On August 28, EncoreMichigan.com will name the winners of the 2017 Wilde Awards. Encore, each August, recognizes the best performances and productions of the previous season.

The show will take place at The Berman Center for Performing Arts in West Bloomfield, Michigan. Doors open at 6:30. Award ceremony starts at 8PM. Save the date. Tickets go on sale at The Berman website July 17.

Best Play

• Alice in Wonderland, Noah Durham Fried, director; Parallel 45 Theatre
• Countdown to the Happy Day, Sandra Love Aldridge, director; Detroit Repertory Theatre
• Disgraced, Christopher Bremer, director; The Jewish Ensemble Theatre Company
• The Killer Angels, Janice L Blixt, director; Michigan Shakespeare Festival
• Morning’s at Seven, Michelle Mountain, director; The Purple Rose Theatre Company
• 1984, Tony Caselli, director; Williamston Theatre
• Pulp, Tony Caselli, director; Williamston Theatre

Best Musical

•  Assassins, Matthew Brennan, director; The Encore Musical Theatre Company
• The Bridges of Madison County, Steve DeBruyne, director; The Dio – Dining & Entertainment
• The Great American Trailer Park Musical, Kurt Stamm, director; Mason Street Warehouse
• The Little Mermaid, Hans Friedrichs, director; Barn Theatre
• Murder Ballad, Courtney Burkett, director; Detroit Public Theatre
• Monty Python’s Spamalot, Stephen Brotebeck, director; Farmers Alley Theatre

Best Opera

• Carmen, Ron Daniels, director; Michigan Opera Theatre
• Cyrano, Bernard Uzan, director; Michigan Opera Theatre
• The Girl of the Golden West, Mario Corradi, director; Michigan Opera Theatre
• Silent Night, Eric Simonson, director; Michigan Opera Theatre
• The Student Prince, Scott Skiba, director; Opera Grand Rapids

• As You Like It, Robert Kauzlaric, director; Michigan Shakespeare Festival
• Henry IV, Dennis Henry, director; Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company
• Richard II, Janice L Blixt, director; Michigan Shakespeare Festival
• Romeo and Juliet, William Church, director; Interlochen Shakespeare Festival
• The Tempest, Jeremy Winchester, director; Flint Youth Theatre

Best Original Production or One-Act

• Bird, D.B. Schroeder, director; Puzzle Piece Theatre
• Detroit: The Musical, Shawn Handlon, director; Planet Ant Theatre
• Macdeath, Shawn Handlon, director; Planet Ant Theatre
• Manger Things, Peter Jacokes, director; Go Comedy! Improv Theater
• Re­Release Party (The Golden Record), Sherrine Azab and Jake Hooker, directors; A Host of People

Best One Person Show

• The Holler Sessions, Frank Boyd, director; Detroit Public Theatre
• Mr. Joy, Billicia Hines, director, Theatre Nova,
• Screw It: Doin’ Time on the Line, Antoine McKay, director; Five Cents Short
• 2.5 Minute Ride, David Wolber, director; Matrix Theatre Company

Best Theater for Young Audiences

Best Touring Production

• Cabaret, BT McNicholl, director; Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
• Circus 1903, Neil Dorward, director; Broadway in Detroit
• Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Marianne Elliott, director; Wharton Center for the Performing Arts
• Fun Home, Sam Gold, director; Broadway in Detroit
• Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Michael Mayer, director; Broadway in Detroit
• Rent, Evan Ensign, director; Broadway in Detroit

Best Performance – One-Person Show

• Luna Alexander, 2.5 Minute Ride; Matrix Theatre Company
• Frank Boyd, The Holler Sessions; Detroit Public Theatre
• Tim Campos, Screw It: Doin’ Time on the Line; Five Cents Short
• Matthew Webb, Mr. Joy; Theatre Nova

Best Performance – Opera

• Mark Delavan, The Girl of the Golden West; Michigan Opera Theatre
• Ginger Costa Jackson, Carmen; Michigan Opera Theatre
• Marian Pop, Cyrano; Michigan Opera Theatre
• Erin Wall, Silent Night, Michigan Opera Theatre

• Lauren Bickers, Riot Grrrl 90s; Planet Ant Theatre
• Karon Kron Dickson, Macdeath; Planet Ant Theatre
• Suzie Jacokes, Manger Things; Go Comedy! Improv Theater
• Richard Payton, Lady Bracknell Presents: Grimm Brothers Fairy Tales; Slipstream Theatre Initiative
• Phil Powers, Clutter; TheatreNova

Best Performance – Rising Star

• Jackson Abohasira, P.Y.G.; Slipstream Theatre Initiative
• Paige Benner, The Jungle Book; Flint Youth Theatre
• Syd Brown, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka; Flint Youth Theatre
• Desten Knox, The Nerd; Williamston Theatre
• Christian Perez, The Outsiders; What A Do Theatre
• Ben Perry, The Christmas Schooner; What A Do Theatre

Best Performance–The Bard

• Noah Durham, Romeo and Juliet; Interlochen Shakespeare Festival
•  Janet Haley, As You Like It; Michigan Shakespeare Festival

  Robert Kauzlaric, Richard II; Michigan Shakespeare Festival

  Michael Brian Ogden, Richard III; Water Works Theatre Company

  Paul Riopelle, Henry IV; Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company

Best Performance – Theater for Young Audiences

• Dan Morrison, Sugar Plum Panto; Theatre Nova
• Alexander Sloan, Peter and The Starcatcher; Open Book Theatre Company
• Lance Spencer, The Cat in the Hat; Hope Summer Repertory Theatre
• Tae Hoon Yoo, A Mouth With Flame; Spinning Dot Theatre

• Tony Amato, A Christmas Carol The Musical; Riverbank Theatre
• Steve DeBruyne, The Last Five Years; The Dio – Dining & Entertainment
• Chase LePla, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels; Riverbank Theatre
• Eric Parker, The Full Monty; The Encore Musical Theatre Company
• James Scheider, Million Dollar Quartet; Mason Street Warehouse
• Tom Vendafreddo, Murder for Two, Mason Street Warehouse

Best Performance, Lead Actor – Play

• Ernest Bentley, A Christmas Carol; Hilberry Theatre
• Joe Dely, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; What A Do Theatre
• Vince Kelley, The Legend of Georgia McBride; The Ringwald Theatre
• Alan Larkheed, Next Fall; Great Escape Stage Company
• Michael Lopetrone, Really, Really; Planet Ant Theatre
• Randolph Mantooth, Morning After Grace; The Purple Rose Theatre Company
• David Wolber, 1984; Williamston Theatre

• Jennifer Barnaba, The Addams Family – A New Musical Comedy; Tibbits Summer Theatre
• Amanda Rae Evans, Little Women The Broadway Musical; The Snug Theatre
• Brooke Evans, Guys and Dolls; Barn Theatre
• Jessica Grové, My Fair Lady; The Encore Musical Theatre Company
• Marlene Inman, The Bridges of Madison County; The Dio – Dining & Entertainment
• Hannah Clarke Levine, Hairspray; Hope Summer Repertory Theatre

Best Performance, Lead Actress – Play

• Krista Schafer Ewbank, Boy Gets Girl; Open Book Theatre Company
• Casaundra Freeman, Countdown to the Happy Day; Detroit Repertory Theatre
• Terry Heck, Taking Shakespeare; Williamston Theatre
• Anna Marck, Mary’s Wedding; AM Productions
• Madelyn Porter, Dot; Detroit Public Theatre
• Ashlyn Shawver, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; What A Do Theatre
• Rosie Sullivan, Marmalade; Summer Circle Theatre

Best Performance, Supporting Actress–Musical

• Penelope Alex, The Little Mermaid; Barn Theatre
• Katherine Guc, Little Women The Broadway Musical; The Snug Theatre
• Melissa Cotton Hunter, Singin’ in the Rain; Barn Theatre
• Pamela Plewa, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum; Riverbank Theatre
• Jamila Sabares-Klemm, Monty Python’s Spamalot; Farmers Alley Theatre
• Stephanie Wahl, I Love a Piano; Meadow Brook Theatre

Best Performance, Supporting Actor – Play

• Mark Colson, Pulp; Williamston Theatre
• Jonathan Davidson, Failure: A Love Story; Planet Ant Theatre
• Daniel Johnson, Firepower, Detroit Repertory Theatre
• Rusty Mewha, Morning’s at Seven; The Purple Rose Theatre Company
• Andrew Papa, Alabama Story; UDM Theatre Company
• Dave Stubbs, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof; What A Do Theatre

Best Performance, Supporting Actress – Play

• Susan Craves, Morning’s at Seven; The Purple Rose Theatre Company
• Mandy Logsdon, Leaving Iowa; The Snug Theatre
• Sonja Marquis, Don’t Dress for Dinner; Tipping Point Theatre
• Bridget McCarthy, The School for Scandal; Pigeon Creek Shakespeare Company
• Allison Megroet, Dog Sees God: Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead; Outvisible Theatre Company

Best Teamwork

• Sandra Birch, Dave Davies, Sexy Laundry; Tipping Point Theatre
• Sarah Briggs, Lindsay Frischmuth, Elizabeth Jaffe, Kristin McSweeney, Sing Happy: A Celebration of Kander and Ebb; The Penny Seats Theatre Company
• Anna Bruce, Madison Ganzak, Liliana Greimel, Scout Greimel, Kendall Manthei, Jean Pilon, Alana Reinert, Isabella Torres, Cagebirds; Outvisible Theatre Company
• Jono Mammel, Theodora Pardales, Taylor Stark, Owen Woityra, [title of show]; Monster Box Theatre
• Jose Martinez and Matthew Webb, Spin; Theatre Nova
• Peter Prouty, Cheryl Turski and David Wolber, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery; Meadow Brook Theatre

Best Choreography

• Rachel Costantino, Mary Poppins; The Encore Musical Theatre Company
• Ryan Domres, I Love a Piano; Meadow Brook Theatre
• Jamey Grisham, The Little Mermaid; Barn Theatre
• Joe Niesen, The Fantasticks; Hope Summer Repertory Theatre
• Dougie Robbins, The Addams Family – A New Musical Comedy; Tibbits Summer Theatre

Best Design – Costumes

• Patty Branam, The Killer Angels; Michigan Shakespeare Festival
• Carly Heathcote, The Little Mermaid; Barn Theatre
• Vince Kelley, 3C; The Ringwald Theatre
• Nancy King, Peter and the Starcatchers; What A Do Theatre
• Kathy Vertin, Little Women The Broadway Musical; The Snug Theatre

Best Design – Lights

• Tyler Chinn, Assassins; The Encore Musical Theatre
• Matthew J. Fick, Why Do Fools Fall in Love?; Meadow Brook Theatre
• Drew Florida, Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka; Flint Youth Theatre
• Reid G. Johnson, Morning’s at Seven; The Purple Rose Theatre Company
• Brandy Joe Plambeck, Campfire; The Ringwald Theatre

Best Design – Props

• Anne Donevan, Assassins; The Encore Musical Theatre
• Hans Friedrichs, The Little Mermaid; Barn Theatre
• Michelle Raymond, The Nerd; Williamston Theatre
• Michelle Raymond, Summer Retreat; Williamston Theatre
• Brittany Everitt Smith and Edmond Reynolds, Little Women The Broadway Musical; The Snug Theatre

Best Design–Sets

• Jeremy Barnett, The Great American Trailer Park Musical; Mason Street Warehouse
• Jen Price Fick, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery; Meadow Brook Theatre
• Michael Wilson Morgan, The Little Mermaid; Barn Theatre
• Gene Oliver, The Tempest; Flint Youth Theatre
• Daniel Thobias, The Addams Family – A New Musical Comedy; Tibbits Summer Theatre
• Matt Tomich, The Bridges of Madison County; The Dio – Dining & Entertainment

Best Design – Sound or Video

• Mike Duncan, Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery; Meadow Brook Theatre
• Tim Franquist, Murder Ballad; Detroit Public Theatre
• Kate Hopgood, The Killer Angels; Michigan Shakespeare Festival
• Jake Hooker and Renee Willoughby, Re­Release Party (The Golden Record); A Host of People
• Michael McShane, Singin’ in the Rain, Barn Theatre

Best Music Direction