2022-2023 Herman Awards

Best Show of the Season: Christmas Carol

Best Direction of a Play or Musical: Gene McLendon, Murder on the Orient Express

Best Set: Jim Rikard, Seussical

Best Costuming: Jennifer & Grace D’Entremont, Seussical

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play or Musical:
Rich Horton, A Christmas Carol

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play or Musical:
Michelle LeRoy Murder on the Orient Express

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play or Musical:
Michael Corbitt, Addams Family

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play or Musical:
Hannah Stevens, Addams Family

Best Vocal Performance by an Actor:
Christopher Isaac, Addams Family

Best Vocal Performance by an Actress in a Play or Musical:
Alyssa Bayless Addams Family

Best Special Performance by an Actor in a Play or Musical:
Dan Ruffino, A Christmas Carol

Best Special Performance by an Actress in a Play or Musical:
Wanda Becton Murder on the Orient Express

Best Newcomer: Christopher Isaac

Best Choreography: Crystal Hodges & Hannah Lasster for Seussical the Musical

The Rich and KJ Bernstein Production Team Award:
Rich and KJ were a young couple who loved technical theatre and didn’t hesitate to step on stage if needed. They used very innovative techniques behind the scenes whenever working on a play. Both were eager to lend their tech skills to improve any production with loads of energy, always putting in extra hours to “get it right”. Both Rich and KJ enjoyed teaching, always helping young thespians learn more about the tech side of theatre.
Seussical the Musical: Hallie Hulse Evans, Assistant Director, Patricia Barta, Producer, Wanda Becton, Stage Manager, Christie Mayo, Props

Shannon Horton Award: Skylar Ratliff
The Shannon M. Horton Award is presented each year to recognize a youth member of Center Stage Theater who has shown unusual dedication to the organization through the continued pursuit of excellence, team spirit, and service beyond self. The recipient must be under the age of nineteen at the time of nomination and must have shown a willingness to put personal desires aside for the benefit of the group. The recipient must demonstrate the resolve to cheerfully carry out whatever task or part is assigned to them, both on and off stage, and the initiative to volunteer to help when they see something that needs to be done.

Director’s Award:
Addams Family: a Musical: Tamara Baltazar, Assistant Director
A Christmas Carol: Rosanna & Tom Anderson, Stage Manager
Murder on the Orient Express: Hannah Smith, Producer
Seussical the Musical: Hallie Hulse Evans, Assistant Director

The President’s Award: Cathy Woods
One Award presented to an individual of the President’s Choice

Fran Newby: Banks Peacock
Named after former CST member, Fran Newby, for her selfless service to CST, nominees for the Fran Newby Award should be a CST member that has gone “above and beyond” for the current season. Fran Newby currently resides in the mountains of NC.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Mary Lou Parker

A Super Seussical Spectacular!

Wow! Congratulations to the cast and crew of Seussical the Musical! We were blown away by all of the talent and we can’t wait to see what you’ll be doing on stage! The cast should receive an email shortly regarding rehearsals.

Click here for more information about the show: https://fb.me/e/3JURxqZEL

2020-2021 Herman Awards

Congratulations to our winners!

Best Show of the Season: Play On

Best Direction of a Play or Musical: Keith Parrish, Play On

Best Set: Nick Hamm, Play On

Best Costuming: Rebekah Fitzgerald Dunn, for The Great Gatsby

Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play or Musical:
Keith Parrish as Scrooge in A Covid Christmas Carol

Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play or Musical:
Alyssa Bayless-Tiburcio as Several Characters in A Covid Christmas Carol

Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play or Musical:
Kenan Stewart as Saul Watson “Dr. Rex Forbes in Play On

Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play or Musical:
Alyssa Bayless-Tiburcio as Violet Imbry “Dianna Lassiter” in Play On­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

Best Special Performance by an Actor in a Play or Musical:
Martin Mejia  as Billy Carewe “Stephan Sellers” in Play On

Best Special Performance by an Actress in a Play or Musical:
Audra Albert as Polly Benish “Lady Margaret” in Play On

Best Newcomer: Chad Cross

The Rich and KJ Bernstein Production Team Award:
Rich and KJ were a young couple who loved technical theatre and didn’t hesitate to step on stage if needed. They used very innovative techniques behind the scenes whenever working on a play. Both were eager to lend their tech skills to improve any production with loads of energy, always putting in extra hours to “get it right”. Both Rich and KJ enjoyed teaching, always helping young thespians learn more about the tech side of theatre.
The Great Gatsby: Karen Parrish; Producer, Wanda Becton; Stage Manager, Gina Rikard; Props, Tom &Rosana Anderson; Sound & Lights

Shannon Horton Award: Ash Arends
The Shannon M. Horton Award is presented each year to recognize a youth member of Center Stage Theater who has shown unusual dedication to the organization through the continued pursuit of excellence, team spirit, and service beyond self. The recipient must be under the age of nineteen at the time of nomination and must have shown a willingness to put personal desires aside for the benefit of the group. The recipient must demonstrate the resolve to cheerfully carry out whatever task or part is assigned them, both on and off stage, and the initiative to volunteer to help when they see something that needs to be done.

Director’s Award:
A Covid Christmas Carol: Gene McLendon
Play On!: Cathy Woods
The Great Gatsby: Bruce Mahlstadt


The President’s Award: Karen Parrish
One Award presented to an individual of the President’s Choice

Fran Newby: Tom and Rosanna Anderson
Named after former CST member, Fran Newby, for her selfless service to CST, nominees for the Fran Newby Award should be a CST member that has gone “above and beyond” for the current season. Fran Newby currently resides in the mountains of NC.

Lifetime Achievement Award: Craig Millard

Doubt

Congratulations to the cast and crew of Doubt for a wonderful Show! Check out these images, graciously provided by Meta Toole.

Auditions!

We are excited to hold auditions for our next show, Play On! on Monday and Tuesday, Jan. 11 and 12, at the Wayne County Museum!


This is the hilarious story of a theatre group trying desperately to put on a play in spite of maddening interference from a haughty author who keeps revising the script. Act I is a rehearsal of the dreadful show, Act II is the near disastrous dress rehearsal, and the final act is the actual performance, in which anything that can go wrong, does. When the author decides to give a speech on the state of the modern theatre during the curtain calls, the audience is treated to a madcap climax and a thoroughly hilarious romp.

2019-2020 Herman Award winners

Best Show of the Season A Christmas Story
Best Direction of a Play or Musical Kenan Stewart
Best Set Nick Ham, A Christmas Story
Best Costuming
Sandra Evans, A Christmas Story
Best Performance by a Leading Actor in a Play or Musical
Jack D’Entremont as Ralphie, A Christmas Story
Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play or Musical
Rosanna Anderson as Juror # 8, 12 Angry Jurors
Linda Sampson as Violet, 9 to 5: The Musical
Best Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Play or Musical
Kenan Stewart as Ralph, A Christmas Story
Best Performance by a Supporting Actress in a Play or Musical
Tamara Baltazar as Judy, 9 to 5: The Musical
Best Special Performance by an Actor in a Play or Musical
Elliott Turner as The Old Man, A Christmas Story
Best Special Performance by an Actress in a Play or Musical
Stephanie Slusser as Roz, 9 to 5: The Musical
Best Vocal Performance by an Actor in a Musical

Gene McLendon as Mr. Hart, 9 to 5: The Musical
Best Vocal Performance by an Actress in a Musical

Shirley Proctor as Doralee, 9 to 5: The Musical
The Katherine Costa Award for Best Choreography

Crystal Hodges
Newcomer Award

Tiffany Pennington-Parker

The Rich and KJ Bernstein Award for Best Technical Direction: 9 to 5: The Musical, Tamara Baltazar, Assistant Director, Elliott Turner, Producer, Karen Parrish, Props, Wanda Becton, Stage Manager
Rich and KJ were a young couple who loved technical theatre and didn’t hesitate to step on stage if needed. They used very innovative techniques behind the scenes whenever working on a play. Both were eager to lend their tech skills to improve any production with loads of energy, always putting in extra hours to “get it right”. Both Rich and KJ enjoyed teaching, always helping young thespians learn more about the tech side of theatre.

Directors’ Awards
The Odd Couple: Linda Sampson
9 to 5: The Musical: Tamara Baltazar
A Christmas Story: Gene McLendon
12 Angry Jurors: Phyllis Brown

Shannon Horton Award Kenna Albert
The Shannon M. Horton Award is presented each year to recognize a youth member of Center Stage Theater who has shown unusual dedication to the organization through the continued pursuit of excellence, team spirit, and service beyond self. The recipient must be under the age of nineteen at the time of nomination and must have shown a willingness to put personal desires aside for the benefit of the group. The recipient must demonstrate the resolve to cheerfully carry out whatever task or part is assigned them, both on and off stage, and the initiative to volunteer to help when they see something that needs to be done.

President’s Award Michael Corbitt
One Award presented to an individual of the President’s Choice

Fran Newby Award Wayne Williams
Named after former CST member, Fran Newby, for her selfless service to CST, nominees for the Fran Newby Award should be a CST member that has gone “above and beyond” for the current season. Fran Newby currently resides in the mountains of NC.

Lifetime Achievement Award Sean Norris