The 2007 IRNE Awards were presented March 19th at the Cyclorama in the BCA.

Multiple winners this year were the New Rep's production of "Ragtime" and Speakeasy's "The Women" Theresa Rebeck's "Mauritius" done by the Huntington at the Wimberley and Jacqui Parker's "Dark as a 1000 Midnights" done as part of the African American Theatre Festival were judged best new plays. The set for "Mauritius" by Eugene Lee got big theatre honors while Janie E. Howland's set for Speakeasy's "5 by Tenn" done in Robert's Studio got small theatre kudos. The latter got Dewey Dellay a sound design award while John A. Stone got his due for audio at NSMT. Choreographers Eileen Grace (Reagle - "Will Rogers' Follies" ) and Josie Bray (Animus -"Little Shop of Horrors")

For appearences at the Huntington, Geneva Carr got Supporting Actress for "Rabbit Hole" and Marin Ireland got Best Actress for "Mauritius." Paula Plum got Best actress for Lyric's "The Goat..." Anthony Chisolm got Supporting Actor for "Radio Golf" while local veteran William Young got the same for Speakeasy's "5 by Tenn." ART member Remo Airaldi got overdue recognition for "Island of Slaves" while Bates Wilder got Best Actor for the New Rep's "Frozen."

The best theatre directors were Jerry Mouawad for "No Exit" restaged at the ART and Scott Edmiston's for two hits for Speakeasy. Best productions were "Mauritius" at the Huntington and "The Women" for Speakeasy. "Hairspray" got best big musical for NSMT, for which Bridie Carrol got best actress. "Ragtime" got small musical for New Rep. The Lyric's "1776" got best actor for Peter Carey and Best Supporting for Timothy John Smith. Jared Gertner picked up Best Actor of "...Spelling Bee." Maryann Zschau got a second career IRNE (Supporting) for Reagle's "Throughly Modern Millie" while Merle Perkins got the same for "Caroline or Change. Jacqui Parker got her second of the evening for the lead in that show.

The range of the nominees and the variety of shows was a testament once again to the vigor of Boston's local theatre scene.