The Post-Gazette theatrical Performer of the Year for 2005 is Sheila McKenna, an actress of great versatility.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Sheila McKenna in "Dog Face" at Quantum Theater. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Post-Gazette Performers of the Year Year had its high points in suburban theaters as well

For some years an actor's actor with a special talent for comedy, the protean McKenna has recently become better known to different Pittsburgh audiences. In 2005 alone, she was a prickly, comic Mistress Quickly for Pittsburgh Irish & Classical Theatre's "Henry IV," a foul-mouthed comic ex-con for Playhouse Rep's "Kimberly Akimbo," a gossipy comic widow for City Theatre's "The Underpants" and a mustachioed, guitar-playing, tragi-comic father for Quantum's "Dog Face," singing a country-western ballad of her own composing ("the buzzing in my head is either alcohol or dread") in both Pittsburgh and Madrid.

As this suggests, McKenna's most common mode is comic, sometimes crossing genders -- and she's also half of a standup-comedy-singing duo, The Muthers Brothers. But starting with City's "String of Pearls" in 2003, she's showed a growing emotional range that gave poignant coloring to her country-western father and her other 2005 roles. An acting teacher at Point Park University, she's also developed considerable range as a director, there and elsewhere.

More descriptively, as noted in a PG profile two years ago, McKenna is very much a Pittsburgher -- funny, feisty, hard-working, hard on herself, fearful of ever seeming pretentious, and rock-solid loyal to family and friends. She even played a plumber on "Mister Rogers," which is as Pittsburgh as you can get.

Born in Brookline, she went to Carrick High School and graduated from Point Park College with a degree in theater in 1984. She studied further at George Washington University in D.C. and spent some time in California, then came back here in the early '90s and has been acting, directing and teaching since. She has a master's degree in performance pedagogy from Pitt, to boot.

McKenna thus becomes the PG's 22nd Performer of the Year. The honor is reserved for performers in shows produced here, not in tours (such as Mark Rylance in the Globe's "Measure for Measure" or Kimberly Richards in "Late Nite Catechism").

McKenna's stiffest competition for the award came from David Conrad, who did a fervid, impulsive Hotspur and a lively, sunny Hal in "Henry IV," alternating both roles with Scott Ferrara.

The other "bests" that follow are drawn from about 175 Pittsburgh-produced shows reviewed by the PG in 2005.

BEST ACTORS. The best 10 after Conrad were: Ben Cain's Loomis in "Joe Turner's Come and Gone" (Pittsburgh Playwrights), Tom Hewitt's "Doctor Dolittle" (CLO), Don Marshall's "Paul Robeson" (Griot Ensemble/Pittsburgh Playwrights), John Shepard's Tasefendas in "I.D." (Quantum), Ric McMillan's "Henry" (PICT), Andrew Benator's Jeff in "Lobby Hero" (Public), John Fitzgerald Jay's "Dog Face" (Quantum), Patrick Jordan in "The Glory of Living" (barebones), Bill Porter's "Ghetto Superstar" (City) and Kevin Brown in several musicals by Kuntu Rep.

	CLO Tom Hewitt showed panache in CLO's "Doctor Dolittle." Click photo for larger image.

BEST ACTRESSES. The 10 best following McKenna were Shirley Tannenbaum's "Kimberly Akimbo" (Playhouse Rep), Avery Sommers' Mother Shaw in "Crowns" (City), Kristie Dale Sanders' Barbara Allen in "Dark of the Moon" (Quantum), Helena Ruoti's Hesione in "Heartbreak House" (PICT), Mary Rawson's Darcy in "One Flea Spare" (Playhouse Rep), Robin Walsh's Wiser Nina in "Nina Variations" (Unseam'd Shakespeare), Emily Lynn Miller's Eve and Mama Noah in "Children of Eden" (PMT), Lissa Brennan's Beatrice-Joanna in "Dog Face," Susan McGregor Laine's Nancy in "Frozen" (barebones) and Tasha Lawrence's Haley in "Bad Dates" (City).

SUPPORTING ACTOR. The most dependable supporting actor of the year was Mark Thompson in a variety of plays for Pittsburgh Playwrights. Others: Ross Bickell, "RolePlay" (Public), Brian Czarniecki, "A Dry Season" (Open Stage), John Scherer, "Tommy" (CLO), Tom Schaller, "Heartbreak House," Rick Kemp, "I.D.," Don DiGiulio, "The Butter and Egg Man" (Pittsburgh Playwrights), Phil Winters, "Kimberly Akimbo," David Cabot, "Dark of the Moon," and Mark Saturno and John Ahlin, both in "The Tempest" (Public).

SUPPORTING ACTRESS. The tour de force of the year was Lenora Nemetz's Wicked Witch in "The Wizard of Oz" (PMT). Others: Meredith Zimmer and Jane Sumerhays, "RolePlay"; Vivian Reed, "Bubbling Brown Sugar" (Kuntu); Janet Dickinson, "Communicating Doors" (Mountain Playhouse); Erica Highberg, "Jetlag" (Thank You Felix); Erin Krom, "Rhino" (Dog & Pony); Laurie Klatscher, "Dog Face"; Tressa Glover, "Insomniac" (Thank You Felix), and Tammy Townsend, "Grease" (PMT).

ACTING ENSEMBLES. The most remarkable acting duo was Inga Ballard and Clark Jackson, who were the entire cast of "Yellowman" (Public). The best trio (also the entire cast) was Martin Giles, Erika Cuenca and Joel Ripka in "Lebensraum" (Jewish Theatre of Pittsburgh). And the best full-cast ensembles were "A Little Night Music" (CLO), "Ain't Misbehavin'" (Public) and "The Underpants" (City).

Steve Mellon, Post-Gazette Maria Becoates Bey wears Susan Tsu's designs in City's "Crowns." Click photo for larger image.

DIRECTOR. Leading a very strong field were Ted Pappas, "RolePlay," Tracy Brigden, "Underpants," Andrew Paul, "Henry IV" and "Henry," and John Shepard, "The Visit" and "One Flea Spare." Ten others of note were Melanie Dreyer, "The Glory of Living" and "Lie of the Mind" (Pitt); Regge Life, "Yellowman"; Jack Allison, "Little Women" (Playhouse Jr.); Eileen Morris, "Joe Turner"; Danny Herman, "Grease"; Rob Ruggiero, "Lobby Hero"; Yukihiro Goto, "Rashomon" (Pitt); and Wayne Brinda, "I Never Saw Another Butterfly" and "The Terezin Promise" (Prime Stage). Doing more than direct were Stuart Carden, who moved "The False Servant" (PICT) to the 1930s, and Marci Woodruff, who used two couples in "Nina Variations."

SETS. Tony Ferrieri continued his amazing work for City Theatre and others, including the ship-like "Heartbreak House" and the large environmental designs for "Dark of the Moon" and "Dog Face." Steffi Meyer solved unusual problems in "Peer Gynt" and "One Flea Spare" (both Playhouse Rep). James Noone's "Tempest" and Julie Ray's "Rashomon" were both sumptuous.

	Lake Fong, Post-Gazette Lissa Brennan opened eyes in Quantum's "Dog Face." Click photo for larger image.

COSTUMES. Don Mangone managed exoticism of different kinds in "Rashomon" and "Pericles" (both Pitt). Susan Tsu did more than hats in "Crowns" and Pei-chi Su, more than shoes in "Bad Dates" and lots of everything in "Heartbreak House." Gabriel Berry's "Tempest" blended periods with mastery and Betty Pendleton's and Heddie Thomas' "Bubbling Brown Sugar" was pure glamour.

DESIGN. All the designers' arts reached a peak in "Doctor Dolittle" (plus puppets), followed by "Henry" (plus projections).

MUSIC. Musical wizard of the year was Douglas Levine, who seemed to be everywhere. His most substantial work was his original score, which turned "Peer Gynt" into a quasi-opera, but he also contributed original music to "Kimberly Akimbo," the dance theater of "Mimoun" and especially "False Servant," where he created what seemed like original Gershwin. He music-directed all over, as well, gave concerts and issued CDs.

MUSICAL COMBOS. Sometimes, the musical contributions rose above accompaniment to partnership. Performances to relish were by the bands in "Ain't Misbehavin' " and "Sweet Thunder: The Billy Strayhorn Story" (Kuntu). Neal Tate, keyboardist and music director, illuminated "Jelly's Last Jam" (Kuntu). And Tom Helm's support for "A Little Night Music" and Camille Villapando Rolla's for "Children of Eden" were outstanding.

PORTENTS. Let's not make too much of this, lest it be a false dawn. But in 2005, City Paper theater critic Ted Hoover -- who usually claims to have retired from theater -- had three nicely sardonic satires produced: the full-length "Marian Visions" (Pittsburgh Playwrights) and "A Dry Season" (Open Stage) and the short "Mission Accomplished" (Bricolage). He was also very involved in the Pittsburgh Pride Fest. Whatever our differences as critics (Shakespeare, for example), Hoover's playwriting is a welcome tonic.