First Annual People’s Choice Awards For 2025 Croswell Season

In recognition of the amazing local theatrical talent within our readership area, The Sun Times News developed the “Sunny Awards”. Today, the People’s Choice Awards are announced. Tomorrow, Sun Times Reviewer Steve Sheldon’s selections will be announced.

Criteria for evaluating musical productions included three questions.

1. Did the production entertain you?
2. Did the production make you think?
3. Did the production make you feel something?

The votes have been cast and tabulated and the winners chosen. The people have spoken.

The Sun Times News’ Sunny Awards contained thirteen categories. These covered four basic areas:

1. Production – best set design & best costume design
2. Direction – best choreography, artistic & vocal direction, best orchestra conductor
3. Acting – Best supporting actor/actress, best actor/actress
4. Music – Best vocal duet/trio, best musical & Sheldon’s Magical Musical Moment

And the winners are:

Parade claimed eight of the thirteen People’s Choice awards. Parade’s Broadway debut was in 1998 for a short run. Script written by Alfred Uhry and music/lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. Croswell’s production was directed by UM/Sienna Heights graduate Michael Yuen.

Parade is based on the 1913 true story of Leo Frank, a Jewish factory manager who was wrongly accused of raping and murdering 13-year-old Mary Phagen. The production details in vivid detail the gross injustice Frank suffered. Under Yuen’s direction, Parade came alive on the Croswell stage.

Parade won the following awards:

1. Best Set Design – Tobin Ost – Set design was effective in telling the story.

• Best Lead Actor – Matthew Porter – Mesmerizing from start to finish. Compelling performance. And a great singing voice to go with his acting.

• Best Lead Actress – Kristen Kukic – Kukic’s performance was award winning. Kukic was the heart and soul of Parade. She was compelling. She was persuasive. And she was so believable in every aspect of her character.

• Best Vocal Direction – Todd Schreiber – In a musical, singing is paramount. Singing in Parade varied between rough guy songs and touching ballads between the two main characters. Both were done to [perfection.

• Best Orchestra Conductor – Todd Schreiber – Orchestra and singers worked so well together. All you can ask of an orchestra.

• Best Artistic Direction – Michael Yuen – Yuen put a personal touch on this production. It told a painful story, simply, directly and with emotion. Well deserving of this award.

• Best Vocal Duet/Trio – All The Wasted Time – M. Porter & K. Kukic  An 11 O’clock number that was delivered with passion. Kukic and Porter showed everyone what true love looks and feels like.

• Best Musical of 2025 – Parade – It is hard to argue with this selection. Each musical could be considered a winner of this category but only one could be selected. It answered all of the questions. Were you entertained – yes though Parade does not have a happy ending. Did you think – yes. Did you feel – absolutely yes. Parade was an important story and delivered an emotional wallop,

Congratulations to the cast, crew and directors of Parade. Given the three questions, Parade hit on all three. Kukic’s performance was a highlight of the entire Croswell season.

Other 2025 People’s Choice Sunny Award Winners:

1. Best Costume Design – Sabriyah W. Davis – Anastasia – Davis’ costumes were beautiful, colorful and so elaborate.

• Best Choreography – Sarah Nowak – Cinderella   Nowak’s choreography in Cinderella was stunning, from start to finish. I thought her waltz sequence at the ball was the most visually stunning choreographed dance number I had ever seen.

• Best Supporting Actor – Maxwell Lam – Bonnie & Clyde Lam was the perfect sidekick to Ludwig’s Clyde. Lam portrayed his character understated and bewildered. It worked. Lam and Merchant were fun to watch.

• Best Supporting Actress – Nicole Merchant – Bonnie & Clyde — Merchant was simply brilliant in the role of Blance. Singing with Emma Skaggs’ Bonnie in the number “You Love Who You Love” was the 11 O’clock number and was a show-stopping moment.

1. Sheldon’s Magical Musical Moment – Caroline “Cici” Hubbard – “Maybe” – Annie   Cici’s performance in Annie was award winning from start to finish. Maybe is the first song sung and is emotional. It is both hopeful and sad. Hubbard’s Annie was emotional. She was steady. And she was entertaining and fun. The success of Annie rises and falls on the shoulders of the young girl. And Hubbard put the Croswell production on her shoulders and delivered the goods. Well done.

Winner of Sheldon’s Magical Musical Moment – Caroline “Cici” Hubbard with Blueberry (Sandy) at Croswell Opera House. Photo courtesy of The Croswell.

Croswell will announce the remaining musical of their 2026 season on April 21^st, to go with Jesus Christ Superstar, Gypsy, George M, Matilda, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and Frozen. Let’s hope 2026 can match the fanfare of 2025. Sunny Awards hang in the balance.

Photo: Croswell Parade Program. Photo by Steve Sheldon.