The 2011 BAMblog Awards

Every year, BAM is lucky to play host to world-class artists on its stages, artists whose inspired performances deservedly garner the lion's share of critical and popular attention. But for every dramatic turn by a Cate Blanchett or Kevin Spacey, there's a breathtaking performance by an unsung player that gets forgotten amidst all the praise for the marquee names. In what follows, we slice the critical pie a slightly different way in order to honor the subtler moments and supporting voices that helped to make 2011 a great year on the BAM stage.

Best performance by a pine tree branch

Atys

Best performance by a wad of tape
Gaffer tape balls in I don't believe in outer space

Runner up: wadded-up chartreuse tape in Canyon

Best performance by a self-propelling box
Canyon

Best performance involving writhing around in fake poop
Cries and Whispers

Best solo performance on a radiator
Kronos Quartet violinist David Harrington in Awakening

Most convincing ping pong match without a ball
I don't believe in outer space

Best Brooklyn cityscape painted live from scratch
Danijel Zezelj's in Brooklyn Babylon

Most inventive use of a brassiere
John Malkovich in The Infernal Comedy: Confessions of a serial killer

Best smoldering intensity and yearning heart
The musicians in Tudo Isto É Fado

Best performance by a banana in a supporting role
Banana #1 in Krapp's Last Tape

Most resourceful inanimate objects
The puppets in 69°S

Best performance by a captain of a P-Funk Mothership 
George Clinton at the BAM R&B Festival at Metrotech

Best acapella performance by descendants of Haitian sugar plantation workers
Creole Choir of Cuba, performing during ¡Sí Cuba!

Best performance by 20,000 gallons of water
The orchestra pit in The Nightingale and Other Short Fables

Best performance by a self-aware exoskeleton

Marcel the Shell at BAMkids Film Festival

Best live and filmed performances by burlesque dancers 

Dirty Martini, Mimi Le Meaux, Kitten on the Keys, and Julie Atlas Muz, performing in the BAMcinemaFest feature Tournée and afterwards in BAMcafé

Best Shakespeare crossdressing
Theater troupe Propeller in The Comedy of Errors

Most competent eye-gouging
King Lear

Most hypnotic use of hips and a maypole

Ballet Folklorico Cutumba

A heartfelt congratulations to all of the winners!