The 2017 Wilde Award nominations are out…
ANN ARBOR—Theater professionals from across Michigan will gather Aug. 28 when The 2017 Wilde Awards are presented at The Berman Center for the Performing Arts in the Detroit suburb of West Bloomfield. Presented by EncoreMichigan.com, the most comprehensive resource for news and information about the state’s professional theater industry, The Wilde Awards were established in 2002 to honor the excellent work produced by Michigan’s professional theaters.
“After reviewing a record-breaking – and sometimes resource-stretching – number of productions at theaters all across the state during the 2016-17 season, our team of critics sifted through their extensive notes and determined which were the best productions, performances and designs of the year,” said David Kiley, publisher of EncoreMichigan.com and producer of The Wilde Awards. “And trust me: It wasn’t an easy task!”
Now celebrating its 16th year, The Wilde Awards – named in honor of 19th century playwright Oscar Wilde – honor the best productions, performances and technical work produced or presented by professional theaters throughout Michigan. Nominations are based on reviews written by EncoreMichigan.com’s team of professional critics. Only shows produced or presented by Michigan’s professional theaters and opera companies – both union and non-union, large and small – and reviewed by EncoreMichigan.com’s critics during the 2016-17 season were eligible for a 2017 Wilde Awards nomination.
The 2016-17 season
In total, there were 242 reviews of shows produced or presented by 69 theaters across Lower Michigan that EncoreMichigan considered.
47 producers and presenters received nominations.
The top nominated theater was the Barn Theatre in Augusta with 12, followed by Williamston Theatre in Williamston with 10.
Overall, 100 productions earned at least one nomination.
The top nominated show was “The Little Mermaid” at the Barn Theatre, followed by “Assassins” produced by The Encore Musical Theatre Company in Dexter.
A total of 174 artists – including actors, directors, designers and playwrights – earned a nomination. Of those, only 17 earned more than one. Leading with three each are David Wolber and Shawn Handlon.
This year’s nominations and winners were chosen by EncoreMichigan.com’s team of critics, which included Paula Bradley, Don Calamia, Tom Emmott, Marin Heinritz, Tanya Gazdik Irwin, Graham Mitchell, David Kiley, Martin F. Kohn, Jenn McKee, Sue Merrell, Kym Reinstadler, Amy J. Parrent, Frank Anthony Polito, and Bridgette M. Redman. “I doubt many mainstream media companies have ever utilized the services of so many critics to cover the arts in general, let alone a single discipline,” said Kiley.
Awards will be presented in 30 categories.
A handful of special awards will also be presented.
The 2017 Wilde Awards
The 2017 Wilde Awards–sponsored by Pride Source Media Group, Actors’ Equity Association and The Berman Center for the Performing Arts–will be held Monday, Aug. 28 at The Berman in West Bloomfield. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. with an hors d’oeuvre and cocktail reception. The awards show, hosted by David Kiley and Roy Sexton, with special guest participants, will begin promptly at 8 p.m. Single-fee wristbands for the bar will be sold on site. The bar will also take cash.
Admission is $26 per person or $20 for E-casting members of EncoreMichigan. E-casting was launched in February 2016 and allows performers to post their resumes, headshots and performing profiles on the website, and update them throughout the year. It allows casting directors to search the database of performers when they are casting shows and specific parts. “E-casting is the way casting directors want to do business in the 21st century, and we have a very good start in having the Michigan community of actors online and easily accessible,” said Kiley. E-casting members get discounts at numerous theaters in the Encore network and at a growing number of pubs and restaurants, as well as service providers such as headshot photographers.
Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. July 17 at The Berman’s box office, by phone at 248-661-1900, or online at http://theberman.org. Tickets may also be purchased at the door.
The Berman Center for the Performing Arts is located at 6600 W. Maple Road, on the campus of the Jewish Community Center at the northwest corner of Maple and Drake Roads in West Bloomfield. Parking is free.
“Our 16th annual celebration of professional theater in Michigan will be a great way to salute the previous season and kick off the next,” said Kiley. “It will truly be ‘one Wilde night’ to remember!”