Awards

We at Aurora are proud of the quality of our productions and grateful for the acknowledgments we receive from the critical community. Here is a list of Aurora's awards over the last few years.

Eureka Day (2018)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Original Script: Jonathan Spector

 

Theatre Bay Area:

  • Outstanding World Premiere Production: Jonathan Spector

 

Detroit '67 (2018)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Sound Design: Cliff Caruthers

 

Dry Powder(2018)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Entire Production - East Bay

 

The Royale (2017)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Entire Production - East Bay

 

"master Harold"... and the boys (2016)

Theatre Bay Area: 

  • Direction of a play: Timothy Near
  • Outstanding Male Actor in a Principal Role in a Play: L. Peter Callender
  • Outstanding Ensemble in a Play

 

The Monster-Builder (2015)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Entire Production 

 

American Buffalo (2014)

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Principal Actor: James Carpenter
  • Entire Production

 

"TOP 10 OF 2014" Lists:

  • Gidion’s Knot - Most "electric pairing" for Stacy Ross and Jamie Jones from Chad Jones at Theater Dogs 
  • American Buffalo - 10 Best of the Year from Karen D'Souza at the San Jose Mercury News 
  • Rapture Blister Burn - 10 Best of the Year from Robert Hurwitt at the San Francisco Chronicle and Sam Hurwitt at KQED
  • MVP for L. Peter Callender (as Robert Mugabe in Breakfast With Mugabe, among other roles) from Robert Hurwitt at the San Francisco Chronicle  

 

Talkin' Broadway's Top 10 Performances of 2014:

  • Best Actor: James Carpenter - American Buffalo
  • Best Actor: L. Peter Callender - Breakfast with Mugabe
  • Best Actress: Marilee Talkington - Rapture, Blister, Burn
  • Best Supporting Actor: Dan Hiatt - Breakfast with Mugabe
  • Best Ensemble: Jamie Jones and Stacy Ross - Gidion's Knot

 

Top 10 Productions of 2013 for This is How It Goes :

 

SF Bay Guardian:

  • Shout outs to The Arsonists and A Bright New Boise in "Highlights in the Year of
    Theater," Robert Avila and Nicole Gluckstern

 

theatredogs:

  • Breakout star of the year: Megan Trout (A Bright New Boise), Chad Jones

 

SF Weekly Best of 2012:

 

"TOP 10 OF 2011" Lists:

 

The San Francisco Chronicle Best of 2011:

  • Best Production - Body Awareness

 

East Bay Express Best of 2009:

 

East Bay Express Best of 2006:

 

 

A Delicate Balance

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Actor in a Featured Role: Charles Dean

 

Metamorphosis

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production
  • Best Original Script: David Farr and Gisli Om Gardarsson
  • Best Director: Mark Jackson
  • Best Actor in a Principal Role: Alexander Crowther
  • Best Set Design: Nina Ball
  • Best Sound Design: Matthew Stines

 

The Eccentricities of a Nightingale

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production

 

The First Grade

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Original Script: Joel Drake Johnson

 

Trouble in Mind

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Ensemble
  • Best Entire Production
  • Best Principal Performance, Male: Tim Kniffin
  • Best Principal Performance, Female: Margo Hall
  • Best Supporting Performance, Male: Rhonnie Washington
  • Best Costume Design: Callie Floor

 

Palomino

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Solo Performance: David Cale

 

Fat Pig

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Principal Performance, Male: Jud Williford

 

Jack Goes Boating

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production
  • Best Ensemble
  • Best Sound Design: Chris Houston
  • Best Light Design: Jim Cave

 

Miss Julie

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Supporting Female Performance: Beth Deitchman
  • Best Costume Design: Fumiko Bielefeldt

 

The Devil's Disciple

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Supporting Actor: Warren David Keith
  • Best Costume Designer: Anna Oliver

 

The Best Man

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Ensemble
  • Best Production (nomination)

 

Sex

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production (nomination)
  • Best Female Performance (nomination): Delia MacDougall
  • Best Supporting Female Actor (nomination): Maureen McVerry
  • Best Director (nomination): Tom Ross
  • Best Costume Design (nomination): Cassandra Carpenter
  • Best Original Score (nomination): Billy Philadelphia
  • Best Choreography (nomination): Jayne Zaban
  • Best Ensemble (nomination)

SF Bay Times Best of 2006:

  • Best Production

 

Bosoms and Neglect

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Supporting Female Actor: Joan Mankin

 

The Birthday Party

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Director: Tom Ross
  • Best Male Performance: James Carpenter
  • Best Production (nomination)
  • Best Female Performance (nomination): Phoebe Moyer

 

Salome

San Francisco Chronicle Best of 2006:

  • Top 10 Play

Contra Costa Times Best of 2006:

  • Top 10 Play

SF Bay Times Best of 2006:

  • Best Production: Sex
  • Best Supporting Female Actor (nomination): Maureen McVerry

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production
  • Choreography: Chris Black
  • Supporting Performance, Female (nomination): Julia Brothers
  • Best Director (nomination): Mark Jackson
  • Ensemble Performance (nomination)

 

Permanent Collection

Oakland Tribune Best of 2006:

  • Top 10 Play

Contra Costa Times Best of 2006:

  • Top 10 Play

 

Small Tragedy

San Jose Mercury News Best of 2006:

  • Most Powerful Parable

SF Bay Times Best of 2006:

  • Top 10 Play

 

The Master Builder

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Principal Performance, Male: James Carpenter
  • Best Production (nomination)
  • Principal Peformance, Female (nomination): Lauren Grace

 

Marius

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Supporting Actor (nomination): George Maguire

 

The Price

Contra Costa Times Best of 2005:

  • Top 10 Play

SF Bay Guardian Best of 2005:

  • Best Ensemble

Bay Times Best of 2005:

  • Honorable Mention, Best Play

Oakland Tribune Best of 2005:

  • Top 10 Play

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production
  • Best Actor: Charles Dean
  • Best Supporting Actor (nomination): Ray Reinhardt
  • Best Director (nomination): Joy Carlin
  • Sound Design (nomination): Chris Houston

 

The Thousandth Night

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Solo Performance: Ron Campbell

 

Blue/Orange

Dean Goodman Choice Award:

  • Best Ensemble

 

Emma

Dean Goodman Choice Award:

  • Best Ensemble
  • Director: Jeffrey Bihr
  • Costume Designer: Cassandra Carpenter

 

Aeschylus' The Persians

Oakland Tribune Best of 2004:

  • Best Play

Dean Goodman Choice Award:

  • Director: Barbara Oliver
  • Principal Performer: Michael Wiles
  • Principal Performer: Craig W. Marker
  • Principal Performer: Paul Santiago

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production (nomination)
  • Supporting Performance (nomination): Lura Dolas
  • Best Director (nomination): Barbara Oliver
  • Best Original Script (nomination): Ellen McLaughlin
  • Best Original Score (nomination): Chris Houston
  • Ensemble Performance (nomination)

 

Betrayal

SF Bay Guardian Best of 2004:

  • Best Cast

The San Francisco Chronicle Best of 2003:

  • Best Cast

 

Antigone Falun Gong

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Choreography: Peter Kwong
  • Best Lighting Design (nomination): Jim Cave
  • Best Costume Design (nomination): Fumiko Bielefeldt
  • Best Original Score (nomination): Mark Izu

 

The Man of Destiny

Dean Goodman Choice Award:

  • Principal Performer: Jeffrey Bihrt

 

Lobby Hero

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Best Production (nomination)

 

The Old Neighborhood

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Supporting Performance (nomination): Amy Resnick

 

Therese Raquin

Bay Area Critics Circle:

  • Supporting Performance (nomination): Joy Carlin
  • Best Lighting Design (nomination): Jim Cave