Des Moines Playhouse to Host 2014 Dionysos Awards, 7/27; Nominations Announced!

Join the Des Moines Community Playhouse for the 2014 Dionysos Awards on Sunday, July 27. The Dionysos Awards celebrates the contributions of more than 1,700 individuals, giving 75,000 hours annually as actors and backstage and front-of-house volunteers.

The evening will begin with a social event at 5:30 PM. The awards presentation will follow at 6:30 PM in the Mainstage auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. To RSVP, please contact Lee Ann Bakros at 515-974-5358 or by e-mail at Lbakros@dmplayhouse.com.

The Dionysos Awards annually recognizes 15 backstage, front-of-house, and education volunteers who have made exceptional contributions to the recently completed season. Acting award winners are also revealed. Actors are nominated by audiences with winners chosen by season ticket holders. Acting nominees are:

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Mainstage Musical
Steve Berry, "LES MISERABLES" (Jean Valjean)
Charlie Reese, "Legally Blonde the Musical" (Emmett)
Maxwell Schaeffer, "LES MISERABLES" (Javert)
Maxwell Schaeffer, "Peter Pan" (Mr. Darling/Capt. Hook)
Tim Wisgerhof, "Fiddler on the Roof" (Tevye)

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Mainstage Musical
Samantha Arneson, "Peter Pan" (Peter Pan)
Dani Boal, "LES MISERABLES" (Eponine)
Katy Merriman, "Legally Blonde the Musical" (Elle Woods)
Preshia Paulding, "Fiddler on the Roof" (Golde)
Jill S. Ziegler, "Legally Blonde the Musical" (Paulette)

Outstanding Performance by a Young Actor in a Mainstage Musical
Peter Erickson & Jacob Forney, "LES MISERABLES" (Gavroche)
Noah Hackbart, "Peter Pan" (Michael Darling)
Jones Pfeifer, "Peter Pan" (John Darling)

Outstanding Performance by a Young Actress in a Mainstage Musical
Rachel Forney & Jillian Michelle Gabby, "LES MISERABLES" (Young Cosette)
Jessica Martens, "Fiddler on the Roof" (Hodel)
Jada Smith, "Fiddler on the Roof" (Chava)
Meredith Toebben, "Peter Pan" (Wendy Darling)

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Mainstage Play
Micheal Davenport, "Boeing Boeing" (Bernard)
Micheal Davenport, "Red" (Marc Rothko)
Gabe Thompson, "Boeing Boeing" (Robert)
Josh Visnapuu, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Chief Bromden)
Tim Wisgerhof, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Randle P. McMurphy)

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Mainstage Play
Susan Irish, "Boeing Boeing" (Berthe)
Kellie Kramer, "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" (Nurse Ratched)
Andréa Markowski, "Boeing Boeing" (Gretchen)

Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Kate Goldman Children's Theatre Musical
Connor Bredbeck, "Pinkalicious" (Peter Pinkerton)
Douglas Cochrane, "Disney's Alice in Wonderland" (Caterpillar)
Jay Jacobson, "Disney's Alice in Wonderland" (Cheshire)
James Kolnik, "Disney's Alice in Wonderland" (White Rabbit)
Lance Noe, "Pinkalicious" (Mr. Pinkerton)

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Kate Goldman Children's Theatre Musical
Halen Becker, "Pinkalicious" (Pinkalicious)
Rachel Forney, "Disney's Alice in Wonderland" (Alice)
Deb Paul, "Disney's Alice in Wonderland" (Queen)
Megan Schettler Schug, "Pinkalicious" (Dr. Wink)

Oustanding Performance by an Actor in a Kate Goldman Children's Theatre Play
Crey Abbas, "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" (Peter Hatcher)
Jackson Gabby, "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" (Fudge Hatcher)
Mark Pullen, "The Hundred Dresses" (Mr. Svenson)

Outstanding Performance by an Actress in a Kate Goldman Children's Theatre Play
Aviana Gedler, "The Hundred Dresses" (Maddie Reeves)
Maggie Matternas, "The Hundred Dresses" (Wanda Petronski)
Rebecca Masucci, "Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing" (Mrs. Hatcher)

The 2014 Liska Miller Scholarship winner, Katherine Crowley, will also be recognized. The scholarship is given to a high school senior who has volunteered time either backstage or assisted in the education department. The Liska Miller Scholarship was established at the Playhouse in Miller's memory by her husband, Dave, and daughter, Shay. Liska was a frequent volunteer with the teen summer acting class.

The Playhouse is Iowa's oldest and largest producing theatre. Located at the 42nd Street exit of I-235, the theatre has presented a full season of shows since 1919 and also offers a wide variety of educational experiences including classes for ages four to adult, theatre trips to New York and volunteer opportunities onstage and backstage.