OMAHA, NE (Feb. 16, 2025) — The Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards announced trophy winners at the 19th Annual OEAAs during a special celebration of local visual art, music and performing arts at The Admiral. The theme for this year was “Celebrating Omaha’s Imagination.” A full digital program for the night is available here.
This year’s award show was hosted by the five-time OEAA winning comedy group The Weisenheimers. They were accompanied by the evening’s house band, Parfait & Friends. Parfait also won the year’s trophy for Outstanding Cover Band. Other performers included: Rex Granite Band and Sarah Benck, Nebraska’s State Poet Jewel Rodgers, Wayne Hudson, Carver Jones & The American Dreamers, plus special audio featured from The Polka Police and The Omaha Sound. Sponsored by ShowHaus, local fashion designers dressed many of the local stars gracing the stage.
New this year, our annual cultural stewardship award has been renamed as the “John Heaston Award for Cultural Stewardship” in tribute to our longest-serving and founding board member. John Heaston was founding editor and publisher of The Omaha Reader. He was also the first recipient of our annual cultural stewardship award in 2020.
For the second consecutive year, trophies were one-of-a-kind glass artworks crafted by Matthew Shrader, studio manager at Crystal Forge inside the Hot Shops. Any winners who were not present to accept their awards should contact the OEAA Board of Directors at oea.awards@gmail.com. Winners interested in additional trophies can order these at their expense (contact the OEAA Board by email for more information).
Voting is now open for the 20th Annual Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards for works produced, exhibited and/or performed between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025. The deadline for public nominations is Aug. 31, 2025.
For a glimpse at the work of this year’s visual arts nominees, be sure to check out the OEAA Visual Arts Showcase at the Roberta and Bob Rogers Gallery opened. The exhibition opened Feb. 7, and the it will remain open to the public through March 1, 2025.
We could not do this without community support. If you would like to sponsor the awards show and our programming, please get in touch! Check out our sponsor packet for more details. Contact the OEAA board by email at oea.awards@gmail.com to learn more.
Trophy Recipients
Special Honors
Lifetime Achievement Award in Visual Arts: Therman Statom
Lifetime Achievement Award in Music: Joey & Tony Gulizia
Lifetime Achievement Award in Performing Arts: Dick Mueller, Firehouse Dinner Theatre
John Heaston Award for Cultural Stewardship: Michelle Troxclair & Felicia Casher, Verbal Gumbo
Visual Arts
Outstanding Youth Artist: Diamond Smith
Outstanding Visual Artist: Sarah Rowe
Outstanding Emerging Visual Artist: Oria Simonini
Outstanding New Media: Tim Guthrie
Outstanding Photographer: Abiola Kosoko
Outstanding 2D Artist: Dan Crane
Outstanding 3D Artist: Jamie Burmeister
Outstanding Group Show: Drawing Machines – David Carney, Tim Guthrie & Michael Zimmerman – Split Gallery
Outstanding Two-Person Show: Between Want and Should – Sheree Le’Shawn & Mary Ensz – BFF Gallery
Outstanding Public Art: Starseeds – Sarah Rowe – Ardent Mills Silos
Outstanding Solo Show: Balancing Act – Alyssa Schmitt – Project Project
Outstanding Presentation in a Non-Traditional Format: Phonoptics – Weston Thomson – Kiewit Luminarium
Music
Outstanding Youth Musicians: The Redwoods
Outstanding New Artist: Madeline Reddel
Outstanding Rock: Mitch Gettman
Outstanding Hard Rock: Beast Eagle
Outstanding Punk: BIB
Outstanding Metal: The Tale Untold
Outstanding Pop: Ebba Rose
Outstanding Alt / Indie: Neva Dinova
Outstanding DJ: Crabrangucci
Outstanding Prog Rock / Experimental: Vempire
Outstanding Americana / Folk: Matt Cox
Outstanding Country: Sack of Lions
Outstanding R&B: Enjoli & Timeless
Outstanding Soul: Big Wade and Black Swan Theory
Outstanding Hip-Hop: J. Crum
Outstanding Blues: Hector Anchondo
Outstanding Jazz: Luigi Inc
Outstanding World: Rhythm Collective
Outstanding Cover Band: Parfait
Outstanding Recording Studio: Another Recording Company / ARC Studios
Outstanding Sound Engineer: Dan Brennan
Album of the Year: David Nance – David Nance & Mowed Sound
Artist of the Year: Neva Dinova
Performing Arts
Outstanding Musical: The Prom, Bellevue Little Theatre
Outstanding Drama: Radium Girls, Lofte Community Theatre
Outstanding Comedy: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Old School Shakespeare Omaha
Outstanding Premiere of a New, Original, Local Script: Table Grace the Musical by Simone G. Weber & Jay V. Gish
Outstanding Director, Play: Wai Yim, The Great Leap, BLUEBARN Theatre
Outstanding Director, Musical: Todd Uhrmacher, The Prom, Bellevue Little Theatre
Outstanding Actor, Play: Eric Grant-Leanna, as Toby Darling, The Inheritance, Voices in Alliance
Outstanding Actor, Musical: Wayne Hudson, as Willy Wonka, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Rose Theater
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Play: Nina Washington, as First Lady, POTUS, BLUEBARN Theatre
Outstanding Supporting Actor, Musical: Mackenzie Zielke, as Irene Malloy – Hello, Dolly! – Omaha Community Playhouse
Outstanding Performance Poet: Matt Mason
Outstanding Dance Production: What’s the Rush, Vox Dance Collective, Omaha Fringe Festival
Outstanding Dance Soloist: Alison Schiller, as Cassie, A Chorus Line, Chanticleer Theater
Outstanding Youth Performers: Brinlee Roeder, as Ponyboy, The Outsiders, Benson Theatre
Outstanding Comedian: Rachel Ware
Outstanding Comedy Ensemble: Pandemic! @ the Disco
Outstanding Lighting Design: Steven Williams, Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde, UNO Theater
Outstanding Prop Design: Andrew Morgan, The Play That Goes Wrong, Omaha Community Playhouse
Outstanding Scenic Design: Jim Othuse – Hello, Dolly! – Omaha Community Playhouse
Outstanding Costume Design: Lindsay Pape – Hello, Dolly! – Omaha Community Playhouse
Outstanding Sound Design: Joe Mokrycki, White Christmas, Bellevue Little Theatre
Outstanding Choreographer: Debbie Massey-Schneweis, White Christmas, Bellevue Little Theatre
Outstanding Music Direction: Jim Boggess, Beautiful, Omaha Community Playhouse