The 2023 JKTS Awards

The 2023 JKTS Awards

It's that time of year once again! Here are the things that stood out to us - some serious, some just for fun. Why not "award" them?

Maverick Award

• Justin David Sullivan - & Juliet

Unsung Hero Award

• Elizabeth A. Davis, very pregnant, as Thomas Jefferson - 1776

Star on the Rise Award - Play

• Hiran Abeysekera - Life of Pi

Star on the Rise Award - Musical

• Solea Pfeiffer - Almost Famous

Breakout Performance (TIE)

• Kolton Krouse - Bob Fosse’s Dancin’
• Casey Likes - Almost Famous

Best Understudy Performance 

• Alisa Melendez as Penny Lane - Almost Famous

Best Artistic Growth

• Derek Klena as Joe Gillis in Sunset Boulevard - Kennedy Center

We've always loved him, but it was so nice to see Derek play an adult, and at the same time give his best performance to date.

The Egregiously Overlooked

• Lead Actor - Musical: Andrew Burnap - Camelot
• Lead Actor - Play: Hiran Abeysekera - Life of Pi
• Supporting Actress: Alli Mauzey - Kimberly Akimbo
• Supporting Actor: Gaten Matarazzo - Sweeney Todd
• Design Team: Bad Cinderella

How could the Tony Awards leave any of these very deserving folks out?

Best Play Ensemble - Full Cast  

• The Cast of Leopoldstadt

Best Play Ensemble - Supporting Cast

• The Puppeteers of Life of Pi

Best Musical Ensemble - Full Cast  

• The Cast of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’

Best Musical Ensemble - Supporting Cast

• F8 - KPOP

“Opening Doors” Award (TIE)

• Almost Famous
• Some Like It Hot

Both shows had jaw-dropping moving doors sequences, one serious, one hilarious, both perfect.

Best Exit - Musical

• Sweeney Todd & Mrs. Lovett (Josh Groban & Annaleigh Ashford) - Sweeney Todd

Best Exit - Play

• Nora Helmer (Jessica Chastain) - A Doll’s House

With Sweeney, if you know, you know - we aren't going to spoil it. With Doll, we didn't see it, but just hearing about it makes us excited.

Best Costume Change

• Kimberly as “Grandmother” - Kimberly Akimbo

“Les Miz” Award for Best Turntable

• & Juliet

Best Scenic Jaw-dropper

• The Lifeboat in the Ocean - Life of Pi

Best Special Effect

• Ice skating at Skater Planet - Kimberly Akimbo

Best Weather

• Snow storm outside Skater Planet - Kimberly Akimbo

Best Prop Award (TIE)

• The corn cobs - Shucked
• Anne Hathaway's quill pen - & Juliet

Sorry I Missed It (Both Times!) Award

• Take Me Out

Best Broadway on TV

• Alex Newell sings “Independently Owned” from Shucked on The Voice

Best Career Recovery

• Jack O’Brien from Carousel to Shucked

Best Comeback 

• HAM4HAM Fridays

Welcome to Broadway! Award - People

• Brandy Clark & Shane McAnally - Shucked

Welcome to Broadway! Award - Institution

• The Museum of Broadway

Best Landmark - Theater District

• TKTS Booth

Best Eats - Established

• Junior’s - 44th Street

Best Eats - New to the Neighborhood

• O’Casey’s Times Square - 46th Street

Best Playbill Cover - Play

• Leopoldstadt

Best Playbill Cover - Musical

• Shucked

Best Playbill Cover - Special 

• The Phantom of the Opera April 14, 2023 Special Benefit

Best Playbill Cover - Collection

• KPOP

Best Merch

• Shucked

Best Cast Recording

• Kimberly Akimbo

Best Regional Production

• Sunset Boulevard - Kennedy Center Broadway Center Stage

Best Regional Logo

• Pacific Overtures - Signature Theater

“Two By Two” Award

• Carolee Carmello and Jordan Dobson - 1776/Bad Cinderella/A Beautiful Noise

Two great performers, two shows in one season each.

Best Villain 

• Taylor Trensch as Mordrid - Camelot

2 for the Price of 1 Villainy Award

• Carolee Carmello as Stepmother, Grace McLean as Queen - Bad Cinderella

Best Place to See a Diva - Broadway 

• The Imperial Theatre - Grace McLean - Bad Cinderella

Best Place to See a Diva - Regional

• The Kennedy Center - Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer - Spamalot

Best Animal (TIE)

• Milky White - Into the Woods
• Richard Parker - Life of Pi

Best Hair

• J. Savage - Bad Cinderella

Best Abs - Broadway

• Josh Drake - Bad Cinderella/Broadway Bares

Best Abs - Regional

• Derek Klena - Sunset Boulevard

Grin and Bear It Award

• The Company of Bad Cinderella

Grin and Bare It Award

• The Hunks of Bad Cinderella

Somehow, Bad Cinderella became this season's whipping boy. Some wonderful, undeserving people really got the short end of the stick. On the other hand, they really served the beefcake and cheesecake. Beauty really was their duty!

Best Kiss - Straight

• Kimberly and Seth - Kimberly Akimbo

Best Kiss - Queer

• Francois and May - & Juliet

“Mean Girls” Award

• Adele & Marie (Sami Gayle and Morgan Higgins) - Bad Cinderella

Best Onstage Game 

• UNO - Kimberly Akimbo

Best Felony

• The Check Washing Scheme - Kimberly Akimbo