4th Annual OC Theatre Guild Awards Celebrate Orange County’s Vibrant Theatre Scene

Brooke Aston Harper, host of the fourth annual OCTG Theatre Awards.

Productions of “The Motherf**ker With The Hat,” “Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical,” “Once,” and “Tiny Beautiful Things” Recognized Among Top Honorees

April 28, 2025 – Costa Mesa, California – On Monday night, the Orange County theater community gathered once again to celebrate excellence in live performance at the 4th Annual OC Theatre Guild Awards. The awards ceremony was held at the Samueli Theater at Segerstrom Center for the Arts, where the house was packed with artists, designers, technicians, and supporters from across the county.

This year, the Guild recognized outstanding work across 21 categories, including four gender-neutral acting categories, with two recipients honored in each by design. A rare tie in Direction of a Play led to both Katie Chidester (Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater) and Michael Martinez Hamilton (The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist) receiving the award. In total, 26 awards were presented throughout the evening.

The Motherf**ker With The Hat from The Wayward Artist earned the most honors of the night, taking home six awards, including Outstanding Production of a Play. Close behind was Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical from Chance Theater, which received five awards, including Outstanding Production of a Musical.

The Wayward Artist's 'The Motherf**ker With The Hat' accepting the Outstanding Production of a Play Award

Leading the night in recognition was Chance Theater, earning eleven awards for Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Tiny Beautiful Things, Sweeney Todd, The Musical, Gloria, and Alma. The Wayward Artist followed with seven wins. Curtis Theatre took home three awards for their production of Once, while Costa Mesa Playhouse, Alchemy Theatre Company, STAGEStheatre, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players, and JStage Irvine were also recognized.

The ceremony was directed by Shinshin Tsai, hosted by Brooke Aston Harper, with Kim Le returning as musical director and pianist. The OCTG Theatre Awards Program Managers are Katie Chidester and Kristin Coyne, with Amanda DeMaio serving as OCTG President. 

The evening featured live performances and remarks from members of nominated productions. Presenters included Michelle Bendetti, Andrea Birkholm, Emily Neva Boliver, Michael Dale Brown, Adriana Rodriguez Burciaga, Paul Burt, Katie Chidester, Amanda DeMaio, Garrett Engle, Robert Fetes, Sara Guerrero, Lia Hansen, Kathy Harris, Rebecca Leeds, Joe Lauderdale, Jeff Lowe, Claire Pearson, Rob Salas, Lauren Shoemaker, Sheree Titus, Shinshin Tsai, Craig Tryl, Vincent Washicko.

Chance Theater's cast from 'Sweeney Todd' performing for the 2025 OCTG Theatre Awards Audience.

The OC Theatre Guild was founded in 2015 and officially organized in 2019 as a not-for-profit 501(c)3 to serve Orange County’s vital artistic community with a mission to nurture, support and promote live theatre in greater Orange County. That stated goal is supported by the long-held beliefs of the guild’s founders and leaders that theatre and the performing arts are an essential part of what creates a healthy, passionate, and multicultural society that enriches communities while providing opportunities for personal growth and fulfillment. Through the last several years, the guild has made a commitment to answer the question “What can we do together that we cannot do on our own? 

2025 OC Theatre Guild award recipients are:

Outstanding Production of a Play

The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Outstanding Production of a Musical

Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Chance Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Play (two recipients due to a rare tie)

Michael Martinez Hamilton, The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Katie Chidester, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

Outstanding Direction of a Musical

Casey Long, Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Chance Theater

The cast, artists and production team behind Chance Theater's 'Jane Austen's Emma: The Musical' accepting the award for Outstanding Production of a Musical.

Outstanding Ensemble of a Play

The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Outstanding Ensemble of a Musical 

 Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Chance Theater

Outstanding Lead Performance in Play (two recipients)

D.X. Machina, The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Aubrey Saverino, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

Outstanding Lead Performance in a Musical (two recipients)

Naomi Groleau, All Shook Up, Yorba Linda Spotlight Players

Jocelyn A. Brown, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Chance Theater

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Play (two recipients)

Oscar Emmanuel Fabela, The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Will Martella, Gloria, Chance Theater

Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Musical (two recipients)

Sadie Alexander, Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Chance Theater

Jeff Lowe, Jane Austen’s Emma, The Musical, Chance Theater

Outstanding Music Direction

Patrick Copeland, Once, Curtis Theatre

Curtis Theatre's cast members from 'Once' performing for the 2025 OCTG Theatre Awards Audience.

Outstanding Choreography

Jennifer Kornswiet, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wayward Artist

Outstanding Scenic Design

Kristin Campbell Coyne, Tiny Beautiful Things, Chance Theater

Outstanding Costume Design

Marci Alberti, The Motherf**ker With The Hat, The Wayward Artist

Outstanding Lighting Design

Kris Kataoka, Once, Curtis Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Thor Fay, Once, Curtis Theatre

Yorba Linda Spotlight Player's 'All Shook Up' cast performing for the 2025 OCTG Theatre Audience.

Outstanding Projection Design

Victoria Serra, 33 Variations, Costa Mesa Playhouse

Outstanding Fight Direction

Martin Noyes, Alma, Chance Theater

Outstanding Puppet Design

Sarah Leonard, Into The Woods, JStage Irvine

Outstanding Wig & Hair Design

Jeff Weeks, A Doll’s House, Part 2, STAGESTheatre

Outstanding Properties Design

Jim Lowe & Kelsey Lowe, Puffs, Alchemy Theatre Company