The Lake Michigan College Visual & Performing Arts Department has announced the nominees for its 2024-2025 WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre.
Loosely designed after Broadway's famed Tony Awards, the WAVE Awards recognizes, encourages, and promotes high school theater. Ten adjudicators evaluated 12 high schools and about 710 students who participated in high school musical productions in the 2024-2025 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 21, at the Lake Michigan College Mendel Center Jenkins Theatre on the Benton Harbor Campus, 2755 E. Napier Ave. The event is free and open to the public. Parents, friends, fans, teachers, and school administrators are all encouraged to attend.
Now in its fourth year at LMC, the WAVE Awards includes students and arts educators from Berrien, Van Buren, and Cass Counties in Michigan and St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties in Indiana.
“It’s truly inspiring to witness the ongoing development of students and the programs that bring the magic of musical theatre to local high schools,” said Kristopher Zook, Dean of Arts & Sciences at LMC and founder of the WAVE Awards. “Through the Visual & Performing Arts department, LMC remains committed to championing arts education, nurturing creativity, and celebrating the incredible dedication of both students and educators.”
The awards ceremony begins with red carpet arrivals at 6 p.m., followed by the awards, which include musical production numbers from Concord, Edwardsburg, James Whitcomb Riley, Lakeshore, Paw Paw, Penn, and South Haven high schools, as well as an opening number comprised of students from participating schools and LMC.
All students and production staff will receive written feedback from a panel of arts professionals. Nominees may also receive additional performance and scholarship opportunities.
The 2024-2025 WAVE Award nominees are:
Outstanding Set Design in a Musical
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Scott Preheim
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Dwayne Whitmyer
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Emma Hurley
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Kevin Marek
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Kristofer M. Perkins & Avery McCafferty
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Suzanne Button
Outstanding Lighting Design in a Musical
- Hartford High School; “High School Musical 2: Live Onstage”; Joe MacMillian
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Paul Milligan
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Lloyd Whitmyer
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Kristofer M. Perkins
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Scott Bradford
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Mike Springer and Erin O’Neil
Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Laura Pollock
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Barb Stepka & Reta Trux
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Deb Rancatore
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Claudia Lee
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Kathryn Hein
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Jessica Wiersbe
Outstanding Choreography in a Musical
- Bridgman High School; “The Wizard of Oz”; Caitlyn Lustica
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Heather Schoenherr
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Catherine Wood
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Nathan Mittleman
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Theresa Graziano
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Jenn Wolfe
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Allie Ruppert & Brandy Campbell
Outstanding Orchestra (Band) in a Musical
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Nicole Knouse
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Jennifer Gladkowski
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Matthew Pagel
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Sydney Brown
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Zac Coudret
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Burke Lokey
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Jeff Bopp
Outstanding Music Direction in a Musical
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; James Bennett
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Kyle Rehnlund
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Kyle Schreiber & John Mink
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Ethan Schopp
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Beth Gray-Roll
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Katie Hilyard
Outstanding Featured Ensemble in a Musical
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; The Cuban Dancers
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!;” Newsies of New York
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; The Waiters
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Narrators & Jacob’s Sons
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; The Urchins
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; The Lady of the Lake & Laker Girls
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; The Sardines
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; The Mersisters & Flounder
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Flotsam & Jetsam
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; 6 Merry Murderesses of the Cook County Prison
Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Gen. Cartwright; Ava Peters
- Edwardsburg High School ; “Newsies!”; Hannah; Shaelyn Carrick
- Hartford High School; “High School Musical 2: Live on Stage”; Oberon Fulton; Aiden Apreza
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Levi; Lillian Clark
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Orin–Dentist; Aaron Ilescas-Villa
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Angel; Kami Crandall
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Tim; Bryn Carlsen
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Mayor; Riley Newcomer
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Chef Luis; Evan Lokey
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Hunyak; Serenity Scully
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical
- Cassopolis High School; “Beetlejuice, Jr”; Delia Schlimmer; Emma Husted
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Crutchie; Lucas Bentzer
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Davey; Aiden Dohm
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Barnaby; Cristian Samuel Hernandez
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Simeon; Ian Sokol
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Mushnik; Addison Lamport
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Patsy; Lellani Cowgill
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Mr. Krabs; Jack Mead
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Ursula; Sam Schadler
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Amos; Timothy Knapp
Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical
- Bridgman High School; “Wizard of Oz”; Dorothy; Malia Fast
- Cassopolis High School; “Beetlejuice, Jr.”; Beetlejuice; Laycee Ericson
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Sky Masterson; Ed Hernandez Lopez
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Sarah Brown; Sydney Trowbridge
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Jack Kelly; Brady Leep
- Hartford High School; “High School Musical 2: Live on Stage”; Gabriella Montez; Nevaeh Ledesma
- James Whitcomb Riley High School; Dolly Gallagher Levi; Evangeline Salgado
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Seymour; Henry Gadiel
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Arthur; Ben Plested
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; SpongeBob; Ava Gallo
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Patrick Star; Nix Hardman
- Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Sebastien; Seth Martin
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Joseph; Aiden Sokol
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Velma Kelly; Claudia Fiedorowicz
Outstanding Direction in a Musical
- Cassopolis High School; “Beetlejuice, Jr.”; Patrick Bondy
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”; Sam Vaughan
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”; Kyle Rehnlund
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”; Christine Sloan
- New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Chris Beushausen
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Andrew Nemeth
Outstanding Musical Production
- Concord High School; “Guys and Dolls”
- Edwardsburg High School; “Newsies!”
- Lakeshore High School; “Joseph…Dreamcoat”
- Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”
- Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”
- South Haven High School; “Chicago”
For more information, visit lakemichigancollege.edu/wave, email Mindy McCaffrey at mmccaffrey@lakemichigancollege.edu, or call the Visual & Performing Arts office at 269-927-8876.
Posted May 13, 2025