A list of winners of the annual Thespies awards

Here are the winners for the 2023 Thespies

For musicals

Best musical: “Bright Star,” Michigan State University.

Director: Chad Swan-Badgero, “Daddy Long Legs,” Peppermint Creek.

Actor: Nick Kreider, “Music Man,” Evolve Theatrics.

Actress: Rachel Daugherty, “Daddy Long Legs,” Peppermint Creek.

Supporting actor: Jacob Squire, “Bright Star,” MSU.

Supporting actress: Lindsay Campbell, “Music Man,” Evolve.

Featured actor: Josh Sowers, “Bright Star,” MSU.

Featured actress: tie, Kat Koehn, “A Year With Frog and Toad,” Riverwalk; Elaina Coscarella, “Kinky Boots,” Riverwalk.

Music director: Dave Wendelberger, “Bright Star,” MSU.

Music director (non-professional): Kait Wilson, “Music Man,” Evolve.

Choreography: Brian Farnham, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Riverwalk

Ensemble: The four-person cast of “Songs About Stuff,” Over the Ledge Theatre -– Anasti Her, Jeff Kennedy, Storm Kopitsch, Courtlandt Lyons. Coming close were the “angels” of Riverwalk’s “Kinky Boots – Drew Birchmeier, Dayfran Camacho, Drew Doman, Ben English.

For plays

Best play: “When I Come to Die,” Ixion Ensemble. Coming close was “The Hat Box,” Williamston Theatre.

Director: Tony Caselli, “Alabaster,” Williamston.

Director (non-professional): Rose Jangmi Cooper, “When I Come to Die,” Ixion.

Actor: Ndegwa McCloud, “When I Come to Die,” Ixion.

Actress: Katherine Banks, “Alabaster,” Williamston.

Actress (non-professional): Vanessa Mazhangara, “Fabulation,” Riverwalk.

Supporting actor: Doak Bloss, “When I Come to Die,” Ixion.

Supporting actress: Hallie Bee Bard, “Alabaster,” Williamston.

Supporting actress (non-professional): Erin Hoffman, “Tartuffe,” Lansing Community College.

Featured actor: Joseph Dickson, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Riverwalk.

Featured actress: Karen Sheridan, “The Hat Box,” Williamston.

Featured actress (non-professional): Janell Hall, “When I Come to Die,” Ixion. Coming close was Nakayla Morgan, “White,” Peppermint Creek.

Ensemble: “Magnolia Ballet, Part 1,” Williamston.

Ensemble (non-professional): “Everybody,” LCC.

FOR EITHER:

Original script: “A Very Williamston Christmas,” credited to the apparent pseudonym Robert Hawlmark, Williamston.

Set: Kirk Domer, “Mrs. Harrison,” Williamston.

Set (non-professional): Tie: Aja Jenks, “Steel Magnolias,” Riverwalk; and Chad Swan-Badgero, “Daddy Long Legs,” Peppermint Creek.

Costumes: Chelle Peterson, “Tartuffe,” Lansing Community College.

Costumes (non-professional): Amanda Macomber, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Riverwalk.

Lighting design: Becca Bedell, “The Magnolia Ballet Part 1,” Williamston.

Lighting design (non-professional): Lilian Meyers, “Bright Star,” MSU.

Sound design: John Lepard, “Wild Horses,” Williamston.

Sound design (non-professional): Miranda Sue Hartman, “The Realistic Joneses,” Over the Ledge.

Hair and Makeup design: Lori Bailey-Smith, “Steel Magnolias,” Riverwalk.

Fight choreography Brian Farnham, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Riverwalk.

Set dressing: Mara McGill, “Bell, Book and Candle,” Riverwalk

Props: Michelle Raymond, “Alabaster,” Williamston.

Props (non-professional): Ray Louise Sunshine, “Charlotte’s Web,” MSU..

Scenography: Elisha Smith, “Peter and the Starcatcher,” Riverwalk.

Projections: Alison Dobbins, “A Very Williamston Christmas.”

Projections (non-professional): Nicklas Casella and Thalia Pearce, “Charlotte’s Web,” MSU.

SPECIAL AWARDS

The Robert Busby Award goes to Sam and Mary Austin, who have helped local theater immensely as enthusiastic members of the audience and as financial contributors.

The Austins grew up on Depression-time farms in Wisconsin. Sam, a physicist, led the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory at Michigan State University. Since their retirement, they’ve been especially active in support. They gave the lead gift in the Williamston Theatre’s drive to remodel its theater and remove pillars and were lead donors in the campaign for a permanent home for MSU’s Summer Circle Theatre, first visiting every outdoor plaza in the area.

They also have helped theater at Riverwalk, Peppermint Creek, Lansing Community College and the Renegade Theatre Festival, plus music programs with the Lansing Symphony and MSU. And they have remained enthusiasts, attending shows and encouraging others to do the same.

This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: A list of winners of the annual Thespies awards