Posted: Monday, May 4, 2026
By: University Communications

The University of Evansville (UE) Theatre Society's annual StudentndAwards Dinner was held Thursday, Apr. 30, at The Log Inn.

The nearly 120 guests included members of the Theatre Society's Board, UE Theatre faculty/staff, UE President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz, William L. Ridgway College of Arts and Sciences Dean Amanda Krause, and over 85 theatre majors. Department Chair and Managing Director Sharla Cowden served as emcee, and members of the theatre faculty presented the awards.

The Buddy Barnes Award for the Outstanding First-Year Student went to Rylee Carney, a design and technology major, from Overland Park, Kan. The Mary Lou Mooth Wooley Award for the Outstanding Sophomore Student went to Shelby Lomax, a theatre management student, from Sellersburg, Ind. The Mabel Dillingham Nenneker Award for the Outstanding Junior Student went to Mel Denison, a stage management major from Gainesville, Texas.

The John W. Streetman III Young Artist Award is given to the first-year, sophomore, or junior student who exhibits the spirit of collaboration, commitment, and courage in the classroom and production. The 2026 recipient is Matthew Manders, a performance major, from Houston, Texas.

The William A. Gumberts Award is given to a student for the single most outstanding artistic accomplishment of the year. The 2026 recipient is Alijah J. Roberson, for his work in the role of Macbeth, in MACBETH, by William Shakespeare. Roberson is a senior performance major, from Marietta, Ga. This production was part of the UE Theatre's ChangeLab initiative, the Rogue and Peasant Aces, a traveling troupe presenting free performances in non-theatre spaces. This year's production toured to the Evansville Public Library's Central Branch, the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Science, Reitz High School, and the Ridgway Center on the UE Campus.

The Jeanne Suhrheinrich Outstanding Senior Award is given to a student who has made the greatest overall contribution to the department over their four-year tenure. This year, there were two award-winners: Tomi Akinwande, a performance major, from Houston, Texas, and Jonathan Roth, a design and technology major, from Brookfield, Wis.

At the end of the evening, the 2026-27 theatre season was announced and will include HEDDA GABLER, by Henrik Ibsen, in a new version by Patrick Marber, directed by Assistant Professor of Acting Amelia McClain, in the May Studio Theatre. The first show in Shanklin Theatre will be MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, book by George Furth, based on the original play by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart. The musical will be directed by Assistant Professor of Directing Wes Grantom, musical direction by guest artist Tyler Simpson, and choreography by Bailey Crawford, a senior performance major, from Frisco, Texas.

There will be two student-directed productions in the May Studio Theatre whose titles will be announced later. The student directors are Owen White, a senior performance major, from Valley Center, Kan., and Marguerite Winzinger, a senior directing and dramaturgy major, from Bordentown, N.J. In addition, taking the helm of the Rogue and Peasant Aces touring production will be Mia Lacy, a senior directing and dramaturgy major, from Frisco, Texas.

The season finale will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the opening of Shanklin Theatre, in April of 2027, with a production of OUR TOWN, by Thornton Wilder, directed by Grantom.

For more information, please call 812.488.2744 or email theatre@evansville.edu.