Author: Becky Jascoviak

Our 2015-2016 Award Winners:

St. Christopher Society inductees:

  • Steven Becker
  • Chuckles Brady
  • Matthew Byerly
  • Bob Cooley
  • Linda Didelot
  • Trisha Hales
  • Sarah Lewis
  • David Long
  • Stephanie Naumoff
  • Michael Doc Kuhn
  • Kali Rasala
  • Kathie Rosdil
  • Donna Rowland
  • Don Taylor
  • Jason Utesch
  • Sheree Wheeler-Gudeman

Volunteers of the Year:

  • 4th Street Theater: Kathy Markwart
  • Beatniks on Conkey: David Johnson
  • Chicago Street Theatre: Nancy Haller
  • Crown Point Community Theatre: Angela Heid
  • Dunes Arts Foundation: Tyler Marshall
  • Gary Shakespeare Company: Jennifer Mead
  • Genesius Guild: Elizabeth Roman
  • Hammond Community Theatre: Anji Britten
  • Highland Park’s Performing Arts Group: Don Wisler
  • L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group: John Gianotti
  • Memorial Opera House: Michael Glorioso
  • Valparaiso Theatrical Company: Vickie Cash

Outstanding Achievement Award: Jonni Pera

Presidential Award for Excellence: Gary Shakespeare Company

Project CAST: Crown Point Community Theatre

Best Play – Sylvia, L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group

Best Director, Play – Angie Lowe, Sylvia, L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group

Best Sets/Set Design, Play – Eric Brant , Wash Dry & Fold, Chicago Street Theatre

Best Lights/Lighting Design, Play – Bob Cooley Lieutenant of Inishmore Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sound/Sound Design, Play – John Wotkun I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Beatniks on Conkey

Best Costumes/Costume Design, Play – Stanlee K. Hodsden, Kat Lutze Charley’s Aunt 4th Street Theater

Best Principal Actress, Play – Lydia DeVille as Sylvia Sylvia L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group

Best Cameo in a Play – Kali Rasala as Mrs. Dilber – Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge Hammond Community Theatre

Best Featured Actress, Play – Donna Rowland as Mrs. Shandig Runner Stumbles Genesius Guild

Best Principal Actor, Play – Hal Kilgore as Randle McMurphy One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre

Best Featured Actor, Play – Matt Stinnett as Stephen Spettigue Charley’s Aunt 4th Street Theater

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE MUSICAL AWARD WINNERS!

Best Musical – Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Director, Musical – Matt Domasica Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre

Best Musical/Orchestral Director – Luke Nelson Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre

Best Vocal Director – Jeff Otto [title of show] Crown Point Community Theatre

Best Choreography – Zachary Eugene Gipson Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sets/Set Design, Musical – Zachary Eugene Gipson Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Lights/Lighting Design, Musical – Bob Cooley Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sound/Sound Design, Musical – Mary A. Bird Matern Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Costumes/Costume Design, Musical – Sally Kwaiser The Addams Family Memorial Opera House

Best Principal Actress, Musical – Rachel Livingston as Inga Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Featured Actress, Musical – Mary Kay Steele as Frau Blucher Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Principal Actor, Musical – Chris Gierymski as Baladeer/Oswald Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre

Best Featured Actor, Musical – Craig Golbesky as Igor Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Cameo, Musical – Bob Penney as Blind Hermit Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Viewers’ Choice, Musical – Use of Projections Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

2015-2016 Nominees

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE PLAY NOMINEES!

Best Play
Charley’s Aunt, 4th Street Theater
Lieutenant of Inishmore, Chicago Street Theatre
One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Crown Point Community Theatre
Sylvia, L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group
Wash Dry & Fold, Chicago Street Theatre

Best Director, Play
Kevin Doler, Charley’s Aunt, 4th Street Theater
Bonnie Johnson, Maggie Foster Lerner, I’ll Be Back Before Midnight, Beatniks on Conkey
Justin Treasure, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Crown Point Community Theatre
Angie Lowe, Sylvia, L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group
Traci Brant, Jonni Pera, Wash Dry & Fold, Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sets/Set Design, Play
Valerie Wotkun, Rip Johnson, Bonnie Johnson, John Wotkun, And Then There Were None, Hammond Community Theatre
Kevin Doler, Charley’s Aunt, 4th Street Theater
Eric Brant , Lieutenant of Inishmore, Chicago Street Theatre
Marc Ryser, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Crown Point Community Theatre
Marc Ryser, Matt Valuckis, Picasso at the Lapin Agile, Crown Point Community Theatre
Eric Brant , Wash Dry & Fold, Chicago Street Theatre

Best Lights/Lighting Design, Play
Angela Heid Charley’s Aunt 4th Street Theater
John Wotkun I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Beatniks on Conkey
Bob Cooley Lieutenant of Inishmore Chicago Street Theatre
Jacob Gardner Sylvia L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group
Marcia Burbage The Tempest Chicago Street Theatre
Bob Cooley Wash Dry & Fold Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sound/Sound Design, Play
Jay Stevens Bleacher Bums Valparaiso Theatrical Company
John Wotkun I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Beatniks on Conkey
Justin Treasure One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre
Angie Lowe, Keith Underwood Sylvia L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group
Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge Hammond Community Theatre

Best Costumes/Costume Design, Play
Cast, Crew And Then There Were None Hammond Community Theatre
Stanlee K. Hodsden, Kat Lutze Charley’s Aunt 4th Street Theater
Laquita Williams, Stephanie Naumoff Macbeth Gary Shakespeare Company
KeriAnne Valuckis One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre
KeriAnne Valuckis Picasso at the Lapin Agile Crown Point Community Theatre
Christina E. Pals The Tempest Chicago Street Theatre

Best Principal Actress, Play
Barbara Baker Malangoni as Nurse Ratched One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre
Lydia DeVille as Sylvia Sylvia L’arc en Ciel Theatre Group
Kari-Anne Innes as Prospera The Tempest Chicago Street Theatre
Bonnie Johnson as Sonia Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Hammond Community Theatre
Barbara Malangoni as Enola Wash Dry & Fold Chicago Street Theatre

Best Featured Actress, Play
Gail A. Komer as Rumplestilskin Happily Ever Once Upon Crown Point Community Theatre
Mary Walton DeBoer as Vivien Leigh Orson’s Shadow Chicago Street Theatre
Kathleen Dominiak-Treasure as Germaine Picasso at the Lapin Agile Crown Point Community Theatre
Donna Rowland as Mrs. Shandig Runner Stumbles Genesius Guild
Darlene Joiner as Cassandra Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike Hammond Community Theatre

Best Principal Actor, Play
Earle Howe as Lawrence Wargrave And Then There Were None Hammond Community Theatre
Will Kalinak as Dr. Thomas Stockmann Enemy of the People 4th Street Theater
Mark Baer as Macbeth Macbeth Gary Shakespeare Company
Hal Kilgore as Randle McMurphy One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre
Dustin Ritchea as Kenneth Tynan Orson’s Shadow Chicago Street Theatre

Best Featured Actor, Play
Steve Zana as Marvin Bleacher Bums Valparaiso Theatrical Company
Matt Stinnett as Stephen Spettigue Charley’s Aunt 4th Street Theater
Rip Johnson as George Willowby I’ll Be Back Before Midnight Beatniks on Conkey
David Pera as Donny Lieutenant of Inishmore Chicago Street Theatre
Scot PJ MacDonald as Dale Harding One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Crown Point Community Theatre
Tim Gleason as Caliban The Tempest Chicago Street Theatre
Earle Howe as Jacob Marley Trial of Ebenezer Scrooge Hammond Community Theatre

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE MUSICAL NOMINEES!

Best Musical
Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Grease Memorial Opera House
Junie B Jones Chicago Street Theatre
Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Director, Musical
Amanda Dietrich, Courtnie Janikowski [title of show] Crown Point Community Theatre
Matt Domasica Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Shawn Stengel Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Glenn Hering The Who’s Tommy 4th Street Theater
Zachary Eugene Gibson Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Musical/Orchestral Director
David Markley Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Luke Nelson Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Kyle Liedtke Grease Memorial Opera House
Kyle Liedtke The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Jeff Otto The Who’s Tommy 4th Street Theater
Jeff Otto Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House

Best Vocal Director
Jeff Otto [title of show] Crown Point Community Theatre
David Markley Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Luke Nelson Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Matthew B. Byerly Trial by Jury Crown Point Community Theatre
Laura Simmons Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Jeff Otto Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Choreography
Sasha Markgraf Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Andrew Glorioso Grease Memorial Opera House
Bryce Shaffer The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Andrew Glorioso, Cassie Jo Williams Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Zachary Eugene Gibson Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sets/Set Design, Musical
Marc Ryser Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Abigail Campbell Grease Memorial Opera House
Dutch K. Williams The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Kevin Doler The Who’s Tommy 4th Street Theater
Zachary Eugene Gibson Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Lights/Lighting Design, Musical
Angela Heid Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
George Maslankowski Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Keith Palazalo The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Wayne Wendell The Who’s Tommy 4th Street Theater
Bob Cooley Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Sound/Sound Design, Musical
Matt Domasica Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
John Landecker Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Scott “Stretch” Miller Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Mary A. Bird Matern Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Costumes/Costume Design, Musical
Dutch Williams Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Sasha Markgraf Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Sally Kwaiser The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Stanlee K. Hodsden The Who’s Tommy 4th Street Theater
Alexa Kudrak, Martha Sass, Brannon Giest, Ashlyn Backe, Adrienne Lineback, Kat Lutze Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Principal Actress, Musical
Kellen Robinson as Sally Bowles Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Lindsey Elderkin as Junie B Jones Junie B Jones Chicago Street Theatre
Amy O’Brien as Morticia Addams The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Bobbie Sue Kvachkoff as Dorothy Gale Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Rachel Livingston as Inga Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Featured Actress, Musical
Mallory Swisher as Lynette “Squeaky” Fromme Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Sheree Wheeler-Gudeman as Sarah Jane Moore Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Deborah Haddad as Miss Almira Gulch/The Wicked Witch of the West Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Mary Kay Steele as Frau Blucher Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre
Sheree Wheeler-Gudeman as Elizabeth Benning Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Principal Actor, Musical
Chris Gierymski as Baladeer/Oswald Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Jacob West as Emcee Cabaret Dunes Summer Theatre
Darren Serhal as Gomez Addams The Addams Family Memorial Opera House
Robert Binford as Edwin, the Defendant Trial by Jury Crown Point Community Theatre
Zachary Gipson as Dr. Frederick Frankenstein Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Featured Actor, Musical
Aaron Davis as Leon Czologosz Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Bob Clark as John Wilkes Booth Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Jordan Chaddock as Sam Byck Assassins Crown Point Community Theatre
Craig Golbesky as Igor Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre
Scott Hayes as The Monster Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Best Cameo, Musical
Andrew Brent as Jacob Marley, Grave Digger Christmas Carol Memorial Opera House
Doug DeLaughter as Vince Fontaine/Teen Angel Grease Memorial Opera House
Marion Kellum as Clerk of Courts Trial by Jury Crown Point Community Theatre
Bob Penney as Blind Hermit Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre
Jeff Otto as Dr. Victor Von Frankenstein Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Viewers’ Choice, Musical
Use of Projections Christmas Carol Memorial Opera House
Sam as Toto (Maddie Blaney – Trainer) Wizard of Oz Memorial Opera House
Use of Projections Young Frankenstein Chicago Street Theatre

Theatrepalooza16

theatrepalooza16

Are you ready to be entertained? Do you need a good laugh or a moment to ponder?

The region will shine with the glow of the spotlight as you sit back, laugh, and awe at the amazing talents of local actors.

Theatre companies from across NWI will present short shows or excerpts of longer ones in a showcase format. In the lobby, you’ll find booths from each of the theatres with information on their upcoming shows, classes, auditions, and volunteer opportunities. Audience members will have a chance to win some great door prizes as well!

Excerpts include: Little Shop of Horrors, Footloose the musical, Lilies of the Field, MakeShift Up Improv, Macbeth, An Adult Evening with Shel Silverstein, The Who’s Tommy, and more!

Join us Sunday, August 7, 2016 at 2:30 pm at Chesterton High School for this FREE THEATRE FESTIVAL.

Reserve your seat HERE!

This event is made possible by a grant from the Indiana Arts Commission, South Shore Arts, and the generous partnership of Ideas in Motion Media. Promotional support provided by Indiana Dunes Tourism.

Park Plays Series

parkplays

NIETF is hosting a series of plays from our member theaters at the Indiana Dunes State Park on Thursday nights throughout the summer.

Bring a beach chair or blanket and join us on the west side of the state park pavilion at 7 pm each of the following Thursdays. In case of inclement weather, Park Plays will be held at Wilson Shelter in the picnic area.

Come an enjoy a unique experience of theater on the beach!

The schedule is as follows:

  • June 2: MakeShift Up
  • June 16: No Exit by Crown Point Community Theatre
  • July 14: Footloose by Highland Parks
  • July 21: Mundane Life of Gregory by Genesius Guild
  • July 28: MakeShift Up
  • August 11: TBA
  • August 18: Macbeth by Gary Shakespeare
  • August 25: Don Taylor Story Telling Cabaret and Macbeth by Gary Shakespeare DOUBLE FEATURE
  • Sept 8: TBA
  • Sept 22: Memorial Opera House’s Cole Porter Cabaret

2016 NIETF Scholarship

Thank you for your interest in a NIETF Scholarship. The Scholarship is open to residents of Lake, Porter or LaPorte Counties in Indiana. The applicant must be a high school senior or undergraduate student. The applicant must show proof of having worked in or on a production with a NIETF Theatre (Full, Associate, or School Member Theatres are eligible). Applicant must choose or have chosen as a major one of the following fields of study: Visual & Performing Arts, Dance, Theatrical Design, Dramatic Arts, Fine Arts, Music, Theatre Arts. Scholarship applications including this form and the required supplemental information (reference letters, transcript) are due June 15, 2016. Scholarship award winner will be announced at Theatrepalooza, August 7, 2016 at Chesterton High School.  For the application, click here

This is My Brave Chicagoland

The Northwest Indiana Excellence in Theatre Foundation is proud to announce that Valparaiso has been selected to host the Chicagoland This is My Brave live event in May 2016. This is My Brave is a live storytelling event where real people tell real stories about their real life mental health issues. Billed as #StorytellingSavesLives, This is My Brave seeks to remove the stigma of mental illness, open a dialog, and create opportunities for people to #LiveBrave and thoughtfully engage around the topic of mental health. For complete information click here.

 

Ask not what your theatre can do for you….

Ask instead what YOU can do for your theatre community!

NIETF Board Nominations/Applications are now open! NIETF is here to serve the member theatres and thespians, and now it is your great privilege to serve your fellow thespians. Marketing, design, photography, fundraising, writing, editing, statistics, education, event planning, Excel, community relations, what’s your skill? We can put it to good use with one of the many programs NIETF administers each year!

Nominations/Applications are due December 5! Fill out the short form here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/6X3YMLN

Elections will be held Sunday, December 13 at 6:30 pm at Genesius Guild in Hammond. All current board members, viewers, member theatres, and representatives are invited to join us for our annual Christmas party carry-in (bring a dish to share!) Member Theatres, please have the person you are nominating for the Member Theatre Representative pool fill out the form. You can then send them or another representative to vote that night.

We look forward to another great year of theatre together!

Join NIETF for a night on the town to see THE LION KING

Another opportunity to enjoy Broadway in Chicago is happening! Join NIETF for a night on the town to see THE LION KING on January 13, 2016 at 7:30 pm. The show that broke new ground and won Tony’s to prove it. Whether you’ve seen it a dozen times before of this is your first time, the spectacle that is THE LION KING will delight your eyes and your ears.
 
Tickets for the run of the show are nearly sold out, but NIETF has secured a group of tickets to the Jan 13, 7:30 pm performance. General tickets are going for $130+ but our group rate tickets are:
ORCHESTRA: $115 or DRESS CIRCLE: $105 (and a $10 discount off those for NIETF members!), LOWER BALCONY TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!
 
Check out all the information at http://nietf.org/group-outing-to-the-lion-king/
Tickets must be reserved by Nov 24 in order to receive the group rate. What a great Christmas gift request!! Be sure to share this with your friends!