First-Ever Footlights Performing Arts Awards Announce Winners

June 23, 2017  – (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) The first-ever Footlights Performing Arts Awards for Greater Milwaukee were held Thursday, June 22, 2017, at Milwaukee Repertory Theater’s Quadracci Powerhouse. The event, which was sponsored by United Performing Arts Fund, featured local actor and television personality John McGivern as the host and area artists and industry professionals as the presenters.

“We want to give both artists and audiences something beyond a Footlights program, to help them remember the outstanding performances we see on stage every season,” Steve Marcus, President and founder of Marcus Promotions, the publisher of Footlights playbills, said in a speech during the awards. “And thus—the Footlights Performing Arts Awards were born.

Thirty-two nominees were awarded in 16 categories, and both professional and non-professional artists were recognized. The event culminated in an after-party at InterContinental Milwaukee, where free beer and wine and appetizers were served while Latin jazz band Nabori performed.

A complete list of winners can be found below:

Best Choreography (Professional)
Ryan Cappleman
The Pirates of Penzance
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Choreography (Non-Professional)
Melissa Bloch-Meier
Chicago
Musical Masquers Community Theatre

Best Costume Design (Professional)
Chris March
La Cage Aux Folles
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Costume Design (Non-Professional)
Rhonda Schmidt
Anything Goes
Sunset Playhouse

Best Technical Design, Lighting + Sound (Professional)
David Gipson
Beauty and the Beast (Zémire et Azor)
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Technical Design, Lighting + Sound (Non-Professional)
Katrina Smith
Little Shop of Horrors
Sunset Playhouse

Best Scenic Design (Professional)
Todd Edward Ivins
A Christmas Carol
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Best Scenic Design (Non-Professional)
Roger F. Bochek
My Fair Lady
Falls Patio Players

Best Direction (Professional)
Mary MacDonald Kerr
Luna Gale
Renaissance Theaterworks

Best Direction (Non-Professional)
Jerry Becker
Beauty and the Beast
Hartford Players

Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Play, (Professional)
Marques Causey
Luna Gale
Renaissance Theaterworks

Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Play, (Non-Professional)
Sam Ellis Sherman
Wonderland
Outskirts Theatre

Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Play, (Professional)
Rana Roman
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Play, (Non-Professional)
Ruth Arnell
33 Variations
Waukesha Civic Theatre

Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Musical, (Professional)
Shawn Holmes
La Cage Aux Folles
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Supporting Performance by a Male in a Musical, (Non-Professional)
Thomas Hess
Young Frankenstein
Lake Country Playhouse

Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Musical (Professional)
Angela Iannone
Ernest in Love
In Tandem Theatre

Best Supporting Performance by a Female in a Musical (Non-Professional)
Katie Katschke
Fiddler on the Roof
Sunset Playhouse

Best Leading Performance by a Male in a Play (Professional)
Anthony Crivello
McGuire
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Best Leading Performance by a Male in a Play (Non-Professional)
Nicholas Callan Haubner
The Odd Couple
SummerStage Delafield

Best Leading Performance by a Female in a Play (Professional)
Jenny Wanasek
Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike
Milwaukee Chamber Theatre

Best Leading Performance by a Female in a Play (Non-Professional)
Beth Perry
33 Variations
Waukesha Civic Theatre

Best Leading Performance by a Male in a Musical (Professional)
Ray Jivoff
La Cage Aux Folles
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Leading Performance by a Male in a Musical (Non-Professional)
Ryan Charles
Jesus Christ Superstar
Greendale Community Theatre

Best Leading Performance by a Female in a Musical (Professional)
Allie Babich
Violet
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Leading Performance by a Female in a Musical (Non-Professional)
Marann K. Curtis
Grease
Theatre on Main

Best Performance (Professional)
Zie Magic Flute
Milwaukee Opera Theatre and Quasimondo Physical Theatre 

Best Performance (Non-Professional)
Comicality 2017
Hartford Players

Best Play (Professional)
Fences
Milwaukee Repertory Theater

Best Play (Non-Professional)
33 Variations
Waukesha Civic Theatre

Best Musical (Professional)
La Cage Aux Folles
Skylight Music Theatre

Best Musical (Non-Professional)
My Fair Lady
Falls Patio Players

About Footlights

Footlights is the playbill-of-choice for countless performing arts organizations in the region, serving companies of all sizes, including Milwaukee Repertory Theater, Skylight Music Theatre, Milwaukee Chamber Theatre, Next Act Theatre, Renaissance Theaterworks, In Tandem Theatre, as well as countless music groups and local college and universities’ dance, music, and theatre programs. Footlights extends playbill services to Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee, and many locations in between.

Footlights playbills and Footlights.com are products of Marcus Promotions, Inc.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.

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