What are you doing on Sunday Night? Staff members and volunteers from WKTV Community Media are going to the Grand Awards to capture the best in West Michigan Theater. Stay tuned– in the weeks to come– to watch the video of a four hour broadcast of content from pre-show, the show itself to the after-show interviews. See the nominees and hear from the winners in a Live telecast. This is an event you won’t want to miss. The video production can be seen in the weeks to come on Channel 24 and Channel 25.
IF YOU GO:
Grand Awards When: 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12 Where: Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division Ave. Tickets: $42, $20 students, at the Civic Theatre box office, 222-6650 ext. 1, or online at grct.org
GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Misery loves company. And “Les Miserables” has lots of company on the list of nominees for this year’s Grand Awards. But only one show spammed its way past “Les Miserables” in number of nominations.
Circle Theatre’s production of “Spamalot” received 10 nominations for the local theater awards, while Civic Theatre’s “Les Miserables,” scored nine.
“Spamalot,” with its nutty knights of the round table, received three of its nominations in one category — supporting actor. Jeremiah Postma managed to rack up the lead actor nomination for both shows.
Winners will be named in a gala awards ceremony Oct. 12 at Civic Theatre. The annual event raises money for the combined theater scholarships, which last year gave out three $2,000 scholarships to local theater college students.
“We’re going to have the red carpet treatment at the entrance again this year,” said co-chairman Larry Young. Interviews with the nominees will be videotaped in the lobby before the ceremony begins.
This year’s program starts at 6:30 p.m., a half-hour earlier than previous years, to allow for more post-ceremony partying at St. George’s Banquet and Conference Center, Young said. He added that a pre-ceremony party will be held from 5-6 p.m. at SpeakEZ Lounge.
“We’re trying to get the word out and elevate the awards,” Young said. “So many people don’t know about them. It would be great to get more of the public coming to see the great numbers presented by all the theaters.”
This year’s nominees are:
MUSICALS Outstanding Musical — “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Lead Actor — Kyle Jurassic, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; Jeremiah Postma, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Stephen Grey, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Circle Theatre; Jeremiah Postma, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Lead Actress — Samantha Gauthier, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Kathy Gibson, “Grey Gardens,” Actors’ Theatre; Noddea Moore Skidmore, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actor — Nathan English, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Jonathan Clausen, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Circle Theatre; Kyle Cain, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre; Matt Ablan, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre, Stephen Grey, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actress — Molly Jones, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Sarah LaCroix, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Molly Jones, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Circle Theatre, Emily Diener, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre, RoseAnne Shansky, “Grey Gardens,” Actors’ Theatre.
Director — Penelope Notter, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Scott Mellema, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre Penelope Notter, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre, Tom Kaechele, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Musical Director — Wright McCargar, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Scott Bell, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Circle Theatre; Charles Hutchins, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Charles Hutchins, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre.
Choreography — Mary Lohman, “The Sound of Music, “ Civic Theatre; Kyle Dutkiewicz, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; William Schutte, “9 to 5:The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Mary Lohman, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
PLAYS
Outstanding Play — “Love! Valour! Compassion!,” Actors’ Theatre; “The Whipping Man,” Jewish Theatre; “Venus in Fur, “ Actors’ Theatre; “God of Carnage,”
Lead Actress — Samantha Gauthier, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Kathy Gibson, “Grey Gardens,” Actors’ Theatre; Noddea Moore Skidmore, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actor — Nathan English, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Jonathan Clausen, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Circle Theatre; Kyle Cain, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre; Matt Ablan, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre, Stephen Grey, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actress — Molly Jones, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Sarah LaCroix, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Molly Jones, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Circle Theatre, Emily Diener, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre, RoseAnne Shansky, “Grey Gardens,” Actors’ Theatre.
Director — Penelope Notter, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Scott Mellema, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre Penelope Notter, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre, Tom Kaechele, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Musical Director — Wright McCargar, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Scott Bell, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Circle Theatre; Charles Hutchins, “Les Miserables,” Civic Theatre; Charles Hutchins, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre.
Choreography — Mary Lohman, “The Sound of Music, “ Civic Theatre; Kyle Dutkiewicz, “Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; William Schutte, “9 to 5:The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Mary Lohman, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
PLAYS
Outstanding Play — “Love! Valour! Compassion!,” Actors’ Theatre; “The Whipping Man,” Jewish Theatre; “Venus in Fur, “ Actors’ Theatre; “God of Carnage,” Actors’ Theatre; “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre.
Lead Actor — Darius “T.Q.” Colquitt, “ The Whipping Man, Jewish Theatre,” Kyle Los, “Venus in Fur, “ Actors’ Theatre; Sammy A. Publes , “God of Carnage,” Actors’ Theatre; Don Vanden Heuvel, “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre; Dylan Harris, “One Man, Two Guvnors,” Circle Theatre.
Lead Actress– Ellie Frances, “Venus in Fur,” Actors’ Theatre; Nancy Wagner, “Driving Miss Daisy,” Jewish Theatre; Carrie McNulty, “God of Carnage,” Actors’ Theatre; Liene Strautnieks, “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actor — Jeffrey Williams, “ Love! Valour! Compassion!” Actors’ Theatre; Dylan Harris, “Love! Valour! Compassion!” Actors’ Theatre; Jon March , “Clybourne Park,” Civic Theatre, Patrick Hendren, “Driving Miss Daisy,” Jewish Theatre; Torrence O’Haire , “One Man, Two Guvnors, “ Circle Theatre.
Supporting Actress — Kelly Piliouras , “The Milliner,” Jewish Theatre; Kristen Pearson, “Clybourne Park,” Civic Theatre; Sherryl Despres, “ Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre; Catie Berg , “One Man, Two Guvnors,” Circle Theatre; Marisa Purcey, “One Man, Two Guvnors,” Circle Theatre.
Director — Jason Marlett , “The Whipping Man,” Jewish Theatre; Michelle Urbane, “ Venus in Fur,” Actors’ Theatre; Bruce Tinker, “Clybourne Park, “ Civic Theatre, Tom Kaechele, ”God of Carnage,” Actors’ Theatre; Tom Kaechele, “ Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre.
TECHNICAL Scenic Design — David Len, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Christian Poquette, “Venus in Fur,” Actors’ Theatre; Christian Poquette, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; David Len, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Don Wilson, “Don’t Dress for Dinner,” Circle Theatre
Lighting Design — Tom Kaechele, “Venus in Fur,” Actors’ Theatre; Catherine Marlett Dreher, “Bloody, Bloody Andrew Jackson,” Actors’ Theatre; Catherine Marlett Dreher, “Les Miserables,”Civic Theare; Keith Oberfeld, “9 to 5: The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Tom Lohman, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
Costume Design — Robert Fowle, “The Sound of Music,” Civic Theatre; Kelly Lucas, “Venus in Fur,” Actors’ Theatre; Robert Fowle, “Les Miserables,” Civic Thearer; Robert Fowle, “9 to 5:The Musical,” Civic Theatre; Robert Fowle and Kelly Lucas, “Spamalot,” Circle Theatre.
COLLEGE Best College Production — “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cornerstone; “A Sleeping Country,” GRCC; ”Jump/Cut ,” GRCC; ”The Hatpin,” GRCC.
Lead Actor — Preston Mulligan, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cornerstone; Henry Marcusse, “Jump/Cut ,“ GRCC; Robert McFletcher, “ Jump/Cut ,” GRCC; Brandon Alberda, “Black Comedy,” Cornerstone.
Lead Actress–Rachel Varley , “Nickel & Dimed,” Aquinas; Audrey Moore, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cornerstone; Taylor Nefcy , “Book of Days,” Aquinas; Meeka Postman, “The Hatpin,” GRCC.
Supporting Actor — David Frazee, “ Little Shop of Horrors,” Cornerstone; Forest Davis, “ Little Women,” Cornerstone; Mike Sali , “ Book of Days,” Aquinas; Robbie Ellis, “The Hatpin,” GRCC; Connor Manion, “The Hatpin,” GRCC.
Supporting Actress –Giovana Barreto, “Nickel & Dimed,” Aquinas; Madeline Jones, “ A Sleeping Country,” GRCC; Taylor Nefcy, “Austentatious,” Aquinas; Madeline Jones, “ The Hatpin ,” GRCC; Nubia Gomez, “The Hatpin,” GRCC.
Director–Jeralyn Pinsky, “Nickel & Dimed,” Aquinas; Tom Kaechele, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Cornerstone; Nancy Wagner, “A Sleeping Country,” GRCC; Rob Karel, “The Hatpin,” GRCC.
THEATER FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES Outstanding production — “Junie B. Jones,” Civic Theatre; “A Sleeping Beauty Somewhere In Time,” Magic Circle, Circle Theatre; “Camp Rock,” Civic Theatre.
In its sixth year, it is hard to imagine Grand Rapids without ArtPrize, but without the passion and participation of our dynamic community of friends and supporters, ArtPrize would still simply be an idea. Because of you ArtPrize is free and open to the public to view, experience, and vote on art. If you are an ArtPrizer consider making a one-time, tax-deductible donation of any amount, large or small, to help support this radically open event that serves so many. With a donation of $50.00 or more, you will receive a copy of the five-year retrospective book, “ArtPrize: How a Radically Open Competition Transformed a City and Changed the Way We Think about Art.” Look to what we accomplished during ArtPrize 2014 and let it inspire you to give for what we strive to achieve in 2015. 1,127 students participated in ArtPrize Chair Camp, learning about chair design from Carla Hartman, Director of Education for the Eames Office and granddaughter of Charles and Ray Eames. Students even designed their own miniature chairs. In all, over 12,000 K-12 students participated in a 2014 ArtPrize Education Days program.
