Omahype: The Omaha Events Calendar

Last Sunday, February 12th, local artists, musicians, actors, writers, journalists, et al gathered at the downtown Hilton for the Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards ceremony, where the new batch of winners who turned the heads of the voting committee and general public in 2011 were crowned. For a little educated commentary on the process check out the always enjoyable and bluntly honest pre-show predictions from Lazy-i.com. For action during the actual ceremony, check out Hear Nebraska’s “Tweetcap.”

MUSIC

Album of the Year – The Peoples Key by Bright EyesAlternative/Indie – Conduits
Artist of the Year – Galvanized Tron

Best Progressive/Experiment/Funk – Satchel Grande

Best Soul/ R&B/ Gospel – Lucas Kellison and the Assembled Soul

Blues – Kris Lager Band

Country/Americana – Matt Cox Band

Cover Band – Yesterday and Today

DJ/ Electronic – Icky Blossoms

Ethnic/World – The Bishops

Hard Rock – Broken Crown

Hip Hop/Rap – Galvanized Tron

Jazz – Jazzocracy

New Artist –Snake Island!

Rock – Rock Paper Dynamite

Singer-Songwriter/Adult Alternative – All Young Girls Are Machine Guns

VISUAL ARTS

Best 2D Artist – Vera Mercer

Best 3D Artist – Jun Kaneko

Best Emerging Visual Artist – Ying Zhu

Best Group Visual – ”Extraordinary Rendition” (at the Bemis Underground)

Best New Media Artist – Ying Zhu

Best Solo Show – ”Still Lifes” by Vera Mercer (at the Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts)

Best Visual Artist – Vera Mercer

PERFORMING ARTS

Best Actor: Comedy/Drama – Scott Kurz in “Distant Music” (Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre)

Best Actor: Musical – Steve Krambeck in “Dirty Rotten Scoundrals” (Bellevue Little Theatre)

Best Actress: Comedy/Drama – Ruth Rath in “Three Tall Women” (Blue Barn Theatre)

Best Actress: Musical – Kirstin Kluver in “Guys and Dolls” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Best Choreography – Roxanne Nielsen in “Guys and Dolls” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Best Comedic Play – “Distant Music” (Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre)

Best Director: Comedy/Drama – Kevin Lawler in “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” (Blue Barn Theatre)

Best Dramatic Play – “Three Tall Women” (Blue Barn Theatre)

Best Featured Dancer – Erika Overturff in “Momentum” (Ballet Nebraska)

Best Local Dance Production – “Momentum” (Ballet Nebraska)

Best Local Slam Poet – Matt Mason

Best Musical – “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Best Musical Direction – Mark Kurtz in ”Smokey Joe’s Café” (Children’s Respite Care Center)

Best Supporting Actor: Comedy/Drama – Scott Working in “Jacob Marley’s Christmas Carol” (Blue Barn Theatre)

Best Supporting Actor: Musical – Dan Chevalier in “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Best Supporting Actress: Comedy/Drama – Laura Leininger in “Distant Music” (Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre)

Best Supporting Actress: Musical – Jennifer Tritz in “The 25^th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Costume Design – Georgiann Regan in “Guys and Dolls” (Omaha Community Playhouse)

Lighting Design – Steven L. Williams in “Dark Play, or Stories for Boys” (University of  Nebraska at Omaha)

Original Script – Monica Bauer in “My Occasion of Sin” (Shelterbelt Theatre)

Performance by Young Actors – Bailey Newman in “My Occasion of Sin” (Shelterbelt Theatre)

Performance for A Young Audience – “Pride Players: Project 13” (Rose Teens ‘n’ Theatre)

Scenic Design – Scott Kurz in “Distant Music” (Brigit Saint Brigit Theatre)

Sound Design – Amanda Miller in “The Year of Magical Thinking” (Circle Theatre)