2025 OCTA STATE AWARD WINNERS​

The 2025 OCTA State Conference was held at Knox Memorial Theater in Mount Vernon, OH on August 29- 31. Fifteen theaters across the state came to perform and represent their regions over 3 days. Congratulations to all who participated in a wonderful weekend of theater! 

 

Excerpt #1 Avenue Q Little Theatre Off Broadway

Scott Clay                       Merit in Direction

Stephen Sollars           Merit in Musical Direction

Quentin Cole                 Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Christmas Eve

Abby Del Riesgo           Excellence in Character Acting

Kaitlin Ingram                Outstanding in Puppet Construction

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Excerpt #2 Moon Over Buffalo Bellevue Society for the Arts

Samuel Hohman         Merit in Acting as George Hay

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Excerpt #3 The Outsider Amil Tellers Of Dramatics, Inc.

John Slechter                Excellence in Acting as Ned Newley

Kim Lane                         Merit in Acting as Louise Peakes

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Excerpt #4 Disenchanted Loveland Stage Company

The Cast                          Outstanding in Ensemble

Pettrina Barresi            Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Cinderella

Monica Weber              Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Snow White

Kayla Haas                     Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Sleeping Beauty

Melinda Hubbard        Excellence in Costuming

Carissa Sloan               Excellence in Direction

Jon Scheiding               Excellence in Music Execution

Bob Schwartz               Excellence in Music Execution

The Cast                          Merit in F-Word Execution

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Excerpt #5 The Beauty Queen of Leenane Curtain Players

The Cast                          Excellence in Ensemble

Sarah Merkey                Outstanding in Direction

Sonda Staley                 Outstanding in Acting as Mareen Folan

Casey Merkey               Outstanding in Acting as Pato Dooley

Ryan Heitkamp            Excellence in Intimacy Coaching

Kathy Hyland                 Merit in Acting as Mag Folan

Patrick Goldman          Merit in Acting as Ray Dooley

Curtain Players            Merit in Overall Production Design

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Excerpt #6 Silent Sky Fremont Community Theatre

Michael PJ Foos           Outstanding in Direction

Amy Berger                     Excellence in Acting as Williamina Fleming

Delilah Foos Lessing Merit in Acting as Henrietta Leavitt

Sue Stotz                         Excellence in Costuming

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Excerpt #7 James and the Giant Peach the Musical Fort Findlay Playhouse

The Cast                           Merit in Vocal Ensemble

Chance Roddy              Merit in Musical Theatre Performance as James Henry Trotter

Adam Willford              Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Grasshopper

Mandy Bour                   Outstanding Comedic Duo Performance as Aunt Spiker

Andrea Adams-Miller   Outstanding in Comedic Duo Performance as Aunt Sponge

Samantha Henry         Merit in Costuming

  

Excerpt #8 Medea Zanesville Community Theatre

Haley Shaw                    Merit in Adaptation of Original Material

Jillian Von Gunten       Merit in Acting as Medea

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Excerpt #9 Guys and Dolls Jr. Final Bow Company

The Cast                           Outstanding in Ensemble

Logan Schulze              Outstanding in Choreography

Lindsey Ausborn          Merit in Direction

Landon Urlage              Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Nicely-Nicely Johnson

Lucy Schneible            Outstanding in Musical Theatre Performance as Miss Adelaide

Hannah Schneible     Excellence in Musical Theatre Performance as Sarah Brown

Gabby Spitzer               Merit in Musical Theatre Performance as Arvide Abernathy

Wade Qualls                  Merit in Musical Theatre Performance as Benny Southstreet

Sophia Ausborn, Marie Beard, Henry Sutter, Levi Grillat  Merit in Too Darn Cute Dancers

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#10 Constellations Twin Masks Performing Arts Center

Claudia Lillibridge      Merit in Direction

Sean Donovan              Merit in Acting as Roland

Christine Wright          Merit in Acting as Marianne Wright

Sean Donovan & Christine Wright   Excellence in Duo Acting

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#11 The Sweet Delilah Swim Club Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County

Don Irven                        Merit in Stage Pictures

Joe Compton                 Excellence in Set Design

Jane Deitrick                  Excellence in Set Dressing

Michele Davis               Excellence in Set Dressing

Elizabeth Thomakos  Excellence in Costuming

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#12 My Three Angels The Drama Workshop

Dennis Murphy                            Excellence in Costuming

Anne Connor Stanforth               Excellence in Costuming

Dennis Murphy                            Merit in Set Design

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#13 The Women of Lockerbie Troy Civic Theatre

Niccole Sueann Wallace       Merit in Acting as Olive Allison

Jennifer Kaufman                       Merit in Acting as Madeline Livingston

Madison Wells                             Excellence in Acting as Hattie

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#14 Southern Belles Sunset Players

Rilla Foster                     Merit in Acting as Gaybelle Reardon

Rachel Brzezinski          Merit in Acting Mrs. Sarah Jane Bell

Dennis Murphy             Merit in Original Playwrighting

 

#15 Lend Me a Soprano Actors Guild of Parkersburg

Charlie Smith                Merit in Character Acting as Bellhop

Elijah Conger                 Excellence in Acting as Jerry

Maggie MJ Mamo        Excellence in Acting as Jo

Reinnie Leavitt              Outstanding in Costuming

Shannon Miller             Excellence in Wig and Hair Design

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Set Design Awards

Outstanding in Execution of Scenic Design

Brad Riker, Toledo Repertoire Theatre

WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION

 

Outstanding in Execution of Scenic Design

Bethany Wethington, T.J. McKee, Tyler Parrett, Doug Franks

Fremont Community Theatre

5 LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE

 

Excellence in Overall Set Design

Tom Etsinger, Bucyrus Little Theatre

SILENT SKY

 

Excellence in Overall Set Design

Steve Dietrich & Chuck Fox, Troy Civic Theatre

THE WOMEN OF LOCKERBIE

 

Merit in Technical Execution

Steve Savanyu, Chagrin Little Theatre

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS

 

Honorable Mention in Set Design

Kathy Bergstrom, Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County

ON GOLDEN POND

 

Honorable Mention in Set Design

Eugene Haney, Licking County Players

BONE CHILLER

 

Hair & Makeup Awards

Outstanding in Hair & Makeup

Christina Siciliano, Loveland Stage Company

TOXIC AVENGER

 

Excellence in Hair & Makeup

Christina Siciliano, Loveland Stage Company

DISENCHANTED

 

Merit in Hair & Makeup

Debi Devore, Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County

THE SWEET DELILAH SWIM CLUB

 

Costume Awards

Outstanding in Overall Costume Coordination

Kathy Bergstrom, Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County

WHITE CHRISTMAS

 

Outstanding in Overall Costume Design

Outstanding in Individual Costume Design

Joyce Purk, Fremont Community Theatre

KINKY BOOTS

 

Excellence in Overall Costume Coordination

Elizabeth Thomakos, Little Theatre of Tuscarawas County

THE SWEET DELILAH SWIM CLUB

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Excellence in Overall Costume Coordination

Kristen Renee Lindsay, Fremont Community Theatre

5 LESBIANS EATING A QUICHE

 

Excellence in Individual Costume Design

Annie Heitker, Beavercreek Community Theatre

ANGEL STREET

 

Excellence in Individual Costume Design

Elaine Michael, The Footlighters, Inc.

JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT

 

Merit in Overall Costume Coordination

Shelby Stotts, Susan Sharrer, and Jan Kiika, Zanesville Community Theatre

THE LIGHTNING THIEF

 

Newsletter Awards

Mason Community Players – Mason Community Post

Robert Terry, Editor

Tess Catlin, Assistant Editor

Laureen Catlin, Staff Writer

Phil Catlin, IT Technician

Excellence in Masthead

Excellence in OCTA News

Outstanding in Use of Graphics

Outstanding in Use of Pictures & Layout

Outstanding in Layout, Quality and Overall Quality

Outstanding in Overall Newsletter

Excellence in Writing

 

Beechmont Players – The Crown & Curtain

Kiya Fix, Editor

Excellence in Masthead

Excellence in Use of Graphics

Excellence in Pictures & Layout

Excellence in Layout, Quality and Overall Quality

Excellence in Overall Newsletter

Excellence in Writing

  

Mid-Ohio Valley Players – The Entr’acte

Karen Pratt-Paskawych, Editor

Excellence in Masthead

Excellence in OCTA News

Excellence in Special Feature

Excellence in Use of Graphics

Merit in Use of Pictures & Layout

Merit in Layout, Quality and Overall Quality

Excellence in Overall Newsletter

Excellence in Writing

 

The Footlighters, Inc. – The Libretto

Erica Beimesche, Editor

Outstanding in Masthead

Outstanding in OCTA News

Outstanding in Special Feature

Outstanding in Special Information

Outstanding in Use of Graphics

Excellence in Use of Pictures & Layout

Outstanding in Layout, Quality and Overall Quality

Outstanding in Overall Newsletter

Outstanding in Writing

 

The Village Players of Ft. Thomas – The Village Crier

Peggy Kenney, Editor

Sharon Shelton, Co-Editor

Excellence in Masthead

Outstanding in OCTA News

Outstanding in Special Feature

Outstanding in Special Information

Excellence in Use of Graphics

Excellence in Use of Pictures & Layout

Outstanding in Layout, Quality and Overall Quality

Outstanding in Overall Newsletter

Outstanding Writing​​

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President’s Award

Mary Stone

 

Art Rouse Travel Award

Final Bow Company (64 attending traveling 131 miles one way)

 

2024 Fiscal Year Patron Awards

Most Improved by 39% - West Region

Overall Leader giving $2,515.00 – Northwest Region

 

Outstanding Delegate Award

Susan Moreland – Central Region

Meghan Miller – East Region

T.J. McKee – North Region

Claudia Lillibridge – Northeast Region

Bonnie Rake – Southeast Region

Sonja Hyer – West Region