The SALT (Syracuse Area Live Theatre) Awards were established in 2003 by Art Zimmer, publisher of The Syracuse New Times, to “bestow a high level of recognition and appreciation upon persons involved in Syracuse Area Live Theatre, thus creating a wider appreciation and awareness of live theatre among the general public.” Syracuse’s answer to Broadway’s Tony Awards was first presented on the evening of May 3, 2004, to a SRO audience. It was a very magical night as so many in the theatre community came together under one roof. To have been nominated by The SALT Academy is truly special, and congratulations go out to all nominees and winners.
     The Talent Company was honored at the inaugural SALT Awards to have two of its musicals, Copacabana and West Side Story, among the five shows nominated by the SALT Academy for Best Musical of the Year, and was very proud of its actors and staff who received seven SALT nominations. In addition, a Lifetime Achievement nomination went to Christine Lightcap, Talent Company founder and executive producer. We are very pleased that Copacabana won the 2003 SALT Award for Best Musical of the Year and Christine Lightcap was further honored with the very special Lifetime Achievement Award.
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At the second SALT Awards, held on the evening of May 9, 2005, The Talent Company was once again honored when its production of Funny Girl was nominated by the SALT Academy for Best Musical of the Year, No, No, Nanette was nominated by the Academy for Best Musical of the Summer Season, and its productions of Pageant and Funny Girl were nominated for the People’s Choice Show of the Year. In addition, 14 of Talent Company’s actors and staff received individual nominations. Once again, we are very pleased and proud that Funny Girl won the 2004 SALT Award for Best Musical of the Year, and cast and staff took home SALT Awards for Actress of the Year, Actor of the Year, Music Director of the Year, Non-Performer of the Year, and People’s Choice Actress of the Year. Again, congratulations to all the nominees and winners!
     At the third SALT Awards, three Talent Company productions received multiple nominations with A Chorus Line and The Full Monty garnering Best Musical of the Year nods and Noises Off  Best Play of the Year and Best Production of the Summer Season. Additionally, all three shows were nominated for People’s Choice Best Production of the Year honors. It was most exciting for The Talent Company as The Full Monty won Best Musical of the Year and Noises Off won both Best Play of the Year and Best Production of the Summer Season. Furthermore thirty-three Talent Company actors and staff received individual recognition…..with nine named winners.

Keno's Costume by Georgie, Susan, Joanie, Estelle,  Vicki, Pam, Molly and Jeanette. All others by Eugene Taddeo.

Talent Company's SALT

Winners & Nominees

2004 Nominations

Musical of the Year - Copacabana

Musical of the Year - West Side Story

Actress of the Year - Anne Marie Grathwol

Director of the Year - Dan Tursi

People's Choice Actress of the Year - Christine Lightcap
People's Choice Actress of the Year - Tammy Sutton

People’s Choice Actor of the Year – Joey Panek 

Lifetime Achievement – Christine Lightcap

Hall of Fame - Christine Lightcap

2004 Winners

Musical of the Year - Copacabana

Lifetime Achievement - Christine Lightcap

2005 Nominations

Musical of the Year – Funny Girl, Pageant

Director of the Year - Dan Tursi (Funny Girl)

Music Director of the Year - Josh Smith (Funny Girl)

Actress of the Year - Moe Harrington (Funny Girl)

Actor of the Year – Frank Fiumano, Joey Panek (Pageant)

Production of The Summer Season – No, No, Nanette

Actress of the Summer Season – Elizabeth Klemperer (No, No,    
                                                                        Nanette)

Actor of the Summer Season – Lanny Freshman (No, No, Nanette)

People’s Choice Production of the Year – Funny Girl ,  Pageant

People’s Choice Actor of the Year - Bob Brown (Funny Girl)
                                                              Geno Parlato (Pageant)

Non-Performing Person of the Year – Karen Procopio
                                                                     Jeanette Reyner

2005 Winners

Musical of the Year – Funny Girl

Actress of the Year – Moe Harrington (Funny Girl)

Actor of the Year - Frank Fiumano (Pageant)

Music Director of the Year * – Josh Smith (Funny Girl)

People’s Choice Actress of the Year – Moe Harrington (Funny Girl)

* New Category

2006 Nominations

Musical of the Year – A Chorus Line, The Full Monty

Play of the Year - Noises Off

Production of the Summer Season - Noises Off

People’s Choice Production of the Year – A Chorus Line

                                                                        The Full Monty, Noises Off

Director of the Year (Musical)- Bob Durkin (The Full Monty) 
                                                       Mitzi Hamilton (A Chorus  Line)

Music Director of the Year -Bonnie Nye (The Fully Monty)

Director of the Year (Play) – Daniel Fischer (Noises Off)

Leading Actress of the Year (Musical) – 
          Aubry Ludington (A Chorus Line, Nunsense)
          Christine Lightcap (The Full Monty, Nunsense)
          Brandi Ozark (A Chorus Line)

Leading Actor of the Year (Musical) - 
          Bob Brown (A ChorusLine), Joey Panek (A Chorus Line), 
          Joe Spado (The Full Monty)
Actress of the Year (Play) - Susan Basile (NoisesOff),

          Christine Lightcap (Noises Off)

Actor of the Year (Play) – Joe Pierce (Noises Off), Tom

          Ciancaglini (Noises Off),  Jon Wilson (Noises Off)

Actress of the Summer Season – Susan Basile (Noises Off),

          Christine Lightcap (Noises Off, Nunsense)

Non-Performing Person of the Year - Brenda Neuss, Karen

          Procopio, Jeanette Reyner

People’s Choice Actress of the Year - Susan Basile (Noises Off),

         Christine Lightcap  (The Full Monty, Noises Off, Nunsense)

People’s Choice Actor of the Year – Joey Panek (A Chorus Line,

          The Full Monty); Joe Spado (The Full Monty)

Hall of Fame - Dan Dossert

 

2006 Winners

Musical of the Year – The Full Monty

Play of the Year – Noises Off

Production of the Summer Season – Noises Off

Director of the Year  (Musical) - Bob Durkin (The Full Monty)

Music Director of the Year – Bonnie Nye (The Full Monty)

Leading Actress of the Year (Play) – Susan Basile (Noises Off)

Leading Actor of the Year (Musical) - Joey Panek (A Chorus Line) People’s Choice Actress of the Year (Play) – Susan Basile (Noises Off!)

People’s Choice Actor of the Year - Joe Spado (The Full Monty)

Non-Performing Person of the Year - Brenda Neuss

2007 Nominations

Musical of the Year – Hello, Dolly!

People’s Choice Production of the Year – Hello, Dolly!

Leading Actor of the Year (Musical) –Bill Coughlin (Hello, Dolly!)
          Joey Panek   (How To Succeed in Business...)

Supporting Actress of the Year (Musical) - Elizabeth Fern (Hello,
          Dolly!), Katheryn Guyette (The Full Monty), Christine
          Lightcap (The Full Monty), Erin Williamson (How To 
          Succeed In Business....)

Supporting Actor of the Year (Musical) –  Mark Bell (The Full
           Monty), Lanny Freshman (How To Succeed in Business )
           Jon Wilson (Hello, Dolly!)

Director of the Year (Musical) - Bob Durkin (How To Succeed)
                                                        Sharee Lemos (Hello, Dolly!)

Music Director of the Year – Josh Smith (Hello, Dolly!)

Non-Performing Person of the Year – Cindy Shippers
                                                                     Eugene Taddeo

People’s Choice Actress of the Year - Nikki Andoga (How To
                             Succeed), Christine Lightcap (Hello, Dolly!)   
                             Elizabeth Fern (Hello, Dolly!)

2007 WINNERS

Actress of the Year (Musical) – Christine Lightcap (Hello, Dolly! )Director of the Year (Musical) – Sharee Lemos (Hello, Dolly!)Supporting Actress of the Year* (Musical) Elizabeth Fern (Dolly)

Supporting Actor of the Year * (Musical) Jon Wilson (Hello, Dolly!)Sandra Haase Memorial SALT Award - Karen Procopio

2008 Nominations

Music Director of the Year -Fred Willard (H.S. Musical)

Choreographer of the Year - Bob Durkin (Footloose),

   Katlyn Morahan & Pamela Petroff  (High School Musical)

Actor of the Year (Musical) - Mark Bell (Footloose)

Actress of the Year (Musical) - Katherine Bilofsky (Footloose)

Supporting Actor of the Year (Musical) - David Baker (Footloose)

Supporting Actor of the Year (Musical) - Shawn Forster (Footloose)

Supporting Actress of the Year (Musical) -  Christine Lightcap
                                      (Lucky Stiff), Tamaralee Shutt (Footloose)

Costumer of the Year - Jeanette Reyner (Lucky Stiff)

Non-Performing Person of the Year - Cindy Shippers

2008  Winners

Music Director of the Year - Fred Willard (HS Musical)
Choreographer of the Year - Bob Durkin (Footloose)
Best Musical of the Year (SALTY) Footloose
Best Ensemble of the Year (SALTY)  Footloose
Best Supporting Actress (SALTY) Kara Tripoli (Footloose)
Hall of Fame - Dick Hemmerlein
Sandra Haase Memorial Salt Award - Mel Rivkin
  
2009

James MacKillop of the Syracuse New Times wrote: "The Slumdog Millionaire of this year's voting is The Talent Company's The Producers, with a whopping 13 nominations, an unmatched record." We are very proud of all its nominations as well as those for High School Musical and Nunsensations. Congratulations go out to all mentioned here and the nominees from all the other theatre companies. To have been nominated by The SALT Academy and People's Choice is truly special, so to all of you and to the nominees and winners of the past five years...congratulations!!!

2009 SALT Nominations

The Producers
Best Musical of the Year - The Producers
Director of the Year (Musical) - Dan Tursi
Music Director of the Year - Nadine Cole
Choreographer of the Year - Michael Groesbeck
Leading Actress of the Year - Katie Lemos
Leading Actor of the Year - Joe Spado, Ryan Boyle
Supporting Actor of the Year - Dan Tursi, Jimmy Wachter,
          David Witkowski
Costumer of the Year - Jeanette Reyner
Non-Performing Person of the Year - Karen Procopio,
          Jeanette Reyner

High School Musical
Director of the Year - Christine Lightcap
Music Director of the Year - Nadine Cole
Choreographer of  the Year - Caira Cramer
Supporting Actress of the Year - Danielle Lovier
Non-Performing Person of the Year - Karen Procopio,
              Jeanette Reyner

Nunsensations
Choreographer of the Year - Ken Prescott
Non-Performing Person of the Year - Karen  Procopio,
              Jeanette Reyner

People's Choice
Production of the Year - The Producers
Actress of the Year - Christine Lightcap
Actor of the Year - Joe Spado

The Sandra Haase Award
Brenda Neuss

2009 SALT Winners

People's Choice Production of the Year - The Producers
People's Choice Actor of the Year - Joe Spado
People's Choice Actress of the Year - Katie Lemos
Costumer of the Year - Jeanette Reyner
Sandra Haase Memorial Award - Brenda Neuss
Supporting Actor of the Year (Musical) - David Witanowski
The Hall of Fame Award  -  Barbara Gibbons

2010 SALT Nominations

2010 SALT Winners

Congratulations To All The
Nominees and Winners