2023 Nominees & Winners

The winners are listed first, in bold, followed by the other nominees.

Best Play

“Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
“A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
“God of Carnage,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
“Native Gardens,” Des Moines Playhouse
“The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
“Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.

Best Production for Youth & Family

“Matilda Jr.,” Class Act Productions
“Annie Jr.,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
“How I Became a Pirate,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Singin’ in the Rain Jr.,” Class Act Productions
“Sister Act Jr.,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre

Best Musical

“Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
“The Drowsy Chaperone,” Urbandale Community Theatre
“Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Pippin,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Lead Role in a Play

Michael Harris as Will, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Aaron Smith as Wining Boy, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Davida Williams as Cynthia, “Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Rae Fehring as Wiletta, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Gabriela Fuentes as Tania Del Valle, “Native Gardens,” Des Moines Playhouse
Brooke Guinn as Tess, “Marjorie Prime,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Jacob Hayworth as Arthur de Bourgh, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Daron Richardson as Doaker, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Maggie Schmitt as Lady Olivia, “Twelfth Night,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Jocelyn Smith as Mary Bennet, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Lead Role in a Musical

Faith Brooks as Ella, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Blake Clyde as the Leading Player, “Pippin,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Travis Ness as Lola/Simon, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Samantha Aaron as Ursula, “The Little Mermaid,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola
Giovanni Bahena as Nathan Detroit, “Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse
Elise Cameron as Ariel, “The Little Mermaid,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola
Courtney Kayser as Amalia Balash, “She Loves Me,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Keelin Reilly as Seymour Krelborn, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
Gavin Runles as Charlie Price, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Morgan Wolfe as Audrey, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse

Best Performances in a Featured Role in a Play

Giovanni Bahena as Eddie, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Tom Geraty as Stan, “Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Dane Van Brocklin as Arnie, “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Clifton Antoine as Avery, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Alison Buechler as Sandra/Florence Collymoore, “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong,” Ankeny
Community Theatre
Jennifer Hughes as Pauline, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
John Earl Robinson as Jacob Marley and others, “A Christmas Carol,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Donna Scarfe as Millie, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Maggie Schmitt as Anna, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Aaron Smith as Brucie, “Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.

Best Performances in a Featured Role in a Musical

Dani Boal as Catherine, “Pippin,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Julie Larson as Marie, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Charlie Reese as Orin Scrivello, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
Samantha Aaron as Charlotte, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Faith Brooks as Faith, “Godspell,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Faith Brooks as Crystal, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
Laura Breyen as Nicola, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Emily Coffey as Scuttle, “The Little Mermaid,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola
Dean Messerly as Arvide Abernathy, “Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse
Greg Millar as Nicely-Nicely Johnson, “Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse

Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Play

“Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
“A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
“God of Carnage,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
“Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
“The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
“Steel Magnolias,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola

Best Performance by a Youth Ensemble

“Sister Act Jr.,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre
“Annie Jr.,” Des Moines Playhouse
“The Comedy of Errors,” Class Act Productions
“Harriet the Spy,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Matilda Jr.,” Class Act Productions
“The Wolves,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre

Best Performance by an Ensemble in a Musical

“Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
“Matilda Jr.,” Class Act Productions
“Pippin,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
“Sister Act Jr.,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre

Best Direction

Ken-Matt Martin, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Matthew McIver, “Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Jennifer Nostrala, “God of Carnage,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Alex Wendel, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Davida Williams, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Adam Yankowy, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse

Best Music Direction

Tristan Miedema, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Theo Bartemes, “Pippin,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Brenton Brown, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Brenton Brown, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
Tina Haase Findlay, “Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse
Carl Johnson and Jack Pearson, “The Drowsy Chaperone,” Urbandale Community Theatre

Best Choreography

Megan Helmers, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Charissa Hamel, “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Megan Helmers, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse
Taylor Millar, “How I Became a Pirate,” Des Moines Playhouse
Michael Tomlinson, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Michael Tomlinson, “Guys and Dolls,” Des Moines Playhouse

Best Scenic Design

Corrin Brush and Frank Sposeto III, “The One-Act Play That Goes Wrong,” Ankeny Community Theatre
Nicholas Amundson, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Nicholas Amundson, “Native Gardens,” Des Moines Playhouse
Sydney Lynne, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Brian Seckfort, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Addie Thompson, “Steel Magnolias,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola

Best Costume & Makeup Design

Cheryl Clark and Heidie Swihart, “Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Susanna Douthit, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Angela Lampe, “Cinderella,” Des Moines Playhouse
Angela Lampe, “Kinky Boots,” Des Moines Playhouse
Angela Lampe, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Alex Lindsley, “The Little Mermaid,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola

Best Sound Design

Brandon Kair, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Joseph Cave, “Native Gardens,” Des Moines Playhouse
G Clausen, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Brian Dodson, “Go, Dog! Go!” Des Moines Playhouse
G. Thomas Furgerson, “In the Upper Room,” Pyramid Theatre Co.
Brandon Kair, “Trouble in Mind,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.

Best Lighting Design

Jackson Newhouse, “A Bright New Boise,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Amanda Pichler, “Native Gardens,” Des Moines Playhouse
John Pomeroy, “In the Upper Room,” Pyramid Theatre Co.
John Pomeroy, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.
Dakota Sommer, “Sweat,” Iowa Stage Theatre Co.
Sam Stephen, “Little Shop of Horrors,” Des Moines Playhouse

Jeanne Hopson Rising Stars

Aurora Grooters as Miss Honey, “Matilda Jr.,” Class Act Productions
Emily Kolsrud as Matilda, “Matilda Jr.,” Class Act Productions
McKenna O’Meara as Miss Hannigan, “Annie Jr.,” Des Moines Playhouse
Ben Clark as Joey, “Sister Act Jr.,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre
Vivian Rosalie Coleman as Harriet, “Harriet the Spy,” Des Moines Playhouse
Emily Ellingson as River, “A Very Merry Tallgrass Holiday,” Tallgrass Theatre Co.
Jackson Hamilton as Flounder, “The Little Mermaid,” Carousel Theatre of Indianola
Lil Klein as Deloris Van Cartier, “Sister Act Jr.,” Des Moines Young Artists’ Theatre
Addisyn Marvin as Cinderella, “Cinderella,” Class Act Productions
Larryah Travis as Maretha, “The Piano Lesson,” Des Moines Playhouse and Pyramid Theatre Co.

Special Recognitions

Ankeny Community Theatre and playwright Tommy Lee Johnston
Francine Griffith, pianist
Nicholas Amundson, drag consultant for “Kinky Boots” at the Des Moines Playhouse
The Penguin Project at the Des Moines Playhouse
Pyramid Theatre Co. and playwright Beaufield Berry
The Sarah Frank and Jack Balcombe Dream Project at the Tallgrass Theatre Co.