With stages dark and actors idle, even the annual awards ceremony for the Dearborn Area Theatre Association will move online this year.
The annual event honors high school thespians and their adult support staff from Dearborn Heights Crestwood, and Dearborn, Divine Child and Edsel Ford high schools in Dearborn, whose performances and productions were adjudicated by DATA members.
The adult entries, from the Random Acts of Theater group, were judged separately from the youth productions.
The DATA awards ceremony, typically held in late May at the Michael A. Guido Theater in the Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn, features live performances, clever commentary and, above all else, anticipation for the results.
Below are this year’s nominees, which include entries from Crestwood for the musical “Avenue Q;” Dearborn High for the musical “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” and for a collection of one act plays; Edsel Ford, for the comedy “Noises Off,” and the musical, “Mary Poppins;” and Divine Child, for the Shakespearean comedy, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
The winners will be announced online the evening of July 10, and in next week’s theater column, and will include additional award categories, scholarship honorees, and new inductees in the Dearborn Theater Hall of Fame.
For more information, go to DATA’s website, dearbornareatheatre.org, or visit its Facebook page, Dearborn Area Theatre Association.
The 2020 DATA Award Nominations
Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Play
Dearborn Heights Crestwood High School’s nominee is the musical “Avenue Q,” with Mahdi Osseili (left) as Rod, Alina Hazime as Christmas Eve, Austin Thomas as Princeton, Adam El-zein as Nicky, Jamie Paschke as Kate Monster and Khalia Mims as Gary Coleman.
Divine Child High School, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” Ken Overwater, Producer; and Edsel Ford High School, “Noises Off,” Robert Doyle, Producer.
Outstanding Achievement in the Production of a Musical
Crestwood High School, Avenue Q, Cayla Kolbusz, Producer; Dearborn High School, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Greg Phillip Viscomi, Producer; and Edsel Ford High School, “Mary Poppins,” Robert Doyle, Producer.
Outstanding Achievement in Costume Design
Lisa Goddard and Jeanine Katona, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” Bobbie Justice, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Bobbie Justice and Holly Eatinger, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” and Cayla Kolbusz, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Lighting Design
Nick Boyd, Walter Grysko and Bob Bush, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Melissa Redmon, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” and Matt Woldanski, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Makeup Design
Krista Adair, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” Natalie Dziadzio, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Katelyn Harrison and Katelyn Crumb, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” Katelyn Harrison, EFHS, “Noises Off;” and Cayla Kolbusz, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Divine Child High School’s nominee, Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” features Maddy Woods as a fairy and Jana Rida as Puck.
Outstanding Achievement in Properties Design
Colleen Johnson, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” and Dani Smith, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Scenic Design
Walter Grysko and Bob Bush, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Michael Hermen and Steve Pitts, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Michael Hermen and Steve Pitts, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” David Slanec, Jan DeKoning,Andrew and Jean Angel and Greg Viscomi, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” and Matt Woldanski and Sean Mason, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Sound Design
Bob Bush, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Kelly Dear, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” and Nick Gladkowski, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Choreography
Simone Calvas, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” Emma Garber, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” and Mina Haidi, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement in Musical Direction
Paul Abbott, CHS, “Avenue Q;” Carmelle Siciliano Atkins, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” and Robert Doyle and Maria LoGrasso, EFHS, “Mary Poppins.”
Outstanding Achievement in the Direction of a Scene (Scholastic)
Dearborn High School’s nominated musical is “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Kovu Bitonti, DHS, “The Princess Bride;” Simon Boyer and Caleb Reese, DHS, “Protecting the Innocent;” Jojo Greimel, DHS, Sarcasm 101;” Victoria Irish, DHS, “More Cowbell;” Nora Karoub and Nour Shokr, DHS, “The Convict;” Olivia Kirk, DHS, “Stranger Awareness;” Sophia Palise and Isabella Nabozny, DHS, “The Herlihy Boy;” Alejandro Quesada, DHS, “Extreme Baking Championship;” and Abby Thibodeau and Caroline Giedeman, DHS, Fired.”
Outstanding Achievement in the Direction of a One Act or Scene
Cynthia Frabutt, RAOT, “Quarter Life Crisis;” Cynthia Frabutt, RAOT, “When Love Arrives;” Valerie Haas, RAOT, “While the Auto Waits;” Yolanda Jack, RAOT, “All That;” Jemma McCardell, RAOT, “Blithe Spirit;” and Alberta Walker King, RAOT, “Encore.”
Outstanding Achievement in the Direction of a Play
Robert Doyle, EFHS, “Noises Off;” and Ken Overwater, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Outstanding Achievement in the Direction of a Musical
Robert Doyle, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” Cayla Kolbusz, CHS, “Avenue Q;” and Greg Phillip Viscomi, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Featured Actress in a Play
Edsel Ford High School’s nominated comedy is “Noises Off.”
Nora Heaton, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Lily Kanclerz, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Abbie Pitts, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Jana Rida and Rachel Rudzinski, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Featured Actor in a Play
Christopher Adams, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Andrew Bard, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Broadie Kielb, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Lead Actress in a Play
Gina Lerini, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Rhonwyn Martin and Sydney Porada, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Maya Moreau, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Emily Walker and Allison Nold, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Hanna Young and Avery McKelvey, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Lead Actor in a Play
Moogie Fawaz, EFHS. “Noises Off;” Connor Kozlowski, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” Ian Kuntz, EFHS, “Noises Off;” Ben Noethlich, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream;” and Noah Trapp, DCHS, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Featured Actress in a Musical
Divine Child High School’s nominee, Shakespeare’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” features Broadie Kielb as Nick Bottom and Sydney Porada as Titania.
Alina Hazime, CHS, “Avenue Q;” Gina Lerini, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” Kahalia Mims, CHS, “Avenue Q;” Adriana Viscomi, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” and Sophi Wheeler and Nora Karoub, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Featured Actor in a Musical
Oliver Angel, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” Harry Krafcak, CHS, “Avenue Q;” Mahdi Osseili, CHS, “Avenue Q;” and Sam Smalley, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Lead Actress in a Musical
Caroline Giedeman and Olivia Kirk, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;”Nora Heaton and Maya Moreau, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” and Jamie Paschke, CHS, “Avenue Q.”
Outstanding Achievement by a Lead Actor in a Musical
Adam El-Zein, CHS, “Avenue Q;” Nathan Hermen, EFHS, “Mary Poppins;” Caleb Reese, DHS, “You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown;” Austin Thomas, CHS, “Avenue Q;” and Oscar Torres Vasquez and Nathan Wall, EFHS, “Mary Poppins.”