' Post," Brookville Community Theatre; Jim Hooper and Fred Hill, "Murder Me, Murder Me Not," Tipp City Players.

Orchestra: "Fiddler on the Roof," Dayton Playhouse.

Best Area Productions Overall

Professional: "Painting Churches" and "Harold and Maude," Human Race.

Collegiate: "Triumph of Love."

Community: "The Dice House," "Fiddler on the Roof" and "The Waverly Gallery."

Member Theaters' Best of Season

"Blue Jacket," First Frontier.

"Lucky Stiff," University of Dayton.

"On Golden Pond," Brookville Community Theatre.

"Curious Savage," Beavercreek Community Theatre.

"Tick, Tick, Boom," Encore Theatre Company.

"The Music Man," Epiphany Lutheran Church.

"Murder Me, Murder Me Not," Tipp City Players.

"Company" Playhouse South.

Special DayTonys

Sunny Thompson, "Marilyn: Forever Blonde."

Annie Pesch, "The Belle of Amherst."

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDailyNews.com.