With the mission to provide a theater space for underrepresented communities to feel seen and comfortable, Ground Floor Theatre marked their opening with a concert version of the musical “Parade” in 2015. To commemorate their 10 year anniversary in December 2025, the theater put on a full version of the musical, which received numerous accolades.
Ground Floor Theatre received over 20 awards for their productions on Monday, including 14 for “Parade” alone, at the 52nd annual B. Iden Payne Awards. The awards ceremony, held at the Scottish Rite Theatre and named after the late British theater director and UT drama professor, recognizes outstanding theatrical achievements in Austin.
Lisa Scheps, founder and executive artistic director of Ground Floor Theatre, said she never felt represented on stage as a trans person, and feels proud to have created a space that focuses heavily on uplifting underrepresented communities.
“It’s so important to give voice to communities that don’t necessarily get a voice,” Scheps said. “It’s important in today’s environment when there’s so much vitriol, so much hate that we represent all types of people up on stage and all the humanity, and really point a finger (at) how beautiful life can be if your heart is in the right place.”
“Parade,” a dramatization of the trial, imprisonment and lynching of Jewish American Leo Frank in Georgia in the 1910s, received awards for directing, production of a musical, and multiple performance awards. Juno McQueen, 17, received the award for Outstanding Young Performer.
“It’s a story of so many different people,” McQueen said. “They’re all scared and angry, but some of them are exhibiting it in different ways. … It’s (about) how people deal with fear and grief.”
Ground Floor Theatre’s “Emiliana: A Revolution Cabaret,” and “Pueblo Revolt” also received awards. UT theatre doctorate candidate Jessica Peña Torres wrote and performed in “Emiliana,” which won Outstanding Featured Music Performance and Outstanding Featured Performer in a Comedy.
“It’s so beautiful to see the work get recognized,” Torres said. “I didn’t write this play thinking ‘Oh, I want to win an award,’ but it’s nice that people came and saw it and were excited by … these elements of the play.”
Carl Gonzales, the president of the B. Iden Payne Awards Council, said the council attends on average 100 shows a year, with over 400 nominations for the 2025-2026 season. The council decides what to include on a ballot, and then sends a digital version to the public to vote on their favorites.
“We are all about celebrating excellence when it comes to Austin theater,” Gonzalez said. “And this year is truly no exception.”
Scheps said all of Ground Floor Theatre’s shows were nominated this year, with 45 nominations in total.
“Ground Floor Theater works so hard to present quality stuff up there,” Scheps said. “To be recognized by my peers, by our peers, is really heartwarming and special. And I will say that the competition this year was really tough.”
