Quincy Community Theatrecelebrated its 2012 season with its annual QUILTA ceremony Saturday evening at Town & Country Inn and Suites. The ceremony honored volunteers from across the Tri-States and awarded 2012 QUILTA Awards for outstanding performances to six individuals.

Quincy Community Theatre
Quincy Community Theatre
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The evening began with a formal dinner, followed by an opening tribute to the 75th Anniversary Season, and finally the awards and recognition ceremony with Trevor Ketteman and Phil Quevillon serving as Masters of Ceremonies. Both men have been heavily involved at QCT both onstage and off for many years, and were last seen in this year’s Theatre Café.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the QCT’s highest honor, the Enid Ireland Award, presented to Jim Drew for his dedication to QCT over the past 32 years. His first appearance onstage was as the bass for the barber shop quartet in QCT’s 1981 production of The Music Man. Since then, Drew has been seen in OliverYou Can’t Take it with You, twice as the mechanical operator of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors, and numerous other productions. He has also been one of QCT’s most dedicated volunteers, building sets, working as crew, running the light board over three dozen times, operating sound, serving an usher, and most recently as Head Usher. Drew previously won the 1987 Technical Director’s Award with his wife Dienna, and his children Mike and Susan; a QUILTA for his role as “Derelict” in Little Shop of Horrors; and a QUILTA for his role as “Mortimer” in the 1990 production of The Fantasticks.

Enid Ireland, who was active in Quincy Community Theatre from its beginnings, was the first recipient of this award, in her name, in 1974. The Enid Ireland Award is presented by the theatre to an individual who has shown outstanding dedication and service to the creation, organization or continuation of Quincy Community Theatre.

QCT’s Technical Director, Paul Denckla, presented the Technical Director’s Award to Bonnie Furniss for her outstanding contribution to costumes throughout 2012.

Lenny Bart, QCT’s Managing Artistic Director, gave the Director’s Award to Kurt Schmiedeskamp for the dedication he has shown to QCT.Since he began volunteering, Schmiedeskamp has served on the play reading committee in both 2009 and 2012, and as a scanner and raffle ticket seller at almost every production of the 2012 Season.

Winners for an outstanding performance in a play were:

  • Tricia Bart, for Cactus Flower
  • Sarah Droege, for Cactus Flower

Winners for an outstanding performance in a musical were:

  • Emily Dozier, for OKLAHOMA!
  • Josh Kollitz, for OKLAHOMA!
  • Patrick Regner, for OKLAHOMA!
  • Sierra Schnack, for OKLAHOMA!

The Ghost Light Award was presented to five individuals. All recipients were nominated by cast and crew members for the show in which they were involved and a committee selected the winners from the nominations. The Ghost Light Award is given to one member of each production team who demonstrates effort that goes above and beyond cast or crew expectations, willingness to help others for the success of the entire show, and ingenuity in problem solving. The recipients were:

  • Meredith L’Heureux, for The Boy Friend
  • Susan Scholz, for Enchanted April
  • Joseph Regner, for OKLAHOMA!
  • Patrick Regner, for Cactus Flower
  • Mike Smith, for Inspecting Carol

Also presented were The Burning Flame Award, given to Alice Gorman and Megan Maiers for outstanding effort in a student production; and the “Rosie,” awarded to Jay Stalder—a high school student who displayed the dedication and volunteer services exemplified by Rose Lacquement, a long-time QCT volunteer who passed away unexpectedly in 1999.

QCT is always looking for volunteers in costume, set work, box office, ushering, etc. Individuals interested in volunteering or auditioning for the 2013 season can contact the QCT Box Office at 217.222.3209, check online at 1qct.org, or email qct@1qct.org.

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