United Solo’s 16th season, which opened March 5, 2024, featured over 60 solo artists from across the globe in its eight-week run, including several encore performances from prior seasons and twelve shows that sold out their first performances and had additional shows added to the schedule.

United Solo concluded its spring festival on April 28, 2024, with its Awards Gala. Noting the festival’s tremendous success over its 16 seasons, Omar Sangare, Founder and Artistic Director, said, “United Solo is a growing community of international performers. This season, we had performers from past seasons return with encore shows and new projects, award-winning shows from other regional festivals, and many New York and world premieres. Our festival has become a place where artists in every stage of their process can come together to share and develop their work. As the stage transports us to worlds beyond, United Solo transforms solo artists into a global theatre community here in New York.”

The Festival’s Gala recognized this season’s outstanding solo performances. Awards included “Best Of” awards in acting, direction, and production categories. The Audience Choice Award was also given to the festival audiences’ favorite show, and the theatre critics from AllAboutSolo.com awarded their top prize, the All About Solo Critics’ Award. In addition, awards were given to several virtual shows that are available for streaming on United Solo Screen (https://screen.unitedsolo.org/).

As United Solo concludes its spring 2024 season, it is accepting submissions for its Fall 2024 Season at Theatre Row. Artist and companies can apply at: https://unitedsolo.org/nyc-fall-2024/apply/

The full list of award winners at the 2024 Spring United Solo Festival includes:

Best Production: “Borderless”performed by Peter-William Jamieson
Best Encore: “GUAC” performed by Manual Oliver
Best One-Woman Show: “Mami, What’s Your 20?” performed by Nadeen Gautier
Best One-Man Show: “Grabbing the Hammerlane” performed by David M Proctor
Best International Show: “The Imitator” performed by Julian Fontalvo
The United Solo Audience Award: “Mami, What’s Your 20?” performed by Nadeen Gautier

Best Actress: Bellina Logan in “Confessions of a Mulatto Love Child”
Best Actor: Peter-William Jamieson in “Borderless”
Best Direction: Padraic Lillis, “Sped Kid” by Adam Linn and “The Road Back” by Adina Taubman
Best Composer: Michele Brourman, “Remembering My Dreams” performed by Wendy-Lane Bailey

United Solo Pride Award: Kailia Galinat in “okay, bye!”

Best Storytelling Show: “Voices from the Holy and Not So Holy Land” by Steve Greenstein
Best Physical Theater: “Gluckskind” by Melike Yagiz-Baxant
Best Musical: “Lily the Tiger” by Dana McCoy
Best Autobiographical One-Woman Show: “Bi-Polar Badass” by Mari Crawford
Best Autobiographical One-Man Show: “Sped Kid” by Adam Linn
Best Comedy: “Chuck” by Carolyn Castiglia
Best Musical Comedy: “PSA: Pelvic Service Announcement” by Amy Veltman
Best Concert Show: “Keith Moon: The Real Me” by Mick Berry

Best Script: “Moonlight Reflections with Garbo” by Juliet Morrison
Best Adaptation: “Jonathan Livingston Seagull: A Solo Flight” by Andrew Thatcher
Best Musicians: Ritt Henn and Beth Falcone
Best Lighting: Mary Caitlyn Deffely

Best New York Premiere: “Grit” by Lisa Natale
Best Emerging Artist: Mabel White in “Earthling”
Emerging Playwright: Carrigan Boynton, “Earthling”
Best Festival Debut: “The Vacations We Never Took” by Molly McCluskey

All About Solo Critics’ Choice Award: “The Moms Are Alright” by Melanie White

United Solo Screen Awards:

Best Drama: “Who Will Sing for Lena” starring Jes Washington
Best Comedy: “Tales from Geriassic Park” starring Verna Gillis
Best Movement: “Monarch” starring Lynn Needle
Emerging Talent: “Stalked” starring Jarrett Wesner

*Winners were selected by an independent panel of over eighty theatre professionals, including The United Solo Academy Members.
**The winner of the 2024 All About Solo Critics’ Award was chosen by the staff writers of www.allaboutsolo.com.
***The winner of the Audience Award was chosen in an online poll at United Solo.

For more info, facts & figures, please visit our Press Center at: https://unitedsolo.org/press-center. Press queries should be directed to the festival’s Communications Director, Stephanie Eagan at stephanieeagan@unitedsolo.org or +1 (201) 787-4995.

By Stephanie Eagan of www.unitedsolo.org