ANN
ARBOR, Mich – It was yet another Wilde night at West Bloomfield’s Berman Center
for the Performing Arts, as Michigan’s professional theater community gathered
for The 14th Annual Wilde Awards presented by EncoreMichigan.com. Established
in 2002, The 2015 Wilde Awards honored the best productions, performances and
technical accomplishments of the recently concluded 2014-15 season.
In all,
28 artists and 19 productions produced or presented by 16 theaters across the
state earned an award. In a rare feat, no single show, artist or production
dominated the awards – something almost unheard of in Wilde Awards history.
“This
year’s winners come from all over the state, and they represent theaters both
large and small – and one just opened its doors this year,” said co-founder and
editor-at-large Donald V. Calamia. “That to me indicates that great work is
happening in all our theaters regardless of their sizes, budgets or locations.”
Standing
out from the crowd, The Purple Rose Theatre and Michigan Opera Theatre each
took home three awards.
“Annapurna”
from The Purple Rose Theatre took home the most awards for a single show,
winning Best Drama (Guy Sanville, director); Best Design for Sets (Bartley H.
Bauer); and Best Design for Props (Danna Segrest.)
The
awards were determined by EncoreMichigan.com’s team of professional critics who
reviewed 168 productions produced or presented by 49 professional theater
companies located in 25 communities across the state. The critics included
Calamia, Carolyn Hayes Harmer, (owner and editor-in-chief) David Kiley, Martin
F. Kohn, Jenn McKee, Sue Merrell, Amy J. Parrent, Frank Anthony Polito, John
Quinn, Bridgette M. Redman, Judith Cookis Rubens and guest critic Jennifer
Knightstep.
Representatives
from theaters around the state attended the event that began at 6:30 p.m. with
a social hour of cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; the awards presentation began at
8 p.m.
Hosted
by Calamia and popular actress and improviser Jamie Moyer, the evening mixed
entertainment with announcements of the awards.
“This
year was especially fun with the return of Jaime as my co-host,” said Calamia.
“Her dance card is quite full in Los Angeles these days where she relocated a
few years back, and her celebrated comedic genius helped ensure our guests had one
‘Wilde’ night indeed!”
Other
top winners were the Michigan Opera Theatre’s “Elektra,” which won Best Opera
for Nicholas Muni, director, and Best Performance, Opera, for Christine Goerke.
MOT also took home a Best Design -- Costumes for Monika Essen for the opera “Frida.”
Best
Comedy went to Beth Torrey, the director of Tipping Point’s “Leaving Iowa.”
Best Musical went to Steve DeBruyne, director of “Violet” at The Dio – Dining
and Entertainment.
Other
theaters that took home two awards were The Dio – Dining and Entertainment
(Best Musical and Best Performance Actress in a Musical), Shakespeare in
Detroit (Best of the Bard, Best Performance – The Bard), PuppetArt (Best
Theatre for Young Audiences, Best Choreography), Williamston Theater (Best
Performance Actress – Comedy, Best Teamwork) and The Jewish Ensemble Theatre
(Best Performance Actress – Drama, Best New Script).
Special
awards went out to Farmers Alley Theatre; the Detroit Improv Collective; Kurt
Stamm of Mason Street Warehouse; Bailey Boudreau of Slipstream Theatre Initiative;
and Kristine Thatcher, former artistic director of Lansing’s BoarsHead and
Stormfield Theatres.
The
night also featured an announcement by David Kiley of New Roads Media, the new
owner of EncoreMichigan.com and The Wilde Awards, which detailed his many plans
for the company. “I love this community,” he told the audience – after which he
earned thunderous applause when he pledged to work hard at keeping this vital
resource alive and successful for generations to come.
Only
shows that are produced or presented by Michigan’s professional theaters and
opera companies—both union and non-union—and reviewed by EncoreMichigan.com’s
theater critics during the 2014-2015 season were eligible for a 2015 Wilde
Awards nomination. Shows had to be performed for four consecutive days or more
or over two weekends or more to be eligible for a review.
The
2015 Wilde Awards were sponsored by Detroit Public TV, Pride Source Media Group
and Actors’ Equity Association. The Council Cargle Award for Dedication to the
Michigan Theatre Community was sponsored by Little Bill’s Trophies.
EncoreMichigan.com
is web-based publication established in 2008 that is focused on Michigan's
professional theater industry. Designed as a one-stop shop for consumers,
industry professionals and others with an interest in the performing arts,
EncoreMichigan.com is updated daily and packed with informative interviews,
insightful reviews, comprehensive show listings, thoughtful commentary,
audition notices, podcasts and much, much more. Original content is created by
a dedicated team of veteran freelance journalists and theater professionals.
For more information about EncoreMichigan.com, log onto www.encoremichigan.com.
WINNERS: The 2015 Wilde Awards
Best
Comedy
Leaving
Iowa, Beth Torrey, director; Tipping Point Theatre
Best
Drama
Annapurna, Guy Sanville, director; The Purple Rose
Theatre Company
Best
Musical
Violet, Steve DeBruyne, director; The Dio - Dining
& Entertainment
Best
Opera
Elektra, Nicholas Muni, director; Michigan Opera
Theatre
Best
of the Bard
King Lear, Frannie Shepherd-Bates, director; Shakespeare
in Detroit
Best
Theatre for Young Audiences
Sleeping Beauty, Igor Gozman, director; PuppetART
Best
Touring Production
Kinky Boots, Jerry Mitchell, director; Broadway in
Detroit: Fisher Theatre
Best
Performance, Actress - Comedy
Emily Sutton-Smith, Miracle
on South Division Street; Williamston Theatre
Best
Performance, Actress - Drama
Inga R. Wilson, Sugarhill;
The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company
Best
Performance, Actress – Musical
Mahalia Greenway, Violet;
The Dio - Dining & Entertainment
Best
Performance, Actor - Comedy
Brandy Joe Plambeck, Boeing
Boeing; Hilberry Theatre
Best
Performance, Actor - Drama
Mike McGettigan, Buried
Child; The Abreact
Best
Performance, Actor – Musical
Sebastian Gerstner, Spamalot;
The Encore Musical Theatre Company
Best
Performance – Opera
Christine Goerke, Elektra;
Michigan Opera Theatre
Best
Performance – The Bard
Julia Garlotte, King
Lear; Shakespeare in Detroit
Best
Performance – Theater for Young Audiences
Sam Carter, The Diary of
Anne Frank; Flint Youth Theatre
Best
Teamwork
Tony Caselli and John
Lepard, The Best Brothers; Williamston Theatre
Best
New Script
Linda Ramsay-Detherage, Sugarhill;
The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company
Best
Music Direction
Brian E. Buckner, The
Ugly Duckling; Wild Swan Theater
Best
Choreography
Irina Baranovskaya and Igor
Gozman, The Crane Maiden; PuppetART
Best
Design – Sound or Video
Tim Culver, Cameron Lake
and Lauri Rowe, It's a Wonderful Life: A Radio Play; Great Escape Stage
Company
Best
Design - Sets
Bartley H. Bauer, Annapurna;
The Purple Rose Theatre Company
Best
Design - Props
Danna Segrest, Annapurna;
The Purple Rose Theatre Company
Best
Design - Lights
Harley Miah, Red; Open
Book Theatre Company
Best
Design - Costumes
Monika Essen, Frida; Michigan
Opera Theatre
SPECIAL AWARDS:
Critics’
Choice Award:
Farmers Alley Theatre
Critic’s
Choice Award
Detroit Improv Collective
Founders
Award for Excellence
Kurt Stamm, Mason Street Warehouse
Jim
Posante Community Pride Award
Bailey Boudreau, Slipstream Theatre
Initiative
Council
Cargle Award for Dedication to the Michigan Theatre Community
Kristine Thatcher
No comments:
Post a Comment