The 2025 St. Louis Theater Circle Awards at the Loretto-Hilton Center
On Monday, March 24, the Loretto-Hilton Center at Webster University hosted the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle awards, honoring locally produced, professional theater in the St. Louis region. Hundreds of performers, designers, and theater fans. In addition to lifetime achievement recognition for Joe Hanrahan, co-founder and artistic director of The Midnight Company, and Ron Himes, founder and executive director of The Black Rep, awards were given across 34 different categories. Affectionately nicknamed “Theater Prom,” the awards take time every year to celebrate the tremendous quality and quantity of live theater offered in the St. Louis region.
The Circle Awards considered 112 productions, producing five nominees for each category from 53 productions, with 24 different companies receiving at least one award. Tesseract Theatre company’s productions of The Inheritance, parts 1 & 2 and Anastasia: The Musical were the night’s big winners, gathering 10 awards in total. St. Louis Shakespeare Festival received five awards, and The New Jewish Theatre and STAGES St. Louis each received four awards. The St. Louis Actors’ Studio received the award for Best New Play and the visually stunning Moby Dick, from The Rep, dominated the design awards, while Opera Theatre of St. Louis’s sparkling production of The Barber of Seville took home both opera category awards.
The complete list of winners follows. Check out our slideshow for pictures of some of the award winners, and visit the St. Louis Theater Circle website for a full photo gallery.
Some of the performers and designers recognized for their achievements at the 12th annual St. Louis Theater Circle Awards, Monday, March 24th. Photos by Tim Farmer.
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Ricki Franklin, As You Like It, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role
Spencer Sickmann, Trayf, The New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Female or Non-Binary Role
Emily Baker, Woman in Mind (December Bee), Albion Theatre
Outstanding Performer in a Comedy, Male or Non-Binary Role
Jacob Schmidt, Trayf, The New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Play
William C. Kirkham, Moby Dick, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Sound Design
Rick Sims, Moby Dick, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Costume Design in a Play
Dorothy Marshall Englis, As You Like It, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Set Design in a Play
Scott C. Neale, As You Like It, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Margery Handy, The Inheritance, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Jayson Heil, All My Sons, The New Jewish Theatre
Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Female or Non-Binary Role
Maggie Wininger, Molly Sweeney, Albion Theatre
Outstanding Performer in a Drama, Male or Non-Binary Role
Gabriel Paul, The Inheritance, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding New Play
Love in the Time of Nothing, by Jayne Hannah, St. Louis Actors’ Studio
Outstanding Achievement in Opera
Justin Austin, The Barber of Seville, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Outstanding Production of an Opera
The Barber of Seville, Opera Theatre of Saint Louis
Outstanding Musical Director
E. Renee Gamez, Ragtime, STAGES St. Louis
Outstanding Choreographer
Sylvia Hernandez-Distasi, Moby Dick, The Repertory Theatre of St. Louis
Outstanding Projections or Special Effects
Zachary Grimm, Longing, Lize Lewy
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
(tie) Rachel Bailey, [title of show], Prism Theatre Company
(tie) Kimmie Kidd, Anastasia: The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Supporting Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Matthew Cox, Ragtime, STAGES St. Louis
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Tyler Duenow, Nevermore, Stray Dog Theatre
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Wilson Chin, Waitress, The Muny
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Brad Musgrove, Ragtime, STAGES St. Louis
Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Female or Non-Binary Role
Sarah Wilkinson, Anastasia: The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Performer in a Musical, Male or Non-Binary Role
Tamar Greene, Ragtime, STAGES St. Louis
Outstanding Ensemble in a Comedy
Romanov Family Yard Sale, ERA Theatre
Outstanding Ensemble in a Drama
The Inheritance, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Ensemble in a Musical
Anastasia: The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Comedy
Nancy Bell, As You Like It, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Director of a Drama
Stephen Peirick, The Inheritance, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Director of a Musical
Brittanie Gunn, Anastasia: The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Production of a Comedy
As You Like It, St. Louis Shakespeare Festival
Outstanding Production of a Drama
The Inheritance, Tesseract Theatre Company
Outstanding Production of a Musical
Anastasia: The Musical, Tesseract Theatre Company
Special Award for Lifetime Achievement
Joe Hanrahan, founder and artistic director, The Midnight Company
Ron Himes, founder and producing director, The Black Rep
Photos by Tim Farmer, on special assignment for the Mound City Messenger
