Theater professionals from across Michigan will gather Aug. 29 when The 2016 Wilde Awards are presented at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield. Presented by EncoreMichigan.com, the most comprehensive resource for news and information about the state's professional theater industry, The Wilde Awards were established in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan's professional theaters.
"After reviewing a record-breaking - and sometimes resource-stretching - number of productions at theaters all across the state during the 2015-16 season, our team of critics sifted through their extensive notes and determined which were the best productions, performances and designs of the year," said David Kiley, publisher of EncoreMichigan.com and producer of The Wilde Awards. "And trust me: It wasn't an easy task!"
Now celebrating its 15th year, The Wilde Awards - named in honor of 19th century playwright Oscar Wilde - honor the best productions, performances and technical work produced or presented by professional theaters throughout Michigan. Nominations are based on reviews written by EncoreMichigan.com's team of professional critics. Only shows produced or presented by Michigan's professional theaters and opera companies - both union and non-union, large and small - and reviewed by EncoreMichigan.com's critics during the 2015-16 season were eligible for a 2016 Wilde Awards nomination.
And what an unusual season it was, said co-founder Donald V. Calamia, who oversees the nominating process. "While this past season we visited the 'usual subjects' - including such favorites as Meadow Brook Theatre, the Fisher Theatre, Mason Street Warehouse and dozens of others - we also were able to check out a handful of existing theaters we never reviewed before, such as Thunder Bay Theater in Alpena, the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival, and the Lakeside Shakespeare Theatre in Frankfort," he said. "Plus, there were approximately eight new companies we reviewed. If you asked most people how many professional producers and presenters we have in the state, I doubt many would guess 66, which is how many we reviewed. But that doesn't include the more than two dozen that we didn't, mostly because their shows didn't run long enough to adequately cover."
To Calamia and Kiley, such numbers reveal a fact that's mostly ignored, both within the state and around the country. "There's more professional theater here than almost anywhere else, and their work deserves to be recognized and celebrated," Calamia said. "And that's why The Wilde Awards were created and first given out way back in 2002."
The 2015-16 season
In total, EncoreMichigan.com's team of critics reviewed 241 productions produced or presented by 66 professional theater companies located in 36 communities across the state during the 2015-16 season. Shows had to be performed for four consecutive days or more or over two weekends or more to be eligible for a review. Only shows reviewed by EncoreMichigan.com could be nominated for a Wilde Award.
This year's nominations and winners were chosen by EncoreMichigan.com's team of critics, which included Paula Bradley, Calamia, Tom Emmott, Carolyn Hayes-Harmer, Marin Heinritz, Tanya Gazdik Irwin, Kiley, Martin F. Kohn, Jenn McKee, Sue Merrell, Amy J. Parrent, Frank Anthony Polito, John Quinn and Bridgette M. Redman. "I doubt many mainstream media companies have ever utilized the services of so many critics to cover the arts in general, let alone a single discipline," said Kiley. "In fact, as we saw earlier this year, they are continuing to decrease their coverage - which is why EncoreMichigan.com is so important to the theater community. No one covers professional theater like we do, and as the nominations will reveal, great work came out of theaters of every size and budget, and from every corner of the state."
Awards will be presented in 30 categories. While most are the same as or are variations of those used in past seasons, new this year is one suggested by Kiley. "One of my goals when I assumed ownership of EncoreMichigan.com last year was to figure out ways to encourage young people to consider the arts and live theater as a viable career," he explained. "And so not only do we now publish audition notices and educational opportunities for kids and teens on the site, we now have a 'Rising Star' award, which honors the performance of a young person age 18 or younger who appeared in one of the shows we reviewed." In addition, EncoreMichigan accepts actors under age 18 for inclusion in its E-casting digital casting directory on the site.
A handful of special awards will also be presented.
In total, 50 producers or presenters statewide received at least one nomination. Leading with 13 is Augusta's Barn Theatre, followed by Michigan Opera Theatre (Detroit) and Planet Ant Theatre (Hamtramck) with nine each. Five others each earned eight: Hope Summer Repertory Theatre (Holland), Mason Street Warehouse (Saugatuck), Michigan Shakespeare Festival (Jackson), The Purple Rose Theatre (Chelsea), and Tibbits Summer Theatre (Coldwater). Sixteen companies earned a single nomination.
"What's interesting - to me, at least - is that five of the eight top-nominated companies produce their seasons only in the summertime," Calamia noted. "And secondly, that they span the width of the state, from east to west. This proves two things: that while Southeast Michigan may be home to the majority of the state's professional theaters, it doesn't have a lock on quality; and that the summer theaters really know how to step up to the plate and provide excellent entertain to their patrons."
Of the 99 nominated productions, no specific show leaped to the forefront. Both "2AZ" at The Purple Rose Theatre and "Mary Poppins" at the Barn Theatre earned six nominations, while earning four each were "As You Like It" at the Interlochen Shakespeare Festival, "Cabaret" at Mason Street Warehouse, "Love's Labour's Lost" at the Hilberry Theatre (Detroit), and "The Rivals" at the Michigan Shakespeare Festival.
"What's more, an astounding 57 productions earned a single nomination," Calamia said. "That proves how deep the field was this year, which was certainly the most competitive since the start of the awards in 2002. It was quite tough to rise to the top, but something about each of the 99 nominated shows had that 'special something' that earned recognition from our critics."
A similar indicator is the number of artists - actors, directors, designers and playwrights - whose work is honored this year.
"Altogether, there are 160 individuals whose work received a nomination this year - and only eight of them earned two or more, with Jamey Grisham earning the most with four," Calamia said. "As I've said in past years, this more than anything proves that Michigan is blessed with amazing and highly skilled theater artists who choose to live and work here, when in all likelihood, many could earn much more money elsewhere. And that's why we're thrilled to acknowledge them for the work they produced during the 2015-16 professional theater season."
The 2016 Wilde Awards
The 2016 Wilde Awards, sponsored by Pride Source Media Group, Comcast and The Berman Center for the Performing Arts, will be held Monday, Aug. 29 at The Berman in West Bloomfield. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with an hors d'oeuvre and cocktail reception. The awards show, hosted by Calamia with special guest participants, will begin promptly at 8 p.m.; a dessert afterglow will follow.
"The Wilde Awards have often been referred to as 'The Tony Awards' of Michigan, and the comparison will become even closer this year, thanks to Comcast coming on board as a sponsor," Kiley said. "We'll have a major announcement soon about that, and we think people will love it!"
Admission is $25 per person or $20 for E-casting members of EncoreMichigan. E-casting was launched in February 2016 and allows performers to post their resumes, headshots and performing profiles on the website. It allows casting directors to search the database of performers when they are casting shows and
specific parts. E-casting members get discounts at numerous theaters in the Encore network and at a growing number of pubs and restaurants, as well as service providers such as headshot photographers.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. July 5 at The Berman's box office, by phone at 248-661-1900, or online at http://theberman.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
The Berman Center for the Performing Arts is located at 6600 W. Maple Road, on the campus of the Jewish Community Center at the northwest corner of Maple and Drake Roads in West Bloomfield. Parking is free.
"Our 15th annual celebration of professional theater in Michigan will be a great way to salute the previous season and kick off the next," said Kiley. "It will truly be 'one Wilde night' to remember!"
Best Musical
Best of The Bard
Best One-Person Show
Best Opera
Best Original Production or One-Act
Best Play
Best Theater for Young Audiences
Best Touring Production
Best Performance - One-Person Show
Best Performance - Opera
Best Performance - Original Production or One-Act
Best Performance - Rising Star
Best Performance - The Bard
Best Performance - Theater for Young Audiences
Best Performance, Lead Actor - Musical
Best Performance, Lead Actor - Play
Best Performance, Lead Actress - Musical
Best Performance, Lead Actress - Play
Best Performance, Supporting Actor - Musical
Best Performance, Supporting Actor - Play
Best Performance, Supporting Actress - Musical
Best Performance, Supporting Actress - Play
Best Choreography
Best Design - Costumes
Best Design - Lights
Best Design - Props
Best Design - Sets
Best Design - Sound or Video
Best Music Direction
Best New Script
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