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BENTON HARBOR — Local high school drama students will get a taste of the Tony Awards next month.

The Dowagiac and Edwardsburg drama programs are among the nominees for the 2023-2024 WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre. Dowagiac is nominated for four awards including “Outstanding set design,” for its most recent production, “Oliver!” Edwardsburg was nominated for 12 awards including Outstanding Musical Production for its latest performance, “Beauty & The Beast.”

Sponsored by the Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department, the WAVE Awards recognizes, encourages, and promotes high school theater. Seven adjudicators evaluated 10 high schools and about 630 students who participated in high school musical productions in the 2023-2024 academic year. 

Individuals and productions from participating schools were nominated in 13 acting and technical categories. Winners will be announced during an award ceremony at 7 p.m. Wednesday, May 22, at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre on the Benton Harbor Campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave. All students and production staff will receive written feedback from a panel of arts professionals. Nominees may also receive additional performance and scholarship opportunities.

Now in its third year at LMC, the WAVE Awards includes students and arts educators from Berrien, Van Buren, and Cass Counties in Michigan and St. Joseph County in Indiana.

“It is astonishing to see the continued growth of the students and programs that bring musical theatre to our regional high schools,” said Kristopher Zook, LMC Dean of Arts & Sciences and founder of the WAVE Awards. “LMC Visual & Performing Arts continues to support arts education, foster creativity and innovation in our community, and recognize the efforts of talented students and staff.”

The awards ceremony begins with red carpet arrivals at 6 p.m., followed by the awards, which include musical production numbers from Bridgman, Concord, Dowagiac, Edwardsburg, Hartford, Lakeshore, New Buffalo, Paw Paw, Penn, and St. Joseph high schools, as well as five-time Grammy-winning producer Jay Ashby and Grammy-nominated jazz vocalist Kim Nazarian.

The 2023-2024 WAVE Award nominees are: 

Outstanding Set Design in a Musical  

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Scott Preheim 
• Dowagiac High School; “Oliver!”; Lincoln Clark         
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Dylan Cour & Kyle Rehnlund 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Paul Milligan 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Marcus Roll & Ed Brunner    

Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical  

• Bridgman High School; “Seussical, Jr.”; Marty Golob
• Dowagiac High School; “Oliver!”; Lincoln Clark & Nick Saltzman
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Dylan Cour
• Hartford High School; “Mamma Mia!”; Hailey Cunningham
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Kristofer M. Perkins

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical  

• Bridgman High School; “Seussical, Jr.”; Marsha Pinkowski 
• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Stephanie Vaughan 
• New Buffalo High School; “Willie Wonka”; Deb Rancatore 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Claudia Lee 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Kathryn Hein 

Outstanding Choreography in a Musical  

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Colleen Molnar 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Catherine Wood 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Jenn Wolfe 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Cassidy Vlietstra 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Theresa Graziano        

 Outstanding Orchestra (Band) in a Musical 

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Nicole Knouse 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast; Jennifer Gladkowski 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Zac Coudret 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Burke Lokey  
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Matthew Pagel 

Outstanding Musical Direction in a Musical 

• Bridgman High School; “Seussical, Jr.”; Caitlyn Lustila & Jennifer Ammerman 
• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; James Bennett 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Kyle Rehnlund 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Andrew Nemeth 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Beth Gray-Roll 

Outstanding Featured Ensemble in a Musical 

• Bridgman High School; “Seussical, Jr.”; Mayzie La Bird & Her Bird Girls 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast;” Cronies 
• New Buffalo High School; “Willie Wonka”; Mrs. Bucket & the Grandparents
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Barbershop Quartet 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!” Newsies of New York 

 Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical 

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Grandma Tzeitel/Beggar; Rowan Finnigan 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Gargoyle; Lily Schinbeckler
• Edwardsburg High School ; “Beauty & the Beast”; LeFou; Luke Kish 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Mr. D; Ben Plested 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Charon; Mayeli Diaz 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Hades; Bryn Carlsen 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Amaryllis; Cailyn Freeman 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Gertie Cummings; Lilly Dahlke 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Les; Vivian Rose 

 Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical 

• Bridgman High School; “Seussical, Jr.”; Sour Kangaroo; Audrey Bomar 
• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Perchick; Ed Hernandez 
• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Tzeitel; Paige Martin              
• Dowagiac High School; “Oliver!”; The Artful Dodger; Chris Mottweiller 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Grover; Carter Buck 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Mr. Brunner/Chiron; Noah McCrossin 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Mayor Shinn; Justin Meacham 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Ali Hakim; Alex Kwon 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Will Parker; Braden Miesse 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Aido Annie; Rose Lawrence 

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical 

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Tevye; Christian Zeser 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Belle; Tianna Crook 
• Hartford High School; “Mamma Mia!”; Sophie; Cessie Finley 
• New Buffalo High School; “Willie Wonka”; Veruca Salt; Ellen Ripley 
• New Buffalo High School; “Willie Wonka”; Charlie Bucket; Henry Gadiel 
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief”; Annabeth; Anna White 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Harold Hill; Lucas Robertson 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Marian Paroo; Tess Kavadas 
• St. Joseph High School; “Oklahoma!”; Laurey; Zoey Owens 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Jack Kelly; Aiden Sokol 

Outstanding Direction in a Musical 

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”; Sam Vaughan 
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”; Kyle Rehnlund 
• New Buffalo High School; “Willie Wonka”; Chris Beushausen           
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”; Danielle Black 
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”; Christine Sloan 

 Outstanding Musical Production 

• Concord High School; “Fiddler on the Roof”
• Edwardsburg High School; “Beauty & the Beast”
• Paw Paw High School; “The Lightning Thief” 
• Penn High School; “The Music Man”
• Lakeshore High School; “Newsies!”