The best of Utah theater in 2009

With the close of 2009, I pulled out my stack of playbills and reminisced.

Thank you to everyone who worked tirelessly to bring theatergoers another year filled with memorable moments.

After reviewing 60-plus shows, putting hundreds of miles on the car, having plenty of laughs and shedding a tear or two, I recollect on shows I've seen many times and shows I saw for the first time, new creations and new theater companies.

I'm not able to see every show during the year, so this list is not exhaustive but fairly comprehensive.

Here is 2009 at its theatrical best:

Best Musical (Professional)

"Wicked": National tour

"Miss Saigon": Pioneer Theatre Company

"Camelot": Utah Festival Opera

Best Play (Professional)

"The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)": Utah Shakespearean Festival

"Master Class": Salt Lake Acting Company

"Foxfire": USF

"End Days": SLAC

"Dial 'M' for Murder": PTC

Best Productions (Semiprofessional)

"Sleepy Hollow": Weber State University

"The Fantasticks": Sundance Summer Theatre

"The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas": Dark Horse Company Theatre

"Musical of Musicals": The Grand Theatre

"The Scarlet Pimpernel": Hale Centre Theatre

"Phantom": HCT

Best Actor (Professional)

Charles Lynn Frost, "The Passion of Sister Dottie S. Dixon," Pygmalion Theatre Company

Geoffrey Kent, Quinn Mattfeld and Matthew Mueller, "The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)," USF

Brian Vaughn, "Henry V," USF

Mark Womack, Josh Powell, "Camelot," UFO

Kirt Bateman, "Di Esperienza," Plan-B Theatre Company

Best Actress (Professional)

Anne Cullimore Decker, "Master Class," SLAC

Joyce Cohen, "Foxfire," USF