Photo Flash: Grosse Pointe Theatre Clarence Awards Dinner

Grosse Pointe Theatre held the annual Clarence Awards Dinner on June 19th at MacRays Banquet Center in Harrison Township. The award is named for the first show GPT produced in 1948, Clarence, a comedy by Booth Tarkington. Awards went to GPT members from the Pointes and throughout Metro Detroit.

Clarence Awards went to: Rodell Salazar (Madison Heights), Director of Miss Saigon; Catherine Flores (Warren), Lead Actress, Miss Saigon; John Forlini (Mt. Clemens), Lead Male, Miss Saigon; Mary Adzigian (Grosse Pointe Wods), Supporting Female, The Underpants; Don Cilluffo (Harrison Twp.), Supporting Male, The Underpants and Set Design, Laura; Peter Di Sante (St. Clair Shores), Featured Male, Laura and Non-Featured Male, Miss Saigon; EmmaJean Evans (Grosse Pointe), Featured Female, Laura; Ellen Taber (St. Clair Shores), Non-Featured Female, The Boy Friend;

Stan Harr (Grosse Pointe Shores), Music Director, Miss Saigon and John Dickinson (Pleasant Ridge), Music Director for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change both won awards. Dickinson also won the Vocal Director award for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change. Don Bischoff (Macomb Twp.) won the Choreography award for The Boy Friend.

Jane Burkey and Lisa Leszczynski (both of Grosse Pointe Woods) won the award for lighting design on Miss Saigon. Marissa Di Sante (St. Clair Shores), won awards the Properties and Set Dressing awards for Laura. Blair Arden (Detroit) and Eric Vreeland (St. Clair Shores) won the Sound award for Miss Saigon.

Three shows garnered Clarence awards for Makeup Design: Michelle Karl and Arlene Marie Schoenherr (both of St. Clair Shores) won for makeup on The Underpants; Donna Di Sante (Grosse Pointe Farms) won for makeup on The Boy Friend; and Caren Bayer (Grosse Pointe Park) and Sharlan Douglas (Royal Oak) won for makeup on Miss Saigon.

Marie Delong (St. Clair Shores) won the Costume award for The Boy Friend.

John Casey and Lyndsey Briggs (both of Grosse Pointe Woods) each won awards, Stage Manager and Producer, of Miss Saigon.

Rick Hawley (Grosse Pointe Woods), winner for Technical Direction on Miss Saigon and Marianne Casey (Troy) each won the Hubbard Worker of the Year Award.

Gwenn Bashara Samuel (Grosse Pointe Park) won the Lifetime Membership Recognition for the many responsibilities and activities for which she has volunteered at Grosse Pointe Theatre over the past 40 years.

Special awards went to Blair Arden, for establishing and maintaining the original GPT Website; Peter Walilko (Grosse Pointe Farms) for his many years of computer programming and maintenance at GPT; Marianne Casey, for extraordinary service as Treasurer; and Justin Hawley, in recognition for extraordinary technical service.

John Forlini was chairman of the annual gala, which included hors d'oeuvres, dinner, the awards ceremony and dancing to the musical entertainment of Chateau.

For tickets and information phone Grosse Pointe Theatre at 313-881-4004, or visit the website at www.gpt.org.

Photos by Amy Ricker and Erin Ann Conway-Di Sante

Stan Harr

Peter Di Sante, Donna Di Sante and Marissa Di Sante

Lisa Leszczynski and Jane Burkey

EmmaJean Evans

Catherine Flores

Rick Hawley

Rodel Salazar