And this year’s Thespie Awards go to …

The Thespies are being carried in City Pulse for the first time.
Learn more about how local theater experts and enthusiasts pick the winners here.
FOR MUSICALS
* Best musical: “Ride the Cyclone,” Peppermint Creek Theatre.
* Director: James Curtis, “Ride the Cyclone,” Peppermint.
* Actress: Tie: Both for Meghan Malusek * “Ride the Cyclone,” Peppermint Creek; and “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Riverwalk Theatre.

* Actor: Quentin Villa, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Riverwalk.
* Supporting actress: Kelly Stuible-Clark,”Jesus Christ Superstar,” Riverwalk.

* Supporting actor: Brian Farnham, “Seussical,” Riverwalk.
* Featured actress: Xia Skowronek, “Seussical,” Riverwalk.

* Featured actor: Ron Meyer, “Legally Blonde,” Riverwalk.
* Music director: John Dillingham, “Island Song,” Lansing Community College.
* Choreographer: Colorgio Romello and Sylvia Bunn, “Seussical,” Riverwalk.
* Ensemble in a musical: Casey Fosbenner, Sara Sodke and Sophia Catella, playing the emotions in “Dandelion,” Michigan State University.

FOR PLAYS
* Best Play: “The Shark is Broken,” Riverwalk.
* Director: Amy Rickett, “The Shark is Broken,” Riverwalk.

* Actress: Shannon Bowen, “The Best We Could,” Peppermint Creek.
* Actor: Jeff Magnuson, “The Shark is Broken,” Riverwalk.

Photo by Trumpie Photography
* Supporting actress: Keara Hayes, “Fatherland,” Peppermint Creek.
* Supporting actor: Kameron Going, “The Shark is Broken,” Riverwalk.

Photo by Dave Trumpie
* Featured actress: Laura Nguyen. “Eureka Day,” Peppermint Creek.

Preston Lyford (left) as Conrad and Tasiyah Hampton as Nina in the MSU Department of Theatre’s production of “Stupid F##king Bird.” – Photo by Raymond Black Jr.
* Featured actor: Tie: Heath Sartorius, “Defiance,” Ixion; and Cameron Gilbertson, in the companion plays “Seagull” and “Stupid (bleep) Bird.”

* Ensemble in a play: “Fairview,” Peppermint Creek.
FOR EITHER
* Original script: Colleen Francis, Jessica Francis Fichter and Hailee Beltzhoover Zuniga, “Dandelion,” MSU.
* Set design: James Curtis, “Ride the Cyclone,” Peppermint Creek.
* Costumes: Kris and Anna Maier, “Seussical,” Riverwalk.

* Set dressing: Michelle Raymond, “Incident at Our Lady of Perpetual Help,” Williamston.
* Set dressing, non-professional: Jeff Boerger, “Eureka Day,” Peppermint Creek.
* Special effects: James Curtis, “Ride the Cyclone,” Peppermint Creek.
* Props: Michelle Raymond, “Incident (etc.),” Williamston.
* Props (non-professional): Amy Rickett, “The Shark is Broken,” Riverwalk.
* Scenography, Ross Brower, “Fatherland,” Peppermint.
* Lighting: Matty Peterson, “Island Song,” Lansing Community College.
* Sound: Julia Garlotte, “Dial M For Murder,” Williamston.
* Sound (non-professional): Rae Schalter, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Riverwalk.
* Media design: Tie: Sean Wilson and Alison Dobbins, “Persuasion,” MSU; and Kelly Schalter, “Jesus Christ Superstar,” Riverwalk.
* Hair and make-up: Kayla Henry, “Ravenscroft,” Riverwalk.
* Fight choreography: Nicole Jenosky and Alexis Black, “Chemical Imbalance,” MSU.

SPECIAL MENTION AWARDS
* Katherine Banks for her excellent work in “Every Brilliant Thing,” at Williamston. A demanding show (later done by Daniel Radcliffe on Broadway), it had her as the only actor, working with audience members.
* Myka Spoelma for the original music in “1984,” at Lansing Community College.
* Cookie and Gertie, for their fine work as Bruiser and Rufus, the dogs in “Legally Blonde” at Riverwalk.
ROBERT BUSBY AWARD
* Rev. Tom Arthur of Sycamore Creek Church Eastwood. The church has doubled as a vibrant theater space, the regular home of Peppermint Creek and Ixion, plus individual concerts and shows.
