Casting Society of America Announces Winners of 22nd Annual Artios Awards(R) for Outstanding Achievements in Casting

In front of a packed ballroom of over 900 Industry professionals at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, CA, the Casting Society of America announced the winners of the 22nd Artios Awards®, November 1, 2006. Presented yearly for outstanding achievement in casting, the awards were given on the criteria of originality, creativity and the contribution of casting to the overall quality of a project.

"The Artios Awards are intended to celebrate the work that we do that sometimes goes unnoticed," said Dawn Steinberg, Event Chairperson and Senior Vice President, Talent and Casting, Sony Pictures Television. "This very important evening provided our community the opportunity to honor ourselves, and to further demonstrate the pride that we have in the work that has been accomplished during the course of a year."
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In addition to the 20 different theatrical casting categories announced during the award presentation, the Casting Society of America also recognized producer, John Wells, with the Career Achievement Award and casting director, April Webster, with the Hoyt Bowers Award. Juliet Taylor was honored with the Apple Award in New York.

The evening opened with an original song performed by casting director Bruce Newberg and vocalist and Broadway star, Sam Harris. Highlights of the evening included a moving video memorial tribute with Clint Eastwood and others, for casting director Phyllis Huffman, who passed away earlier this year. Introducing the tribute were husband, Jules del Vecchio and son, Matt Huffman.

Presenting the awards to the winners were Martin Landau ("Entourage," OSCAR® for "Ed Wood," Golden Globe® Winner), John Stamos ("ER"), Maura Tierney ("ER"), Saana Lathan ("A Raisin In the Sun," "Nip/Tuck"), Emmy Rossum ("Poseidon," "The Phantom of the Opera"), Abigail Breslin ("Little Miss Sunshine," "Signs"), Chris Pine ("Just My Luck," "Princess Diaries 2"), and John Cho ("Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle," "American Pie"). The Career Achievement Award to John Wells was presented by casting director John Levey ("The West Wing," "ER"). Producer/director J.J. Abrams ("Lost," "Six Degrees," "Alias," "Mission: Impossible III") presented April Webster with the Hoyt Bowers Award. Elon Gold ("Stacked") returned for his second year as host of the evening.

The complete list of winners are as follows:

Career Achievement Award: John Wells

Hoyt Bowers Award: April Webster

Apple Award: Juliet Taylor

Feature Film Casting - Drama: Avy Kaufman, "Brokeback Mountain"

Feature Film Casting - Comedy: Lisa Beach & Sarah Katzman, "Wedding Crashers"

Independent Feature Film Casting: Craig Fincannon & Lisa Mae Fincannon, "June Bug"

Short Film Casting: Bonnie Zane, "Just Pray"

Movie Of The Week Casting: Junie Lowry Johnson, "Mrs. Harris"

Mini Series Casting: Felicia Fasano, "Sleeper Cell"

Daytime Episodic Casting: Judy Blye Wilson, "All My Children"

Animated Voice-Over Feature Casting: Jen Rudin Pearson, "Chicken Little"

Animated Voice-Over Television Casting: Sarah Noonan & Meredith Layne, "The X`s"

Dramatic Episodic Casting: Linda Lowy, "Grey`s Anatomy"

Comedy Episodic Casting: Sheila Jaffe & Georgianne Walken, "Entourage"

Dramatic Pilot Casting: John Papsidera & Wendy O`Brien/Claire Simon (Chicago Casting), "Prison Break"

Comedy Pilot Casting: Dava Waite, "My Name Is Earl"

Children`s TV Casting: Jason Lapadura & Natalie Hart, "High School Musical"

Dramatic Theater Casting: Daniel Swee, "Awake And Sing"

Comedy Theater Casting: Jim Carnahan & Mele Nagler, "The Constant Wife"

Musical Theater Casting: Sharon Bialy, Sherry Thomas, Tara Rubin, "Jersey Boys"

Off-Broadway Theater Casting: Daniel Swee, "Third"

Regional Theater (Lort): Amy Lieberman, "The Cherry Orchard"

L.A. Theater: Michael Donovan, "A Midsummer Night`s Dream"

History of the Artios Awards

The term "Artios" is from the ancient Greek word meaning "perfectly fitted," and in 1985, the Casting Society established the Artios Awards to recognize the significance of casting to the success of a movie, television or theatrical production. In October of 1985, the Casting Society of America presented the first awards for excellence in casting at an Artios Awards luncheon. Held in the Crystal Room of the Beverly Hills Hotel, the event was attended by more than 500 industry leaders. Seven CSA members were honored in four different casting categories. The award named in his honor was presented posthumously to Hoyt Bowers. The Lifetime Achievement Award (now called the Career Achievement Award) was presented to Renee Valente. Three years later, the first Artios for theatrical production was presented in an added New York ceremony. Today, members are honored in twenty different theatrical casting categories in simultaneous events held in Beverly Hills and New York.

About CSA

The Casting Society of America is the premier organization of theatrical Casting Directors in film, television, and theater and is passionately committed to establishing a recognized standard of professionalism in the industry; enhancing the stature of the profession in the industry; freely exchanging information and ideas among members; providing the opportunity to honor the outstanding achievements of our members; and providing members with professional support and resources. Working in conjunction with the newly established Teamsters affiliation, CSA members are a united professional society that consistently sets the level of professionalism in casting on which the entertainment industry has come to rely.