Winnie Awards

Best Actress in a Leading Role . . . . .
Cheyenne-Michelle Stefano (The Importance of Being Earnest)

Best Actor in a Leading Role . . . . . . .
Aaron Cohen (Proof)

Best Actress in a Supporting Role . . . . .
Cait Towry (Boeing Boeing)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role . . .
Brandon Lamb (The Importance of Being Earnest)

Best Set Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Kristen Clinkenbeard & Teagan Headding (Oliver!)

Best Lighting Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Angel Saucedo & Beth Parker (Sweeney Todd)

Best Costume Design . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cat McMillen (Sweeney Todd)

Best Director . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Ryan Clinkenbeard (Boeing Boeing)

Best Show . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Boeing Boeing

People's Choice Award . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Boeing Boeing

Outstanding Newcomer . . . . . . . . . . .
Dan Richmond

Directors’ Choice Awards

- Jim Denison (While the Lights Were Out)
- James Reddan (Sweeney Todd)
- Carol Garza (Oliver!)

- Chelle Bos & Pat Seely (Boeing Boeing)
- Kristen Clinkenbeard (Proof)

- Beth Parker & Keila Scott (The Importance of Being Earnest)

President’s Award of Appreciation . . .
Carol Garza

Bootsy Semon Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Beth Parker

Gilbert & Seely Outstanding Service Award . . . . . . .
Sandy Jennings & John Slaughter

AACT "Robert E. Gard Superior Volunteer Award . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Bill Rathbone

Scholarship Award . . . . . .
- Katie Fure : Bootsy Semon Scholarship

- Michael Keilhorn: J. Mack Phillips Scholarship)

Hal & Lorna Millen Vanguard Awards . . . . . . .
Patron Recognitions

Bold Storytelling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The Velocity of Autumn

Inclusive Casting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dream Roles & Miscasts Cabaret

Underrepresented Narrative . . . . . . Doubt: A Parable

Challenging Convention . . . . . . . . . . Doubt: A Parable

Embracing Progress . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Phantom of the Opera (Partnership with YVC)

Strengthening WTC's Dedication to Diversity, Inclusion,
Innovation & Authentic Cultural Representation . . . . . . . . Native Gardens & Dream Roles & Miscasts Cabaret

Honorable Mentions

Ruth Veselka . . . . . . . Commitment to Youth Theatre & Arts Education

Bill Rathbone . . . . . . . Outstanding Technical Support & Commitment to Growth

No La Ví Venir . . . . . . Outstanding Community Building & Authentic Cultural Representation

HISTORY of The WINNIES

The “Winnie Awards” were created in 1967 by the board of directors of Yakima Little Theatre Group – today’s Warehouse Theatre Company. They were first intended to be a tongue-in-cheek honor to that year’s outgoing president, Winston “Winnie” Hoffman.

That first round of “The Winnies” was so popular, it was repeated the following year and nearly every year since. The Winnie Awards Ceremony remains a key piece of Warehouse Theatre Company tradition. The format of the ceremony itself has shifted and changed over the years; today’s ceremony design is “Tony-esque” featuring musical numbers, scenes from the previous season’s shows, and a preview of plays selected for the coming season.

In ‘67, a panel of three judges was recruited to score performances leading to recognition of the season’s best. Today, to make for a more balanced system of scoring, the panel is a dozen strong. The pool of judges includes a cross section of theatre professionals and lay people alike. To avoid a conflict of interests, judges may not be involved in a production within the season they’re judging.

Each judge attends all the shows in the season, and using the criteria found here, generates a score for each one in turn. Judges do not compare scores with each other; they simply complete their judge’s form and send them to the Winnie Committee chair. At season’s end (June of each year), the Winnie Committee convenes to add up all the judge’s scores and determine the award winners.

Awards not relying on judge’s scores are:

“Bootsy Semon Award”: Named after a legendary WTC performer and contributor, the award goes to an individual for outstanding contribution to productions of the WTC; voted on by the past five recipients of the award

“Director’s Choice”: Presented by the director of each show to a person deemed most helpful to their production

“People’s Choice”: Voted on by those holding season coupons

“Gilbert & Seely Outstanding Service Award”: an award presented by the Executive Director to person(s) making an outstanding contribution to the business side of the theatre

Congratulations to the following members of the Warehouse Theatre Company:

WINNIE AWARD WINNERS 2025/26

HISTORY of The WINNIES

Awards not relying on judge’s scores are:

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