The Omaha Entertainment & Arts Awards (OEAA) recognizes some of the most talented artists and entertainers in the Omaha area. Voting for the awards is separated into three genres: Visual Arts, Performing Arts and Live Music. To be eligible for an award, artists must have performed or exhibited work between September 1, 2017 and August 31, 2018.

Learn more about the selection process here.

Congratulations to the following nominees. Winners will be announced at the 13th Annual Omaha Entertainment and Arts Awards on January 27, 2019.

Music Nominees

Best Alternative/Indie

Taking the Hourglass
Names Without Numbers
High Up
Dirt House
Little Brazil
See Through Dresses
Those Far Out Arrows

Best Americana/Folk

Virginia Kathryn
Andrea Von Kampen
Jack Hotel
Ragged Company
Dr. Webb
Wildwoods
Scott Severin

Best Blues

Sebastian Lane
Hector Anchondo
Tim Budig
Us And Them Blues Band
Rex Granite
Big Daddy Caleb and the Chargers

Best Country

Pony Creek
Sack Of Lions
The Belles
Clarence Tilton
Bucka Ruse
Jimmy Weber

Best Jazz

Mitch Towne
Dana Murray
Marcus Lewis
Matt Amandus
Matt Wallace
Shawn Bell
David Hawkins

Best DJ

Shor-T
Houston Alexander
SharkWeek
Fvmless
Stephen Bils
Tres Johnson

Best Hip Hop/Rap

J Crum
Dilla Kids
Mark Patrick
Sleep Sinatra
Greco
Surreal

Best Pop

Jacob Hobbs
Carson City Heat
Jessica Errett
Jocelyn
State Disco
Glow In The Dark

Best Progressive/Experimental/Electronic Dance Music

Mr. E & The Stringless Kite
Dereck Higgins
Plaque Blague
Darren Keen
Funk Trek
Linear Symmetry

Best Rock

Freakabout
Satellite Junction
Evandale
Faded
Hanyaks
Beat Seekers

Best Hard Rock

Impulsive
Arson City
Through The Stone
Save The Hero
Screaming For Silence
The End In Red

Best Punk

Red Cities
R.A.F.
No Thanks
Stronghold
Graveyard Smash
Histrionic
Cordial Spew

Best Metal

Soselo
The Endless Night
Supermoon
The Clincher
Devil In The Detail
MurderHouse

Best Soul

Mesonjixx
Enjoli
Edem
Tylynn
Josh Hoyer
Domestic Blend

Best R&B

Dominique Morgan
Big Wade
Jus B
Ria Gold
Keira Marsha
Wakanda

Best World

Esencia Latina Band
Rhythm Collective
Ro Hempel Music
3gypt
Bishops
Mariachi Zapata

Best Cover Band

Secret Weapon
Peace & Love
Pet Rock
402
R-Style
Rukkus

Best Live Music Sound Engineer

Jon Pitts
Dan Brennan
Jay Wilcher
Ben Stratton
Ben Baldwin

Best Recording Studio

ARC Studios
Hidden Tracks
Make Believe
Icon One
Fuse
Screen Door
Warehouse Productions

Best New Artist

Poiema
Nat Budz
Evandale
Jacob Hobbs
Jaguar James
Win/Win
Midwest Coastal
Rewind
The Endless Night

Local Album of the Year

Impulsive – Lost
Little Brazil – Send In The Wolves
Dominique Morgan – Music For The Brokenhearted
High Up – You Are Here
Big Mista – Back For The First Time
Freakabout – Babezooka
Matt Cox – High Places
Evan Bartles – The Devil, God & Me
Mike Semrad – Cloud or Mountain
Matt Whipkey – Driver
Dana Murray – Negro Manifesto

Artist of the Year

Mike Semrad
Sebastian Lane Band
Impulsive
Arson City
Josh Hoyer
Jocelyn
Mitch Towne
High Up
Kethro

Performing Arts

Best Actor (Musical)

Sarah Ebke, Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Regina Palmer, Once On This Island, SNAP! Productions
Taylor Plank, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
James Verderamo, Parade, Omaha Community Playhouse
Nate Wasson, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Andrew Wright, Newsies, Rose Theater

Best Actor (Play)

Sarah Brown, Venus In Fur, Blue Barn Theatre
Alissa Hanish, Shakespeare In Love, Omaha Community Playhouse
Bill Hutson, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Kaitlyn McClincy, The City In The City In The City, Blue Barn Theatre
Houghston Walkinshaw, Every Brilliant Thing, Blue Barn Theatre
Scott Working, Uncle Vanya, Brigit Saint Brigit
Catie Zaleski, The Mountaintop, Omaha Community Playhouse
Ben Beck, Bent, SNAP!

Best Supporting Actor (Musical)

Thomas Gjere, Across Rhodes, Shelterbelt Theatre
Cathy Hirsch, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Victoria Luther, Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Jake Parker, Newsies, Rose Theater
J. Isaiah Smith, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Torisa Walker, Newsies, Rose Theater

Best Supporting Actor (Play)

Matt Allen, Lazarus Syndrome, SNAP! Productions
Leah Cardenas, The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theatre
Leanne Hill Carlson, Uncle Vanya, Brigit Saint Brigit
Raydell Cordell III, Stupid F#%*ing Bird, Omaha Community Playhouse
Judy Radcliff, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Erika Sieff, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Kathy Tyree, Branch and Bone, Union for Contemporary Art

Performance by Young Actor

Chloe Irwin, Parade, Omaha Community Playhouse
Emma Johnson, The Miracle Worker, Lofte Community Theatre
Maddie Smith, James and the Giant Peach, Omaha Community Playhouse
Stella Clark-Kaczmarek, Wonderland, The Rose

Best Comedian

Makayla Kelley
Aubree Sweeney
Angi Sada
Cameron Logsdon
Tony Geist
Matt Wedlock

Best Comedy Ensemble

Live! At the Backline
Interrogated
The Weisenheimers
Yer Moms Comedy Show
Just Janet

Best Local Performance Poet

Olivia Johnson
Trac Schact
Greg Harries
JaTaun Pratt
Ryan Boyland
Felicia Webster

Best Local Dance Production

Deborah Overtuff-A Midsummers Night Dream-Ballet Nebraska
African Culture Connection
The Moving Company-Spring Showcase
The Nutcracker-Creighton Dance
Momentum-Fosse Style!

Outstanding Choreographer

Melanie Walters, Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Roxanne Nielsen, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Courtney Stein, Shakespeare in Love, Omaha Community Playhouse
Sue Gillespie Booton, Newsies, Rose Theater

Outstanding Music Direction

Jim Boggess, Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Jim Boggess, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Jerry Brabec, Newsies, Rose Theater
Doran Schmidt, Spring Awakening, UNO Theater

Best Director (Musical)

Jerry Jay Cranford, Newsies, Rose Theater
Kimberly Faith Hickman, James and the Giant Peach, Omaha Community Playhouse
Kimberly Faith Hickman, Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Kimberly Faith Hickman, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Beth Thompson, Across Rhodes, Shelterbelt Theatre

Best Director (Play)

Denise Chapman, The Mountaintop, Omaha Community Playhouse
Susan Clement-Toberer, The City In The City In The City, Blue Barn Theatre
Susan Clement-Toberer, Every Brilliant Thing, Blue Barn Theatre
Cathy Kurz, Uncle Vanya, Brigit Saint Brigit
Amy Lane, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse

Outstanding Costume Design

Sherri Geerdes, Newsies, Rose Theater
Jenny Pool, King John, Nebraska Shakespeare
Erin Bragg, Van Gogh and Me, The Rose
Lindsay Pape, Shakespeare In Love, Omaha Community Playhouse
Lindsay Pape, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse

Outstanding Lighting Design

Ernie Gubbels, The City In The City In The City, Blue Barn Theatre
Aja Jackson, Shakespeare In Love, Omaha Community Playhouse
Craig S. Moxon, Newsies, Rose Theater
Jim Othuse, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Jim Othuse, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse

Outstanding Prop Design

Devon Denn-Young, Newsies, Rose Theater
Darin Kuehler, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Amy Reiner, The City in the City in the City, BlueBarn
Darin Kuehler, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Rae McCreary, The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theatre

Outstanding Scenic Design

Erik Diaz, Shakespeare In Love, Omaha Community Playhouse
Robyn Helwig, The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theatre
Tim McMath, Newsies, Rose Theater
Jim Othuse, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Steven Williams, Venus In Fur, Blue Barn Theatre

Outstanding Sound Design

Tim Burkhart, Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse
John Gibilisco, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Bill Kirby, The City In The City In The City, Blue Barn Theatre
Craig S. Moxon, Newsies, Rose Theater
Shannon Smay, The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theatre

Best Premier of a New, Original, Local Script

Beaufield Berry, Kim Whiteside, & Peggy Jones, Centering the Margins, Union for Contemporary Art
Laura Campbell, Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Matthew Gutschick, Van Gogh & Me, Rose Theater
Ellen Struve, The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theater
Across Rhodes, Amy Schweid, Shelterbelt Theater

Best Comedic Play

Stupid F*king Bird, Omaha Community Playhouse
Ripcord, Omaha Community Playhouse
Three to Beam Up, Shelterbelt
Uncle Vanya, Brigit st. Brigit 

Best Dramatic Play

A Raisin in the Sun, Brigit Saint Brigit
The City In The City In The City, Blue Barn Theatre
The Dairy Maid-Right, Shelterbelt Theatre
Eminent Domain, Omaha Community Playhouse
Every Brilliant Thing, Blue Barn Theatre 

Best Musical

Across Rhodes, Shelterbelt
Mamma Mia!, Omaha Community Playhouse
Newsies, Rose Theater
Parade, Omaha Community Playhouse
Singin’ In The Rain, Omaha Community Playhouse

Visual Arts

Group Exhibition

2017 2D Biennial at Gallery 1516 with 50+ artists

Museum of Alternative History at KANEKO with Al Wildey, Alison Hiltner, Andi Olsen, Andrea Henkels Heidegger, Antonio Jacob Martinez, Aurora Robson, Benjamin McQuillan, Brian Kelly (with Ethan Hale, Scott Kenny, Joshua Puppe, Chris Reeh, Pierce Tallichet, Jacob Trail & Aubrey Wassung), Brian Wetjen, Cynthia Gehrie, David Giese, Doug Hayko, Elaine Parks, Harrison Martin, Jamie Burmeister, Jar Schepers, Jody Boyer, Julie Schram, Kate Budd, KayCee Wise, Launa Bacon, Larry Buller, Leslie Iwai, Michael Dixon, MTRL Design, Nolan Tredway, Pamela Conyers-Hinson, Patty Talbert, Reagan Pufall, Rebecca Ratzlaff, Taylor Hokanson, Troy J. Muller, Weston Thomson, Tim Guthrie

Missed Connections at Petshop Gallery with Ella Weber, Mike Bauer, Caitlin Little, Kelsea Brunner, Nathan Gurnon, Granny Oopsy, Doug Hayko

Omaha Bug Symposium at Petshop Gallery with Joe Addison, Jay Barnett, Dan Crane, Dave Crane, Tracy Haas, Reagan D Pufall, Jar Schepers, Amy Haney, Marie Elena-Schembri, Brent Witters

Medium Green at Omaha Creative Institute with Andrew Tatreau, Sarah Kolar, Nicholas Holden, Emily Andersen & Geoff DeOld, and Hudson Gardner

Screenshot at Michael Phipps Gallery with Alex Jochim, Kristin Pluhacek, and Sarah Hummel Jones

2-Person Exhibition

PIHS TSOL: Nadia Shinkunas and Hugo Zamorano at Petshop Gallery
Everything All At Once : Victoria Hoyt & Camille Hawbaker at Citylight Arts Project
Beachcombers: Erin Blayney & Kimberly Glass at Michael Phipps Gallery
Lauren Conrad is Crying: Carolyn Hoover & Rachel Shiller, curated by Slushie Cohen at Omaha Creative Institute
Black White Color: Michael Johnson & Larry Covalciuc at Gallery 72

Solo Exhibition

Sounds Good – Ella Weber at Union for Contemporary Art
Trajectories – Justin Beller at Anderson O’Brien Fine Art
Home Sweet Home – Katie B Temple at The Little Gallery
Love is a Rippling Circle – Camille Hawbaker at Fred Simon Gallery
India Through Beginner’s Eyes – Michael James at Modern Arts Midtown
Stories: Mine, Theirs, and Ours – Bob Culver at Modern Arts Midtown

Best Presentation in a Non-Traditional Format

Cream on Top at The Butter Factory, 14th and Jones with Justin Queal. Kim Darling. Sarah Rowe. Bill Hoover. Bart Vargas. Brian Tait. Gerard Pefung. Camille Hawbaker. Julie Wolter. David Jenowe. Jack Hubbell. Shea Wilkinson. Shawnequa Linder. Justin Beller. Lori Tatreau. Luke Armstrong. Holly Lukasiewicz. Thomas McLaughlin. Bekah Jerde. Josephine Langbehn, Ian Kuhn

Indigenist at Barbara Weitz Community Engagement Center with Cassie Rhoads-Carrol, Michele Marie Desmarais, Annie Steinhoff, Gretchen Carroll, Regina Emily Robbins, Nicole Tamayo-Bergman, Brittany Strong, Lilly Tamayo, Cholly

Woven: Grounding Feminist Thoughts and Practices in Omaha – Victoria Hoyt and Camille Hawbaker at the Jess Benjamin Studio

Rad Women of Omaha – Blackburn Alternative Program with UNO and artist Kim Darling at Omaha Design Center

Best Public Art

Hugo Zamorano – Little Bohemia Mural
Maggie Weber – Oceanside Mural in Benson
Maggie Weber and Brenna Zatechka for Kent Bellows Mentoring Program – Pipal Park Tunnel Mural
Nolan Tredway – Little Bohemia Mural
Watie White – 100 People

Best 3D Artist

Travis Apel
Justin Beller
Larry Buller
Sarah Hummel Jones
Tom Sitzman
Bart Vargas 

Best 2D Artist

Camille Hawbaker
Dan Crane
Betni Kalk
Shawn Teseo Ballarin
Amy Haney
Victoria Hoyt

Best New Media Artist

Sarah Kolar
Alex Meyers
Ella Weber
Rob Gilmer
Reagan Pufall
Tim Guthrie

Best Emerging Artist

Celeste Butler
Sophie Newell
Ella Weber
Jennifer Shannon
Will Anderson
Christopher Couse
Nadia Shinkunas
Daniel Castañeda

Best Visual Artist

Camille Hawbaker
Tim Guthrie
Katie B Temple
Watie White
Bob Culver
Justin Beller