3 Hamilton County Community Theatres Up For 100+ Awards
By: Betsy Reason
A gun smokes after being fired on stage by actor Kelly Keller of Fishers during The Belfry Theatre’s “Rehearsal for Murder,” which was nominated for Encore Awards’ Best Lead Actor in a Drama, Best Production of a Drama, Best Director of a Drama and Best Major Supporting Actress in a Drama. Awards will be announced Monday night.
Tanya Haas (as Mrs. Savage, holding the teddy bear) was nominated Best Lead Actress in a Comedy and Phoebe Aldridge (as Fairy) was nominated as Best Major Supporting Actor in a Drama star with Lisa Warner (as Mrs. Paddy, background) in Basile Westfield Playhouse’s “The Curious Savage,” up for Encore Awards on Monday night.
Samuel Ratchett (Tim Latimer, from left), Hercule Poirot (Larry Adams) (nominated for Encore Awards’ Best Lead Actor in a Comedy), Hector MacQueen (Jonathan Young), Countess Andrenyi (Viviana Quinones Fabre) (nominated for Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Play) and Monsieur Bouc (Earl Campbell) are featured in Carmel Community Players’ “Murder on the Orient Express” comedy, which is also nominated for Best Costumes for a Comedy” and Best Stage Manager of a Play.
The Encore Association awards ceremony coming up on Monday night is traditionally the social event of the year, like the Oscars or the Tonys, but for community theater, where people dress to the nines, and cheer on fellow thespians lucky enough to go home with awards for being the best in their show.
Community theaters based in Hamilton County have received more than a hundred Encore Association nominations for the 2022-23 Encore Awards. And I’m proud to share with our Times readers that I’m one of the nominees for Best Production of a Drama for The Belfry Theatre’s “Rehearsal for Murder.” my 10th show to produce for The Belfry. It’s my third nomination for Encore Association’s Best Production of a Drama; the two previous nominations in years past were “It’s a Wonderful Life” on stage in 2018 and “A Christmas Carol” on stage in 2019.
Winners will be announced during the 54th annual Encore Awards and Scholarship Ceremony at the Indianapolis Museum of Art in Indianapolis.
The Encore Awards celebrate excellence in community theater.
Congratulations to our Hamilton County theaters.
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BELFRY THEATRE
Hamilton County Theatre Guild’s The Belfry Theatre has received 33 Encore Association award nominations:
-Best Production of a Drama: Betsy Reason, producer, “Rehearsal for Murder”; and Diane Wilson, producer, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Director of a Drama: Andrea Odle, “The Great Gatsby”; and Diane Wilson, “Rehearsal for Murder.”
-Best Lead Actor in a Drama: Troy Bridges, “The Great Gatsby”; and Kelly Keller, “Rehearsal for Murder.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Comedy: Becca Bartley and Sara Eberhardt, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Drama: Tessa Gibbons, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Drama: Jackson Stollings, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Ka’Lena Cuevas, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Drama: Olivia Carrier, “Rehearsal for Murder”; Jessica Hawkins, “The Great Gatsby”; and Kim O’Mara, “Rehearsal for Murder.”
-Best Cameo in a Drama: Cindy Duncan, “Rehearsal for Murder.”
-Best Ensemble in a Comedy: The Three Sisters, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Performer Under the Age of 18 in a Drama: Rachel Bush, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Costumes for a Drama: Addie Taylor and Judy McGroarty, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Set Design of a Comedy: Jen Otterman, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Set Decoration of a Comedy: Nicole Amsler and Jen Otterman, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Lighting Design for a Comedy: Eric Matters, “Crimes of the Heart.”
-Best Lighting Design for a Drama: Brian Coon, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Light Board Operation for a Drama: Lexi Odle, “The Great Gatsby.”
-Best Props for a Play: Nicole Amsler and Jen Otterman, “Crimes of the Heart”; and Lindsay Vest, “Around the World in 80 Days.”
-Best Stage Manager of a Play: Monya Wolf, “Around the World in 80 Days.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Ellen Vander Missen, “The Sound of Music.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Musical: Rob Lawson, “The Sound of Music.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Musical: Susan Boliek Smith, “The Sound of Music.”
-Best Female Singer: Ellen Vander Missen, “The Sound of Music.”
Also, The Belfry Theatre Apprentice Players youth cast members ages 5-18 from the summer’s “Willy Wonka Jr.” are expected to perform during a Rising Star portion of the program at the Encore Awards Monday night.
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WESTFIELD PLAYHOUSE
Main Street Productions, which operates Basile Westfield Playhouse, received 53 nominations:
-Best Production of a Drama: Ka’Lena Cuevas, “August: Osage County” and Georgeanna Teipen, “Mothers and Sons.”
-Best Director of a Drama: Jim LaMonte, “Mothers and Sons” and Brent A. Wooldridge for “August: Osage County.”
-Best Lead Actor in a Drama: Adam Phillips,” Night Must Fall” and Austin Uebellhor, “Mothers and Sons.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Comedy: Tanya Haas, “The Curious Savage.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Drama: Molly Bellner and Sally Carter, “August: Osage County”; Rachel Kelso, “Night Must Fall”; Elizabeth Ruddell, “Mothers and Sons.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Drama: Matt Hartzburg, “Night Must Fall”; Nicholas Heskett, “Mothers and Sons”; and Jim LaMonte, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Phoebe Aldridge, “The Curious Savage.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Drama: Julie Dutcher and Caity Withers, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Minor Supporting Actor in a Play: J.B. Scoble, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Play: Bella King, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Cameo in a Drama: Rob Lawson, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Ensemble in a Comedy: The Residents, “The Curious Savage.”
-Best Performer Under the Age of 18 in a Drama: Tyler Acquaviva, “Mothers and Sons.”
-Best Costumes for a Drama: Linda Findley Grow, “Night Must Fall.
-Best Set Design of a Drama: Jim LaMonte and Jeremy Tuterow, “Mothers and Sons”; Ian Marshall-Fisher, “Night Must Fall” and Ron Roessler, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Set Decoration of a Drama: Jim LaMonte and Jeremy Tuterow, “Mothers and Sons”; Ian Marshall-Fisher and Pam Jenson, “August: Osage County”; and Ian Marshall-Fisher and Heidi Moranski, “Night Must Fall.”
-Best Lighting Design for a Drama: Eric Matters, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Light Board Operator for a Drama: Aaron Ploff, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Props for a Play: Pam Jenson, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Stage Manager of a Play: Susan Yeaw, “August: Osage County.”
-Best Production of a Musical: producers Bill Miller and Teresa Skelton, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Director of a Musical: Brenna Whitaker, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Lead Actress in a Musical: Chrissy Crawley and Georgeanna Teipen, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Musical: Daniel Graves and Scott Fleshood, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Musical: Katelyn Maudlin, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Musical: Susan Boliek Smith, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Set Design of a Musical: Ian Marshall-Fisher, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Set Decoration of a Musical: Ian-Marshall-Fisher, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Lighting Design for a Musical: Eric Matters, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Sound Design for a Musical: Rob Stokes, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Light Board Operator for a Musical: Jim Williams, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Vocal Direction: Brenna Whitaker, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Male Singer: Scott Fleshood, “The Spitfire Grill.”
-Best Stage Manager of a Musical: Tonya Rave, “The Spitfire Grill.”
Basile Westfield Playhouse youth cast members from the summer’s “The Somewhat True Tale of Robin Hood” play are expected to perform during a Rising Star portion of the program at the Encore Awards.
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CARMEL COMMUNITY PLAYERS
Carmel Community Players received 17 nominations:
-Best Lead Actor in a Comedy: Larry Adams, “Murder on the Orient Express”; and Matthew Walls and Robert Webster Jr., “True West.”
-Best Major Supporting Actor in a Comedy: Kevin Shadle, “Uh-Oh Here Comes Christmas.”
-Best Major Supporting Actress in a Comedy: Tonya Rave, “Uh-Oh Here Comes Christmas.”
-Best Minor Supporting Actor in a Play: Jeffery Stafford, “Murder on the Orient Express.”
-Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Play: Olivia Carrier and Viviana Quinones Farbre, “Murder on the Orient Express.”
-Best Costumes for a Comedy: Cathie Morgan, “Murder on the Orient Express.”
-Best Set Design of a Comedy: Ian Marshall-Fisher, “True West.”
-Best Set Decoration of a Comedy: Ian Marshall-Fisher, “True West.”
-Best Props for a Play: Eric Bowman, Missy Rump and Jim Mannon, “True West.”
-Best Stage Manager of a Play: Samantha Kelly and Chloe Vann, “Murder on the Orient Express.”
-Best Lead Actor in a Musical: “Don Piedmonte, “Tick, Tick…Boom!”
Carmel Community Players youth cast members from the summer’s “Godspell” musical are expected to perform during a Rising Star portion of the program at the Encore Awards,
The 53-year-old Encore Association is comprised of nonprofessional, nonprofit community theaters. Its board annually plays host to this awards ceremony recognizing excellence from the previous theatrical season. A committee of judges view productions and select nominees. This year, there are about 70 categories.
Visit EncoreAssociation.net for more information and also for tickets through noon Monday for the Monday night event.
-Betsy Reason writes about people, places and things in Hamilton County. Contact The Times Editor Betsy Reason at [email protected].