Twilight Theater Celebrates Community at 8th Annual Awards Ceremony

Twilight Theater’s 8th Annual Awards Ceremony on January 16th, 2026 was a joyful evening filled with gratitude, creativity, and connection. It was a chance to pause and celebrate a year of community theater that brought people together, both onstage and off.

The Twilight family is beautifully diverse. It includes performers stepping onto the stage for the very first time, artists returning after years away, seasoned veterans, and even a few taking what may be their final bow. Each person played an important role in a season that continued to brighten this North Portland neighborhood and remind us why community Theater Matters.

With the theme “Meet Us at the Edge,” the 2025 season invited audiences into bold and thoughtful territory. The shows challenged expectations, sparked reflection, and offered meaningful connections to our shared humanity. These were stories you may not see everywhere, presented with courage and care.

The evening was filled with laughter, tears, and applause as the beloved “Twitties” were awarded, woven between moving performances from the season’s productions. The awards honored not only actors, but also directors, designers, and the many hands behind the scenes, including set, lighting, sound, wardrobe, and the cherished Volunteer of the Year. Community theater thrives because of its volunteers, and their dedication was deeply felt throughout the night by the an audience that filled the seats.

If it’s been a while since you’ve visited a community theater, consider this your invitation. Stop by your local stage, discover a story that speaks to you, and support the artists in your neighborhood. You might just find a new favorite show or witness the early steps of someone destined for bigger stages. And if you’re looking to get involved, there is always room to lend a hand, whether backstage or welcoming audiences front of house. Community theater is, after all, built together.

BEST LEAD ACTOR-MALE

Phoenix Zabriskie as Ricky Potts in Ride The Cyclone

BEST LEAD ACTOR-FEMALE:

Kathleen Worley as Ethel Savage in The Curious Savage

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR-MALE:

Patrick Roth as Hannibal in The Curious Savage

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR-FEMALE:

Makena Barnett as Eve Cratchett in Christmas In Christmasville

BEST SET DESIGN:

Jake France for The Curious Savage

BEST LIGHT DESIGN:

Genevieve Larson for Ride The Cyclone

BEST SOUND DESIGN:

Alex Gutridge for The Curious Savage

BEST COSTUME DESIGN:

Lorelei Johnson for The Curious Savage

BEST DIRECTOR:

Samm Hill For I’m Gonna Pray For You So Hard

BEST ENSEMBLE:

Ride The Cyclone

BEST PLAY:

Ride The Cyclone

VOLUNTEER of the year:

Eric Toner