"Kwame a River 2: The Wrath of Conyers": Kwame a River wins WILDer Award!

"Kwame a River" wins The “Most Politically Incorrect – but Funniest – Moment of the Year” Award

for:

"The Sam Bernstein Family" - Kwame a River: Chronicles of Detroit's Hip-Hop Mayor; Andiamo Novi Theatre

From: http://www.encoremichigan.com/article.html?article=1842

It really was One Wilde Night: 2009 Wilde Awards winners announced

Winners of The 2009 Wilde Awards were announced Aug. 26 at a delightfully prestigious ceremony at Detroit's Gem Theatre. Honoring the best productions and performances of Southeast and Mid-Michigan's 2008-2009 professional theater season, 22 awards were presented during a festive night that included moments of comedy, poignancy and plenty of surprises. Also announced were nine honorary WILDE-r Awards, which paid tribute to some of the "wilder" moments of the previous theater season.

A particularly uproar-causing WILDE-r Award was the "Most Politically Incorrect – but Funniest – Moment of the Year" Award, named for the actors that played local legal personality Sam Bernstein's family. The group spoofed the real-life family's commercials in Andiamo Novi Theatre's Kwame a River: Chronicles of Detroit's Hip-Hop Mayor so well that, according to Calamia, the actor playing the jail-bound mayor actually broke character and begged the audience to stop laughing.

"Kwame A River" was also nominated in the category for "Best New Script".

Jennifer Gale (Music Director):

Pianist, Educator, Accompanist. Ms Gale is the Owner/Director of the Mount Clemens Arts Consortium, Inc a Community-style school for the Arts. As a pianist she has performed solo concerts featuring the music of Black composers from around the world. As an educator, she has taught general music courses in public schools and for the Interlochen School of the Arts. She also maintains a studio of private piano students who compete and perform across the state. As an accompanist, she's played over 20 different musicals for community groups and schools in southeast Michigan. Musical Director for Kwame 1

Michael Pollock, Composer

Michael Pollock (composer ): Michael is musical director of The Second City Training Center Los Angeles; he studied at the University of Texas at Austin, Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts and The Grove School of Music. His credits include The Tonight Show, The Drew Carey Show, Evening at the Improv and ABC’s Emmy Award-winning Tuesdays With Morrie. He plays piano for various show at Disneyland and taught the first master class in musical direction at the Chicago Improv Festival in 2005. Learn more about Michael at www.michaelpollock.com.

Marc Warzecha (Writer/Director)

Marc Warzecha is originally from Metro Detroit, and now lives in Los Angeles where he has recently appeared on MAD TV and Reno 911. Marc served as writer/director for "Kwame a River: The Chronicles of Detorit's Hip Hop Mayor," a 2009 Wilde Award nominee for "Best New Script." He has worked with The Second City as both an actor and director; most recently directing "BarackStars" in at the Woolly Mammoth theatre in Washington, DC. Other directing credits include: "Pratfall of Civilization" (The Second City ETC - Joseph Jefferson nominee: "Best Director"). "War! Now in it's 4th Smash Year!" (Second City Chicago Mainstage- Joseph Jefferson nominee: Best Director, Best Revue, Best Ensemble), "The Not Ready for $3.99 Prime Rib Players" (Second City Las Vegas), "Woodward to your Mutha" and "Ten: The 10 year Anniersary show" (Second City Detroit). Acting credits include six resident stage reviews at the Second City Detroit, "Romeo and Juliet the Musical" at Chicago Shakespeare theatre, and SCC's "An Evening with Martin Short." Marc's work as a satirist has been featured on ABC's "Nightline", Newsweek, and in the Washington Post, and he has been a guest on CNN's "Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer" and NPR's "All Things Considered." Marc is the host "No Waiting with Marc Warzecha," a live talk show that satirizes news and politics, most recently performed at the Comedy Central Stage in Hollywood. Thank you to an excellent cast and crew and to family, friends, and the theatre going community in Detroit whose support made this follow up show possible.