Chad Jones’ Theater Dogs

Dan Hoyle knows how to liven up a party.

On Sunday afternoon, Theatre Bay Area hosted the Glickman New Play Award reception at the home of Nancy Quinn (a TBA board member) and Tom Driscoll (purveyor of a stunning wine cellar). All the usual award-event elements were in place: the honoree (Dan Hoyle, writer and performer of Tings Dey Happen), his associates (Stephanie Weisman, founder and artistic director of The Marsh, where Tings was born, and director Charlie Varon, himself a Glickman award winner for Rush Limbaugh in Night School).

Hoyle’s parents, Mary and Geoff (as in beloved Bay Area actor Geoff Hoyle, currently in ACT’s The Government Inspector), were in attendance, as was his girlfriend.

(above from left) Charlie Varon, director of Tings Dey Happen, Stephanie Weisman, artistic/executive director of The Marsh and Glickman Award-winner Dan Hoyle, author and performer of Tings.

After hors d’oeuvres and visits to the cool, inviting environs of the wine cellar, TBA’s executive director, Brad Erickson presented Hoyle with the plaque and a check for $4,000. Weisman, as producer of the show, also received a plaque. The five members of the Glickman committee — theater critics all — said nice things about Hoyle’s show and why they thought it was the best play to have its premiere in the Bay Area last year.

Then Hoyle said a few words and got all choked up when he tried to thank his parents. He shook off the tears and, much to the delight of the crowd, he performed a scene from Tings, which happens to be running at The Marsh through April 19. Click here for information.

Hoyle’s performance was, not surprisingly, the highlight of the evening — even better than the wine cellar. Go see him in action at The Marsh and learn a thing or two about Nigerian oil politics and about the wonder of theatrical storytelling.

And finally, here’s the winner with the critics — one of those rare, once-a-year meetings of artist and critic.

From left: Robert Avila of the SF Bay Guardian, Chloe Veltman of the SF Weekly, Chad Jones of Theater Dogs (go bloggers!), Glickman Award-winner Dan Hoyle, Robert Hurwitt of the San Francisco Chronicle and Karen D’Souza of the San Jose Mercury News.

Tings certainly do happen when you’re Dan Hoyle.

The young performer, both author and performer of Tings Dey Happen, is this year’s winner of the Will Glickman Playwright Award, which brings with it a check for $4,000. The award is given annually to a playwright whose work makes its world premiere in the Bay Area.

In Tings, the dynamic Hoyle (son of great Bay Area actor/clown Geoff Hoyle) told the story of his experiences in Nigeria studying that country’s complicated — and dangerous — oil indsutry and its political fallout. The play had its premiere at San Francisco’s The Marsh, one of the country’s top theaters for the development of new solo work, and then went on to a well-received run in New York. Charlie Varon, a previous Glickman winner himself (for Rush Limbaugh in Night School), directed.

The Marsh, as producer of the work, will receive a plaque in honor of Hoyle’s achievement.

The Glickman Award, named for comedy writer and theater lover Will Glickman, is administrated by Theatre Bay Area, and the award committee comprises yours truly, Rob Hurwitt of the San Francisco Chronicle, Rob Avila of the Bay Guardian, Chloe Veltman of the SF Weekly and Karen D’Souza of the San Jose Mercury News.