The Fresh Fruit Festival, now in its 23rd year of presentation by All Out Arts, is announcing this year’s major award winners. In December, Awards were presented at The Wild Project for Outstanding Productions as well as Playwrighting, Directing, Performance, and Technical Achievement.

Some of this year’s major winners were:

Outstanding Full-Length Production

– Drama – La Pucelle by Adam O’Connell –
A folk retelling of the final days of the life of Joan of Arc, through a uniquely trans-allegory.

– Comedy – Board of Ed by Richard Spitaletta
Two aimless millennials go from serving at a gastropub to running for Board of Education in Woodmont, New Jersey against small town super villain. Outstanding Short Work

– Drama – Out by Matt Morse –
High school baseball star Cal is forced to choose between his love for the game and his love for his boyfriend.

– Comedy – When a Faggot Finds A Flower by Jude Cramer-
Short fable about a young lad who’s sick of his bent wrist, and what he stands to lose by “straightening it out.”

Acting Honor went to:

Outstanding Lead: Richard Spitaletta for Board of Ed
Outstanding Lead: Micaela O’Rourke for Café’ Americano
Outstanding Support: Lily Chrones for Clara & Carmilla
Outstanding Support: Susan Myburgh for Board of Ed
Outstanding Support: Will Sarratt for Board of Ed
Outstanding Performance Short Work – Jude Cramer for When A Faggot Finds a Flower
Outstanding Performance Short Work: Henry Germansky for “Out” / “The Man Who Killed Bigfoot”
Community and Special awards celebrating our LGBTQ family have always been an earmark of our year-end celebration of excellence.

Special Awards went to:

* Audience Favorite Award
Board of Ed [Producer: Torrance Shepherd; Director: Nick J. Browne; Author: Richard Spitaletta]

* The Fresh Fruit Spirit Award

When a Faggot Finds A Flower [Author: Jude Cramer; Director: Lucy Harrington]

Honors: The Community and Special Awards

*the Harry Weider Award for Community Service: Erik Bottcher – City Council district 3 – for Outstanding and Continuous Service to the LGBT & Disabled communities; and
*the Passion Fruit Award to Jay Michaels – Jay Michaels Global Communications llc for a Passionate and Long-Term Commitment to the Arts

*The Apricot Award honoring Alumni who have gone on to great success, helping others in the process went to playwrighy Doug DeVita

Additional awards went to:

1001 Nights: Love Stories on Death Row; Café’ Americano; Clara and Carmilla; Ercole and Magara; Goddess of the Hunt; The Guy Who Killed Bigfoot; Non-Disclosure; and Price in Purgatory.

A full list of winners can be found on our website at: https://freshfruitfestival.com/24-awardwins/

Contact: Jay Michaels / Photos available upon request

WE REDEFINE INCLUSIVE

Edge Media called us “the most inclusive expression of LGBT arts ever held in the City of New York.” We present work that is fresh, exciting and insightful. Performers of all racial, religious, and ethnic

backgrounds, sexuality, and gender orientations fill our stages. African-, Caribbean-, Chinese-, East Indian-, Filipino-, Hispanic-, Japanese-, Korean-, Native-, and even un-hyphenated Americans are among groups represented in our 20+ years of festivals.

The full list of winners can be found on our website: https://freshfruitfestival.com/24-awardwins/