“We are thrilled to carry on theater’s biggest night. The Arts Council’s solid relationship with Wilmington’s theater community makes for a smooth transition. Best of all, having the script for a successful awards show means our community can continue to recognize the best plays and musicals in the region.”
Rhonda Bellamy, President and CEO of the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County
The Wilmington Theater Awards will return March 23 at Thalian Hall, presented by the Arts Council of Wilmington & New Hanover County. This year’s event will be hosted by Sydney Smith Martin.
To vote for your favorites, click the link below.
In the News
Wilmington StarNews
After not being held since March of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Wilmington Theater Awards will return for 2023.
The 10th annual show and awards ceremony honoring the best performances and technical achievements in Wilmington-area theater will be held March 23 at Thalian Hall downtown…
2023 Wilmington Theater Award Nominees
BEST PLAY
- “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- “Driving Miss Daisy,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- “Misery,” Big Dawg Productions
- “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- “With Love, Marilyn,” Opera House Theatre Co.
BEST MUSICAL
- “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Something Rotten,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
DIRECTOR, PLAY
- Gina Gambony, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Deb Gillingham, “Driving Miss Daisy,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Fracaswell Hyman, “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- Christopher Marino, “The Comedy of Errors,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Beau Mumford, “Puffs,” Pineapple-Shaped Lamps
- Erin Sullivan, “With Love, Marilyn,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Beth Swindell, “Sleuth,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Elizabeth Wellman, “Fight Girl Battle World,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
DIRECTOR, MUSICAL
- Jason Aycock, “Grease,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Chandler Davis, “Something Rotten,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Shane Fernando, “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Kevin Lee-y Green, “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Ray Kennedy, “Footloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Justin Smith, “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Cathy Street, “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
ACTOR, PLAY
- Jason Corder as Leontes and Autolycus in “A Winter’s Tale,” Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green
- Campbell Idol as Christopher in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Fracaswell Hyman as Hoke in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Ashley Strand, multiple roles in “King James Live,” Alchemical Theatre Co.
- Steven Sullivan as Nick in “Over the River and Through The Woods,” Brunswick Little Theatre
- Steve Vernon as Paul Sheldon in “Misery,” Big Dawg Productions
ACTOR, MUSICAL
- Jon Berry as Charlie in “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Brendan Carter as Nick Bottom in “Something Rotten,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Logan Mack as Birdlace in “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Justin Allen Tate as Simon/Lola in “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Paul Teal as Jack Kelly in “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Mathis Turner as Ren in “Footloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
ACTRESS, PLAY
- Addison Halmet as Paulina in “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- Sydney Smith Martin as Marily Monroe in “With Love, Marilyn,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Holli Saperstein as Erma Bombeck in “Erma Bombeck: At Wit’s End,” Big Dawg Productions
- Hether Setzler as Erzebet Bathory in “Blood Privilege,” Hebredo Productions
- Regan Shumate as Anne Frank in “The Diary of Anne Frank,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Hallie-Claire Weems as Erika in “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
ACTRESS, MUSICAL
- Amy Carter as Jovie in “Elf,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Kendra Goehring as Fanny Brice in “Funny Girl,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Sydney Smith Martin as Rose in “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Stephanie Prestage as Sandy in “Grease,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Elizabeth Stovall as Maria in “The Sound of Music,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Emilia Torello as Katherine in “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
SUPPORTING ACTOR, PLAY
- Victor Gallo as Nunzio in “Over the River and Through the Woods,” Brunswick Little Theatre
- Lee Lowrimore as Ed Boone in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Eben French Mastin as Frank in “Over the River and Through the Woods,” Brunswick Little Theatre
- Robin Dale Robertson as Otto Frank in “The Diary of Anne Frank,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Woody Stefl as Boolie in “Driving Miss Daisy,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTOR, MUSICAL
- Jon Berry as Nick Arnstein in “Funny Girl,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Brandon Bradley as James “Thunder” Early in “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Steve Hasmer as Rev. Shaw in “Footloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Chad Hsu as George in “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Fracaswell Hyman as Nostradamus in “Something Rotten,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Jon Wallin as Nathan Detroit in “Guys and Dolls,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, PLAY
- Anna Gamel Huber as Siobhan in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Stoney B. Mootoo as Berenice in “The Thursday Night Bridge Circle,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Kim Pacheco as Eloise in “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- Bianca Shaw as Nana in “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- Eleanor Stafford as Judy Boone in “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, MUSICAL
- Adrienne DeBouse as Lorell in “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Alissa Fetherolf as Audrey in “Little Shop of Horrors,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Sydney Smith Martin as Lauren in “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Shannon Playl as Vi in “Footloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Myra Graham Quince as Effie in “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Sydney Short as Rizzo in “Grease,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Georgie Simon as Amy in “Company,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
BEST NEWCOMER (first time in a show in Wilmington)
- Truu Allure Danns, “School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
- Zach Harris, “A Taste of Honey,” “The Tempest,” “Kindertransport,” “Fight Girl Battle World,” UNCW Theatre Dept.
- Steve Hasmer, “Footsloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Chad Hsu, “Kinky Boots” for Opera House Theatre Co., “Let the Rights One In” for Big Dawg Productions, and others
- Terrie Hsu, “Every Christmas Story Ever Told (and then some),” Big Dawg Productions, and others
- Campbell Idol, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Hallie-Claire Weems,”School Girls; Or the African Mean Girls Play,” Big Dawg Productions
ENSEMBLE/CHORUS
- “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- “Footloose,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Grease,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Something Rotten,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
BEST CHILDREN’S/YOUTH THEATER PRODUCTION
- “Beanstalk,” Pied Piper
- “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” Cape Fear Community College
- “Dear Edwina,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- “Little Women,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- “Matilda,” Snow Productions
- “Moana Jr.,” Performance Club
- “Two Gentlemen of Verona,” Cape Fear Shakespeare on the Green Youth Company
MUSIC DIRECTION
- Randy Craft, “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Steven Field, “The Sound of Music,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Adrian Varnam, “The Comedy of Errors,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Brian Whitted, “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Brian Whitted, “Funny Girl,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Brian Whitted, “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
CHOREOGRAPHY
- Jason Aycock and Erin Sullivan, “Grease,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Kevin Lee-y Green, “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
- Judy Greenhut, “Matilda,” Snow Productions
- Carson Hobbs, “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Ray Kennedy, Adrian Jones and Brooklynne Williamson, “Funny Girl,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Samantha Ray Mifsud, “Elf,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
SET DESIGN
- Terry Collins, “The Last 5 Years,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Terry Collins, “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Randall Enlow, “Sleuth,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Randall Enlow, “Talley’s Folly,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Marshall Watson, “The Thursday Night Bridge Circle,” Opera House Theatre Co.
SOUND DESIGN
- Jason Aycock, “Let the Right One In,” Big Dawg Productions
- Nyia Barrow & Max Lydy, “Fight Girl Battle World,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Anthony Burke, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
- Chris Dean, “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Ben Henson, “Puffs,” Pineapple-Shaped Lamps
- Jud Smith, “Dogfight,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
COSTUMES
- Jayme Bednarczyk, “Thursday Night Bridge Circle,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Juli Harvey and and Selina Harvey, Newsies, Opera House Theatre Co.
- Allyson Moore-Mojica, “Kinky Boots,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Debby Scheu, “Funny Girl,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Mark Sorensen, “Fight Girl Battle World,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Mark Sorensen, “The Moors,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Terrill Williams and Allyson Moore-Mojica, “Dreamgirls,” Techmoja Dance & Theatre Co.
LIGHTING DESIGN
- Nick Fenner, “Newsies,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Rachel Levy and Thomas Salzman, “The Comedy of Errors,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Jeff Loy, “The Sound of Music,” Opera House Theatre Co.
- Cole Marquis, “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time,” Big Dawg Productions
- Alex Sargent, “The Moors,” UNCW Dept. of Theatre
- Joshua Zieseniss, “Driving Miss Daisy,” Thalian Association Community Theatre
ORIGINAL PRODUCTION (originated in Wilmington, produced here for the first time)
- “The First Day of Spring,” Theatre for All
- “King James Live,” Alchemical Theatre Co.
- “Party Robot,” Patrick Basquill
- “Quilt Stories,” “Mouths of Babes Theatre Co.
- “The Thursday Night Bridge Circle” by Ray Kennedy, Opera House Theatre Co.