In a phone call earlier today, DCMetroTheaterArts’ columnist Richard Seff was elated that Julie Halston and Brad Oscar were named this year’s recipients of the award that bears his name.
I am so very happy Equity has awarded Brad Oscar with the Seff Award for his work in SOMETHING ROTTEN. He’s had wonderful roles these past several seasons but what I remember vividly is how much he contributed way back in 2001 when we first workshopped SHINE! a musical for which I wrote the book. But though he was in the ensemble, everything he did was heightened by his instinct for comic invention. He threw himself into rehearsals, accepting new lines, cuts, new musical material without a whimper, and I am so happy his career has flourished ever since. In his new show, he is priceless as Nostradamus, and working with a top-notch company of equally talented merry makers.
I’m not as familiar with Julie Halston’s work, but in You Can’t Take it With You she proved again that there are no small roles. Entering late in this great play, she virtually stole it from the all star cast surrounding her. I am so happy I’m still around to personally enjoy these two latest addition to my list of “Seffies.”
This is how the award is described on the Actors’ Equity Foundation site: “In 2003 the Actors’ Equity Foundation established the Richard Seff Award, an annual award to be given to a male and female character actor who is 50 years old or older and who has been a member of the Actors’ Equity for 25 years or longer, for the best performance in a featured or unfeatured supporting role in a Broadway or Off Broadway production.”
Julie Halston was honored for her role as the tipsy actress Gay Wellington in You Can’t Take it With You.
Brad Oscar was honored for his role as Nostradamus in Something Rotten!
Previous recipients include: Tom Aldredge, Reed Birney, Larry Bryggman, Lynn Cohen, Jim Dale, Hallie Foote, Jayne Houdyshell, Dana Ivey, Kristine Nielsen, Patrick Page, Laila Robins, Lewis J. Stadlen, and last year’s recipients: Peter Maloney, and Mare Winningham.
The presentation – which includes the above crystal trophy and a check – will take place at Actor Equity’s Eastern Regional Board meeting on Tuesday, June 9, 2015.
The Judges’ Panel included: Joe Dziemianowicz (The Daily News); Adam Feldman (Time Out New York); Susan Haskins-Doloff (Theater Talk); Harry Haun (Playbill); and David Rosenberg (The Hour Newspapers).
Personally I am thrilled that two of my all-time favorites have been honored. Congrats Julie and Brad!
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Read Richard Seff’s reviews in his column New York Theater News on DCMetroTheaterArts.