Paw Paw High School’s production of “Curtains: Student Edition” was the big winner on Tuesday, May 17, as Lake Michigan College’s Visual & Performing Arts Department presented its inaugural WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre at the Mendel Center Mainstage on the Benton Harbor Campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave.
Paw Paw took home seven of the 14 awards, including Outstanding Musical Production and acting nods for lead actors Madison Vogel and Sierra Loughrin, supporting actor Abelardo Muñoz, and featured actor Jaxon Curry.
The remaining awards were spread across the nominees, which in addition to Paw Paw, included Bridgman’s production of “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Dowagiac’s “Ranked: The Musical,” and St. Joseph’s “The Sound of Music.”
All nominees received an LMC Red Hawk Scholarship good for a three-credit course taken within the next four academic years and written feedback from a panel of arts professionals. The two lead actor recipients also received $1,000 WAVE Award Scholarships to participate in LMC Visual & Performing Arts coursework.
“It was a fantastic night to celebrate and honor high school musical theatre in our community,” LMC Dean of Arts & Sciences Kristopher Zook said. “We want to foster the talent of these students and give them even more opportunities to learn and grow while building a sense of community in the arts that lasts well beyond high school.”
Tuesday’s event began with red carpet arrivals, followed by the awards ceremony, which included several musical production numbers. Children’s Music Workshop performed “Rotten to the Core” from their recent production of “Disney’s The Descendants.” St. Joseph High School performed “Sixteen Going on Seventeen” from “The Sound of Music.” Paw Paw performed “What Kind of Man?” from “Curtains.” Dowagiac performed “Everything’s Changing” from “Ranked.” Bridgman performed “Happily Ever After” from “Once Upon a Mattress.” And members of LMC’s Visual & Performing Arts Department performed “Gimme, Gimme” from “Thoroughly Modern Millie.”
Presenters included LMC President Dr. Trevor Kubatzke, LMC Theatre Instructor Pat King, LMC Wind Ensemble Director Danny Lopez, Children’s Music Workshop Executive Director Adrienne Glisson, Krasl Art Center Executive Director Julia Gourley-Donohue, Citadel Dance & Music Center Instructor Paige Mulick, All God’s Children Community Choir Co-Founder Larry Feldman, Twin City Players’ John Taylor, WSJM Vice President of Business Development & Innovation Zack East, and Midwest Family Broadcasting Director of Marketing Development Pat Moody.
Laura Boyd, who is currently playing the role of Peggy Schuyler in the New York City production of “Hamilton,” joined the event via video to help present the final award of the night for Outstanding Musical Production.
The WAVE Awards are set to become an annual event. To learn how schools can participate or for more information, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/wave, email Mindy McCaffrey at mmccaffrey@lakemichigancollege.edu, or call the Visual & Performing Arts office at 269-927-8876.
Here is the complete list of the 2021-2022 WAVE Award winners and nominees:
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Carrie Noll
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” Lincoln Clark & Tammy Mammel
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Isabella Hameed & Kristofer M. Perkins-WINNER
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Ed Brunner
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Marty Golob
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” Lincoln Clark
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Kristofer M. Perkins-WINNER
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Scott Bradford
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Marsha Pinkowski-WINNER
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” Ravan Bakeman
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Claudia Lee
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Lindsay Gaspari
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Caitlyn Lustila
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” Tammy Mammel-WINNER
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Sofia Marie Louden
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Cassidy VanGilder
Outstanding Musical Direction in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Caitlyn Lustila
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” Hunter Schuur
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Maxwell Wagner
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Beth Gray-Roll-WINNER
Outstanding Orchestra in a Musical
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Sydney Heasley
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” Burke Lokey -WINNER
Outstanding Featured Ensemble in a Musical
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition,” Knights & Ladies in Waiting
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical,” The Bad Kids
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition,” Cast of “Robbin’ Hood”
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” The von Trapp Children-WINNER
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music,” The Nuns of Nonnberg Abbey
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
Jaxon Curry as Christopher Belling; Paw Paw High School-WINNER
Amelia Gibbs as Bambi Bernet; Paw Paw High School
Mya Dixson as Mother Abbess; St. Joseph High School
Alex Hodges as Daryl Grady; Paw Paw High School
Braden Miesse as Rolf Gruber; St. Joseph High School
Carri Willer as Wizard; Bridgman High School
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical (Two awards given in the category)
Alivia Abram as Sir Harry; Bridgman High School
Abby Berry as Liesl von Trapp; St. Joseph High School-WINNER
Keelin McCafferty as Georgia Hendricks; Paw Paw High School
Abelardo Muñoz as Aaron Fox; Paw Paw High School-WINNER
Kat Paloyan as Elsa Schraeder; St. Joseph High School
Ryan Robison as Ryan; Dowagiac High School
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical (Two awards given in the category)
Summer Fast as Lady Larken; Bridgman High School
Emalie Nelson as Princess Winnifred, the Woebegone; Bridgman High School
Amelia Jones as Jordan; Dowagiac High School
Andrew Brown as Lt. Frank Cioffi; Paw Paw High School
Madison Vogel as Niki Harris; Paw Paw High School-WINNER
Sierra Loughrin as Carmen Berstein; Paw Paw High School-WINNER
Hannah Bogner as Maria Rainer von Trapp; St. Joseph High School
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
Jennifer Ammerman, Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition”-WINNER
Tammy Mammel, Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical”
Kristofer M. Perkins, Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: Student Edition”
Cassidy VanGilder, St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music”
Outstanding Musical Production
Bridgman High School; “Once Upon a Mattress: Youth Edition”
Dowagiac High School; “Ranked: The Musical”
Paw Paw High School; “Curtains: School Edition”-WINNER
St. Joseph High School; “The Sound of Music”
