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

The Cassopolis and Edwardsburg drama programs are among the nominees for the 2024-2025 WAVE Awards for Excellence in High School Musical Theatre. Cassopolis is nominated for three awards including “Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Musical,” for its most recent production, “Beetlejuice Jr.” Edwardsburg was nominated for 10 awards including Outstanding Musical Production for its latest performance, “Newsies.”

Loosely designed after Broadway’s famed Tony Awards, the WAVE Awards is meant to recognize, encourage and promote excellence in high school musical theatre. 

This annual event also offers students and production staff a valuable educational opportunity through written feedback from highly qualified arts professionals, additional performance opportunities, scholarship opportunities, a sense of belonging and value in the local arts community, and public recognition for a job well done.

The Awards Showcase will be held May 21, 2025.

The 2024-2025 WAVE Award nominees: 

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 and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”; Paul Milligan
• New Buffalo High School; “Little Shop of Horrors”; Lloyd Whitmyer
• Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Kristofer M. Perkins 
• St. Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; Scott Bradford
• South Haven High School; “Chicago”; Mike Springer

Outstanding Costume Design in a Musical  

• James Whitcomb Riley High School; “Hello, Dolly!”; Laura Pollock 
• Lakeshore High School; “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor 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 
• St. 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 and the Amazing Technicolor 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 and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”; Matthew Pagel 
• Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot”; Sydney Brown
• Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”; Zac Coudret 
• St. 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
• St. 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 and the Amazing Technicolor 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 
• St. Joseph High School; “The Little Mermaid”; The Mersisters & Flounder
• St. 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 and the Amazing Technicolor 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 
• St. 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 and the Amazing Technicolor 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 
• St. 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
• St. 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 and the Amazing Technicolor 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 and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”
• Paw Paw High School; “Spamalot” 
• Penn High School; “The SpongeBob Musical”
• South Haven High School; “Chicago”

The event is free and open to the public. Parents, friends, fans, teachers, and school administrators are all encouraged to attend. 

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.