Apple Awards
The desire to award the outstanding actors and back-stage members with some remembrance for their achievements was the basic factor behind the creation of the Golden Apple Award tradition. The idea for the awards stems in the Red Apple Tradition of the Barrymore Family. It was the custom of the family to send a red apple for good luck to any member of the family who was opening a new play. The original apples were small ceramic pieces coated with gold, about the size of a thumbnail, made in Helene’s Workshop in Orono, Maine.
The following telegram was received in regards to the Gold Apple Awards:
Herschel Bricker
University of Maine Orono, Maine
My Dear Mr. Bricker. My Thanks and my congratulations.
I consider it a great honor to have the Apple Tradition
carried on as you have done and I wish those who receive
the awards all the luck and success possible=
Lionel Barrymore
The first Gold Apple winners were Jeanette Pratt, David Haskell, Joanne San Antonio, and Dwight Frye. A special gold apple award went to Mrs. Edith MacCollum, a guest at the annual Spring banquet, for having missed only two Masque Theatre productions in twenty-seven years.
We are not sure what year the Apple Awards were first given out, but it was at least as early as 1951. These days the Apple Awards have their own ceremony at the end of each academic year hosted by graduating Maine Masque members. In addition to plastic or ceramic apples given for the more traditional awards, select students are given Apple Sauce Awards for various unique categories made up by the hosts.
May 2013 Apple Awards will be on Monday May 6, 2013.
May 2012 Apple Awards- COMING SOON
May 2011 Apple Awards- COMING SOON
May 2008 Apple Awards
- Best Actress – Abby Coulter- Cloud 9
- Best Actor – Anthony Arnista- Hedda Gabler
- Best Supporting Actress – Rebecca Bailey- Hedda Gabler
- Best Supporting Actor – Simon Ferland- Cloud 9
- Best Newcomer Performance – Rachel Chadbourne- Hedda Gabler
- Best Newcomer Technical – Eileen Nadeau
- Best Prop Design – Kristen Rosengren and Eileen Nadeau- Cloud 9
- Best Makeup Design – Robin Fontaine- Marriage of Figaro
- Best Lighting Design – Kurt Krohne – Cloud 9
- Best Ensemble – Hedda Gabler
- Best Stage Manager – Lydia Dawson- Marriage of Figaro
- Best Assistant Stage Manager – Emma Davis- Hedda Gabler
- Best Kiss – Phaelon O’Donnell and Sarah Mann – Cloud 9
- Best Dialect Female – Phaelon O’Donnell – Cloud 9
- Best Dialect Male – Karl Livonius – Cloud 9
- Best Villain – Jason Wilkes – Marriage of Figaro
- Outstanding Tech Senior – Kurt Krohne
- Outstanding Senior Veteran Female – Sarah Farnham
- Outstanding Senior Veteran Male – tie between Hans-Stefan Ducharme, Kurt Krohne, and Justin Elie
- Best Student Director – Kurt Krohne- An Actor’s Nightmare
- Best Assistant Director – Karl Livonius- Hedda Gabler
- Best Student-Written Play – Human Nature- Lydia Dawson
- Best Set Design – Justin Elie- Cloud 9
- Best Costume Design – Kevin Koski
- Best Audience Reaction – Silence after Joe Mitchell’s Film (Maine Masque Cabaret, 2008)
- Best Cross-Gendered Portrayal – Simon Ferland- Cloud 9
May 2006 Apple Awards - Best Actress – Rebecca Bailey – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Actor – Dustin Sleight – American Buffalo
- Best Supporting Actress – Anne Schmidt – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Supporting Actor – Jason Poisson – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Newcomer Performance – Matt Bessette
- Best Newcomer Technical – Lydia Dawson
- Best Prop Design – Michael Thayer and Jason Poisson – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Makeup Design – Annette Sohns – American Buffalo and Boston Marriage
- Best Lighting Design – Justin Elie – Spoon River
- Best Ensemble – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Stage Manager – Adam Thibodeau
- Best Assistant Stage Manager – Abby Coulter
- Best Kiss – Dominick Varney and Josh Schmersal – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Best Dialect Female – Lacey Martin – Blithe Spirit
- Best Dialect Male – Dustin Sleight – American Buffalo
- Best Villain – Matt Bessette and Anne Schmidt – Jesus Christ Superstar
- Outstanding Tech Senior – Adam Thibodeau – Stage Management
- Outstanding Senior Performer Female – Lacey Martin
- Outstanding Senior Performer Male – tie between Dustin Sleight and Jason Poisson
Previous Apple Awards
