The Theatre Alliance announced today the finalists for the prestigious F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Philadelphia Theatre Artist. This year's ten semifinalists were announced at a press conference on August 6th. This year's nominees, consisting of actors, directors and a designer, are Kala Moses Baxter, Jeb Kreager, Matt Pfeiffer, Sarah Sanford, and Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind. The recipient will be awarded at the Barrymore Award Ceremony on October 6 at the Crystal Tea Room.

Funded by the Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust A as recommended by Carole Haas Gravagno, this award comes with a $10,000 cash prize for the recipient and $1,000 for each finalist. The only one of its kind in the nation, the F. Otto Haas Award is intended to support the artist's living expenses so that they can focus on their craft as well as to encourage theatre artists to remain in the Philadelphia community. An "emerging artist" is one who has worked for at least three years and for no more than ten years in the professional theatre.

Previous award winners include Jennifer Childs, actress, director and Artistic Director of 1812 Productions, and nominated ensemble member of Suburban Love Songs; Scott Greer, who is nominated this year for his performances in Assassins at the Arden Theatre Company and Les Misérables at the Walnut Street Theatre; actor and composer James Sugg, nominated this year for his performance in Assassins; actress Catharine Slusar, nominated this year for her performance in Mr. Bailey's Minder at the Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3; and actress Grace Gonglewski, nominated this year for her performance in Bug at Theatre Exile.

Kala Moses Baxter began her acting career at Freedom Theatre where she was featured in Sparkle. This past year she appeared as Berniece in The Piano Lesson at Arden Theatre Company, where she has also performed in The BFG, The Snow Queen, Charlotte's Web, and Grapes of Wrath. She was also seen in The Story at Philadelphia Theatre Company and Love and Anger at The Wilma Theater.

Jeb Kreager, a Haas finalist last year, is also nominated for a Barrymore Award for Leading Actor in Frozen at InterAct Theatre Company and Supporting Actor in Mr. Marmalade for Theatre Exile. Other past Barrymore nominations include 2005 Supporting Actor and Ensemble, both for 1812 Productions' Recent Tragic Events, and 2000 Outstanding Ensemble for Stupor in New Paradise Laboratories, with whom he has worked closely for ten years. Recently seen at the Live Arts Festival in The European Lesson, he appeared last year in the title role of Mr. Marmalade at Theatre Exile and in Mr. Bailey's Minder at Walnut Street Theatre, Independence Studio on 3.

Matt Pfeiffer is an active actor/director, working consistently in Philadelphia since he graduated from DeSales University. He is currently nominated for Outstanding Direction for Bug at Theatre Exile. In addition to being a Haas finalist last year, he was also nominated last year for Outstanding Direction for Glengarry Glen Ross and for Outstanding Leading Actor in Red Light Winter both at Theatre Exile, and in 2006 for Outstanding Direction for The Foocy at Lantern Theater Company. He has also worked as both an actor and director at 1812 Productions, InterAct Theatre Company, Walnut Street Theatre, and Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival.

Sarah Sanford recently completed a run of The European Lesson at the Live Arts Festival. She has appeared in several productions at Pig Iron Theatre Company including Hell Meets Henry Halfway which won an Obie Award. A 2007 Haas semi-finalist, she appeared as Emilia in Lantern Theater's critically acclaimed production of Othello and was winner of the Best Emerging Director Award for Appetite at last year's Summerworks Festival in Canada.

Charlotte Cloe Fox Wind, nominated this year for Outstanding Costume Design for The Illusion, was also a 2006 Haas Award finalist and winner of the 2002 Barrymore Award for Outstanding Actress in a Musical for Chicago at Villanova University. This season she will design costumes for Disco Descending at the Live Arts Festival, This is the Week That Is and Cherry Bomb, both at 1812 Productions, and Le Dindon (An Absolute Turkey) at Villanova University. She has also designed costumes for Crime and Punishment at Arden Theatre Company, Art at Delaware Theatre Company and Syncopation at Art II Playhouse.

Major support for the Barrymore Awards is provided by Actors' Equity Association, Antoinette Westphal College of Media Arts & Design/Drexel University, Ark Media, The Charlotte Cushman Foundation, Clear Sound, CRW Graphics, The Crystal Tea Room/Finley Catering, Drucker & Scaccetti, P.C., Earl Girls Theatrical Equipment, Garfield Refining Company, Harmelin Media, Independence Foundation, KieranTimberlake Associates LLP, Macy's, MindLabs.net, PECO, The Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust A as recommended by Carole Haas Gravagno, The Phoebe W. Haas Charitable Trust B as recommended by Leonard C. Haas, R Design, William Penn Foundation, and Ted & Stevie Wolf.

The Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia strengthens and leads the region's richly diverse theater community, with more than 120 member organizations and 330 individuals, by promoting awareness and serving as a resource for information, professional development and advocacy. Tickets for the Barrymore Award Ceremony and more information are available online at www.theatrealliance.org or by calling (215) 413-7150.

To request interviews, photos, ceremony press passes, and more information, please contact: Debbie Fleischman, Fleischman Gerber & Associates, (215) 735-7356, debbie@fleischmangerber.com.