Category Archives: On Stage

THE LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT OF MADISON GILES
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati Professional Apprentice Company
July 10-12
Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati [Over-the-Rhine]

Written & directed by Torie Wiggins

Cast: Char Adams as Van, Leonardo Clark as Hunter, Abigail Dirr as Heather, Amira F. Jackson as Nicole & Elliet Malatesta as D.G.

A messy, funny, and emotional story about what happens after someone dies, leaving behind more questions than answers. When Madison dies, her friends, exes, and family are pulled together to go through her final wishes—except nothing goes the way they expect. Through letters, secrets, and awkward confessions, everyone has to face who Madison really was, and who they were to her. Madison’s voice, though absent in life, is loud in death—pulling the characters (and the audience) into a story about grief, love, queerness, complicated friendships, and the weird, beautiful chaos of trying to move on when someone still has a hold on you—even from the grave.

• Thu-Fri, July 10-11 at 7:30pm
• Sat, July 12 at 2pm & 7:30pm

Official page |

GOD’S FAVORITE

• Excellence in Acting in a Play – David Hesson
• Excellence in Lighting Design – Jason Gonzalez
• Excellence in Make-Up – Jessie Faye
• Excellence in Set Décor – Laureen Catlin, Jim Cronin, Lara Gonzalez, and Mary Stan Fizer
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Darren Lee
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Michele Deremo
• Excellence in Lobby Display – Dana Davis
• Excellence in Stage Management – Stephanie Dalsfoist

SCHOOL HOUSE ROCK LIVE!

• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Justin Hanks
• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – David Bower
• Excellence in Set Décor – Julie Poux, Becca McLaughlin, and Sonya Neff
• Excellence in Lobby Display – Gail Rudolph
• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Lara Gonzalez
• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Kelley Flaugher
• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Genna Pisano
• Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance – Giulia Pisano
• Excellence in Program – Robert Terry

THE MOUSETRAP

• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Abby Farmer
• Excellence in Program – Katie Werner
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Parker Culp
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Finn Brockwell
• Excellence in Lobby Display – Mary Beth Benken-Riesenberg
• Excellence in Set Décor – Mary Stan Fizer

THE CEMETERY CLUB

• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Lisa Breithaupt
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Mary Beth Benken-Riesenberg
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Sonya Neff
• Excellence in Direction – Ray Lebowski
• Excellence in Set Décor – Darren Lee
• Excellence in Acting in a Play – Susan Deyo
• Excellence in Costume Design – Kally Turner
• Excellence in Lighting Execution – Finn Brockwell
• Excellence in Lobby Display – Giulia Pisano & Genna Pisano
• Excellence in Photography – Eva Bower
• Excellence in Set Construction – Darren Lee
• Excellence in Sound Design – Nathan Courtney

BLITHE SPIRIT

Excellence in Acting in a Play – Anecia Johnson
Excellence in Acting in a Play – Ashley Herbert
Excellence in Set Design – Susan Berger
Excellence in Acting in a Play – Lisa White
Excellence in Hair/Wigs – Linda Geering
Excellence in Program – Jenn Dwyer
Excellence in Properties – Paula Johansen and Paula Clark
Excellence in Special Effects – Susan Berger, Phil Catlin, Stephen Catlin, Dana Davis, Darren Lee, and Gail Rudolph

Scroll down for links to Orchid Awards by Theatre Group

NAMED AWARDS 

• ART ROUSE AWARD – Robert Weidle
• MARIO PITOCCO AWARD – Carolyn Martinez
• ROGER GROOMS AWARD – Douglas Berlon
• PRESIDENT’S AWARD – Mark Culp, Jon Scheiding, & Amanda Emmons Shumate
• THE SPIRIT OF COMMUNITY THEATRE AWARD – Betsy & C. J. Bossart
• JOLE LIND RISING STAR AWARDS – Curtis Perea (ACTUP) | Nor White (BPI) | Allie Webber (CSP) | Savannah Kennedy (CMT) | Evan Blanton (FLI) | Michaela Cramer (INNOVA) | Kyle Echols (LSC) | Matthew O’Brien (MPI) | Eva Bower (MCP) | Lauren Davidson (QCP) | Elise Gillespie (RTP) | Parker Dreier (SSP) | Lisa White (TDW) | Mindi Emmons (TCP) | Drue Harris (VP)

EXCERPTS INVITED TO REPRESENT THE SOUTHWEST REGION AT STATE

• DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS – Footlighters, Inc.
• DISENCHANTED – Loveland Stage Company
• MY THREE ANGELS – The Drama Workshop
• SOUTHERN BELLS – Sunset Players (Alternate)

EXCERPT AWARDS 

Below is the list of OCTA awards for the shows that excerpted over the convention weekend.

THESE SHINING LIVES
The Village Players of Fort Thomas

• Evan Beckmeyer – Excellence in Acting as Tom Donahue
• Sydney Vollmer – Excellence in Acting as Catherine Donahue
• Nathan Turner – Merit in Acting as Announcer
• The Village Players of Ft. Thomas – Merit in Set Transitions
• Sydney Vollmer/Tamara Sanow/Madelynn Meredith/Claudia Covarrubias – Merit in Acting as Ensemble Quartet

PUFFS
Tri-County Players

• Niki Rasmussen – Merit in Acting as Megan
• Niki Rasmussen/Mason Glass/James Pinkley – Merit in Ensemble Trio as Megan/Oliver/Wayne

12 ANGRY JURORS
Queen City Productions

• Jenny Caplan – Merit in Acting as Juror 10
• Rockford Koehler – Merit in Acting as Juror 3
• Rae Moretti – Merit in Acting as Juror 7

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS
The Footlighters, Inc.

• Carolyn Martinez/Kristie Marasch– Outstanding in Costumes
• Kimmie Anne Thierauf/Jerry Wiesenhahn – Outstanding in Choreography
• Jerry Wiesenhahn – Outstanding in Direction
• The Cast of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – Outstanding in Ensemble
• Wayne Wright – Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Lawrence
• Robert Breslin – Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Freddy
• Laura Petracco – Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Jolene
• Rebecca Wall – Excellence in Vocal Performance as Christine
• Jen Drake – Excellence in Vocal Performance as Muriel
• Ryan Oelker – Excellence in Set Design
• Footlighters, Inc. – Excellence in Set Transitions
• Wes Ledyard – Excellence in Props
• Greg Dastillung – Outstanding in Vocal Direction
• Charlie Wilhelm – Outstanding in Musical Direction

MOON OVER BUFFALO
Mariemont Players Inc.

• Linda Roll – Excellence in Costumes
• Aimee Ward – Excellence in Acting as Rosalind
• Evan Blanton – Merit in Acting as Howard
• John Conrard – Merit in Acting as George

SOUTHERN BELLES
Sunset Players

• Dennis Murphy – Excellence in Directing
• Dennis Murphy – Excellence in Playwriting
• The Cast of Southern Belles – Excellence in Ensemble
• Rilla Foster – Merit in Acting as Gaybelle Reardon
• Kathie Labanz – Merit in Acting as Sally Belle Robinson
• Virginia Venegas – Merit in Acting as Maribelle Wainwright

THE CEMETERY CLUB
Mason Community Players

• Ray Lebowski – Excellence in Directing
• Kally Turner – Merit in Costumes
• The Cast of The Cemetery Club – Merit in Ensemble
• Bob Brunner – Merit in Acting as Sam

DOG SEES GOD
CenterStage Players, Inc.

• Ellis Quinne – Excellence in Acting as CB
• The Cast of Dog Sees God – Excellence in Ensemble
• Roman Harris-Richardson – Excellence in Acting as Beethoven
• Deanna Berryhill/Faith Von Handorf – Merit in Duo Acting as Tricia & Marcy
• Christine Gallagher – Merit in Acting as CB’s Sister
• Parker Culp – Merit in Directing

MY THREE ANGELS
The Drama Workshop

• Dennis Murphy/Anne Connor Stanforth – Outstanding in Costumes
• Dennis Murphy – Excellence in Directing
• Dennis Murphy – Excellence in Set Design
• Chris Eyers – Merit in Acting as Henri
• Michael Kiser – Merit in Acting as Felix
• The Cast of My Three Angels – Excellence in Ensemble
• Christie Bishop – Merit in Acting as Jules
• Ken Macke – Merit in Acting as Joseph

DISENCHANTED
Loveland Stage Company

• Monica Weber – Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Snow White
• Pettrina Barresi – Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Cinderella
• Kayla Haas – Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Sleeping Beauty
• Melinda Hubbard – Outstanding in Costumes
• Christina Siciliano – Excellence in Hair and Make-up
• The Cast of Disenchanted – Outstanding in Vocal Ensemble
• Tom Cavano – Merit in Set Pieces
• Carissa Sloan – Excellence in Directing
• Jon Scheiding – Outstanding in Musical Direction
• Jon Scheiding & Bob Schwartz – Outstanding in Pit Performance

SEUSSICAL, THE MUSICAL
INNOVAtheatre

• Michaela Back & Michelle Back – Excellence in Costumes
• Angela Dixon – Excellence in Vocal Performance as Sour Kangaroo
• Janiya Nickell – Merit in Vocal Performance as Baby Kangaroo
• Charlie MacPherson – Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as JoJo

ORCHID AWARDS

The Orchid Awards are presented at the end of each season determined by an adjudication system of providing three judges per production for each of the ACT of Greater Cincinnati member groups. Orchid awards for the 2024-2025 Season:

• Acting Up
• Beechmont Players
• CenterStage Players of Ohio
• Cincinnati Music Theatre
• Drama Workshop
• Fairfield Footlighters
• Footlighters Inc.
• INNOVAtheatre
• Loveland Stage Company
• Mason Community Players
• Merit Theatre Company
• Queen City Productions
• Rivertown Players
• Royal Theatre Company
• Sunset Players
• Tri-County Players
• Village Players of Ft. Thomas