Best Actor in a Musical
Jake Walker, Pinocchio Commedia
When he wasn't writing plays or putting on comedy improv shows at the Westport Coffee House, Jake Walker found time to play the titular puppet in Theatre for Young America's Pinocchio Commedia. He was nearly hidden behind an oxygen-blocking mask for most of the play, but he gave the part -- through only his eyes -- huge heart and soul. It was a classic coming-of-age kind of role, but rather than playing the boy who becomes a man, Walker artfully conveyed the journey from toy to boy.