Equity Awards to Furr, Shannon, and Weaver

Stephen Wallem, Edie Falco, and Merritt Weaver in Nurse Jackie

Continuing in our all-awards-all-the-time mode, Actors Equity has announced the recipients of two of its awards: the Clare Bayfield award for the best performance in a supporting role in a Shakespearean role in the NYC area, and the Joseph Calloway Award for the best performances in a classical play in NYC. David Furr won the Bayfield for his Orlando in As You Like It in the Central Park Delacorte production this summer. (Wait a minute, Orlando is the lead, how did he get to be supporting?) The Calloway Award, which goes to both a male and female actor, went to Michael Shannon and Merritt Weaver for their performances in the Soho Rep production of Uncle Vanya, which was done in modern dress and the audience had to sit on these uncomfortable shelf-like things. Otherwise, it was a sensitive, moving staging of Annie Baker's new adaptation. Shannon is currently starring on Broadway in Grace and on cable in Boardwalk Empire. Weaver is brilliantly funny as Nurse Zooey on Showtime's Nurse Jackie which I watch on my Kindle Fire.