The Baker University Theater Department held its Theater Awards Gala May 4 at the Lodge.
Associate Professor of Theater Bruce Woodruff said members of the theater honor society Alpha Psi Omega wanted to have the event at the Lodge for a change of scenery.
“The department bought dinner for the event,” he said. “Everybody wanted a semiformal, so that’s what we did. It was fun.”
Eleven awards are given during the event. Sophomore Susan Surman said she received three awards.
“I was excited,” she said. “I didn’t expect to get most of them.”
Surman received the Mickey Mouse Award, the U.S.I.T.T. Outstanding Technical Achievement award and the Stuart Alan McCoy Memorial Award.
“The Stuart Alan McCoy award is voted on by students, the tech award is chosen by teachers and whoever got the Mickey Mouse award last year chooses this year’s winner,” she explained.
Surman said junior Brian Berrens received the Mickey Mouse award last year and chose her as this year’s recipient.
Surman said she was in Harlaxton in the fall, but was heavily involved in theater productions this spring.
“I started stage managing for the musical (during interterm) three days before opening, and it went surprisingly well,” she said. “Then I stage managed for “Antigone.” It was a lot of work too, but it was one of the smoothest shows I’ve worked on.”
In addition, Surman works as a technician working on the set of every show, she said.
“I was really happy to be thought so highly of,” Surman said.
Other award recipients include freshman Kyle Dyck, outstanding performance by a supporting actor; sophomore Samantha Harpole, outstanding performance by a supporting actress; sophomore Kari Gales, outstanding performance in a cameo role; sophomores Hali Jewell and Joy Dayton, outstanding performance by an actress; junior Will Weyhrauch and freshman Nate Swihart, outstanding performance by an actor; Berrens, outstanding achievement in the studio season; Swihart, newcomer award; and Berrens, Ralph W. Polson Memorial Award.