Published on May 15, 2019 by Ashley Smith  
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Samford’s Department of Theatre and Dance celebrated a year of talent at the annual Bonie Awards. This season featured 6 main stage productions along with outreach and traveling performances. Patrons from Samford and the Birmingham community enjoyed an interesting mix of theatre, musicals, dance and theatre for youth, all performed and produced by Samford students. According to Chair of the Department of Theatre of Dance Mark Castle, “The work of our students continues to grow in depth and quality. Each year these awards reflect both the amazing performance work of our students on campus and in the local community, as well as the many projects they undertake across the nation and around the globe. Our graduating students take these experiences with them as they go on to make meaningful change in communities and in the artistic world.”

Congratulations to these individuals for receiving the following faculty designated awards: Best Freshman, Rachel Bass; Best Playwright, Kat Sterling; Best Technical Theatre Student, Tessa Hall; Julie Averett Philips Spirit of Dance Award, Sammy Solberg; Trailblazer Award, Xanthia McCaul; Gail Patrick Directing Award, John Perine; Toni Sparks Award (junior), Kaci Deakins; Jesse Bates Award, Katie Beazley; Outstanding Theatre Major, Brittany Welch; Outstanding Alumnus, Harrison Chambers.

In addition to faculty awards, students vote for their peers. This year’s main stage awards went to: Best Leading Female in a Play, Brittany Welch (Peter and the Starcatcher); Best Leading Male in a Play, Nic DiPrima (Peter and the Starcatcher);Best Leading Female in a Musical, Sierra Ford (Freaky Friday); Best Leading Male in a Musical, J. Scott Gage (Freaky Friday);Best Supporting Female in a Play, Julia Cagno/Katie Beazley (Hedda Gabler); Best Supporting Male in a Play, Jake Lane (Peter and the Starcatcher);Best Supporting Female in a Musical, Katie Beazley (Freaky Friday);Best Supporting Male in a Musical, Jonathan Skaggs (Freaky Friday);Best Featured Dancer, Abigail Williams;Best Student Choreographer, Emily Strickland (Grand Night for Singing); Best Ensemble, Peter and the Starcatcher; Best Male Newcomer, Ben Reardon; Best Female Newcomer; Audrey Myers; Best Makeup and Hair, Kendall Fowler (Peter and the Starcatcher);Best Costume Design, Abby-Shelton Storey (The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane); Best Set Design, Alex Roberts (Peter and the Starcatcher); Best Stage Manager, Anna Johnson (Freaky Friday).

Thanks to our sponsors Mike and Mary Anne Freeman and Emma Taylor for their support of this wonderful season and we look forward to seeing you at Samford’s Theatre and Dance productions in the fall when we kick-off with our Emma Taylor Theatre for Youth Series presentation of Ella Enchanted: The Musical October 4-6.

 
Samford is a leading Christian university offering undergraduate programs grounded in the liberal arts with an array of nationally recognized graduate and professional schools. Founded in 1841, Samford is the 87th-oldest institution of higher learning in the United States. Samford enrolls 6,101 students from 45 states, Puerto Rico and 16 countries in its 10 academic schools: arts, arts and sciences, business, divinity, education, health professions, law, nursing, pharmacy and public health. Samford fields 17 athletic teams that compete in the tradition-rich Southern Conference and ranks 6th nationally for its Graduation Success Rate among all NCAA Division I schools.