Become a Barrymore Voter

Become a Voter

Applications are closed for the 2026/27 season. Check back in Spring 2027 for applications for the 2027/28 season!

Are you a theatre person? Do you find yourself thinking about and discussing productions extensively after you've attended them? Would you like to play a role in selecting whose work is recognized in the Greater Philadelphia region? Apply to become a Barrymore Awards Voter! 

Originally established in 1994 and relaunched by Theatre Philadelphia in 2013, the Barrymore Awards serve as Philadelphia’s peer-adjudicated theatre awards program with a mission of increasing public awareness of the richness and diversity of our city's thriving theatre community.

About the Selection Process

In 2019, Theatre Philadelphia's Board approved a plan to separate our Judges into four distinct panels -- Plays, Musicals, Design, and New Work. These new Judge panels were intended to decrease the number of productions Judges were expected to attend, as the number was overwhelming for the smaller panel of Judges in the original system.  Read this article on our Theatre News page for more info.

Each spring, the Barrymore Oversight Committee identifies a pool of Judges (7-9 per each of the 3 Judge Panels) and approximately 80-120 Nominators to adjudicate the upcoming season of Barrymore-eligible productions. This annual process begins in spring with publication of the Nominator/Judge Application, which is typically due in early May. Applicants are notified about the status of their application no later than the end of June. There is a mandatory season orientation at the end of June. The Barrymore Awards season runs July 1 to June 30 of the following year.

Barrymore Judges can typically attended between 20-60 productions, and are required to attend five meetings with fellow Judges to discuss Recommended work.

Nominators have attended approximately 20 or less productions per season, as their schedule allows.

Barrymore Nominators and Judges may serve a maximum of three consecutive seasons, and must reapply and be approved via the selection process conducted annually by the Barrymore Oversight Committee. In order to maximize inclusiveness and ensure fresh perspectives, the Barrymore Oversight Committee seeks to rotate 30% of the existing Nominator/Judge pool each season, through either natural attrition or lottery selection. The Barrymore Oversight Committee is dedicated to creating an annual Nominator/Judge pool of committed and knowledgeable theatre evaluators that are reflective of our community, including artistic discipline, gender, age, ability, race, and ethnic background.

To aid the Barrymore Oversight Committee with this ongoing effort, we invite qualified applicants from all backgrounds and experiences to apply.

For more information about how the Voting Process works for Adjudicators, please see BARRYMORE RULEBOOK.

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How to apply

Applications are published to this page in spring of each season, usually beginning in March or April.

Other ways to get involved -

If you'd like to get involved with Theatre Philadelphia we invite you to sign up for our weekly e-newsletter of openings and closings, check out our job board for opportunities, join our list-serv to converse with fellow members of the theatre community. Or, volunteer with one of our other committees to help with marketing, fundraising, diversity and inclusion, and more. 

Questions?

You are invited to review the BARRYMORE RULEBOOK

Demographics

For the 2019-20 Season of voters, the Barrymore Oversight Committee selected a combined pool of Nominators and Judges (below) who are 43% POC/Mixed, 33% LGBTQ+, and 8% who are transgender, gender non-conforming or gender non-binary. Our 28 person Judge pool is half POC/Mixed, as well as 65% women and 4% transgender, gender non-conforming or gender non-binary.

Our goal for each season is to increase the number of applicants and meet or exceed this breakdown for participants.

Barrymore Judges – 2025-26 Season

Play Panel

Natajia "Tay" Sconiers
Julia Kershetsky
James Ofalt
Journee Lutz
Jenn Adams
Anthony Kamani
Maria Stetter

Design Panel

Minou Pourshariati
Natalie Payán
Cathy Simpson
Jenny Glickman
Becky Fleckner
Jed Krivisky

Musical, Outdoor, and New Work Panel

Jenny Stafford
Natalie Valentine
Willa Jaffe
Tai Verley
Travis Rosemarie Curhart-Higgins
Jasmine Griffen
Alice Yorke

Barrymore Nominators – 2025-26 Season

Alex "Ra" Del
Angelo Ragonesi
August Hakvaag
Becky Bradbeer
Beth Chernoff
Brandon Smith
Brian Curl
Brian Balduzzi
Bryan Hagelin
Cathy Pregmon
Celeste Mann
Cora Williams
Courtney Thoroughgood
Damon Bonetti
Dan Higgins
Donovan Lockett
Ellen Cohn
Emily Wilson
Emily Pratt
Eric Zavadsky
Eric Carter
Esther Cohen
Gretchen Zane
Heather Birmingham
Holli Goldenberg
Jacob Pease
Jeff Hunsicker
Jenna Kuerzi
Jennifer Quinn
Jessica Beacham
Jessy Gruver
Joann Higgins
Jody Austin
Johann Fitzpatrick
Julia Sims
Kiki Watkins
LeAnne Lindsay
Lenny Daniels
Linnea deRoche
Lisa Sullivan
Mandie Spindler
Mariangela Saavedra
Marissa Cecil
Marissa Edwards
Megan McDermott
Michael Stahler
Micki Sharpe
Miriam Fox
Paige Zubel
Peter Bisgaier
Peter Camp
Quinton Alexander
Rachel Higgins
Rachel Brodeur
Reagan Needham
Regina Wilmes
Ross Beroff
Ryk Lewis
Sakina Davis
Samantha Smith
Samara Friedland-Zelko
Satchel Williams
Shelli Pentimall Bookler
Shellie Camp
Simon Rabinowitz
Stacy Skinner
Stephanie Griffin
Steve Wei
Susan Baraldi
Susan Giddings
Talia Speak
Ted Gorodetzky
Tera Harris
Tiffani Dean
Tom Dennis
Victor Rodriguez, Jr.
Victoria Crenshaw
Vincent Fumo