WEST BLOOMFIELD, Mich.–EncoreMichigan.com’s annual Wilde Awards program, which rewards the best productions, actors, artists, designers, writers and theater technicians, was held at The Berman Center for Performing Arts here, with two theaters tying for twelve nominations a piece–The Purple Rose Theatre in Chelsea and The Barn Theatre in Augusta–with Mason Street Warehouse in Saugatuck and Theatre Nova in Ann Arbor tying for three top awards, the most of any theater in the state.

The award for Best Play went to Theatre Nova’s The Revolutionists, directed by David Wolber. The play, by Laura Gunderson, is about four women during the French Revolution who were all beheaded, but never met. Gunderson manages to weave their lives together for an excellent result. Melissa Beckwith won the top award for Best Supporting Actress in a Play.

The award for Best Musical went to Encore Musical Theatre in Dexter for its production of Sweeney Todd, directed by Matthew Brennan. Sarah Stevens, who played Mrs. Lovett, won the award for Best Lead Actress in a Musical.

The Encore Musical Theatre took two awards and had seven nominations. Theatre Nova won three top awards and was nominated in six categories.

The award for Best Actor in a Play went to Bailey Boudreau, the artistic director of Slipstream Theatre Initiative in Ferndale for his role playing Tennessee Williams in Tennessee Williams: Night of The Stars. The play, by Max Vinogradov, also won the top award Best Original Screenplay. Vinogradov, a student at the University of Michigan, won the Hopgood Prize for the play, which focuses on the multi-layered life of the legendary playwright and the many stars his work brought into fame.

The award for Best Actress in a Play went to Krista Schafer Ewbank, the artistic director of Open Book Theatre in Trenton for her role Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight–a play about a woman who rivaled Voltaire in her time for philosophical and scientific thinking.

“This past season of theater in Michigan was exceptional for the breadth of content and roles produced by the theaters in our network of coverage,” said EncoreMichigan.com editor and publisher David Kiley. “The ingenuity and creativity of Michigan playwrights like Joe Zettelmaier (nominated 2018), David MacGregor (nominated 2018), Jeff Daniels (nominated 2018) astounds me every year.” Added Kiley, “I must say also that there has been no shortage of terrific roles for women, from revivals as well as new plays and musicals, and that is a great thing.”

Michigan Opera Theatre nearly every year dominates and often sweep the opera categories, but this year, a relatively new company, Opera MODO, won the award for Best Opera for its La Cenerentola, a very creative and inventive take on the Cinderella story.

Sponsors for the Wilde Awards are The Berman Center for Performing Arts; Pride Source Media, publisher of Between The Lines; The Kerr-Russell Law Firm; The Actors Equity Association; The Kalamazoo Arts Council; The Flint Repertory Theatre; and Falcon Paymasters.

This year, EncoreMichigan renamed its Rising Star Award, sponsored by Kerr-Russell the Terry Heck Rising Star Award, named for the late Terry Heck, who was tragically killed in a motor-car accident earlier this year. Heck, winner of last year’s Best Actress in a Play Award, was a beloved theater professor at Eastern Michigan University in addition to having decades of top acting and directing credits. The winner of the award was Christian Perez, who performed an incredibly challenging role in What A Do Theatre’s production of Angels in America. What A Do Theatre is based in Springfield, Michigan.

The annual Critic’s Award was given to David Magidson, a long-time director and faculty member at Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University. Magidson teaches directing and playwriting. He has directed nearly eighty plays for fifteen different theatre companies, including Attic Theatre and Jewish Ensemble Theatre in the Detroit Area, and has written and produced far more. In addition, Magidson serves as co-director of WSU’s Center for Arts and Public Policy and director of the Jewish Community Center’s Lenore Marwil Jewish Film Festival.

The Jim Posante Award for Community Pride was awarded to Steve DeBruyne and Matthew Tomich, partners in The Dio Dining and Entertainment Theatre in Pinckney, Michigan. “These two artists have brought professional award-winning theater to Pinckney and Livingston County, and the quality and breadth of the work there has really been something to see,” said Kiley.

The Publisher’s Award was given to The Purple Rose Theatre for its production of Flint, written by Jeff Daniels. “This is a play that was a great service to our community,” said Kiley. “Combining first-rate writing, theatrical direction and production and terrific acting around this issue that still lives on in Flint deserved to be recognized as a whole, over and above the individual nominations received.” said Kiley.

The annual Council Cargle Award, given for service to and in the Michigan theater community was presented to actress, director and teacher Lavinia Moyer Hart who joined the theatre department at Wayne State after teaching acting and directing in Minnesota and following 19 years as the Artistic Director of the Attic Theatre in Detroit. Recent directing credits for the Hilberry Theatre include Lisa D’Amour’s DETROIT, co-direction of The Kentucky Cycle with Patricia Ansuini and The Cider House Rules with Dr. Blair Anderson. Favorite classics directed for the Hilberry include King Lear, Anthony and Cleopatra and The Way of the World.  Professional directing projects include Murder on the Nile at The Meadowbrook Theatre, An Act of God for the Jewish Ensemble Theatre and playing the title role in Kim Carney’s world premiere comedy, Maggie Rose, at the Performance Network. She considers her latest role as Violet Westin in the Hilberry Theatre’s production of AUGUST: Osage County a great honor in terms of acting with the Hilberry’s renown ensemble

The 2018 Wilde Awards Show was emceed by Roy Sexton, who has performed with both community and professional theater across Southeast Michigan, and co-hosted by David Kiley who also serves as Executive Producer of the annual event.

List of Awards, Nominees, Winners.

 

Best Musical

Memphis: Mason Street Warehouse–Director Kurt Stamm

The Buddy Holly Story: The Barn Theatre–Director Brendan Ragotzy

Daddy Long Legs: The Dio–Dining and Entertainment–Director Steve DeBruyne

Sweeney Todd: The Encore Musical Theatre Company–Director Matthew Brennan

Titanic: The Riverbank Theatre–Director Edmond Reynolds

Company: The Ringwald Theatre–Director Vince Kelley

It Shoulda Been You: Mason Street Warehouse–Director Kurt Stamm

Winner: Sweeney Todd

 

Best Play

Beau Jest: The Williamston Theatre–Tony Caselli

Skeleton Crew: Detroit Public Theatre–Steve H. Broadnax III

The Revolutionists: Theatre Nova–David Wolber

Harvey: The Purple Rose Theatre Company–Guy Sanville

A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams–Slipstream Initiative Theatre–Maxim Vinogradov and Victoria Rose Weatherspoon

The Snow Geese: The Meadow Brook Theatre–Travis W. Walter

Casa Valentina: The Jewish Ensemble Theatre–Harold Jurkiewicz

Winner: The Revolutionists

 

Best Opera

Tosca: Michigan Opera Theatre

27: Michigan Opera Theatre

The Marriage of Figaro: Michigan Opera Theatre

La Cenerentola: Opera Modo

L’enfant et les sortilèges” and “Les mamelles de Tirésias : Opera Modo

Winner: La Cenerentola

 

Best of The Bard

Julius Caesar: Michigan Shakespeare Festival

Taming of the Shrew: Michigan Shakespeare Festival

King Lear: Interlochen Shakesepare Festival

King Lear: Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Othello: The Slipstream Theatre Initiative

Winner: King Lear-Interlochen

 

Best Original Production or One-Act

A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams–Slipstream Theatre Initiative

Resisting: Theatre Nova

The Taming: Williamston Theatre

Christmas Impossible: Planet Ant

Flint: The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Our Lady of Poison: Williamston Theatre

Winner: Resisting

 

Best One Person Show

Fully Committed: Mason Street Warehouse

Liberace: Farmers Alley Theatre

Every Brilliant Thing: Tipping Point Theatre

Who Will Sing For Lena: The Matrix Theatre Company

Winner: Fully Committed

 

Best Theater for Young Audiences

The Wizard of Oz: Wild Swan Theatre

The Ogreling, Spinning Dot Theatre

Schoolhouse Rock: Hope  Summer Repertory Theatre

The Geranium On The Windowsill Just Died But Teacher You Went Right On: Flint Youth Theatre

Winner: Schoolhouse Rock

 

Best Touring Production

The Color Purple: Broadway in Detroit

Waitress: The Wharton Center

An American in Paris: The Wharton Center

Finding Neverland: Wharton Center

The King and I: Olympia Entertainment

Winner: The Color Purple

 

Best Performance – One-Person Show

David Maiocco: Liberace–Farmers Alley

Francis Kelly: Fully Committed–Mason Street Warehouse

James Kuhl: Every Brilliant Thing–Tipping Point Theatre/Katherine Banks: Every Brilliant Thing–Tipping Point Theatre

Ashley Lyle: Who Will Sing For Lena–The Matrix Theatre

Winner: Every Brilliant Thing

 

Best Performance – Opera

Nicole Cabell: Marriage of Figaro–Michigan Opera Theatre

Briana Elyse Hunter: 27–Michigan Opera Theatre

Greer Grimsley: Tosca–Michigan Opera Theatre

Julia Hoffert: La Cenerentola–Opera Modo

Winner: Briana Elyse Hunter

 

Best Performance – Rising Star (Actor Under Age-18 in a Professional Production)

Grace Joliffe:A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams–Slipstream Theatre Initiative

Grace Joliffe: Tartuffe–Slipstream Theatre Initiative

Britton A. Paige: The Lion, the Witch and Wardrobe–Flint Youth Theatre

Dalton Hartwell: The Geranium on The Windowsill Just Died  But Teacher You Went Right On–Flint Youth Theatre

Christian Perez: Angels in America–What A Do Theatre

Winner: Christian Perez

 

Best Performance–The Bard

David Montee: King Lear–Interlochen Shakespeare Festival

Mark Rademacher: King Lear–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Janice Blixt:Taming of The Shrew–Michigan Shakespeare Festival

David Blixt: Julius Caesar–Michigan Shakespeare Festival

Kat Hermes: Hamlet–Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company

Winner: David Montee

 

Best Performance – Theater for Young Audiences

Meghan VanArsdale: The Wizard of Oz–Wild Swan Theatre

Skye Edwards: Schoolhouse Rock–Hope Summer Youth Theatre

Dalton Hartwell: The Geranium on the Windowsill Just Died But Teacher You Went Right On–Flint Youth Theatre

Janet Haley: The Lion, Witch and The Wardrobe–Flint Youth Theatre

Rico Bruce Wade: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe–Flint Youth Theatre

Winner: Schoolhouse Rock

 

Best Performance, Lead Actor – Musical

Richard Payton: Company–The Ringwald Theatre

David Moan: Sweeney Todd–Encore Musical Theatre

David R. Gordon: Memphis–Mason Street Warehouse

Andy Christopher: The Buddy Holly Story–The Barn Theatre

Kyle Johnson: Merrily We Roll Along–The Ringwald Theatre

Robert Newman: The Hunchback of Notre Dame–The Barn Theatre

Winner: David R. Gordon

 

Best Performance, Lead Actor – Play

Drew Parker: Hard Love, The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Bailey Boudreau:A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams–Slipstream Theatre Initiative

Steve Cardamone: A View from The Bridge–Hope Summer Repertory Theatre

Tony Amato: Moon Over Buffalo-Riverbank Theatre

Michael Lopetrone: Beau Jest–Williamston Theatre

Richard McWilliams: Harvey–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Ron Williams: Casa Valentina–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Winner: Bailey Boudreau

 

Best Performance, Lead Actress – Musical

Sarah B. Stevens: Sweeney Todd–The Encore Musical Theatre

Lauren Lastrada: Lady Day–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

K Edmonds: Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith–Theatre Nova

Emily Hadick: Daddy Longlegs–The Dio–Dining and Entertainment

Samantha Rickard: We Will Rock You–The Barn Theatre

Lindsay Roberts: Memphis–Mason Street Warehouse

Ashley Armstrong: Merrily We Roll Along–The Ringwald Theatre

Winner: Sarah B. Stevens

 

Best Performance, Lead Actress – Play

Krista Schafer Ewbank: Emilie: La Marquise Du Châtelet Defends Her Life Tonight–Open Book Theatre Company

Melissa Mercieca: The Taming–Williamston Theatre

Inga R. Wilson: Hard Love–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Ella Joyce: Skeleton Crew–Detroit Public Theatre

Claire Karpen: Birthday Candles–Detroit Public Theatre

Sarab Kamoo: Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of The Elusive Ear–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Kez Settle: Kayak–The Matrix Theatre Company

Winner: Krista Schafer Ewbank

 

Best Performance–Supporting Actor–Musical

Christopher George Paterson: All Night Strut–Meadow Brook Theatre

Manning Goldman: Dirty Prancing–The Ringwald Theatre

Andy Gorney: American Trailer Park Musical–The Dio–Dining and Entertainment

Byron Glenn Willis: Rent–The Barn Theatre

Kevin Kaminski: Merrily We Roll Along–The Ringwald Theatre

Jamey Grisham: Rent–The Barn Theatre

Dan Morrison: Anything Goes–The Encore Musical Theatre Company

Winner: Kevin Kaminski and Jamey Grisham

 

Best Performance, Supporting Actress–Musical

Sonja Marquis: American Trailer Park Musical–The Dio– Dining and Entertainment.

Madison Deadman: The Addams Family–Thunder Bay Theatre

Sarah B. Stevens: 9 to 5–The Encore Musical Theatre Company

Kasady Kwiatkowska: Newsies–The Barn Theatre

Annie Kordas: Company–The Ringwald Theatre

Katherine Guc: Sister Act–The Riverbank Theatre

Samantha Rickard: Rent–The Barn Theatre

Winner: Sonja Marquis and Samantha Rickard

 

Best Performance, Supporting Actor – Play

David Bendena: Flint–Purple Rose Theatre Company

Joe Bailey: Casa Valentina–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Rusty Mewha: Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of The Elusive Ear–Purple Rose Theatre Company

Daniel Pearce: Birthday Candles–Detroit Public Theatre

Ernest Bentley: The Colored Museum–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Matthew David Teach: American Buffalo–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Christopher Matsos: Peter and The Starcatcher–Farmers Alley Theatre

Winner: Ernest Bentley

 

Best Performance, Supporting Actress – Play

Shawntay Dalon: Skeleton Crew–Detroit Public Theatre

Jasmine Walker: The Colored Museum–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Melissa Beckwith: The Revolutionists–Theatre Nova

Sandra Birch: Beau Jest–The Williamston Theatre

Michelle Mountain: Harvey–Purple Rose Theatre Company

Katelyn Christine Hodge: DoubleWide–The Williamston Theatre

Sue Kernish: Angels in America–What A Do Theatre

Connie Cowper: Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike–Open Book Theatre Company

Winner: Melissa Beckwith

 

Best Teamwork

Cast of The Snow Geese–Meadow Brook Theatre

James Kuhl and Katherine Banks: Every Brilliant Thing–Tipping Point Theatre

James Hindman and Tom Souhrada: Cast of Popcorn Falls–The Snug Theatre

Samantha Rickard and Courtney Bruce: Rent–The Barn Theatre

Susan Craves and Ruth Crawford: Ripcord–Tipping Point Theatre

Brendan Ragotzy and Jamey Grisham–We Will Rock You, The Barn Theatre

Robert Schorr and Angela G. King: A Human Being Died Last Night–Outvisible Theatre Company

Cast of God of Carnage: The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Winner: James Hindman and Tom Souhrada

 

Best Choreography

Christopher George Patterson: All Night Strut–Meadow Brook Theatre

Rachel Costantino: Anything Goes–The Musical Theatre Company

Chaz Arnett Sanders: Schoolhouse Rock–Hope Summer Repertory Theatre

Kurt Stamm: Memphis–Mason Street Warehouse

Jamey Grisham: Newsies–The Barn Theatre

Winner Kurt Stamm

 

Best Design – Costumes

Mary Copenhagen: Casa Valentina–The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Mary Elizabeth Valesano: The Colored Museum–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Michael Wilson Morgan: Rent–The Barn Theatre

Sharon Larkey Urick: Anything Goes–The Encore Musical Theatre Company

Holly Iler: The Taming–The Williamston Theatre

Kathy Mulay: Gypsy–Farmers Alley

Winner: Holly Iler

 

Best Design – Lights

Seth Amadei: A Bright Room Called Day–University Detroit Mercy Theatre Company

Valerie Frawley: The Colored Museum–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Aaron Tacy: Skeleton Crew–The Detroit Public Theatre

Samantha Snow: Back Country Crimes–What A Do Theatre

Lanford Potts: Gypsy–Farmers Alley

Winner: Lanford Potts

 

 Best Design – Props

Danna Segrest: Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of the Elusive Ear–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Jennifer Maiseloff: Skeleton Crew–Detroit Public Theatre

Kathryn Link: The Colored Museum–Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Michelle Raymond: Beau Jest–The Williamston Theatre

Eileen Obradovich: Daddy Long Legs–The Dio–Dining and Entertainment

Emily White Freeman: Schoolhouse Rock–Hope Summer Repertory Theatre

Winner: Dana Segrest and Jennifer Maiseloff

 

Best Design–Sets

Bartley H. Bauer: Sherlock Holmes and The Case of The Missing Ear–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Matt Tomich: The Great American Trailer Park Musical–Dio–Dining and Entertainment

Michael Carnahan: Birthday Candles—Detroit Public Theatre

Jen Price Fick: The Snow Geese—Meadow Brook Theatre

Elspeth Williams: American Buffalo—The Jewish Ensemble Theatre

Kristen Martino: Gypsy–Farmers Alley Theatre

Ray Zupp: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe–Flint Youth Theatre

Winner: Bartley Bauer and Jen Price Fick

 

Best Design – Sound or Video

Curtis Craig: Skeleton Crew—Detroit Public Theatre

The Colored Museum—Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

King Lear—Maggie Allesee Department of Theatre and Dance at Wayne State University

Jason Painter Price: Out of Orbit–The Williamston Theatre

Alison Dobbins: Out of Orbit–The Williamston Theatre

Winner: Maggie Allesee

 

Best Music Direction

Tyler Driskill: Sweeney Todd–The Encore Musical Theatre Company

David Caldwell: All Night Strut—The Meadow Brook Theatre

Brian Buckner—The Devil’s Music: The Life and Blues of Bessie Smith–Theatre Nova

Matt Shabala: The Hunchback of Notre Dame–The Barn Theatre

Aaron Dennis Smith: Sister Act–The Riverbank Theatre

Brian Buckner: The Wizard of Oz–Wild Swan Theatre

Jamie Reed: Memphis–Mason Street Warehouse

CT Hollis: Merrily We Roll Along–The Ringwald Theatre

Winner: David Caldwell and Brian Buckner (Wizard of Oz)

 

Best New Script

Maxim Vinogradov: A Night of Stars with Tennessee Williams–Slipstream Theatre Initiative

David MacGregor: Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of the Elusive Ear–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Jeff Daniels: Flint–The Purple Rose Theatre Company

Noah Haidle: Birthday Candles—Detroit Public Theatre

Jennifer Maisel: Out of Orbit–The Williamston Theatre

David Wells: Resisting–Theatre Nova

Joe Zettelmaier: Our Lady of Poison–The Williamston Theatre

Winner: Max Vinogradov